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| Small Groups - Summer 07: Practicing our Faith |
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Take part in the Small Groups online...
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| 1: Spending time with God |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘ Be still and know that I am God’ Psalm 46:10
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
- Consider how you would describe your spiritual life today? Where are you with God right now? Where would you like to be in six weeks time?
- Consider a time when you felt your spiritual life was in a good place, where you felt God close and a part of your everyday life. Why was this happening? What factors were helping this to happen?
- What factors are present in your life right now that are helpful for your spiritual life? What factors are barriers or are missing from your life at this moment?
Invitation
I invite you to take up the six week challenge, one that will seek to help you practise and develop your faith. Faith, like any relationship needs time devoted to it in order to grow and develop.
This week be intentional in spending time with God. Here are a few thoughts about how to make this work for you –
- Find a good place to spend time with God, a place where you will not be disturbed. This might be in your home, but could be outside or anywhere you feel comfortable.
- Find a good time – it might work to always use the same time each day, or you maybe need to change it. Consider pencilling in time with God to your diary, to ensure that it happens everyday.
- Take time to be with God – this might involve spending time in silence reflecting on the day, reading a scripture or ‘faith’ book, praying out loud for yourself and others, chanting a short phrase or word, or another practise this is useful for you.
- Finally, it is better to spend a little time each day, possibly at the beginning and end of the day, rather than leaving it for a few days and playing catch up. God is there waiting for you to respond.
If you feel you would like some online guidance about a daily time with God, then you might like to check out the link from Jesus MCC in Indiana -
http://www.jesusmcc.org/bestill/
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| 2: Saying yes, saying no |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘ My soul finds rest in God alone’ Psalm 62:1a
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
- What is one gift, skill or ability you would love to possess? Why are you drawn to this particular one?
Read the passage below from 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NRSV
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
- One of the messages from this passage is that God gives us gifts, each one according to who we are, through the Holy Spirit. Take a moment to realise you are a gifted child of God. In what ways do you recognise this in your own life?
- Is there anything else in the passage that catches your eye, take a moment to pray about this, possibly by re-reading the passage.
- Consider a time when you felt too much was being asked of you – this could be in church or outside of church. How did you know things were not right? Why did you not say no, or when you did say no what happened?
- We need to take time to recognise our gifts, discern how God is calling us to use them, considering when to say no and when to say yes. In what ways could you say yes to God, maybe by saying no, thus enabling you to practise your faith?
Invitation
Take time this week to write down two gifts you feel God has blessed you with, these do not need to be heroic gifts, such as prophesy! All gifts are important for the church, there are no small gifts from God.
Take time to pray about these gifts, discerning how to use them, do I need to say no to some things, in order to say yes, and follow my calling from God?
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| 3: Keeping Sabbath |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD’ Psalm 27:14
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
- What images does the word – Sabbath – bring to mind?
- How have kept Sabbath special in the past, if you did?
- How has your attitude to Sabbath changed over the years?
Read the passage below from Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (from the ten commandments) NRSV
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
Read the passage below from Matthew 12:1-8 NRSV
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."
He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
- From Deuteronomy, what clear message do we have about Sabbath? What great event is linked to Sabbath keeping? What is the point of keeping Sabbath? What are we to do and not to do on Sabbath?
- Consider Matthew 12:1-8 and Jesus’ words as Lord of the Sabbath. How does Jesus both keep the Sabbath but challenge it at the same?
- Consider your own life, where would you like to keep Sabbath, what would you like rest from?
- What changes might you need to make in order to keep Sabbath? What do you maybe need to say no to in order to keep Sabbath, to find rest in God?
Invitation
This week review how to spend your time each day, is it possible for you to make changes within your week to keep Sabbath. Can you find time to rest from your work? This might be on a Sunday, or it might be another day / time.
What small step can you take towards keeping Sabbath this week, this month, this year?
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| 4: Testimony |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever’ Psalm 86:12a
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
- Consider how you became a Christian, if you identify with this description. How did this happen – gradually over years, suddenly during one specific event, or are you still working this process through? Especially consider the people who may have influenced your decision.
Testimony can be thought of as a way of sharing the gospel message with others in an everyday way using a variety of methods. It can be way of sharing how God is moving, working in and transforming your life, both in the past and in the present.
- What are the various ways that people give testimony, both verbal and non-verbal?
- What is it about God, the Christian faith, the experience of God that you would want to share with others?
- What, for you, is the message of your faith in God?
- What truth do you hold dear to your own heart?
- Where is God working in your life at the moment? If you feel God is not working, then how could you encourage the Spirit of God more into your life?
- How do you feel about sharing your faith with others? Can you explain your reaction?
Invitation
This week consider how to note down your own testimony – your story about how God works in and transforms your life, both now and in the past.
You might find it useful to write this down, or you might prefer another method – recording it on video, writing a poem, a song or a piece of music, creating a piece of physical artwork, or another way that works for you.
You might find it useful to choose one person you trust and share your testimony with them.
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| 5: Discernment |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘May your unfailing love rest upon us, O God,
even as we put our hope in you.’ Psalm 33:22
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
- Recall a decision that in retrospect was a wise one. How did you make it, what factors did you weigh? What would have been consequences if you had made a different decision? How do you know it was a good decision?
- Recall a decision that you have made in your life that you regret. What was the process by which you made the decision? In what ways could you have made a different, more positive decision?
- What important decision(s) are you facing at the moment which you would appreciate some guidance in making?
Read Mark 14:32-42
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Parent," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
- Consider how Jesus engaged with a hard decision? What part did prayer play for him? How did he look to his community for support?
- Where does prayer feature in you making decisions – from the start or as a last resort? Consider how prayer can aid this process of making decisions, looking for good outcomes.
- Do you use your community as a place for help when decision making?
Invitation
This week consider any tough decision you need to make and write them down. Spend time holding them in prayer over the week. Sit a while with them and note down what thoughts come to you.
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| 6: Time to Reflect |
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Time of prayer
To begin this session, I invite you to sit comfortable and spend a short time in prayer. You might like to meditate on this scripture ‘You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.’ Nehemiah 9:6
Or if you would prefer here is a suggested prayer resource,
Sacred Space.
As you take time to read and reflect on the questions below, you might like to commit your thoughts onto paper. This journaling can be a very useful spiritual practise, allowing your thoughts to be seen, written there to come back to ay any time.
Don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions at once, take time to think about your response to each one.
Questions to consider
Take a moment to consider the past few weeks
- spending time with God
- saying yes & saying no
- keeping Sabbath
- testimony
- discernment
Write down one practice, one thought or experience which has stayed with you over these weeks. You might find it useful to read over the sessions again online, or read your own notes if you decided me to use a journal.
- For you, in the next month or so, what is the next step for your spiritual life? What simple, everyday change have you made, or are you intending to make?
- Where does prayer feature in you making decisions – from the start or as a last resort? Consider how prayer can aid this process of making decisions, looking for good outcomes.
- If God is feeling distant and far from you, consider why this might be right now for you? Take a moment to pray and ask God to be close to you in some real, tangible fashion this week.
Invitation
If you have found this web resource helpful, in any way, please consider e-mailing MCC Edinburgh at smallgroups@mccedinburgh.co.uk
It might be as simple as telling me you have accessed these online small groups sessions. You might like to tell me your thoughts about them – aspects which have worked well, and aspects you would change or amend in some fashion.
Please DO consider e-mailing us and letting us know what you think about our online small group sessions.
Thank you in advance.
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