The King Is Born: Son of David (12.02.19)
Facilitator’s Note: You’ll find three sections in this practice material, and you can feel free to reorder or adapt the material as you see fit for your group. There is no pressure to complete all the sections of any practice material.
Prayer of Examen
Shifting your focus to today’s time of seeking God and practicing the way of Jesus, read Matthew 16:13-20 and then spend 5-10 minutes prayerfully reflecting on the Scripture and examining your own heart as inspired by the following prompts. Feel free to journal in a notebook or phone if it will help you focus.
- This season of my life, what I feel about God is ___.
- I know it to be true about God that ___.
- Therefore, I trust God with ___.
- Jesus, what more do you want me to know about you? Will you please reveal it to me by your Holy Spirit?
After reflecting and praying, allow room for a few people in your group to share anything that stood out or surprised them about their time of prayer.
Respond to Sunday’s Teaching
Reflect on this Sunday’s teaching by briefly summarizing the main points of the teaching in your own words, and then discuss as a group:
- What surprised or challenged you in Sunday’s teaching?
- What connections do you see between the life and lordship of Jesus and the life of King David? In what ways is Jesus in the line of David?
- As a follower of Jesus and a member of His Kingdom, how does this Davidic line of Jesus affect how you practice your faith?
Exercise: Writing Your Own Psalm
As discussed Sunday, David practiced a sincere, although imperfect, faith in God—“a man after God’s own heart.” A key to his faith was the honesty of the psalms he wrote. Take 10-15 minutes to write your own psalm to God using the structure provided. Get creative and make it as poetic as you’d like! Share with a smaller group and pray for one another.
- 2-4 Opening Lines: Express how you honestly feel about God, the messy and vulnerable, the triumphant and joyful. Just be honest about your life. (“God, I feel like…”)
- 4-6 Middle Lines: Name the qualities you know to be true about God. (“God, you are…”)
- 2-4 Ending Lines: Define the ways the truth of God can encourage or transform your feelings about your life. (“God, I therefore believe that…”)