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)