Introduction
Kick of the discussion with prayer followed by this week’s reading and discussion questions
You can use the kick off prayer below, and give time for others to pray into the night together.
Kick off prayer:
Father we praise you for gathering us together. Despite whatever weighed on our hearts as we entered this house, we pray that your Spirit guides our time together and free us from anything that is not of you. We pray that by the strength of your might we may speak truth in love to one another. We pray that we are led by gifts of your spirit, so that we may build up one another and your church as a whole. As we read your word, we pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner pleasing to you.
Passage:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 2
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 1:15–20.
Who is Jesus?
He is the image of the invisible God
He is the firstborn of all creation
He is before all things
He is the one that holds all things together
He is the head of the church
He is the beginning
He is the firstborn of the dead
He is preeminent in everything
What has he done?
He has reconciled all things to God, whether on earth or in heaven
If your faith is in Jesus, He has reconciled even you to God
Discussion
- Does anything in the passage particularly stand out to you, or raise any questions?
- If these statements about Jesus and what he has done are true, what would you like to talk about if he was in the room?
- If Jesus died to make peace with God on your behalf, what do you think his desires are for you personally, specifically?
Share with one another and pray for one another.
Habit of Grace
Habit of Grace: Prayer
Discussion:
Jesus taught us how to pray. When you hear that you likely think of the Lord’s Prayer. However, Jesus also gave us 3 parables that instruct how we should think about how we pray.
Simply, these parables show us 3 things that we must understand in order to pray as Jesus prayed. All of which are modeled in the Lord’s prayer
- We need persistence in prayer
- We need perspective of who we are talking to
- We need a paradigm of God’s Goodness
Last week we looked at persistence. This week we will look at perspective.
Read the Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
- What does this prayer say about who God is and what he is capable of doing in our lives?
Encouragement:
"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." Revelation 21:3
God's eternal purposes are to be with you. It is the very reason Jesus came, died and rose. Do not hesitate to go to him because he desires to dwell with you.
Practice this week: Listen to God
(Reference last week for background if needed)
This is an ancient Latin phrase, first used by St. Benedict in the sixth century. It means “spiritual reading.” It’s a way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully, listening for God’s word to you. While you do not need to follow this four-step process, there are four movements to Lectio Divina that you may find helpful.
First, get somewhere quiet and as distraction-free as possible. Open your Bible and pick out a passage that’s conducive to Lectio — a Psalm, a portion of the Gospels, or a section of an epistle (another word for letter, such as Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, etc.). Take a few deep breaths. Then:
• Read — A passage of your choice, slowly and prayerfully. Pay special attention to any words or phrases or ideas that jump out to you, or that move you emotionally or deeply resonate. If a particular passage does not come to mind, use Colossians 1:15-20.
• Reflect — Reread the passage again, slowly. This time, pause over the word(s) or phrase(s) that were highlighted to you during your first reading. Meditate on them. Turn them over in your mind. Savor them.
• Respond — Pray your impressions back to God. You can use your own words or simply pray the text directly to God.
• Rest — Take a few minutes in silence to breathe deeply and rest in God’s loving word to you.
Repeat this 3-5 times this coming week.
Going Deeper
If you would like to go deeper on your own time into the Habit of Grace, consider these options:
Podcast
Check out The Rule of Life Podcast
Practice (From Practicing the Way)
This exercise, the Examen, was developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola as a way of reviewing our day with God. St. Ignatius taught that God often speaks through our emotions, and that, by becoming aware of them, we may also become aware of the Spirit’s movements in our own lives. He also encouraged others to talk to Jesus as a friend, sitting with and sharing our lives with him. The Examen was designed as a regular practice for the end of the day or week.
You can follow this link to a video tutorial from Strahan Coleman that will guide you step by step, using prayer prompts.
Book
A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World
-by Paul Miller
Examen Prayer Guide:
01 Become aware of God — Review the day with the eyes of the Spirit, asking God for the light to see. It may seem rushed to you, a blur or chaotic. If you feel overwhelmed or struggle to focus, ask the Spirit to help you see and bring focus to your mind.
02 Look back with gratitude — As you explore your day, take note of moments where you can thank God for what’s been. It may be as simple as noting the provision of food and waking in the comfort of your bed. Think about the people in your day and the connections made. Where was God in each relationship or conversation? Recall the little things about your day, simple everyday pleasures, and discover God among them.
03 Notice your emotions — Reflect on your feelings throughout the day. What do you notice? Without judging what you felt, did you feel anger? Contentment? Empathy? Happiness? Embarrassment? Trusting that God speaks through our emotions, what do you think God was saying amidst them?
04 Pray from one piece of your day — Allowing the Spirit to highlight one element of your day, be it positive or negative, ask him to speak to you about it. Consider it with him and allow it to lead you to prayer, whether it’s gratitude, intercession, petition, repentance, or praise.
05 Look ahead to tomorrow — Finally, ask God to prepare your heart for tomorrow. Notice how you feel about it — anxious, excited, nervous, overwhelmed — and invite the Spirit to speak to those joys and concerns. Ask for clarity for the day ahead and for peace to approach it with confidence. Ask for wisdom, for hope, for discernment.