Winter Term: Week 5
About This Term
During this term we are inviting each small group to step into the practice of mission by serving alongside one of our partners or another local organization working for the good of the city. You can find a starting list of organizations on the JAM page of the Refuge website. For this reason, some weeks will not include a sermon discussion guide, but will instead give you space to plan together.
Entering Conversation
As you transition from your meal time to talking together more purposefully, take a minute to come to quiet. Ask for a volunteer to read Psalm 27 aloud. Allow for a brief moment of listening and then read it a second time, listening for what the Spirit might be bringing to your attention in the moment.
Take a moment to ask: what stood out to you? Allow space for those who’d like to answer. Secondly, more than just finding a thought interesting, what might it look like to respond to what you’ve heard?Recognize that some of your members might process slowly, internally and some more quickly, verbally. Feel no pressure to answer this second question out loud. Ask someone to end this part of your time in prayer, inviting the Spirit to continue the conversation.
Tonight’s Practice
Because of the initial work it will take to organize serving together, give priority to having the conversations you need to in order to continue moving toward that goal. If your group doesn’t need to work on planning/calendaring, etc., feel free to use any of the conversation prompts below.
I Peter 5 is a poignant instruction, given the life of Peter that echoes forward into it. Peter refers to himself as a “witness” of the sufferings of Christ, yet we remember his denials on the night Jesus was crucified. Jesus himself (John 21:15-17) restores Peter to relationship, forgiving him and leaving those denials in the past. Instead, there is the call to tend, to care for the “sheep” of Jesus. Here, Peter passes on that very responsibility to others, elders mature in their faith. And to do so in such a way that points to Jesus, the chief Shepherd, our example.
It is striking that Jesus is called forward as an example for both those who lead and those who follow. Because in Jesus, we see the One who was Lord, “tie on” to himself the clothes of a servant and wash the feet of his disciples. Authority in the church is the authority to serve, to willingly take a low place even as Jesus did, trusting God to raise us up in His time and His way.
Questions for Discussion
NB: Many of us have experienced some form of hurt, some even traumatically so, due to the abuse of those trusted with authority in the church. As you lead discussion, be mindful of those for whom this conversation might bring forward painful, even unhealed, memories.
What is the good news of this passage? It might help to read the passage out loud again with this question in mind.
In what way does the good news of vs 1-6 free us up to the response of vs 7 – casting all our anxieties onto the One who cares for us.
“Clothe yourselves with humility.” “Humble yourselves…under the mighty hand of God.” Can you think of specific ways you might try to respond to these instructions? Move from this question into prayer, asking for the help of God’s Spirit.
Practice for the Week
There are many ways we can willingly clothe ourselves in humility throughout the week – with our families, our co-workers, friends, and even strangers. Purpose to look for these moments and respond willingly, bringing Jesus to mind as you do.