The Story & Way of Jesus: The Healing Work of a Party (10.11.21)
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.
Bridging the Divide
On Sunday, Pastor Dave preached from Mark 2:13-22 on how Jesus steps into conflicted divides to subvert systems of separation.
Jesus sits at the table with people whom the pharisees considered below them, unclean, or treacherously caving to the Roman empire. At the dinner party, Jesus genuinely loves and enjoy a diverse crowd, seeks to bring healing to sick sinners, and calls people to follow Him as disciples.
This week’s guide will provide space to dig in further, prayerfully process, and then discuss the sermon.
Reflection and Discussion
Read aloud Mark 2:13-22, and then prayerfully and silently reflect on the passage and these questions.
- Jesus eats with a diverse table, extends healing to sinners, and invites people to follow Him. Which of these actions might Jesus might want you to learn from the most?
- Where are the divides in your life? Who are you tempted to keep away from your table?
- In what ways are you susceptible to joining in the ways of the world at the party table and possibly forget the way of Jesus there?
After silently reflecting, take these thoughts into a time of group discussion.
- What came up for you during the prayer reflection time? What would you like to share with the group?
- Dreaming out loud together, what would it look like to be a community that emulates Jesus’ example by sitting with a diverse table, extending healing to sinners, and inviting people to follow Jesus?
Closing Intercession
Pray for your group, our church, our city, and our world.