Not Who We Expected (02.14.22)
Processing and responding to the Sunday sermon
Opening Prayer
After the group welcomes one another, have one person open in prayer and then take 2-3 minutes of silence. As you sit in silence, ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart in love toward God and your group mates.
Unexpected Jesus
On Sunday, Joey Chen preached on Jesus walking on water in Mark 6:45-52.
In the sermon, we examined the ways Jesus showed up in unexpected ways to his disciples. In “fourth watch of the night”—that time between 3:00–6:00AM—Jesus appears miraculously walking on water. An unexpected time and way. In spite of this, many did not believe in him due to the hardness of their hearts.
This might happen for us as well. Jesus might show up in ways we don’t expect, and then we find ourselves interacting with someone we thought we knew, but we see him with fresh eyes. Sometimes harness of heart might keep us from seeing Jesus, and sometimes we allow our hearts to be surprised.
Reflection and Discussion
Read Mark 6:45-52 and then prayerfully and silently reflect on the passage and these questions.
- As the disciples were surprised by Jesus in the early morning, when’s the last time you were unexpectedly up early in the morning—perhaps tossing and turning with a racing mind? How do you think Jesus might have been wanting to meet with you?
- There might be corners of our hearts that are hardened. Where might this be for you?
After silently reflecting, take these thoughts into a time of group discussion.
- Share what you noticed in your reflection time?
- What does it look like for this group to encourage one another to see Jesus for who he is truly revealing himself to be?
Closing Intercession
Pray for your group, our church, our city, and our world.