Glory to God in the Highest = Peace on earth.
Glory to other gods = No peace on earth.
As "bumper-sticker" as it seems, this is the premise of true spirituality. When God is seen for God's true significance, our inner wrinkles iron out. Other wise, we become subject to our circumstances, our state of being dictated by all the outer wrinkles of life.
Use this group time to explore alternative ways of thinking about all that we want in our lives. Some of us are bent on improving our looks, numbing pain, giving others a piece of our mind, making more money, finding someone to marry, getting the editorial section into conformity with our views, etc, etc. Other of us have simply said that our peace and contentment will be predicated on a loved one's health, or their living, or on getting out of unemployment. The ancient wisdom says theirs a way to take responsibility in all those columns without becoming subject to them.
At the end, or maybe in the middle of your time, consider 4 or 5 minutes of silence (even if their are kids gathered in another room, banging off walls...), to learn how to stabilize and embrace the full, peaceful awareness at the feet of Christ that we're offered in any moment, any time, no matter what.
Thaw
- How has December stress affect you and your relationships?
- If it hasn't, has it in the past?
- What do you feel like goes wrong if it does? If this doesn't seem to apply to you, what is your secret?
- What most resonated with you from Sunday morning?
Read
- Mark 4:35-40
- Thoughts?
- How do you imagine Jesus' demeanor as he woke up?
Discuss
- Jesus may seem insensitive to their fears. How does this apply to us now if he was not apathetic to their dangers but was displaying an alternative state to their terror and stress?
Leader note: the Greek word translated "drown" is the same word translated "perish" or "dying" in other places. It's not specific to their watery situation, and their state can be found in us in all kinds of scenarios.
- Do you know anyone one who seems to never be unsettled by "the waves"?
- Would you say this person was "successful" or "unsuccessful"?
Leader note: this last question is intended to get the group thinking about whether someone has to trade real abiding peace for getting things done. Most of us in the west, especially in our neck of it, believe our display of agitation, emotional outbursts, wrinkled brows, etc- all communicate "hard at work".
If anyone has seen the movie Lincoln, it may be good to reference his being portrayed as nearly unflappable- even in the face of criticism, disagreement, shallowness, set backs, injustice and limited time to accomplish important goals.
- Do you find you're attracted to others' peace, or threatened by it? (Or another reaction?) Why do you think that is?
Read
- Luke 10:38-42
- Thoughts?
- Which are you most often; Mary or Martha? Why do you answer that way?
Discuss
- Without feeling a need to hyper-spiritualize Christ's words, what is he saying by telling Martha that, though she's anxious and upset about tons of stuff, there's really only one thing she needs to have in her mind?
- What does this say about all the real responsibilities of life?
- Both Martha and Mary's names mean "Rebellion". But that rebellion seems to be playing out in contrary ways. Explore this idea.
Apply
- We live in what many refer to as a Christianized society. But our rates of stress (seen in our health and relational dynamics) seems like anything but "peace on earth". What are a few ways this group can embody peace?
- How much of this effort to live at peace in all matters feels a bit like a lost cause?
- How can the people in this group, and the discipline of coming together and being real with one another, help each of you to stabilize and find peace, no matter what life throws at you?
Quiet meditation
- Spend just a few moments unclenching your jaw, relaxing your face and shoulders, breathing evenly and thinking about Christ asleep in the stern of the boat. See how calm he is while water splashes and lighting burns the sky. Be mindful of the tension in your body, releasing it, and trading it for the peace that comes with recognizing that their is a master higher than that which keeps us on edge.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace....
