Sheep, Wolves, Snakes and Doves

How many times do we hear something at work, see something on the Discovery channel, read something at the dentist's office, or even read in the bible on our own time, and think, "what's our church's/faith's/pastor's stance on that?"

For just this one Sunday, we will be discussing what it means to be sent out into the world ready to engage it, rather than ready to fear it- wondering what we're allowed to believe. We won't and can't be answering all our questions, but we will try and provide some filters to pass ideas through as questions come up in the future.

Use this group time to talk about the how our faith isn't a fearful, narrow pursuit of Jesus that cannot be discussed outside of approved thoughts and words, but a dynamic, transforming engagement with the world through Jesus Christ alone.

Thaw

• How was this past Easter the same or different for you?
• How would you like to celebrate Easter differently next year, and how can this group of followers be part of that?

• What most impacted you from the message this Sunday?
• What was the main thought you had as you left about how you engage your faith and the world around you?

Read

• Matthew 10:16
• Thoughts?

Leader note: You may want to read versus 1-16 for the context. Though reading the context doesn't change the principle of sheep among wolves and being like snakes and doves, you may uncover that Jesus is speaking to the first-phase, Jewish followers and the charge is to not speak to anyone outside of the Jewish faith. This is not to say that Gentiles (non-Jews) have no part in what God is up to, but it does reinforce that the gospel is "first for the Jew and then for the Gentile". Not until later were the Gentiles sought after (Acts 1:8). This may be a discussion in and of itself, as understand that the New Testament is largely about Jewish men and women convincing other Jewish men and women to see that the very Jewish Jesus is the very Jewish Messiah that they had been waiting for. Much of the context of the NT should be understood this way, as it definitely shapes our understanding of passages and how to apply them accurately in a modern context. Being a "sheep among wolves" can be specifically understood as a Jewish man or woman encountering much resistance from the Jewish Theocracy about the "new thing" called Jesus-following. A gentile response to Jesus' animal metaphor is and should be very different from a first-century Jewish response to it.

• What does it mean to be sent out as sheep among wolves?
• Why doesn't it say "a sheep"?
• What are some characteristics of a herd of sheep and what does that have to do with this group?

Leader note: If the emphasis becomes dependent on "wolves" being big, bad, non Christians!!!!....remember that Ephesians 6 says our war isn't with flesh and blood humans. We needn't be scared around any person or their ideas. Help your group not fall into an "us-and-them" trap, but hold at the center that there is an establishment that can function as a wolf, but is actually comprised of individually lost sheep.

Read

• 1 Corinthians 3
• (Choose a reader, and have listeners write down the phrases that stick out for one reason or another)
• Thoughts?
• Is Paul trying to help early Christians realize the bigness of our faith, or the smallness? Explain.
• Read verse 21-23 again. How encompassing does this seem to you?
• Does this mean that everything is ok and that it doesn't matter what people believe, or is it saying something about a Christians freedom to glean truth, beauty and redeemable elements from anything regardless of it's affiliation with the faith? Discuss.

Leader note: This may be a helpful exercise for your group, to go through their next week and see if they can spot the good in things otherwise, seemingly categorized by religion as inherently bad. Christians are invited to be a courageous, thoughtful, listening and wise people that can spot the roots and reasons for things that fearful, cowering Christians merely condemn. This is an invitation from Paul to live in the real world not denouncing, but being part of redeeming.

Apply

• What does it look for you in your specific daily context to be a sent sheep among wolf-like paradigms, employing the dove and the snake-like attitude? Each member share.
• Is there a way to increase in innocence and wisdom?
• Is there a way to redeem more of what had been previously denounced?
• If you work harder in these areas, what might the non-Christians in your world think? Family?
• What help can this group be as you seek to take your place as a sheep among wolves, and one to whom all things belong because they belong to Christ, and Christ to God?

Happy Easter

Hello Leaders

Happy Easter

Thanks so much for creating life-change-making environments each week so that people can know the resurrection that God is affecting in each of us.

This week, for Easter, many groups are not meeting. If they are, it's more social than it is discussion based. If your group is coming together to have a discussion, here are a few ideas o steer you:

• If you discuss the message, share your own stories about when you may have learned that performing and producing were the toxic keys to achieving worth.
• Talk about ways that that gets reinforced today.
• Read a few passages together and discuss both the general theological points, as well as the implications for each of your faith-lives. I recommend 2 Corinthians 5:14-22 for great fodder for discussion and application. You might also consider reading the crucifixion account in John chapters 18-21 as a meditation and then simply discussing the dominant images, ideas and inspirations that each person comes away with.
• Lastly, you may consider taking communion together. Matza crackers and grape juice does the trick. If you use wine, make sure you do so aware of everyone's background with alcohol, as this can create an unintended hurdle or even divide. Prayer of personal confession, and thanks for Christ's sacrifice are a good way to start. Then, while eating, each person sharing what God is up to in the lives of the members turns what we normally think of as a somber moment into one of celebration and life.
• Dream out loud about what needs resurrected in the next year. What areas need hope, and life. Write these ideas down, pray as a group about them and prepare to step into whatever is shared as a group as much as that's possible.

May The risen Christ awake and regenerate things in your hearts, and may the love of Christ compel us all to further his wonderful commonwealth.

Peace to you.

Steve

Seven #1 Reasons, Principle Reason

This week is about broadening our view of salvation.

For many, both in how they understand it and in how they seek to help others understand it, it is merely and narrowly a transaction. Pray this, and after you die you get this. Jesus died so even I could go to heaven.

This isn't evil, mind you. Just so narrow that many people fail to see the relevance of the Christ in their lives if his concern is about an immeasurable negotiation that only has roots in the next world, from which no one has ever provided any feedback.

What people want/need/long for is a salvation that sets in now. Into the things that matter now.

And as it turns out, that's the thrust of the message in the scriptures behind the wall of tradition that many of us have never seen.

Help your group recognize not only the beauty of "the rest of the story", but that if there is a rest of the story, they have an immediate role in it with their family, work, attitudes, etc.

Incidentally, it's a good reminder to see the meaning of Jesus' (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) name, which means, "God is Salvation. Jesus isn't merely an ambassador. He is God's redeeming plan and purpose for all that has been made!

Thaw

Leader note: you may need to talk about the recent storms and whatever needs there are as represented in your LifeGroup. As salvation is the topic, this may be your whole group time if one or more members has been affected and needs some support.

• What is the churches role when disaster strikes?
• How is this different from a government response?

Leader note: If the group pretty much created a line between intangible and tangible needs being met, make sure and challenge that before your time is up. Many people think that physical needs, even in an emergency-sense, are the job of "officials", while spiritual needs (those intangibles that cannot really be measured) are the role of spiritual leadership and church communities. Though the church community should indeed be helping with the emotional, psychological and spiritual (those words aren't distinct!) in a way that no one else can, once again this separation creates an understanding contrary to Jesus' teaching on salvation and makes the faith seemingly irrelevant when it matters most. The church is supposed to be a people that dive into the entirety of what loving people means, not sitting back resolving to do the conceptual leftovers. Make sure the group has a renewed sense that the church is the hands and feet of Jesus locally and globally, not just his ears and mouth!

• What most impacted you from the message Sunday?
• What do you feel like God is asking you, this group or your family to do?

Read

• Colossians 1:15-20
• Thoughts?
• What words stand out to you when you think about the Christian faith as largely accepted?

Leader note: Note the words "all things" in verse 19. Jesus came to save not just people, but things. All of them. What are the implications of this?!?!?!

• After reading this, do you think that salvation has any limits? Explain the implications of your answer with regard to the following list:

Impulsive words/expression

The environment

Al Qaeda

Public Schools

Our habits

Human trafficking

Unemployment

An abusive family member

Porn actors/producers/sellers/users

Depression

Care of body and mind

Inter-church/denominational tensions

Our giving-to-taking ratios

• Are any of these too far reaching or too idealistic to be salvaged by Christ and his way?
• Does your mind default to mere politics for the bigger ideas and "try harder" for the personal stuff?

Leader note: Make sure the group isn't thinking about Jesus saving things with his cross as a magic wand. The way Christ saves is through others-centered love, wisdom, patience, endurance and calm fearlessness that doesn't even avoid death. Numerous people think Jesus' way is beautiful, but when the pressure is on, an M-16 is how you get things done. This, once again, renders salvation to a post-mortem bonus, but not something for the here and the now. Additionally, the naive sense that God votes partisan politics to solve the world's problems hasn't gotten the Kingdom any more expansive over the years. Make sure and go bigger than "left" or "right" thinking about God and the "all things" he redeems.

Read

• John 3:17
• Matthew 5:14-16
• Thoughts?
• How do you compare these two statements in the different texts?
• What does it say about God's view of and feelings for us in that he wants to exercise his purposes of the Christ through people?
• Using evidence pertaining to who he will use and what the qualifications are, would you say that God is anxious about getting his agenda accomplished, or is he at peace about it?

Discuss

• If Jesus came to save or rescue all things, which includes all the people, paradigms and interests represented in this group, and the rescued people are the light of the world called to shine forth God's rescuing/redeeming/saving light- what does this say to your life this week?

• What does this say to what membership at Crosspointe (or any church) means?
• At what age does this begin? End?
• Who is not invited to be part of salvation? Why?

Apply

• Settling for a broad definition of salvation as "re-aligning things to how Christ would want them", what are some areas in your day-to-day life that you could imagine playing a part in salvation?
• How would you like to see this group step more into the salvation story that exists beyond the discussion? What stands in the way?
• How does a plan get implemented in the group to make a sense of wanting to be part of the redemption of all things a reality?

Seven #1 Reasons, Primary Reason

This week is about stepping into what we've grown far more comfortable avoiding. In many senses, this will be at the same time a "follow your dreams, you can do it!" pep-rally and a "don't miss out on glorifying God and living out the story God is telling" challenge.

Many of us have settled for agreeing that there are things to be believed and hoped for and agreed with, but when it comes to us ACTUALLY living out those realities, we just won't step into them. So, we're stuck between trying to maintain our comforts and wondering why there isn't more substance to our life.

Comfort seekers-fed-up with their addiction to comfort.

Use this time to help your group take steps out of mere ideas, concepts and truths and into the wild, troubling and even dangerous realm of reality.

***It's important to note that much of the discussion centers on glorifying God with faith enough to listen for his voice and do what he says. The side affect of this conversation is that some people will be facing their own disobedience. Be sure and articulate, if necessary, that what's at stake here isn't God's love and acceptance. Failing to step into a moment isn't a failure to be found lovable by God, anymore than a parent fails to love his child because she is too fearful to ride a bike without training wheels. What's at stake is the abundant life and the awesome story God is telling trough our faithful adherence to his voice. What's at stake is the real substance of our faith! Discussing ideas is great, but reality, really lived, is the point of life!

Thaw

• Growing up, who in your immediate family was always the risk-taker?
• What were the good and bad affects of that kind of attitude toward life?

Leader note: If it doesn't naturally occur, ask "where are they now" questions.

• What motivates courageous acts?
• What's the difference between courage and foolishness?

• What most resonated with you from Sunday's message?

Read

• John 12:23-28
• Matthew 26:36-39, 42
• John 18:28-37
• Thoughts?

Leader note: It may be helpful to point out the progression of these texts for some of your members. These texts move Jesus chronologically from a conversation that occurred days before his crucifixion, to his prayer in Gethsemane the night before the crucifixion, to his exchange with Pontius Pilate, the Roman "governor" over the area of Jerusalem just a few hours before his crucifixion (and during his essentially "mock-trial").

Discuss

• Jesus is clear about his fate. Yet, even knowing the outcome (resurrection!) of the extreme difficulty he is about to face doesn't seem to reduce his stress. In your own words, describe what Jesus does with his troubled spirit and the "hour" he is facing.

• Describe a time when you had fear, dread and a troubled spirit and how that affected you stepping into "the hour" God put before you.

• Describe other times when words like fear and dread are too strong, but an opportunity for bringing light was passed up because of discomfort.

Leader note: You may want to go first on this one. This question gets at those moments that are comparatively less epic. When filing taxes, it would be easier not to include some income. When telling a loved one or even a spouse about minor details, it's easier to sugar-coat or exclude the parts that could get you criticized. When having a water-cooler conversation, it would be easier to just go with the flow as an absent co-worker is degraded. When recounting the family trip, it would be easier to slam mother to friends. When employing personal discipline, it's easier to sooth the belly late at night with one last snack. Find ways as the leader and facilitator of discussion to illuminate ways that we are presented a sacred, important moment, but we don't step into it because of the inner troubling it brings; disappointing others or their standards, having to go without, having to endure discomfort or rocking the social boat, etc.

• Describe a time when you stepped all the way into and through a troubling hour and came out the other side. Include details about how it affected faith, wisdom, strength, your relationships, courage for next time, etc.

• Share with the group any "moments" you are facing right now, whether they are larger scale decisions, or they are daily opportunities to be handle people and choices differently than anyone else around you.

Apply

• How can this group go beyond a gathering of people that agrees with you about what is true, and helps you step into reality?
• What's in your way?
• What does it take to get it out of your way?
• What things would be different in one year if you pushed through the troubling nature you are facing now and sought to glorify God?

Leader note: You may consider ending with some note taking and capture what you can from the group about what they share. This will take some work on the leaders' part, but recording their responses above, (such as "job opportunities that align better with the Kingdom but are far less income and benefits", "need to stand up for co-worker instead of consenting to ridicule and gossip" "need to start getting honest with parents/spouse/employer", etc.) and then presenting each member in the future (next quarter, 6 months, one year anniversary, etc...) what they had said, is a way of helping propel ourselves forward. You will be writing down "truths" (i.e. things God is asking me to step into) and then at a later date, asking about how that has begun to align with what's "real" (i.e. when it matters, how have I begun to step into the hour I am presented). Let them know you are doing it and agree on a date in the future to get out your True-Real sheet and see how your particular group is growing in its ability to glorify God and expand his kingdom into our day-to-day life.