Faithful Presence. Study for Life Groups and Individuals. When He had reclined at the table with. them

Transcription

1 Faithful Presence TERM Study for Life Groups and Individuals When He had reclined at the table with them, He took bread and blessed it, And breaking it, He began giving it to them Luke 24:30

2 PAGE 2 A study in 6 parts: Focusing on the Gospel of Luke withparculara en ontothedynamicofimmersive discipleship evidenced from Luke 9:28 11:12 Week 1: Alert to Holiness Luke 9:28-36 Week 2: No Ordinary Streets Luke 10:1-12 & 16 Week 3: Pleasure Luke 10:17-24 Week 4: Everyone a Chaplain Luke 10:25-37 Week5:A en vetocommunity Luke 10:38-42 To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story Week 6: Ask, Seek, Knock Luke 11:1-12 here. The Jesus Way is Faithful Presence: Come and See: Observe,bea en ve,no ce. Hear the Kingdom at work: Deeply listen with the heart and Spirit tocul vate hearing intui veears. Go and Do: Take risks in generosity, hospitality and inclusiveness. The Jesus way of learning is through engagement and immersion with life on the road. Celebrate, re?ect and get ready to go again: Don t stop for the Kingdom is always near. FAITHFUL PRESENCE

3 TERM Prac sesoap individually, in pairs, PAGE 3 Life Groups and whoever you are with on the road. S= Scripture. Spend mereadingitover several mes dwelinitandletitdwelin you. Picture yourself, your world there. O= Observe. What stands out, what images,wordsormemoriesares red? A=Applica on.what does it mean, what prac ses,worksofimagina on,senseof call, enterprise or compassion is elevated? P=Prayer. Turn the experiences, observa ons, insightsandmo va ons into conversa onalprayer. You are a Nerve Ending of the Kingdom of God. Itispo sibleto livesensi zedto boththefu lne sandtheabsenceof Grace,Salva on,reconcilia on,genera vehopeandjoy.justas nervesinthebodydiscernpleasureandpain yourculva onof sensivitytotheholyspiritincreasesbothyouralertne stothe wonderofgodandaresponsiveempathytowardsthelimita ons, wilfulness and distress of people, the environment and the whole of life. Kingdom tenderne sisagi.

4 PAGE 4 Why choose this graphic of concentric circles? To catch the reader's attention, place an 6observa ons 1:Everyoneisinsomepointofconnec on/disconnec onwithgod from the outer limits to the core. 2:Everyonewilhavesomesenseoftheirconnec on/disconnec on with culture, church, family and hope. 3:Everydiscipleisatpointsofvariableconnec onwithothers. 4:Wearebatonpasersfrom genera ontogenera on,naonto na onandpersontoperson. 5: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never, never, never understood it or overcome it. interesting sentence or quote from the story here. 6:Youareatmulplepointsofconnec onatarangeofdepths, intensi esand levelsofin m acy how awareareanyofusto the alivebeauty,purposeandposiblyofourplaceinspaceand me. Dwelling in the Word: Begin each study with this reading. Read it over twice, discuss what emerges and pray before beginning the featured reading for the week. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took break and blessed it, And breaking it, He began giving it to them Luke 24:30 FAITHFUL PRESENCE

5 TERM Why Luke? PAGE 5 Luke sgospelhasapar cularfocuson faithfulpresence andthesignificanceofbeinga en venotonlytothe WordofGod,buta en vetopeople,alkindsofpeople. This Gospel is saturated with those who are nerve endings of the Kingdom of God. People like Mary, Elizabeth, Shepherds, Anna and Simeon, Zacchaeus, a criminal on a cross, broken people on the road to Emmaus to name just a few. Lukecelebratesa en ve,immersiveandvisceral spirituality. Faithful presence is everywhere! There are no armchair disciples here. Everything is road tested, alive, emergent. From the temple to paddocks and dusty roads, in houses, meal tables, plains, mountains, the shores of a lake, amongstpagansandtheselfsa sfiedholy,inseasonsof adula onanddoubt,abuse andperplexity;jesus celebratesfaithfulpresenceandculvatesaw ayof livingthatisquicktono cethekingdom ofgodatwork in all of it s nuanced glory. This Gospel celebrates the discovery of Glory in the midst oftheordinaryand transforma vefaithamongstthose who, while apparently living like maverick desperados o? the Kingdom reserva ondiscovertheim m inenceof God.

6 PAGE 6 Week 1: Alert to Holiness Luke 9:28-36 ReadtheScriptureandreflectontheques ons: Abouteightdaysa erjesussaidthis,hetookpeter,johnandjameswithhim andwent up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a?ash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to ful?lment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered To catch the the reader's attention, cloud. place an A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son, whom I have interesting sentence or quote from the story here. chosen; listen to him. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The discipleskeptthistothemselvesanddidnottelanyoneatthat mewhattheyhad seen. Ques on1:wherehasjesustakenyou thatbecameaplaceofrevela on, renewal or new insight. Ques on2:isitpossibletoknow Jesusbutbarelyknow him?doyouhavean example of this? Ques on3:whyisthisscriptureimportant? Ques on4:whatis Glory?Haveyoueverencountered,sensedorbecome alert to an experience of Glory? Ques on5:haveyoueveryhadamomentwhenyouhaveseenafriend,work mate, family member, partner of child in a fresh way? Have you ever seen yourself in a new way? Ques on6:haveyoueverseen,feltanordinaryplacetransformed? FAITHFUL PRESENCE

7 TERM PAGE 7 Week 2: No Ordinary Streets Luke 10:1-12 & 16 A erthisthelordappointedseventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Hetoldthem, Theharvestisplen ful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest?eld. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house,?rst say, Peace to this house. If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, ea nganddrinkingwhatevertheygiveyou,fortheworkerdeserveshiswages.donot move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is o? ered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, The kingdom of God has come near to you. But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near. I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town... Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me. Ques on1:whatisthemostimportantthingthatjesusissendingthislarge group of people out to do? Ques on2:whatarejesusinstruc onsofferingtothedisciplesasa learning,form a on exercise? W hatwould you strugglew ith them ost? Queson3:Whatlayersofdiscomfortmighttheyan cipate? Ques on4:whatprac calinsightsdoesthisoffertodisciplesofthewayof Jesus in the 21st Century? Ques on5:describeyour Street whodoyouknow,notknow,likeorare wary of? Ques on6:how wouldjesusinstruc onstransform youra tudes, awareness, experiments of grace and openness to others?

8 PAGE 8 Week 3: Pleasure Luke 10:17-24 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. He replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice thatyournam esarewri eninheaven. Atthat mejesus,fulofjoythroughtheholyspirit,said, Ipraiseyou,Father,Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,and revealed them to li le children.yes,father,forthisiswhatyou were pleased to do. A lthingshavebeencom m i edtom ebymyfather.nooneknowswhothesonis To catch the reader's attention, place an except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to interesting sentence or quote from the story here. FAITHFUL PRESENCE whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Queson1:Joyiscentraltothedisciplesexperienceastheyreturnandit is the sense most elevated in Jesus when he hears their bubbling news What is JOY? How is it di?erent to happiness, thrill, contentment or pleasure? Queson2:Whenwasthelast meyoufeltjoy? Describethe experience,sensa onandlegacy. Queson3:Whatculvatesjoyandwhatkilsit? Queson4:Isitposibletobeinoculatedorevenresistantagainstjoy? If so how does that happen? Queson5:WhatdoesJesussayGodwaspleasedtodo? Whatdowe learn about the pleasures of God from this. Queson6:WhathelpsyoutoconnectwiththepleasureofGodandwhat cuts against it?

9 TERM PAGE 9 Week 4: Everyone a Chaplain Luke 10:25-37 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. Teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? W hatiswri eninthelaw? hereplied. How doyoureadit? He answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ; and, Love your neighbour as yourself. You have answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and you will live. Buthewantedtojus fyhimself,soheaskedjesus, Andwhoismyneighbour? In reply Jesus said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was a ackedbyrobbers.theystrippedhim ofhisclothes,beathim andwentaway,leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to theinnkeeper. Looka erhim, hesaid, andwhenireturn,iwilreimburseyouforany extra expense you may have. Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise. Ques on1:whydoesjesustelthisstory?andwhyhasitlastedsowel? Ques on2:how doesthisparableredirectholines,rulekeepingandmercy? Ques on3:whowouldyouwalkpastandwhy? Ques on4:who (whattypeofperson)wouldbeyoursurprisegi ofthe Kingdom? Queson5:Whatisachaplain?Whataretheya en veto? Ques on6:inwhatwayiseveryoneachaplain,aminister,apriest?

10 PAGE 10 Week5:A en vetocommunity Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord s feet listeningto whathesaid.butm artha wasdistracted byaltheprepara onsthathad to be made.shecametohim andasked, Lord,don tyoucarethatmysisterhasle metodothe work by myself? Tell her to help me! Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed orindeedonlyone.maryhaschosenwhatisbe er,anditwilnotbe taken away from her. To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story Queson 1:Whyisthislilepieceofdomescconversa onhereinluke sgospel? here. Why do you think he has drawn it along side the parable of the Good Samaritan? Queson 2:WhoaretheMartha's(menandwomen)inyourworld?Andwhat do you appreciate about them? What is the lovely thing that Martha does in this account? Queson3:WhoaretheMary s(menandwomen)inyourworldandwhatdo you appreciate about them? Queson 4:WhatarethecharacteriscsinMarythatrelatesbothtothesending out of the 72 to the villages and towns and the Good Samaritan? Queson 5:Haveyoueverhadduty,tasksandpurposefulprioriesgetintheway the prac seofa en vepresence? Queson6:Isitposibletousegoodandpurposefulac vityasamechanism of avoidance of the most important things? Have you ever found yourself doing that? FAITHFUL PRESENCE

11 TERM Week 6: Ask, Seek, Knock Luke 11:1-13 PAGE 11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he?nished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples. He said to them, When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Andleadusnotintotempta on. Then Jesus said to them, Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to o?er him. And suppose the one inside answers, Don t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can t get up and give you anything. I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will?nd; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks?nds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a?sh, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give goodgistoyourchildren,how muchmorewilyourfatherinheavengivetheholyspirit to those who ask him! Queson1:WhyistheLord sprayersoimportanttoalifeoffaith? Queson2:WhydoyouthinkLukehasplacedtheLord sprayerhere? Queson3:WhatpartoftheLord sprayerdoyouwrestlewiththemost? Queson4:WhoistheactualfocusofJesusteachingaboutGod sdelightto givegoodgis? Queson5:HowdoestheLord sprayerculvatealifeof FaithfulPresence? Queson6:Whatareyoumostgenerouswithandwhy?

12 Notes:

13 Notes:.

14 Ac onplans: Map your universe : Who is in your world? Who are the close by and those on the edge? Whataretheasociaons,clubs,teams,interestgroupsor networks you are part of? Who are your neighbours? WhoisGodsuggesngshouldbedrawncloser? WhatconneconsisGodsuggesngcouldbestrengthened? Whatcreave,imaginaveideasisGodbirthingforyour walk into the villages and towns - the homes, the shops and the gathering places? What would you love God to help you with to get there?

15 Aprayerac onjournal: Keep track of the rhythms of God. Many of my running, bike riding mates use Strava to endlessly analyse their performance, distances travelled, personal bests and compare this with others. Ifonlywespentasm uch m e,effort,interestand focused observa on to our spiritualityandtheexercisedofouropenne s,sensi vityandalertne stogod. Prac seculva ngsensivity,alertne sand empathe ceyesfor theother, the stranger and those you think you know. What do you see? Listen for stories everybody has one! What have you heard? Prayforsensivity How wouldjesusreadthis street, this place, bus, this train, this aisle, this life? What do you feel? Jesus is comfortable in the streets, the neighbourhood, the city...his wayisconnec onandaquicknesstowelcomethekingdom ofgod. What acons areemergingforyou?setaplan!

16 Ringwood Church of Christ: Con nuingacommitmenttogrow communi esofhopeandcompa sion Studywri enby: John Sharpe: Ministry Team Leader