09.30.07
Small Group Plan - September 30, 2007
“When God Heals Our Hurts”
Ancient Future Faith
Small Group Plan
September 30, 2007
Dear Group Leader…
Pain is no evil, unless it conquers us.
Charles Kingsley
God whispers in our pleasures but shouts in our pain.
C.S. Lewis
OPEN IT / INTRODUCE IT …
· How do you handle wondering and waiting?
· When you think of the “wounds of the world” what comes to mind? Why?
· Has human pain changed over time? Explain.
LOOK AT IT / STUDY IT …
LUKE: Jesus Responded To The Wounds Of His World
Luke 7:20-22
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
· John was in prison wondering about Jesus. What was he wondering about?
· Why didn’t Jesus condemn John’s doubts?
· Jesus’ answer was to point to His response to the wounds of the world. What did He want John to understand?
· Why did Jesus take so much time to serve and heal people?
· What is the connection between helping the “blind” “lame” “deaf” and helping the “poor” (Vs. 22)?
ACTS: The Early Church Responded To The Wounds Of Their World
Acts 14:8-18
8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
· How did the crowd misunderstand Paul when he healed the crippled man?
· Why did Paul and Barnabas react so dramatically?
· What was their message to the crowd?
USE IT / APPLY IT …
· Physical: Describe the physical wounds of today’s world.
· How can we personally respond to these needs?
· How and why is it tempting to ignore the physical pain of our world?
· Emotional: What are today’s most serious emotional wounds?
· Why do people often hide their own wounds?
· What could we give to someone hurting from depression, loneliness, fear, or worry?
· Spiritual: What does it mean to be spiritually wounded?
· How does it feel to be confused about God?
· What is the first thing a guilty person needs from us?
· What are our options when we are praised for doing God’s work?
· How can we direct attention to Jesus and away from us?
Thank God in prayer for healing our wounds and the lessons we learned through the pain of life.