Stuff Jesus Made Up, week 6

To complete the series, we have to embrace what it means to go forward both discussing Jesus' parables and trying to live them. The former is interesting. The latter is life-altering.

As with any week, try and guide your group into discovering how Jesus' words will play out in the days, weeks and months to come. Be specific with your group and reference prayer concerns and hunches that have been shared to help individuals see what God might be asking them to step into. And be sure and share with the rest of us any stories about surrender so that we can all celebrate together the stuff Jesus made up becoming lives Jesus transformed.

Thaw

• How have you caught yourself playing the chair game in the last week?
• What did you do about it?
• What was most impacting from the message this Sunday?
• If you were to act on whatever sense you had after Sunday, what do you suppose would happen?
• What has been the "main thing" that you have learned or that has shifted in your life during this series?

Read

• Luke 13:6-8
• Thoughts?

Leader note: The context Jesus tells this parable in is a tricky one. He spends the beginning of the chapter talking about some strange ideas and then cuts right into this teaching on the fig tree. There was apparently a time when Pontius Pilate killed Jewish men during worship, "mixing their blood with their sacrifices" and another episode when a tower fell on some people. In both cases, Jesus doesn't lament, but says they AND his present listeners have it coming. It's helpful to note that the men killed during their worship, as well as those whom the tower fell on, appear to be embroiled in fighting. Often times the Jewish men would try to beat the Roman soldiers at their own game, suffering at the hands of very powerful, skilled killing machines. The purity of the temple, the concept of God as King rather than the Emperor, national and social injustice, loss of sovereignty; these were all issues that were fought for in all the wrong ways. And the fighting always ended in brutal defeat at the hands of Rome. The tower, we can safely assume, is a military barracks as well. So, rather than Jesus telling them numbly that the Galileans had it coming, and so do his listeners if they don't clean up their act, he is likely teaching that those who have died trying to use guerilla warfare in God's name didn't fail because of their sin, but because of foolishness. They are trying to use war to bring about peace- which gets even righteous people killed. The "repent" in Christ's warning, then, is about turning from the madness of war and trying to beat Rome by behaving like they do. Fight Jesus' way is an invitation to go to war differently. If they were to truly "defend" the ways of God, then they need to live in the creative and cunning ways of peace (Matthew 5:38-48, Romans 12:21). This may or may not come up, or need to, in the course of your discussion.

• What do the components of the parable mean?

Leader note: There have been many that put the owner of the vineyard as God the Father, while the vinedresser as God the Son. In doing so, you get different minds seemingly at odds with each other, as though Jesus is trying to talk the Father into doing something he didn't want to do. A better theology is simply the two personalities represent the tension in God's own mind between justice (what should be based on what has or hasn't happened) and God's mercy (his infatuation with what he created and his desire for good things for his children). Additionally, you may want to read Isaiah 5:1-7 to get a Jewish sense of the visualization Jesus uses.

Discuss

• What do we learn about God in this parable?
• What do we unlearn about God in this parable?
• Why do you think Jesus used the word "afiamee" ("forgive") for the words translated "leave it alone..."?
• Why do you think that the worker's reaction to the tree's unfruitfulness is more blessing (aerating and fertilizer) rather than threat and consequence?
• Do you know of a time when God used more blessing to get you to step into something important that you had previously refused? Share.

• Would you say that your life is more about existing and absorbing from the soil, or about trying to produce fruit?
• How do you answer the question "If I was removed from the garden, what would no longer happen?"

Read

• Matthew 21:28-31
• Thoughts?

Discuss

• How can this group help you come out of dormancy and into whatever you think it is God wants you to do or be?

Leader note: This could be everything from addiction, surrender to Christ, forgiveness issues to looking for a new job. Ask follow-up questions pertinent to your group to help them be as specific as they need to be.

• Do you think you have to be more informed and less doubtful to be able to surrender yourself and your decisions to Christ? Why do you believe you do or you do not?

Leader note: You may find it helpful here to reference John 8:31-32, where jesus puts obedience ahead of truth and freedom. In other words, if we submit, we get the clarity we long for on the journey, but not before, despite we would rather it went that way so we could be certain it was going to work out for us.

• Is there anyone in the group that needs to invite the group to help them take a step forward into the way of Jesus? Take a moment to make that known.

Prayer

• Pray that Christ's parables would continue to carry weight because of the impact they have on our real life, as well as our discussions. Pray for His Spirit to come along side ours so that we can enact the Kingdom that we hear wrapped in all Jesus' teachings. Pray that the group will "go there" with each other and make these stories a reality with each other.

Additional reading

• Isaiah 6:1-8
• Leviticus 19:23-35
• Hebrews 5:11-14

Stuff Jesus Made Up, week 5

Luke 15, to 16....And now backward to Luke 14 (chronology is overrated anyway...).

This week is on a topic that will be very quickly recognized as something we all wrestle with.

How much of our lives are based on trying to acquire honor, recognition and praise? How often do any of us decide to encourage another, while at the same time letting that deferred praise benefit him or her as we ourselves slide out of the limelight? How utterly un-American.

The way of humility is up there with "as hard as it gets" we live in a culture that hates humility, and instead thrives on self-promotion, out-classing/ranking/achieving the people (or "competitors") all around us.

Use this discussion time to step into a new level of humility, love and peace. This may be a discussion that shapes others as you refer back to it in the future. You will discover ways in which the "seat of honor" is lived for, and may find it helpful from here on out to refer to a solid discussion on humility as a way of understand ing some of the relational tensions that are subtly created by brothers and sisters who haven't realized how often they're playing the game with each other.

Thaw

• Does the way the group is seated tonight reflect any sort of hierarchy? How are the seats chosen?
• If age and reputation for punctuality were factors for higher honor, how would people in this group be seated in relation to the host?

• What stuck with you most from the message on Sunday?
• Where are the specific areas in your relating to others that you sensed God wants to work with?
• Were there any ideas that weren't covered in the message that you think are applicable?

Read

• Luke 14:7-11
• Thoughts?

• Jesus was very much familiar with both the content and the heart of the Proverbs in this parable. Read:
• Proverbs 25:6-7
• Proverbs 25:7
• Proverbs 27:2

• Is what Jesus is teaching still valued in our culture ( or any modern culture), or has it been lost? Explain?

• What does Jesus mean in Luke 14:11?
• Is this a statement that brings peace, or skepticism? Explain.

Read

• 1 Peter 5:5-7
• Thoughts

Leader note: "Lift you up" in 1 Peter is the same Greek word hypso-o, and isn't strictly a elevating in the literal sense, but a lifting up from lowly circumstances, such as better seating around the banquet table. It's interesting to note that in Jesus' parable, he has the humiliated person moving down to the least place, rather than everyone scooting one seat to accommodate the more distinguished person arriving. Many of us would "choose another table" where we could find the honor we're due. Jesus wants us to experience the Father exalting us, however, rather than moving us to another place where our lust for honor and respect can continue to burn unchecked. Sliding us down won't teach us. Moving us to another table wouldn't teach us. Painful, but what our hearts need to be like Christ.

Discuss

• If our father in heaven wants to bring us up or exalt us anyway, why doesn't he just let us acquire whatever honorable position we're proud of?
• What affect on our love and equity with other does it have when we are allowed to believe that we're entitled to honor, praise and recognition?
• What does it do to our internal sense of peace when we feel as though we must constantly fight for a better chair in the chair game?
• When we live in "chair anxiety", how does this affect our relationships at home, at work at school or even within our church community?
• What are examples of how we try and position ourselves in the eyes of others, and what's really going on?

Leader note: Sometimes, when a stay-at-home-mom or dad answers the question "what do you do?" with "well, right now, I am home with our young children, but I have 2 degrees and I'll be getting back into my career when they're old enough..." what we are hearing is someone that doesn't believe God is going to exalt parenthood, so they are trying to get their listener to place them in the right chair. Being able to simply rest in the fact that they are doing one of the most sacred jobs in the universe, regardless of its lack of appeal in this production-based culture, or the absent income and flare, is an indicator that he or she is not playing the chair-game, and has peace. Help the group be creative in discovering ways we play with our words, our possessions, our experiences, our reputation and our overall spot in our culture.

• Why is desperation for praise and honor often easier to detect in others?

Apply

• More than getting used to "giving up our chair", we have to be people that serve the others seated. Jesus washed feet, taking the place of one who wasn't worthy to even sit in the low spot. Lower than low, the King of kings. When we practice humility, we defer praise and encouragement by serving. Where can we begin the practice of generous praise first?
• What are ways we can stop playing the chair-game at work and become the consummate encourager instead?
• Will it cost you?
• Who in your circle seems to not be worthy of much honor, and, in fact, is often the object of much dishonorable speech, gossip, etc...? How can you, regardless of their behavior, begin providing honor immediately?
• How is our style of relating, speaking, etc. changed by giving up the chair-game?
• Is there any one in the group willing to endure the discomfort of allowing the group to help them stop playing the chair-game by calling him or her out on it when it's happening?

Prayer

• Spend some time asking for God to give eyes to see and ears to hear all the ways in which the game is being played and its not even realized. Additionally, pray that the other members of this group would step into helping shape an attitude of humility that flies in the face of a completely different and anxiety fueling way that our culture has taught us to live. Pray that God would show us in the next 24 hours all the ways that we seek better seating, and for others to agree we should be sitting ahead of them somehow...and then that He would give us the courage to give up our seat, the game and serve them with the honor we wanted for ourselves.

Additional texts

• Psalm 94:18-19
• Mark 10:44-45
• Romans 12:16
• Philippians 2:3

Stuff Jesus Made Up, week 4

We move from Luke 15 to Luke 16, and find Jesus building up a head of steam. He seems to be passionately deconstructing the idea that their can ever be a gap between the children of God for any reason. It's a gap we've learned to tolerate and even in some cases, work for and enjoy.

Continue to lead your group to understand that the Jesus we are seeking and following is not strictly interested in a bland morality that tries to get people's naughtiness in line, while making them "nicer" in the process. That comes with it- but this is a revolution we are discussing in our groups. This is reconciliation, redemption and the turning of all broken systems and ideas (and people) back to the Creator through him. If we aren't excited about this as leaders, it may not seem as such to those we lead!!!!

Make this time about steps toward action. Over discussing the content of the message is counterintuitive to the main point Jesus is trying to make. The chatting we do has to be for love of each other, but also for those whom remain unloved. Help your group dream and even decide about readjusting their priorities, schedules and thinking around the purposes of Christ, which is about our groups of faithful brothers and sisters "going" (Matthew 28:19).

Thaw

• What are examples of racial, gender or class division that you have experienced in your life?
• What are examples of social division that you have experienced recently (whether it's shy people being walked on, uneducated people being shorted somehow, or the disadvantaged being taken advantage of...etc.)

• What has most stuck with you from the message on Sunday?
• Have you felt as though a clearer picture of Jesus' heart has come into you mind? Explain.
• What kind of action steps have you begun to take in recent weeks as you consider the parables?

Read

• Luke 16:13-31
• Thoughts?

• Have you heard sermons on this passage before? What do you remember from them?

Leader note: The Jewish mythological context helps us understand this passage even more. Consider the following as you discuss Jesus' parable and some of the presumptions we bring to it. Consider reading the short Apocalypse of Zephaniah found here, especially section 6-9, to get a sense of what some of the popular Jewish superstitions of the day were.

Meditation

• Read the following texts to yourself and use them to allow the Spirit of God to further illuminate his heart to you. After a few minutes, discuss with the group how you feel about what Go is asking his people to do and be (fears, excitement, frustrations, lack of clarity, a sense of purpose, etc..)

• Deuteronomy 16:20
• Leviticus 19:16
• Micah 6:8
• Isaiah 1:17
• Psalm 146:9
• Exodus 22:21
• Zechariah 7:9
• John 13:34

Discuss

• How can this group's faith, resource, hope, influence and creativity be used in ministering to those without resource, influence, hope and creativity?
• What are ways that these principles apply to people not specifically in the circumstances in which Lazarus is depicted?

Leader note: Help the group understand that classrooms have kids from a broad spectrum of advantage, and the class, economic, language, opportunity gaps within a given classroom is a great example of how we can deliberately tear down walls in the name of love. We can also work in our interactions with people to identify someone who is at a disadvantage. Some people are spiritually disadvantaged, and sit in hospitals with no hope or understanding of a God that wants to heal them. Will we recognize this and help be a source of hope in the ER waiting room? Help them see all the ways that walls and chasms can be obliterated so connect people to the life-changing love of God.

• The Rich man's possessions and lifestyle were not sinful. So what is the issue?
• How does your answer to that apply to us right now?
• How does our society, lifestyle, daily regimen work against loving those trapped "outside the wall"?
• What can be done?

• How can this group encourage one another to take some risks and live a different way than most of our culture's counterparts?

Prayer

• Spend some time praying that whatever sense there is in the group that this is something less than an exciting opportunity to be part of what God is up to, would be removed. Prayer for eyes to see through walls. Ear to hear across chasms. Hands and feet to act on what we become aware of.

Additional texts

• Exodus 28:1-5
• James 2
• 1 Corinthians 13
• "Now the report goes, that this elder Annas proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons [Eleazar, Jonathan, Theophilus, Matthias, Annas the Younger], who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and he had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. . ." (Antiquities, Book XX, chapter 9, section i, p.423)

Good reminder for us leaders....

This email came last week, and served as a great reminder that God uses what happens on Sunday mornings, and in our LifeGroups, to weave together difficult and beautiful stories of redemption. I have taken the names out to keep it anonymous. Thanks for all you do, group leaders!

Hello Steve... I attended 2nd service last week. While listening to you teach about forgiving and remembering, and asking someone to forgive you is just as important as forgiving someone, it happened. For the first time in my life I heard God!
I realized that I had not forgiven my uncle for the hurt he inflected on me and my family in a situation ten years ago. Currently I am “hand writing” a letter to him stating that I have forgiven him and asking for his forgiveness in my reaction to this hurt.
Monday night I also called my little brother (whom I have not been the best sister too) and asked for his forgiveness. My brother was a little taken back, but I asked him to forgive me for all my actions that caused him any hurt throughout the years. As you know, this is not an easy task for anyone to do. For me (a prideful big sister) it was especially difficult to admit that I had been wrong about something. He shared with me a few situations where I did hurt him (without my knowing) and I told him “I was not going to give him any excuses for my actions. Please forgive me.” I asked him to not respond to my request during our phone call, but to truly think it over and let it sink in what I was asking him to do. He told me that he has seen a change in me over the last 2 years and knows that I’m not the same person. This is mostly thanks to the support from Crosspointe & our life group coming along side me in my journey. My journey is just beginning (even though I grew up in a church) but I know that I am on the right path.

Simply – Thank you.