Living in the Day After

Beginning this Sunday we are going to use the lectionary as our guide for worship over the next several months. I know that many within our Lake Deaton Family have come from a background where the lectionary was a part of your church ritual, but I also realize that some within our community are not familiar with this ancient church tool for following the flow of Scripture. For those of us who are not familiar with the Lectionary click on the following Youtube link to find a great introduction about this wonderful tool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLjdr8NZp2g

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading John 20:19-31 (printed below) and discuss the questions from the Scripture and Sermon as a way to begin a conversation. 

John 20:19     That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁰ As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! ²¹ Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

John 20:24     One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. ²⁵  They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” 

  But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

John 20:26     Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

John 20:28     “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

John 20:29     Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

John 20:30     The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

Questions for Consideration:

1. In the 19th verse it says, "they (the disciples) were afraid of the Jewish leaders." Why do you think they had reason to be afraid? How do you think fear threatens the church today? Have you ever been locked in fear? 
2. Not only did the disciples have fear, the 24th verse reveals that Thomas did not believe that Jesus was alive. What causes us to doubt the work of God today? What can we do about it?
3. Every time Jesus came into their room he said, "Peace be with you." What do you think this peace means that Jesus offers?
4. What does it mean when Jesus blows on them and says, " Receive the The Holy Spirit?" What does it take to receive the Holy Spirit today? 

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Did I disobey God in anything?  (Pages 41-48 in The Wesley Challenge)

40 Days with Luke: On the Road to Emmaus

This week, while you meet with your Faith Formation Group you may want to reflect on our Scripture passage by reading Luke 24:1-31 (printed below) and discuss the questions from the Scripture and Sermon as a way to begin a conversation. 

Luke 24:1    But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

Luke 24:5    The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Luke 24:8    Then they remembered that he had said this. ⁹ So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. ¹¹ But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. ¹² However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

Luke 24:13    That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^a from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

Luke 24:17    He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” 

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.

¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

Luke 24:19    “What things?” Jesus asked. 

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people.

²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

Luke 24:22    “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

Luke 24:25    Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:28    By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^a he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

Questions for Consideration:

1. What sticks out to you from the story of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus?
2. How does Jesus go about showing them who he is? How does he finally fully reveal himself?
3. How can we experience Jesus at a personal level today? 

As you meet this week, we encourage you to also take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question:  Do I thank God that I am not like others?  (Pages 95-98 in The Wesley Challenge)

40 Days with Luke: Entering through the Sheep Gate

During the Season of Lent we encourage your Faith Formation Groups to join together in following the 40 Days of Luke Bible Study. When you gather, share your insights with the group from the weeks study. If you have not already done so, there is still time to sign up. 

We also encourage you to continue to take time to open yourselves up as a group this week and as you gather spend time reflecting on the events of the passion week and how we can apply these events into our lives today.

40 Days with Luke: The Rich Man and Lazarus

During the Season of Lent we encourage your Faith Formation Groups to join together in following the 40 Days of Luke Bible Study. When you gather, share your insights with the group from the weeks study. If you have not already done so, there is still time to sign up. 

We also encourage you to continue to take time to open yourselves up as a group and dialog on the following Wesley Challenge question: How do I spend my spare time? (Pages 79-83 in The Wesley Challenge)