BEGIN WITH PRAYER · 5 MINUTES
Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Have somebody lead a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.
MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS · 5 MINUTES
Take this time to go over any details pertaining to any gatherings of your groups that may be upcoming. Additionally, invite the participants of your group to take out their phones, open up the Missio Dei App, and navigate to the Events Tab on the App. Highlight a couple of events that are upcoming that you feel are pertinent to your group.
Group Reflective reading of scripture with imagination · 20-30 MINUTES
Read this week’s sermon text slowly, a couple of times, and then work through the Study questions below using your Imagination.
TEXT · Luke 13:22-35
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
PREPARE
Slow down in preparation for your reading. Be silent in the presence of Jesus for a minimum of 2 minutes. Ask the Holy Spirit to shift you from control to receptivity, from information to formation, and from observation to obedience. In the silence release control of your reading to the Holy Spirit, and ready your soul to receive whatever it is the Spirit wants to do during your time of reading.
READ
Read the selected passage slowly. Consider reading multiple times and reading out loud. Select a portion, a smaller portion that really stands out or connects to things happening within your life or group. Reread it, pause, breathe, and relax for a few minutes to let these words really sink in.
REFLECT
Place yourself in the story imaginatively, perhaps as an observer who is experiencing what is taking place. Consider the following questions as you use your imagination to participate in the story.
What do we imagine we would be experiencing through our body’s 5 senses?
What would we see?
What would we smell?
What would we hear?
What would we be able to touch? (If applicable)
What would we taste? (if applicable)
What do we feel as a result of imaginatively participating? (Anger, Fear, Loneliness, Hurt, Shame, Guilt, Sadness, Gladness) Why might we be feeling these things?
What are we thinking about as a result of imaginatively participating? Why?
What might the Holy Spirit be showing us as we participate in the passage through our thoughts, our emotions, and how we are experiencing it with our bodies through our imagination?
REST
Breathe, perhaps express some affirmation of God’s love for you and presence with you. Know that He sees you, He knows you, He loves you and He is with you.
TALK THROUGH one or two of the discussion questions listed below · 30-40 MINUTES
Below you will find some specific questions directly related to the text and teaching from the Sunday Gathering of Missio Dei.
The main point from this week’s text was that “The way of Jesus demands faith, not just familiarity.”
Pastor Kurt shared that familiarity alone (without faith) can breed contempt.
He also shared that familiarity alone (without faith) can breed complacency.
In what ways have you experienced contempt (ongoing resistance to God and some rejection) and/or complacency (wanting privileges without responsibility)?
What is good news for us is that Jesus offered more than familiarity, but His very life.
He tells the disciples, “ I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:7-11).
How is this good news for you at this moment of your life?
How might this be good news for people about whom you care?
One calling from the passage was to strive to become known by God.
This requires an openness to the trustworthiness of God.
What is it that keeps us from being known by Jesus?
Of what are we afraid or ashamed that should lead us to trust Him?
The other calling from the passage was to see what God is doing and whom He is seeking.
This requires that we consider others, who may look and live differently than we do (i.e. those who “come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
In what ways have you found yourself angered by the perspective of those who look and live differently (not because they’ve done anything wrong, but because they do it differently)?
What would change about our congregation if we were filled with people making themselves known by God and having this heart for our neighbors? What impact could that have on our city?
There is no pressure to use any or all of these prompts, these are meant to serve as guides and resources for your use.
CLOSE IN PRAYER · 15 MINUTES
Create a public forum space where people can pray and offer prayer for one another. Fight the urge to talk more about prayer than you do spend time praying. Invite someone to begin this time and someone to end this time together. Remember, silence is not the enemy of a time of prayer.