The Challenge of Jesus.
Week #1: Come and Be.
Opening Reflections.
Where have you seen God at work in your life this week?
Share any brief examples and encouragements.
Was there anything from Sunday’s message (from Pete Greig) which resonated with you or that you felt resistance to? Anything else you particularly noticed?
In Alfred Lord Tennyson’s play, The Foresters, the character, Robin Hood, says:
… if this life of ours
Be a good glad thing, why should we make us merry
Because a year of it is gone? but Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come
Whispering 'It will be happier;'…
A new year is always a time of new hope, but hope isn’t always easy. 2020 wasn’t the year many of us were hoping for!
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
1. What setbacks and disappointments did you face in 2020? Have you grown weary and lost heart, or are you still climbing like the bear cub[1] in the video?
2. What has been a ‘tree of life’ to you in the last year?
3. How do we avoid the ‘heart-sickness’ of deferred hope? What are you hoping for in 2021? What are you fixing your eyes on?
This is the start of NEW TEACHING SERIES to help us fix our eyes, our hopes and our hearts on Jesus as we look at eight Invitations he makes in the Gospels. We begin with, “Come and be…”
Mark 3:13-15 (NIV)
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.
4. Jesus’ first call is for you to be with him. As Pete said on Sunday, “His primary desire is not to send you but to befriend you.” See also, 1 Samuel 12:22 For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. Do you feel like a disappointment to God? Or do you know that Jesus is pleased to have you on his team?
5. Pete suggested some practical ways to respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come and be with him”:
· Adopt a discipline of prayer and Bible Study (Perhaps start with Lectio-365 and Bible in One Year apps)
· Build a worship playlist and listen to it daily
· Read Christian Books (set some reading goals)
· Find a prayer partner (And/or join with the Emmaus online morning, midday, or evening prayers, even if it is just one day a week)
· Ask for help where you are struggling
In what way could you respond to Jesus’ first call?
Closing Reflections.
Is there anything you will take away from this study and discussion?What has stood out that you can take into your week ahead?
Pray together (in pairs or small groups) for each other, in response to your answers.
