Transcript of Week Five Devotion - PDF

Your group's facilitator will provide the scripture and questions to your group. They are provided here only if you'd like to look ahead.

Read Matthew 26:36-46. This is the passage about the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus tells them he is about to struggle with the Lord in prayer. He asks them to “wait” with him. They don’t do it very well.

1. Do you ever feel like the disciples here?

2. How are you at waiting? How about quiet and stillness?

3. How do you “unplug” from the distractions around you?

4. Where is your quiet place? Have you designated any place as sacred for listening?

5. When could you carve out some time for this wonderful and needed practice?

6. Do you ever feel defeated trying to accomplish this? Do you hear Jesus say, “Could you not?”

TRANSCRIPT OF WEEK 4 LESSON - PDF

Your group's facilitator will provide the scripture and questions to your group. They are provided here only if you'd like to look ahead.

Read Philippians 1:3-11

What stands out? What is the value of community in Paul’s prayer for the church?

1. How do you use technology daily? Does it take up a lot of your time?

2. What problems do we try to solve with our inventions/technology? Is it effective? What impact does it have on what you are using it for?

3. How have we replaced community and relationships with technology? What are the positive and negative impacts of this rapid change in how people interact?

4. What do you think about the quote from the book? What do you think about the quote that I shared on Facebook years ago?

5. How can we be more intentional about forming a community in this disconnected, connected world?

6. How important are other people to your spiritual journey?

7. Do you fast from anything regularly?

TRANSCRIPT OF WEEK THREE LESSON - PDF

Your group's facilitator will provide the scripture and questions to your group. They are provided here only if you'd like to look ahead.

Read John 21:15-19 and discuss what stands out.

1. Do you ever experience a gap between what you know and what you do?

2. Do you see the benefit of repetition in your practices? How does repetitiveness sit with you? Are you someone who gets bored with something and moves on quickly, or someone who wants to stick with the same thing? What are the benefits and detriments of either in your spiritual practices?

3. Are your spiritual practices for show, or are they acts of submission?

4. Is your spiritual searching more like a curiosity or hunger? What’s the difference between the two?

5. If we aren’t thinking but worshipping things, we must hone in on love as a transformative agent. What is love? Do you view love as a feeling, habit, or something else? How might that choice affect how you do your spiritual practices?

6. What do you love? Does it move you closer to God? What small or big habits might you change that would make a big impact?

Transcript of week two Lesson

Your group's facilitator will provide the scripture and questions to your group. They are provided here only if you'd like to look ahead.

Read Matthew 4:1-11

This is different from the story referenced in the devotion for today. It is a parallel account from the Gospel according to Matthew. That means that it shares much of the same source material but gives more detail than the Marcan text. Review the details of the story. What stands out to you?

1. What helped Jesus in his growing moments in the wilderness? What elements of his experience could be helpful in moments of disruption?

2. Did you grow up in a church or tradition that memorized lots of scripture? What scriptures made the list? Why do you think you still have them memorized today?

3. How do you read and understand scripture? What techniques help you get through and understand what you’re reading? What are your habits? How do you engage with God’s word? Do you delve deeper into the context of what you’re reading?

4. Have you ever negatively used scripture? For instance, have you taken it out of context to win an argument or prove your point?

5. How are you growing in your practice of scripture reading and exegesis (study)?

6. Are you going to make a goal this season to read and engage the scripture more?

WEEK ONE LESSON-pdf

Your group's facilitator will provide the scripture and questions to your group. They are provided here only if you'd like to look ahead.

Scripture

Acts 2:42-47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Discussion Questions

1.    Read Acts 2:42-47. What sort of routines made the church flourish?

2.    Name some of your everyday routines. They don’t have to be religious routines. Which ones are challenging? How do you overcome those challenges? Which routines have become rote?

3.    Do you feel like a disciplined person? Is that one of your gifts? Do you feel like a disciplined routine is comforting or challenging?

4.    What disciplines have you considered starting/continuing for this Lenten season? Does it involve starting a new habit or abstaining from something?

5.    The church has held certain practices as spiritual disciplines. Those practices are listed below. Do you currently do any of these?