MISSION GROUP QUESTIONS FROM JOHN: 7 WORDS & 7 SIGNS - 24/01/10

This parable is all about the seeing, not seeing and the not seeing, seeing! Jesus heals a man born blind on the sabbath and it sparks a huge investigation. Jesus uses this miracle to show how the pharisee's were blind to the work of God and how the blind man is transformed by the Light of the World so that he can see Jesus both spiritually and physically.

When we let Jesus get involved in our lives it leads to transformation.
This wonderful miracle gives us HOPE because it shows us that Jesus can transform our lives.  If he can create brand new eyes from dust and spit then he can handle our wounds and sin.
Also, it provides an ACID TEST.  If we see change in our lives then we know that God is at work in us. If there isn’t change then we still need to make a decision to follow Christ.
It should also provoke faith for God using us to being healing to other people.

The blind man is let down by his friends, neighbors, leaders and parents.  There is a real sense of rejection surrounding this story.  Jesus expected this to happen.  Matt 10:31-34
“31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows…34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Finally the Pharisee’s had some huge BLIND SPOTS. When you’ve got a spiritual blind spot, God can be doing something fantastic right in your midst and you still won’t see it.

Jesus’ presence divides the world into those who come to the light and allow it to change, heal and direct their lives and those that resist and decide to stay in darkness, even while they claim to see everything clearly.

Which camp do you want to be in?

The blind man represents all of us who know we are blind spiritually and need the light of Christ to help us see?

The Pharisees represent anyone in the religious establishment who thinks they have it all together.

Questions:
Share the story with one another
Who do you connect with in the story?
what does this story tell you about Jesus?
How does it fit within the bigger story of scripture?

Where are your blind spots?
Are you accountable with anyone?
Do you have someone who will speak the ‘truth in love’ to you?

MissION GROUP QUESTIONS JOHN: 7 WORDS & 7 SIGNS - 17/01/10

Picture the scene: Jesus has headed off after feeding at least 5000 people, and the disciples have collected the crumbs left behind by the crowd – a bit like a Glastonbury clear up operation - and are recovering from seeing what was truly an amazing miracle. But their minds are on the journey ahead of them, the journey to Capernaum over the sea of Galilee - a journey that requires taking a boat accross a very large lake at the end of a very busy, back breaking day! The day is drawing to a close as they row 3 miles out into the lake when the rain and winds pick up and they battle a storm in their slightly fatigued state - they must have been drenched and seriously tired.

At that point, everyone on the boat was trusting in something: a more experienced fisherman who understands boats, their previous experience of making it out alive, everyone had a life raft – something they were clinging to in order to help them get through the storm.

Just then, Jesus comes out of the darkness strolling on top of the water through the raging storm, cloak billowing and hair all over the place, heading towards the boat, it was such a bizarre thing to see that some of them think they are seeing a ghost.  But then Jesus walks up to the boat and steps in!  “It is I” he states and tells them not to be afraid, speaking not only to their fear of the storm, but the fear in their hearts of seeing the one who has just walked on water (echoing Moses’ walk through the red see) and that he just said he is the “I am” (the same words said by God to Moses before he led the people to freedom out of Egypt).

Immediately the boat is transported to safety and they step out of the boat completely dumbfounded by what they’ve just seen.

This was the story Matt shared with us today as he helped us to see that:

1. As part of being a disciple of Jesus, He often sends us into danger without his tangible presence.

2. When we embrace the storms of life we get to see the slime at the bottom of your hearts - that is the stuff that Jesus wants to heal!  Everyone trusts in something, something that is our life raft – will we trust in Jesus.  Jesus makes the same point when he says in Matthew 7:24-27 to build your house on a solid foundation so when a storm comes we’ll not be shaken.

3. If you hold onto the rudder: you’ll make it to your destination!  Holding onto Jesus will make sure we get to where he wants us to go.

4. Jesus doesn’t minimise the storm, he maximises himself - God may not take you out of your storm but he promises to bring you to safe harbour eventually.

5. When we see Jesus in all his power we are so drawn to him and yet can’t quite look at him because of the depth of our sin.  When the disciples saw Jesus they realised how sinful they were.  The story helps us to see that Christ takes our sinfullness and exchanges it for his holiness through the cross – Christ is our safety and help through the storms of life.

Mission Group Questions:
1. Read through the story above and the story as it appears in scripture.  Try telling the story back to each other in your own words.
2. Matt encouraged us to think about the part of the story that strikes a chord with us.  Which part makes you think?  Why?
3. Break into 2;s or 3’s and share the storms that are currently battering you.  Talk about how you can bring Jesus into the storm and focus on him, how you can build on his foundation.  Pray for each other
4. Pray for your friends and colleagues, that they would know Christ as their saviour in their storms.

MISSION GROUP QUESTIONS FROM JOHN: 7 Words + 7 Signs - 10/1/10

This week we looked at God's design for the church from the feeding of the 5000 and we had 3 points...

The Church is

(1) The New Community of God (vs3-4)

Jesus is up a mountain, with his 12 disciples, at the passover time and is about to feed the people miraculously with bread - everything echos that Jesus is the ‘new and better’ Moses (see Exodus 11-17) and is gathering the new community of God (see Exodus 19.4-5 - a kingdom of priest, a holy nation).

The Church is first and foremost a community - there is no such thing as individualistic Christianity! It is a community made up of people from all different backgrounds and walks of life, weaved together to make something beautiful (that shines out) and strong (that lasts forever). If all this is true, we need to have a change of perspective

(a) Stop seeing church as a meeting and start seeing it as a community (if you expect a meeting to fulfil the role of a community you will become disappointed and disillusioned)

(b) See your Mission Group as more important than Sunday attendance (this is where true community is fostered)

(c) See your Mission Group as a community 24/7 not a weekly bible-study meeting

(2) Thrust out in Service/Mission (vs5-15)

This is the first time that Jesus involves his disciples - he thrusts them out in mission, he makes them face the needy crowds, he makes them ‘partakers’ in his mission. Not only is there no such thing as individualistic Christianity, there is no such thing as consumerist Christianity - where a select few are the providers and the rest are the consumers. We are all to partake in the serving and the mission.

(3) Feeding on Christ, the bread of life (vs30-35)

This really is the starting point, without which we will lack the power and do the the first two and therefore church will eventually become a burden. We need power to love people from all different backgrounds and we need power to be thrust out in mission and service. That power must come from outside of us, and that is why we are to feed on Christ who not only satsifies all our desires/needs but also sustains us for what he calls us to do. Without this we will burn out or give up in despair!

Reflection and Application

(1) What do you (others) think church is?

(2) Why do people either leave the church or never get connected to the church?

(3) Do you agree with the definition of the church as defined from the feeding of the 5000? If so why? If not, why not?

(4) How did Sunday’s sermon make you feel? Does it excite you or burden you? Talk that through.

(5) How as a mission group can you foster community life outside of the weekly meeting? (without it being a burden or “another thing” to do). Could you take a ‘day away’ together at some point? Could you share more meals together?

(6) How as a mission group can you look to witness together to the friends around you? What passions/hobbies do people in the group have? What social activities do you already have planned for the term ahead that you could invite people to?

(7) Read Acts 2.42-47 and pray that as a group that we at Mosaic and your Mission Group would see this sort of life spring up.

**photo courtesy of Amsterdamed!

MISSION GROUP QUESTIONS FROM JOHN: 7 WORDS & 7 SIGNS - 03/01/10

This week we looked at the third sign Jesus performs in John's Gospel - the healing at the Pool (John 5:1-9)

The man had three responses to Jesus that we can learn from.

1) Waiting for a Miracle (verse 6): The man had looked for God to heal him for 38 years. He was desperate.
What are you looking to Jesus for in 2010?
Are you believing God to bring breakthrough in your life and this city?
What are we waiting for as a church community?

2) Indecision (verse 7)
i) Too focussed on his own needs
ii) too concerned at the cost of discipleship
Perhaps the man knows that Jesus isn’t just asking about healing but also holiness. Look further on in the passage at verse 14
“Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
Watch your weariness doesn’t mean you value your life too much.
iii) too fixated on trying hard in his own strength
Are you in danger of approaching this year legalistically?  We must come to God with humility and seek his strength to live a godly, missional life.

3) Walking (verse 9)
Interestingly, the word Jesus uses for ‘get up’ is used in the NT to describe the resurrection. 
Here is part of the secret to Jesus’ work.  He brings new life, new creation into the present world. 

Do you believe God wants to work a miracle in your life.
Do you believe He wants to use you to help recreate and rescue this world and deal with injustice, pollution, sin, greed, disease, poverty, even death?

Practically:
Join and commit to a Mission Group
Take some time individually, as a family, and as a Mission Group to think about this year. Do it soon.

Here are some great questions to ask each other.

What is God saying to you for this year?
What does it really mean to live missionally?
How can you reach the people around you?
How can you can be a provocative witness at work or uni?
Are there certain things God wants you to be engaged with in your community?
What are the hindrances to reaching your mission field?
Who can you love around you?
How can you build a sense of community around you?
Who can you serve?
What can you receive?
What resources are at your disposal and what can you give?
Where could God’s resurrection power bring change and healing –in your life and in this city?