HAPPY NEW YEAR!
looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday morning or evening.
If you want to start this year with a bible reading plan - here are a few options:
MISSION GROUP QUESTIONS FROM JOHN: 7 Words + 7 Signs - 13/12/09
This week we looked at the second sign Jesus performs in John's Gospel - the healing of the royal official's son (John 4.43-54)
Jesus is back in Cana where he performed first sign (Ch2.1-11) by turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana and we saw that the similarities were striking.
(1) Someone comes to Jesus with a need and is initially rebuffed (vs48) - Jesus seems very insensitive.
(2) The man does not give up and persists in his faith (vs49)
(3) Jesus performs the miracle but does it “behind closed doors” - only the royal official knows and the people he tells. We do not even know if he ever got to thank Jesus.
The story throws up 2 questions
(1) Why was Jesus so reluctant and hesitant to help/heal?
(2) Why does Jesus want to stay anonymous and not get any of the credit? He does everything he can to avoid the publicity and applause that he could have gained.
And the answer to both questions was the same! He does not want people to think his kingdom is primarily about signs and wonders, miracles and healings (vs48). If they think that is what the kingdom is primarily about they will have no time or place for the cross (for weakness, suffering, shame and vulnerability).
He doesn’t want people to misunderstand who he is and what his kingdom is like. His real and ultimate glory is the hour of the cross (John 12.27-28), it is not an hour of signs and wonders. Signs and wonders are part of the kingdom, but they are not central and they are not the ultimate markers of the kingdom of God. The cross is what ultimately marks out the kingdom of God, that is at the centre, that is the defining feature and although signs and wonders are important, they are not central. Following Jesus is following him on the path of the cross (Mark 8.34ff).
The Apostle Paul understood this tension. He could boast in his visions and miracles but he knew that he had to boast in Christ and his Cross (1 Corinthians 2.1-5, 2 Corinthians 11-13, Galatians 6.14). Signs and wonders were part of his ministry, but they were not his primary focus!
Gordon Fee helpfully explains the balance when he says
“The Spirit means the presence of great power,
power to overflow with hope (Romans 15.13),
power sometimes attested by signs and wonders
and at other times by joy in great affliction”
Reflection and Application
(1) When and why do we go to God and say “if you do…..THEN I will believe/continue to believe?” What kind of relationship with God does this mean we have? What kind of faith will this mean we have? What will happen when God (in his perfect goodness, love and wisdom) does not answer our prayer how we want him to?
(2) Why do we often make signs and wonders the key marker of the kingdom of God? Why do we not make the cross the key marker?
(3) How do we hold the balance of (a) actively seeking and growing and longing for signs and wonders amongst us at Mosaic without (b) making them them the most important thing?
(4) Would you like to grow in any of the spiritual gifts? If so which ones (1 Corinthians 12.1-11)?
(5) How can we learn to boast (and glory/rejoice) in the cross and nothing else (Galatians 6.14)?
(6) Do you feel like you are on the end of a “rebuff” from Jesus? In what area? With what request? What does it mean for you to persist? What is he trying to teach you?
(7) Pray for friends and family who you would like to see God heal.
MISSION GROUP QUESTIONS FROM JOHN: 7 Words + 7 Signs - 6/12/12
At our Contemporary Carol Concert we looked at John 1 "the word became flesh"
vs1-3: In the beginning was the word. John starts his gospel with a mind blowing statement…God created the heavens and the earth through his word - Jesus. Both the vastness of the universe and the smallness of the universe makes our mind boggle…and Jesus made it all!
vs14a: The word became flesh. God could not make himself any bigger to impress us so he made himself smaller to attract us. That is the “big picture of Christmas” - the infinitely big becomes inconceivably small. The almighty creator God became part of his creation, he became dependant on someone to hold and protect him.
vs14b: To show us his glory. In Jesus God has made himself known and shown us his glory. He glory is not primarily seen in creative powerful (as glorious as that is), his glory (what makes him captivating, attractive, memorising etc) is that he gave it all up to become weak and vulnerable, to become a humble servant. His glory is seen most magnificently in that fact that he is willing to give up his glory. Do not miss the glory of Jesus this Christmas!
vs5 + vs10-11: The Tragedy of Christmas. The world did not receive him, the darkness did not accept the light. In the end the darkness nailed the light to the cross.
vs12: To make us children of God. However it was through the cross that Jesus brought us back into relationship with his heavenly father.
For Reflection and Application
(1) Read through John 1.1-17 + thank God for everything that John tells us Jesus has done.
(2) Spend some time in repentance, saying sorry for the times you “shut out the light.”
(3) Talk about what Christmas means to the group? What happens? What are the highlights? What are the struggles? Where would people like prayer for this Christmas?
(4) Pray for friends and family that came (or are coming) to the Christmas service. Pray for boldness in following up those relationships.
(5) When you think of the “glory of God” what do you think of? Why? Do you think of the glory of God is the humanity, vulnerability, weakness and servant-heartedness of Jesus?
(6) How can you make sure you “don’t miss the glory of God” this Christmas?
(7) What can you do (individually and corporately) that will bring light into the darkness? How can you open your homes to others?
