Firstly the passage teaches us how to pray.

In verse 6 Jesus says “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me”.
Ephesians 1:4 & 5 says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”

How do you pray? How do you approach God?
Are you nervous and slow or confident and bold?
What do these verses tell us about who God is and what he thinks about us?
How does knowing that we are children of God change the way we approach God?
Perhaps talk in your accountability group about what might be stopping you from knowing God as Father.

Secondly the passage teaches us what to pray for each other.

1. UNITY

Jesus prays “that they may be one as we are one.” Jesus wants us to be a united community.
Jesus says that is his name that has kept them together, his Father’s name given to him. Name is more than a word it is his ‘nature’. Jesus revealed to us the Father’s nature as a self-giving, sacrificially loving servant who would lay down his life!

What unites us as a church family?
What could cause disunity amongst us?
Do you have any unforgiveness in your heart? What does the Bible says about unforgiveness?
How are we able to forgive and love each other?
Do you only spend time with people who are like you? Do you stay on the fringe of community to avoid relationships that require sacrifice and forgiveness?

Pray that God would reveal his love and forgiveness for you so that you can give that out to others.
Pray for one another that the Spirit would help you live sacrificially, laying down your lives for one another.

2. SANCTIFIED YET SENT

In verses 14-19 Jesus prays that we would be sanctified and sent, or put another way, in the world yet not of the world. We are to be set apart and wholly devoted to God, yet thoroughly in the world so we can make an impact for him.

What would be the consequence if you were one without the other?
Where are you with this? Do you feel like you are more in the world or more of the world? Which if either do you struggle with?

Pray for one another that you would be both, sanctified yet sent.

What things do you love doing? How can you do that thing for the glory of God?
What areas of life particularly need Christians to be involved? Pray that God would call Christians into those areas to bring his Kingdom.

3. A COMMUNITY THAT TRANSFORMS THE WORLD

How are we going to stay in the world yet not be of it? Read Hebrews 10: 23-25 together.
How can we encourage one another in this?
Read John 13:35. How does this verse say are we going to have an impact in the world?
Pray that we would be BOTH united AND sanctified yet sent. Pray that people would see us live our lives like this and praise our Father in heaven (1 Peter 2:12)

PJ shared with us a kind of practical and systematic theology of suffering and healing.  There is no question in my mind that this is the best sermon on this subject I have ever heard.  Every Christian would do well to listen to this, study it, grasp it, and prepare themselves for the suffering that will inevitably come our way. 

8 ways he has tried to live in response to his cancer this past year (Note that at times in these notes I refer to PJ as “I”!)

1. I reflected on the possible sources of sickness

a. The fall Genesis 3:3. You will surely die. The common pattern of this world is live, get sick, die. Romans 8 we are in bondage to decay. There are no 120 year old faith healers!
b. Foolish living. Sowing and reaping. If you crash your car don’t blame others. Poor diet, pollution, etc.
c. Satan (Luke 13, Acts 10:38) The default option of Jesus and the local church is to treat sickness as the work of Satan
d. Sin John 9 Jesus said “Neither this man nor his parents sinned…” He doesn’t say all sickness is caused by specific sin but it can be. Psalm 32 David is sick because of his sin. 1 Corinthians 11 they were sick because of abusing communion. Usually it is not a specific sin that leads to death but it can be. “Sin deserves death and it is because of God’s mercy that we are not each struck down whenever we sin” Carson
e. Direct from God. Actively instigated or actively permitted.

Knowing that God is in control of God’s sovereignty is very comforting. If it was outside of his rule it would mean he cant heal us. If he can’t prevent it how can he stop it. How can he use it for my good either? We would loose Romans 8. If you try and rescue God for responsibility for suffering then you rescue him from being God, and that is about as uncomforting as things can be.

Some say why pray to a sovereign God? But there is no point in praying to a non-sovereign God as he can’t answer! If suffering surprises God then he is no longer able to help us! He is your sovereign father. Jesus prays “My father” even when in the garden of gethseme. Those two words are precious. PJ said he is so glad that his cancer was not some random attack of the enemy that is uncontained. Rather it represents something God has allowed to happen and something he will work for good.

2. I reflected on the possible sources of healing

a. the power of the cross - the place of victory over sin and all its evil relations- sickness suffereing and death. Matthew 8 “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah” Isaiah 53 is about the cross, so there is a clear link between the cross and healing. Some feel it is automatic. Some say that Christ purchased healing for us and by faith we apply for divine health now automatically. Others say the cross is the source of all healing power but if someone is not healed it is not a failure in the cross or faith because it is not automatic. Believing the automatic link is the primary source of confusion and dissilusionment when healing doesn’t happen. PJ believes completely that God heals today but he does not believe the automatic link. We can have success in healing without believing in this automatic link.

Why doesn’t he believe in “automatic healing” from the cross?

1. it undermines spiritual healing as so often believers are not healed now. Maybe by his stripes I am not actually spiritually healed now. Terrifying
2. It undermines common sense. Most Christians die fo a sicknessfrom which they don’t recover
3. It undermines the gift of healing why is it needed if it is just by faith in the cross?
4. It makes faith impossibly high as so many apparently high in faith don’t get healed
5. It contradicts how Paul dealt with sickness in his friends. Phil 2:27 linked healing to Gods mercy rather than man’s faith in the atonement. 1 Tim 5:23 He doesn’t say no need for medicine boy get your faith up, stop getting sick so often you are a pastor! Galatians 4:13-14 Despite Paul’s illness they didn’t treat him with contempt. If it was simply a case of having enough faith it would indeed by contemptuous. 2 Tim 4:20 he didn’t see it as a disastorous failure of the atonement. They all got sick at one time or another and he did not assume that divine health is our divine right.
6. Contradicts NT teaching on suffering. 1 Tim 3:11 he uses the word persecution and suffering next to each other must be both 1 Peter 1:6, James 1, James 5 shows multiple types of trials. Job is illustrated there, making clear that sickness is in this chatagory.
7. The lack of the use of the divine health now as a right being used in the NT. So seldom is it taught in anything like that way. We are told more about faith in Jesus.
8. Undermines the biblical commendation of physicians. It is Luke the beloved physician not that idiot who had to get another job when he got his theology right!
9. Contradicts now and not yet. Mark 1:14, Revelation 12:10. Here, but coming! 1 Corinthians 15:24 Christ reigns now but opposing authorities are in play. 1 Cor 15:52 death will be destroyed THEN. John 16:33 you will have trouble Rev 21:4 there will be no more trouble then. Romans 8:22. “pains of childbirth” There is definite new life NOW but it has not yet been fully delivered. Matthew 13:28. Wheat and weeds together. You are a soldier of Christ you are supposed to be surrounded. Jesus is leaving us in this place to shine like stars. “If you are looking for easy comfort look for a bottle of port not Christianity” C.S. Lewis

There are succusseful healing ministries that teach this automatic link. God loves faith. He blesses faith because he loves it. But it is possible to have great faith without this automatic link.

b. The power of the kingdom
The Kingdom is here now, not fully but the waves are breaking on the shore now! We have tasted of the power of the coming kingdom and we are authorized to dispense the future kingdom of God here now. The future kingdom can rush out on earth now. We are to pray that what happens on earth now is what happens in heaven. There is no sickness in heaven. Lay hold of the future kingdom and courageously dispense it now!

c. The power of the Spirit

Why would God place the gift of healing as one of the nine gifts? Because God is into healing now! James says “the prayer of faith will raise the sick person up!” It is part of an elder’s job description to pray and anoint with healing. Keep healing front and center, elders. We have a mighty theological basis for faith and action in healing now.

3. I relied on the church

At one of his lowest moments he couldn’t walk much and was feeling down. Said he felt he had nothing to offer. His wife said “stop trying to be superhero pastor dude lie still on your mat and enjoy others carrying you to Jesus.” She also remind him of Ephesians 6 and his need to stand.

4. I refused to doubt God’s goodness

It wasn’t heroic. Romans 8 says “he who did not spare his son…he will graciously give us all things” When God doesn’t answer your prayer for healing, in view of his previous gift to you of your salvation you know it is not because he doesn’t love you. In the really dark days he just could not bring himself to doubt God’s goodness because Jesus has already proved that to us!

5. I reached for both forms of God’s power:

Power to be on display through my deliverance from the trial
And power to be on display through my perseverance within the trial.
Power to bear up under a trial is not as evervesant as deliverance from it but it is no less potent. Paul pleads with God to remove a thorn in his flesh. God says “my power is made perfect in your weakness.” Paul says I will boast about my weakness.

Yes we want God to take us out of trials. Paul says “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection!” But the second half of the vers says “and the fellowship of his sufferings” We can embrace Gods power to get us out of suffering, but we must also embrace God’s power to persevere. What this means is that we get to stick it to the devil either way!

6. I resisted and requested

PJ resisted any Satanic element. The early church treated it that way. But he also requested healing from God. Resist hell and request from heaven. He cursed cancer, he welcomed healing, he was forceful and vigiliant. Yet wary of giving the devil more credit than he dserved and wary of shouting faith healing verses at heaven rather asking God to heal him and listening to God.

7. I rested in the assurance of Romans 8:28. When everything is going wrong everyuthing is going right. This verse is a fortress. Some think of the resting as weakness. Resist and request and rest are two truths that are equally true. And they build each other up. Three men who face suffering (Dan 3:17) say “he will rescue us!” it is kicking. My God is willing and able and will rescue me from this trial. Full stop! But verse 18 says “even if he does not, we will not worship you!” V18 faith is a right hook to the devil! It is not just faith in God and the outcome you want, it is faith in God and the outcome I didn’t want. I don’t want you to think that it is a faith failure when verse 18 kicks in. If you die without receiving your healing it is not a failure. Don’t say “our faith didn’t work” In Hebrews 11 we read about believers who escaped death by faith and who died by faith. “We have a hope that goes beyond the grave…his name is Jesus!” If we only have hope for this life we are to be pitied more than all men. Death is not the end, it is just the end of the beginning.

PJ is convinced that his cancer will not return, he has been told it is in remission. But. if you were to get news that PJ has died, don’t say “Oh..he wasn’t healed!” Because the angels will be crying “Look at him he is completely healed!”

Heaven is the ultimate deliverance. It is the ultimate healing. Do your worst death, all you do is promote us! Death is not our executioner, he is our gardener thanks to the resurrection.

Listen, it is ALL true! God is true. The comfort of God is true. Healing now is true. Healing in heaven is true.

If he had to sum up his expereice of the last year he would say “Its all true!” Before I l knew it was true, now I KNOW it is true. Sometimes when you suffer it is like your voice breaks. It works things in you.

8. I really connected with Jesus One of the greatest thrills for suffers is that God is with us. The psalmist said “I fear no evil because God is with me” It isn’t just poetry. Daniel 3:23 There are four men there! The forth man was Jesus. O the privilege of standing shoulder to shoulder with the fourth man. When a furnace is rightly revived and God is with yo, the furnace doesn’t consume it refines. The furnace of suffering doesn’t shout out forsaken by God it shouts out loved by God!

Jesus came to them in the storm. God will not abandon you in your hour of greatest need. The forth man will come to you in the forth watch. If you feel far from the shores, in the darkest of all watches he will come to you. He is coming to you right now.

In the cellar of suffering the great King keeps his choice wine. There is kind of wine he doesn’t serve up at the regular times. He invites you into the dungeon and personally serves you the choice pickings. He washed my eyes with tears that I might see him. Job said he had heard of God. After suffering he said “I have seen him”

God takes the stage at the end of Job and you are expecting him to explain why. But he doesn’t. He takes four chapters to talk about himself. That’s because comfort is never found in the why, it is always found in the who. He always comes and reveals himself to us.

Job 38:3: I am just a man 38:4 “were you there when I laid the foundation of the earth?” Job 38:35. Do the lightening bolts report to you? Job 38:21: when God resorts to sarcasm you know its time to quit! God will do something you don’t understand. How will you respond? Will you be haughty or will you just say “your ways are higher than mine.” We don’t understand a lot of what happens to us. I don’t understand why you are going through what you are going through.

The mystery of this last year, PJ treasures. Lord it is a source of worship to me that you are God and I am not! It prompts me to worship. Its treasurable.

Job 41:1, 5. Can you make a pet out of the crocodile? If we cant nail a croc how can we nail God? 41:11 “Who has a claim against me that I must pay.” God owes me nothing. The real mystery is not why has bad happened to me, it is why has anything good ever happened to me.

Jesus turned round a question “why does bad happen” and basically turned it around and said “why does good happen at all?” God is replacing PJs sense of entitlement and replacing it with a sense of priviledge and gratitude and worship. He is the God of all comfort. The father of all compassion.

If hope is going to have the potential to last:
It can’t be in a person
It can’t be in stuff
It can’t be in approval
It can’t be in success

1) Talk about where you put your hope? Does it stand up to the hope Peter talks about in 1 Peter 1:4?

Alternative we must beware simply transferring our hope when hardship comes our way.  E.g. “my house was burgled but at least no one took photos” (transferring hope from things to memories).  “I smashed the new car but the kids were fine” (transferring hope from stuff to kids health). 

2) Can any of you see that we do this in life?
3) What are the implications of doing this?

Hope:
i) How to Receive it? (v.3)
The only way to access this hope is through new birth?

4) Where else does the bible talk about new birth?
5) Why is the idea of birth to describe becoming a Christian helpful?
6) look at John 3 and the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemas, what do you notice?

Hope
ii) How does it work (v. 6-7)?
if you have genuine hope, it seems to lead to experiencing both sorrow and joy.  Usually they work against each other. How can you have joy when the things that bring you joy are taken away? 

7) How should Christians handle suffering and hardship?  Have you felt a pressure to fake it (as everyone else seems so happy) or pretend it’s not so bad?  Use Job 1 as an example of a godly response to suffering.
8) Do you run from sorrow to avoid the pain of it, give some examples?
9) Look at verse 7, what does this tell us about God’s work in us, through hardship?

Based in this notion that if your hope is not based in your circumstances (married, kids, job, happiness) then sorrow can be fully experienced but it won’t crush you. It won’t consume you.

Because the thing that you’ve lost wasn’t in the driving seat of hope.  So losing it drives you to Christ and your joy. Hope is the anchor in the storm.  You don’t run from sorrow.  You don’t feel you have to minimize it or fake sorrow.  You’re not crushed by it. Rather the joy gets brighter and the sorrow gets darker.  This means in effect, you’ll be happier and sadder at the same time than before you were a Christian. 
This means your heart is full, open, healthy.  This surely is the sort of heart we all want?

10) Discuss this, do you agree?

Hope
iii) What does it look like (v. 7)?
Peter is saying new birth, all the suffering, joy, faith results in “praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed”

‘When Jesus is revealed’ is the end of time.

Now the major question to ask is on that amazing day, for whom is the ‘praise, glory and honour’?  I’ve always assumed it’s Jesus but it’s not, it’s actually us!

So there is a day when Jesus returns, when we all stand before God and instead of condemnation and punishment, because of our faith in Christ, we will receive praise, glory and honour.

At the cross Jesus gets what we deserve (guilty verdict because of our sin and the punishment of death) so in the new creation, if you believe in him, we get what Jesus deserves (praise, glory and honour).  That’s grace.  In Christ, what is rightfully his, becomes ours!

11) Have you spent much time thinking about standing before God on the day of Judgement?  What do you think happens?
12) For those that trust in Jesus, we receive the praise and love of God.  what do you think that will be like? Think of when you were praised recently, how did it make you feel? 
13) What are the implication for that sort of hope? For the way we handle money, seek success and approval, cope with injustice, deal with the loss of loved ones, handle job loss, etc.?
14) Who do you know that needs to hear this message of hope. Pray for them and for opportunities to share it.

(1) Read Mark 10.17-31

(2) What do we know about the guy? What is his background? Use also Matthew 19.22 and Luke 18.18.

(3) How does he approach Jesus? And what is his question (vs17)?

(4) What does Jesus do in response to his question (vs18)? Why? What is Jesus trying to do? How can we do the same in our interaction with those who have questions?

(5) What does Jesus do next (v19)? What is intriguing about what Jesus misses out and adds in?

(6) How does the man respond (vs20)? How do you think he is feeling inside when he says this?

(7) Why does Jesus give him such an extreme command (vs21)? What do we know about Jesus' heart/attitude towards the man as he challenges him? Why is this important?

(8) What is the reason the man turns away (vs22)? What does this reveal about his heart?

(9) What does Jesus go on to say about the rich and salvation (vs23-25)? How do you find his teaching? Do we really believe him? Why is it so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven? See Also 1 Timothy 6.17-20. How does this story compare with the story that came before it? Why do you think mark puts the one after the other? What contrast is he making?

(10) How then does one inherit eternal life (vs26-27)?

(11) What are some of the markers that Jesus really does come first in your heart (vs28-31)?

---- A re-evaluation of riches
---- A willingness to suffer
---- A willingness to give up anything

(12) What does this story teach us about Jesus?

(13) Where do you find the story most challenging? Which aspect of following Jesus (question 11) do we often leave off?

(14) Who do you know that needs to hear this story?

(15) Spend time praying for those you are trying to reach out to who won't follow Jesus because there is something in their life they won't give up.

1) The Story of ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ shows us that we all have an evil nature we want to suppress.  We also underestimate how evil we really are.  Sadly our efforts to deal with pride and selfishness don’t shrink these things, they only increase them.  In other words we can often be prideful not in spite of our goodness but because of it.

i) Do you agree with this?  Are we really selfish people?  What does Jekyll and Hyde teach us.
(Read Romans 1 and 3:9-20 for guidance)

2) There are two main ways we try to save ourselves.  We either do our own thing, live life exactly how we want, with no limits and no controls. Or, like Jekyll we try to avoid sin by being good and forcing it all down with the occasional leakage in order for God to bless us and save us. 

ii) Who are you more like and why?  why is legalism harder to deal with than licence (breaking all the rules)?
iii) What does legalism lead to?  talk about some of the feelings?  How does affect your confidence and humility?

3) Both men need the grace found in the gospel.  This affects their Motivation.  Pharisee’s tend to obey out of fear. 
(If we don’t obey we lose out on God’s blessing).  However we need to be motivated out of gratitude and joy.

iv) Why do you obey God - honestly?

4) Grace also affects our Identity and self regard.  If you feel like your living up to God’s standards then you will generally feel superior to others and look down on them. But if you have times where you don’t live up to your standards the overwhelming feeling is guilt and self loathing - far more than if you had stayed away from God all together.

Central to this is realizing that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.  I can’t feel superior because I’m too flawed to save myself and it means I don’t have to be intimidated by anyone or look down on others to bolster my own sense of worth because God values and loves me in Christ. 

v) Do you recognise this in your own life?  If not what are the negative affects of not being motivated by grace? 
vi) Discuss Ephesians 2:1-10

5) The most liberating act of free unconditional grace when Christ goes to the cross for you and me - demands that the recipient give up control of their life.  Why?  because the more we understanding how incapable we are of saving ourselves the more likely we will obey Jesus out of gratitude rather than obligation.

Legalism says ‘you’ve got to do this.’
License says ‘You haven’t got to do anything’
Grace say ‘I’m compelled by love and joy to do it.’

vii) How do you need to respond to grace?

We began by looking at the importance of these issues to the Father / Spirit and Son

The heart of the Father – Isaiah 58

The anointing of the Spirit – Isaiah 61:1-2a; Luke 4:18-19

The mission / of the Son— Matthew 9:35-38 / Matt 25:40-43

QUESTION - Do you think this is reason enough to be concerned about poverty and injustice?

QUESTION - What other reasons would you give or passages of scripture would you make reference to in support of poverty and injustice being seen as essential to the gospel?

Who are the poor?

From my personal experience of spending time with the poor in a 2/3rds world context, I identified:-

Their dignity
Their industriousness
Their demeanor – warm / hospitable / generous
Their spiritual dynamic

QUESTION - In the context of our culture who would you identify as “poor” and/or suffering injustice?

QUESTION - What is the prevailing attitude among your friends / peer group / work colleagues etc. to them?

QUESTION - The Traveler encampment that were near Mosaic Church have moved on – leaving a trail of litter and rubbish in their wake – should Mosaic have been more involved with them, if so in what ways? Do contact Mike Osborne if you would like to take a gift to them - michael.p.osborne@gmail.com

QUESTION - What should our response be to those angered by how the Travelers left the site and left to pay for its clear up?

What are the causes of poverty?

The Bible identifies several categories / causes of poverty and injustice

Sin general—consequence of the fall
                    – those in poverty through no fault of their own
            —the hapless / helpless / hopeless victims of a fallen world

Sins personal – the sluggard / the fool

Social injustice and evil—structural / systemic causes of poverty

                  —the poor who are the sinned against

QUESTION - Do you think our attitude and response to each should differ and if so how?

QUESTION - If you were in charge of St Paul’s Cathedral, what would be your response to the Occupy protesters?

QUESTION - In light of the growing social unrest in response to the severity programmes being implemented among members of the European Union and in our own country, Should Christians speak out and if so what should we say?

The forms poverty takes:-

Actual physical
– a lack of essentials for existence – food / water / clothing / shelter

Poverty of place
– the dislocated / the refugee / the alien the stranger

Poverty of freedom / self determination
– the captive / the slave / the powerless and exploited

Poverty of opportunity
– health / education / employment / welfare

Mother Teresa said:- Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

QUESTION - Do you agree?

QUESTION - If so, how might such people be identified in our communities?

Where do we begin?

The poor we are family to – 1 Tim. 5:8

The poor we are in fellowship with —Deut. 15:7-11; 1 Jn. 3:17; Jam. 1:27;

The poor—all of whom bear the image of God – Gal 2:10; 6:10

QUESTION - Read Acts 4:32-35 which describes life among the 1st generation church. Is this level of commitment descriptive or prescriptive?

QUESTION - How should it be modeled in our time and culture?

QUESTION - Should we only go to the poor beyond the church once every need within our families and church community have been met?

In terms of how we make a start, I suggested:-

Humility & gratitude

Simplicity & stewardship

Radical generosity

The practice of Jubilee – settle someone else’s debt

QUESTION - Would you want to add to that?

QUESTION - Explore in 2’s or 3’s which you find the most challenging and in which you will seek to grow over the next month?

To be inspired go to:- http://www.scandalofleeds.info

Reflection, Discussion & Application

Read Philippians 3.1-16

Please use some or all of these questions for your MG and each question has a sub question that may help you with the discussion. You may want to split into gender specific groups for some/all of it

(1) From Philippians 3.4-6, what things did Paul used to find his identity in?
- What does the word ‘Righteousness’ mean?

(2) What things are we tempted to find our identity in today? Why do those things seem so important to us (and our culture)?
- Are these things bad in themselves? When do they become bad?
- Why are personal value/significance and social acceptance two sides of the same coin?

(3) What was Paul like as a person when he based his identity in those things? How do the things that we base our lives on end up enslaving us and crushing us?
- What happens if you ‘achieve’ by your own effort to find your identity in ‘THAT’ thing?
- What happens when you fail to establish your identity in THAT’ thing?
- How do you view other people (whether they are ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than you so to speak)

(4) What does Paul say next in vs 7-11?
- Where does he now find his identity?
- How does he view those other things?

(5) How does the Gospel help us with identity issues?
- Philippians 2.5-8 tells us that Christ (a) lost his status and (b) lost his acceptance to show us how valuable we are to him and how much he loves us - how does this help us loosen our grip on those things that we find so attractive?

(6) What does it mean for you to (a) Consider loss and (b) Consider Christ?

(7) How would it affect us in our mission (words and actions) if we really found all our identity in Christ?
- Why is it vital that we do find all our identity in Christ if we are to be effective missionaries to our various contexts?

(8) Are there any areas of your lives that you need someone else to hold you to account as you move forward?
- Are people in you MG in accountability groups?

(9) Pray for each other that God would change our hearts and our desires and that as we know Jesus we’d more and more find our worth and value in him, in the status, acceptance and love he gives us.

Below is a VERY powerful kids story that I regularly read Jacob that makes we want to cry most times I read it. Potentially you could read this at the end of your MG. It was written by Max Lucado and there is a fantastic picture book that goes with it. I was hoping to read it out on Sunday but ran out of time. Let me know what you think of it

YOU ARE SPECIAL by Max Lucado

The Wemmicks were small wooden people. Each of the wooden people was carved by a woodworker named Eli. His workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Every Wemmick was different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the village. And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing: They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking stars or dots on one another.

The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them stars.  Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star. Others, though, could do little. They got dots.

Punchinello was one of these. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather around and give him dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more dots. He would try to explain why he fell and say something silly, and the Wemmicks would give him more dots. After a while he had so many dots that he didn’t want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him another dot. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and give him one without reason. “He deserves lots of dots,” the wooden people would agree with one another. “He’s not a good wooden person.”  After a while Punchinello believed them. “I’m not a good Wemmick,” he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of dots. He felt better around them.

One day he met a Wemmick who was unlike any he’d ever met. She had no dots or stars. She was just wooden. Her name was Lucia. It wasn’t that people didn’t try to give her stickers; it’s just that the stickers didn’t stick. Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But it wouldn’t stay either. ‘That’s the way I want to be,‘thought Punchinello. ‘I don’t want anyone’s marks.’ So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it. “It’s easy,” Lucia replied. “every day I go see Eli.”
“Eli?” “Yes, Eli. The woodcarver. I sit in the workshop with him.” “Why?” “Why don’t you find out for yourself? Go up the hill. He’s there.” And with that the Wemmick with no marks turned and skipped away. “But he won’t want to see me!” Punchinello cried out. Lucia didn’t hear. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other stars and dots. “It’s not right,” he muttered to himself. And he resolved to go see Eli.

He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. “I’m not staying here!” and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. “Punchinello?” The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. “Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you.” Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. “You know my name?” the little Wemmick asked.  “Of course I do. I made you.” Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. “Hmm,” the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. “Looks like you’ve been given some bad marks.” “I didn’t mean to, Eli. I really tried hard.” “Oh, you don’t have to defend yourself to me, child. I don’t care what the other Wemmicks think.” “You don’t?” No, and you shouldn’t either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They’re Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn’t matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special.” Punchinello laughed. “Me, special? Why? I can’t walk fast. I can’t jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?”

Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. “Because you’re mine. That’s why you matter to me.” Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this—much less his maker. He didn’t know what to say. “Every day I’ve been hoping you’d come,” Eli explained. “I came because I met someone who had no marks.” “I know. She told me about you.” “Why don’t the stickers stay on her?” “Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them.”  “What?” “The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers.” “I’m not sure I understand.” “You will, but it will take time. You’ve got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care.” Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. “Remember,” Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. “You are special because I made you. And I don’t make mistakes.” Punchinello didn’t stop, but in his heart he thought, “I think he really means it.” And when he did, a dot fell to the ground.

Here are some questions that you can do as a MG that will hopefully unpack the passage and help you apply the gospel to your heart which will enable to you to love those who are different from you.

Questions and Applications

(1) Why do we find some people ‘difficult’? What are the reasons for divisions in our world?

(2) Describe the two people in the story
      (a) How are they different from one another?
      (b) How do they relate to Jesus and why?
          (why are both their actions outrageous…for totally different reasons)
      (c) What words would you use to describe the characteristics of them both?

(3) What is Simon’s problem?

(4) Why does Jesus tell the parable? And what is the point of the parable?

(5)  How does the punch-line (vs47) make sense of everything that is going on?

(6) How do these two characters show the difference between (a) the gospel and (b) religion? Below is the diagram from Sunday if that helps

(7) The Gospel is you are more sinful and evil than you ever dared believed (you have an enormous debt) and you are more loved and cherished than you ever dared hope (Jesus paid the debt). How does this help us when approaching those that are different from us?

(8) Where do you see Simon in your life? Why?

(9) Why are meals so good at breaking down barriers between us? What do meals signify and enable? Who could you offer a meal to in the next 2 weeks?

RELIGION
- I obey therefore I am accepted
- Pride and Superiority
- Judgementalism
- Inability to love ‘the other’

THE GOSPEL
- I am accepted therefore I obey
- Humility and Equality
- Accepting of others
- Offer love and forgiveness to ‘the other’

Luke 19:1-10
The story of Zacchaeus gives us some examples of how Jesus restores this unloved, despised, collaborator.

i) Acceptance (v.5)
Observe that the crowd turn on Zacchaeus but Jesus shifts the crowds hostility to himself.  Intense aggression is transferred to Jesus. And Zacchaeus is suddenly on the receiving end of a costly demonstration of unexpected love. 
Jesus accepts a shamed Zacchaeus at great cost to himself.  This is a powerful antidote to shame. 

Christian salvation goes beyond legal pardon. It is the work of a loving Father who adopts us into his family. He loves us and accepts us as we are (Heb 2:11).  Just like the prodigal son, our heavenly father covers our shame at great cost to himself (Luke 15:21-23)

ii) Honour (v.7)
The scene moves on to Zaccheaus’ house.  The crowd murmur because in their eyes the house has been defiled.
It’s dirty spiritually. It needs cleansing.  In their minds, by entering, eating and sleeping in the guest bed, you become unclean.  So here we have Jesus being shamed so that Zaccheaus can be honoured. 
This is the gospel. Ultimately we believe that Jesus deals with our shame by taking it onto himself at the cross and in return he gives us his honour (Heb12:2).
Remember Zacchaeus is the lowest of the low in society.  That’s the reason he is in the tree.  He is despised, shamed, rejected.  But Jesus says ‘Zacchaeus, out of my endless grace, I want to eat with you, get down from the tree.’ Why?  Because Jesus will go up onto the tree (Gal 3:13).
1 Cor 1:27-29 tells us that Jesus takes your shame and transforms it to honour. 
He takes weak, lowly, despised things and gives them such honour that they shame the things that our world values like wisdom and strength.  This is crucial if the shame you feel wasn’t your fault.  You don’t need forgiveness, your honour needs restoring.

iii) Freedom (v.8)
How does Zacchaeus decide to be so generous?  Simply that anyone that encounters the love of Jesus is never the same again.  Zacchaeus is now free to demonstrate costly love to a community he has hurt and betrayed! Will they accept him? Who knows, all that’s clear is because he is accepted he is free.

iv) Family Status (v.9)
This is a powerful thing for an ostracised Jew to hear - “You are a son of Abraham”. Jesus is affirming Zacchaeus’ place in the family of God.  Regardless of how he is treated from this point on, he is been assured of family status.
Anyone who turns to Jesus is welcomed into the very same family tree.  You are a child of God with a new heavenly father. 
We need to let this truth touch the depths of our hearts.  Getting the job done is not the goal. He can do it without us. He doesn’t need you, he’s not looking for success, he understands your shame, he recognises your pain and he loves you!

Questions:
1) What is the difference between embarassment and shame?  why do people feel shame?
2) What is the difference between shame and guilt? 
3) How does the gospel free us from our guilt before God?  Can you explain how that doesn’t help us with our shame?
4) Can you give an example of when you felt accepted by someone? If Jesus accepts us like the Father accepts the prodigal son, what are the implications?  what should it feel like?
5) Talk about what it means for Christ to honour us.  What are some of our privileges and rights in Christ?
6) How does shame hold you back in life?
7) What does it mean to be a ‘child of God’? 
8) How does your experience of an earthly father affect your view of God?  Talk about Andre Agassi’s experience - does it sound familiar to anyone?
9) How can you grow in your experience of God as a father?