Life Together in a World of Miscommunication (James 3, Eph 4:25-5:2)

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INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
In his message this weekend, Andy Saperstein talks about the power of words to hurt and to heal. The bible takes lot of time to deal with how we use our words. And our relationships are greatly affected by our communication. He first addresses the harm that we can do in our communication by going through James chapter 3. James says that the tongue is beyond our control and that it can do great harm. Then he talks through the passage in Ephesians where we learn how we can use communication for the building up and encouragement of others. With God’s help we can get control of our words and use them for his Kingdom work. In the end, communication comes down to a matter of where our hearts are. Only God can change our hearts, so our hope is in Him to change our hearts and help us speak the truth in love.
In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

• What are one or two things from this weekend’s sermon that really stood out to you?
• Do you have any funny stories of miscommunication from your life?


SCRIPTURE STUDY

Read Matthew 12:33-37 (TNIV):
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in them, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in them. 36 But I tell you that people will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

• VV. 33-35 Take a closer look at these three verses. How are they the same? How are they different? (observation) What is the Jesus saying with these three verses? (interpretation)
• V 34: “out of the heart the mouth speaks” (application) How does this phrase make you feel about yourself? Do you feel you can “tame the tongue” (James 3:8).
• Read Romans 7:21-25a. What encouragement can we take from Paul’s struggle? (application)
• V. 36 What do you think is meant by the phrase “empty word”? (interpretation)
• VV. 36-37 Take a look at the larger context of this admonition from Jesus. Who were these words addressed to? (VV. 22-32) (Observation) (The Pharisees who were observing Jesus casting out demons)
• VV. 22-24 What were the Pharisees trying to do with their words? How were they guilty of Jesus’ condemnation of their speech? (Interpretation) (The Pharisees were using their authority to bring doubt to those observing Jesus casting out demons. They may have been intimidated or jealous of his authority and power and they were attempting to change people’s attitudes towards Jesus by putting him down.)
• “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Proverbs 18:21a. Take a look at a few Proverbs in chapter 18 and discuss the different themes addressed. (Perhaps break into even smaller groups and each group take a passage. You can give them a question to consider to help with interpretation. The each group share your thoughts with the whole group.)
• Proverbs 18:4 What is the difference between “deep waters” and a “rushing stream”?
• Proverbs 18:6-7 What is the effect our words have on our well-being?
• Proverbs 18:8 How does gossip effect our hearts?
• Proverbs 18:13 Why is it so important to be a good listener?
• (Application) What are some ways in small group we can be good listeners to each other? What about good encouragers?


MINISTRY APPLICATION

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

• Take some time to confess. Wait on the Lord and allow Him to bring some things to the surface. Then in groups of 2-3, discuss ways that you have misused your words in the last couple weeks. Pray for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God and take heart from Paul’s own struggle with not living up to God’s standards in Romans 7.
• Share how someone has hurt you with their words (or lack of words) in the last couple weeks and pray for each other to receive healing from words spoken over you.
• A great activity to try with this topic is a compliment circle. Go around the circle to each person and open it up for 3-4 people to share something encouraging that they see in them. You as the leader may need to speak up often to set the example and prime the pump for others. Give brief observations of qualities of their character or actions you admire in them. This can take awhile with a larger group, but is well worth it.

Life Together in a World of Hurt

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INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
In this weeks sermon we continued in our Life Together series and had a chance to hear from Pastor Jonathan Rue, who taught from Romans 12. There are many ways to get hurt in the world we live in. Often times it is not a matter of if, but when you will get hurt. So how do you react? Christian community/the church is meant to be a community of love. One major way that relates to our hurt is that the church is a place of healing. We share compassion with people and we show love to one another, especially when people are experiencing difficulty. The very worst thing you can do when you get hurt is to take it on yourself, to isolate yourself from God and from community. God has given us the church in order to help us deal with Pain. When we are going through times of suffering the first thing we should do is open that up to God and to community and receive the healing that comes from that.
In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

•Was there anything Jonathan said in his sermon that stood out to you? Briefly share.
•Are you the kind of person that when someone is hurting, they can come talk to you?
•How do you normally respond when you are hurting? Do you take your difficulties to God and to community or do you tend to isolate yourself?

SCRIPTURE STUDY

Read Psalm 30(TNIV):
1 I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 LORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
3 You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
4 Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

Context: It is thought that in Psalm 30, the word temple is referring to David’s own house. David’s sense of security in his own house would have been enormous. If in a period of great blessing David was filled with pride, the Lord may have chosen to humble him in some way. Whatever the case, it is clear from this text that David had gone through a significant low period and God had delivered him. David uses some very expressive language in this Psalm and gives people a great example of taking our despair to the Lord. David’s desire to call out to the Lord is also contrasted with the temptation to escape into isolation and run from the Lord. But David learns that even in our security we must be calling out to the Lord and that in times of despair, the only way to run is to run toward the Father.

•v. 1-3 – Why will David exalt the Lord? How does God respond to David’s plea? What of God’s character traits are revealed in these first 3 verses? What has your experience been when you take your hurt to the Lord? Has God responded to you in a similar way as He has here?
•v. 4 & 5 – David calls on the saints to sing and praise God because through this experience of hurt and restoration, God reveals that His anger quickly moves to favor and that His favor is everlasting. What kind of hope does this give us as we are going through difficult hardship? Does God allow us to experience a certain amount of pain and if so, why?
•v. 6 & 7 – What dangers can arise when things are going well in our lives and we feel a sense of security? Have you ever interpreted Gods blessing and assurance as your own good work and self-assurance?
•v. 8-10 – “Down into the pit” can be described as escaping into isolation. What do these verses have to say about isolation in times of pain as compared to calling out to the Lord in those times?
•Think about your own experiences and some of the insights of the sermon. Do you find it easier to bring your hurt to the Lord or to escape into isolation?
•Under what conditions would you use words such as “depths,” “dead,” and “pit” to describe your plight? What are some other ways that you express your hurt and frustration to God? How do you think He receives it?
•v. 11 & 12 – Describe the transformation David’s goes through. Have you ever been delivered from a painful season in this way?

MINISTRY APPLICATION

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

•As a group, take some time to meditate in silence about God and after several moments take time to share any words or pictures people may have received from the Lord.

•If you struggle to share your true feelings with the Lord, ask Him to reveal His longing for a transparent relationship with you.

Life Together In a World of Loneliness

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INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
In this week’s sermon, pastor Rich continued in his life together series, this time drawing from 2 Timothy chapter 4 and speaking on the topic of loneliness. In Paul’s letter we get a sense of the kind of loneliness that Paul was dealing with as a result of the circumstances of his life and ministry. It is a very personal letter. First exhorting Timothy to preach the truth of the gospel, but then, reaching out to Timothy expressing his personal experiences of loneliness. We can often deal with circumstances that make us lonely, that are not unlike the kinds that Paul was dealing with. Paul was going through a transitional time in his life, many of his friends had left or gone on to other place to do ministry, he had to deal with issues of betrayel as well as feeling a general sense of isolation that preaching the gospel can cause. These are all ways that caused Paul and can cause us to feel a sense of loneliness. But there are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with circumstances like this. We can escape into addictions, entertainment or materialism or, as Paul does in this text, we can reach out and engage with others or participate in something constructive, especially reading and spending time with the Lord. All of these things can combat feelings of isolation or loneliness and reinforce the truth that God is present with us always even if we can’t feel it.

In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

•Was there anything Rich said in his sermon that stood out to you? Briefly share.
•Has there ever been a time when you felt particularly isolated or lonely? What were the circumstances surrounding that time?
•What are some friendships that you have that you really draw strength from?


SCRIPTURE STUDY

Ecclesiastes 4: 4-12(TNIV):
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil,yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 0 If they fall down they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help them up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Context – At its core Ecclesiastes is searching for the key to the meaning of life. The teacher finds in his life that humans are limited in their perspective and only God knows the whole truth of things. God alone holds the key and we must trust Him. Although marked with pessimism, the book of Ecclesiastes has another strand that holds forth the possibility of joy, faith and assurance of God’s goodness. Ecclesiastes is a great reminder of the daily need to submit and surrender our lives to the Lord and let go of our personal ambitions to conform with the ambitions of God. In Chapter 4 we see some of life’s hardships but also that companionship and trust in the Lord is extremely worthwhile.

•v. 4 - What do these verses say about our motivations and personal achievements? How can envy damage relationships? How can our ambitions lead us to isolation and loneliness? What does “holy ambition” look like? How should we treat our neighbors? How can our ambitions be less self centered and more pleasing to the Lord as well as more beneficial for those around us?
•v. 6 – Think about your own life and all the activities you take part in. Do you feel like both of your hands are filled with toil or do you have one hand free and available to the Lord and to your community? What kinds of things have filled your hands and prevent you from being available to lend a hand to those around you?
•v. 8 - A man is without family and friends, yet is very wealthy and successful. Are we wrong to want to be successful and have ambition? What is the difference between having ambition that is pleasing to the Lord and ambition that goes against the will of God? How does this look in your life? Do you ever feel like you are neglecting friends and family for something less significant? How can we achieve a healthy balance of hard work and deep relationships?
•Vv. 9-12 – Summarize all the ways that two are better then one. What plagues those who are alone? Are there any behaviors or regularly occurring circumstances that make you feel lonely and isolated? What about those times gives you a sense of loneliness? Think back to Rich’s sermon as well as your own personal experiences. What are some ways that we can overcome these times of loneliness?
•What kinds of relationships do you have in your life, which embody verses 9-12? How can you continue to foster the health and growth of those relationships?

MINISTRY APPLICATION

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

•As a group, take some time to meditate in silence about God and after several moments take time to share any words or pictures people may have received from the Lord.

•In what ways do you feel like you are not submitting to God’s will for your life and instead, pursuing your own ideas of success and achievement? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those places and receive prayer for the desire to submit those areas of striving to the Lord.

• What thoughts and behaviors do you engage in that make you vulnerable to loneliness? Ask the Lord to curb these tendencies and give you a significant desire to pursue community.

Life Together: Remembering God and Each Other (Deuteronomy 8.1-11)

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INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
In this week’s sermon, Pastor Rich began a new series called “Life Together”. “Unknown knowns” are realities that we deliberately choose to ignore. In America, our need as Christians to be in close connection with one another and our need for Christian fellowship is an unknown known. From Deut 10, we learn the importance and significance of what it means to “remember”. We’re instructed to remember God when things are hard; remember God at work; remember God’s way of teaching us humility; remember God’s way of disciplining us; remember God when things are good; remember your need for community.
Koinonia = the sharing of life together. There are many “one another” references in the general epistles – James, 1 Peter and 1 John. Why do you need to be knit together in some kind of group with other Christians in order to be a good Christian? One very simple reason is because you can’t obey the dozens of commands in the Bible of what you are to do for another Christian unless you are connected with other Christians. When we remember (practice) community, we need to remember our need for support. Dr. Cloud wrote in How People Grow:
People’s most basic need in life is relationship. People connected to other people thrive and grow, and those not connect wither and die. It is a medical fact, for example, that from infancy to old age, health depends on the amount of social connection people have. Infants and older people die from a lack of relationship, and those in the middle suffer and fail to recover from illness.
At the conclusion of the message, there were three videos communicating our need for accountability and support, our need for others to walk through hard times and bear life’s trials with us, and finally showing our need for others to encourage us and help us grow in our faith.


In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.
• What were one or two things that resonated with you about this weekend’s sermon?
• Who is someone who challenges your faith, and why? Please share briefly.



SCRIPTURE STUDY

Heb 10:19-25 (TNIV):
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the
curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us
draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let
us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all
the more as you see the Day approaching.

Context – The writer of Hebrews was writing to encourage Hellenistic Jews to remember the supremacy of Christ and to give exhortations on how to live and grow in their faith. The writer goes to great lengths to show that Christ is better; better than Angels, better than Moses, better than the old covenant, better than the old priest(s) and priesthood, and a better sacrifice for us. Read Heb 10:1-18 for context for this passage.

• Vv 19-21 What is the “therefore”, there for – what idea is important for understanding this passage? Remember the writer’s audience is Jews – what is different now than from before? What is the most Holy Place (Lev 16:2), and why is it worth remembering? What was the role of the High Priest (Lev 16)? What is the curtain (Mark 15:38) and it’s significance? Consider for a moment how drastically different the whole world would’ve been for Jews who followed Christ – can you share an experience (most likely with Christ) when something changed for you and everything was different from that point forward (positive or negative)?
• V 19 – confidence is more akin to “possessing the right, or authority” to do something. How does that enhance your understanding of 19-21? Chris has done all the “hard work”. A helpful analogy NT Wright offers is to think about Jesus throwing a party. He’s already done everything – the shopping list has been made, the food bought and prepared, the house cleaned, the invitations have been sent…everything is prepared…then we move to v. 22 “let us draw near” or continuing the analogy – since we’re on the select guest list, let’s enjoy the most amazing party ever conceived because Christ has planned and prepared it for us…
• V. 22a How should we join in this “party” - how do we “draw near”? (A. with a “sincere heart”). Notice that being in God’s presence is not external in the former way of the Priesthood, but internal (1 Sam 16:7). Contrast a sincere and insincere heart? What’s one characteristic of a sincere heart (listed in the verse)? Have you seen your faith grow more or wane some in the last year? Why? Please share briefly.
• What makes your faith grow? Rather than stand out on the street or in the yard and watch from a distance, come in and join the party…better yet, get out on the dance floor.
• V. 22b As we’re drawing near to God, what happens to our hearts? (a. cleansed of guilt by the blood of Christ). Has anyone ever let sin fester in your heart – what do you do and how does that affect your relationship with God? What is a sign for you that you might be living with a guilty conscience? What does the sprinkling represent? (A. sprinkling of blood represents purification, and similarly, the power of God to forgive and release us from sins). Can anyone share an example where God has broken the power of sin in your life, and you’ve been set free from your past?
• V.22c What does washed with pure water mean? (A. power of baptism - not just outwardly, but inwardly clean). What does baptism signify for the believer? (A. obedience and surrender)
• V. 23 What is our hope, and how are we encouraged to live? Has your hope been tested recently? How have you handled it and what does it mean to you to “hold unwaveringly”?
• V. 24 Recall the one-another texts and imperatives from the sermon – what mindset should we have as followers of Jesus. At this point in the text, it’s no longer just Me-and-Jesus, it’s “us”, the people of God.
• What’s the first imperative we read? What two things require others’ help in doing well? The word consider implies a deliberate intentionality - how well do you spur your friends and fellow small group members on – what would that even look like? Who have you seen do it well?
• V. 25 What’s the second imperative? Imagine you’re on a team or in a choir and you never practice together, how well would you do come game or concert time? Apparently, some Christians are doing what? It seems to be a challenge to meet together, despite the fact that the health of our faith depends on how well we’re knit into community – why is that? What’s an obstacle for you? How do we break through?


MINISTRY APPLICATION

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

• What are some practical ways to build community in your group?
• Who are people who have given up on “life together” – ask God for ways to reach out to them.
• If anyone feels disconnected, or is not experiencing the kind of “both/and” life of nearness to God and to other believers that we just studied in Heb 10 – pray that God would break in and reveal what’s at the root. Consider opportunities to build deeper relationships with others in your group.
• In what ways is God asking you to “spur” others on? How might he use you and your gifts this year to affect others? Consider possible ways you could receive more training? Who might serve as an encouragement to you and your faith? Pray with one or two others for more insight?

It’s Time For A Change (Mark 5:1-20)

Click here to download the Study Guide in PDF
Click here to download the Study Guide in WORD

INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
Dr. Charles Montgomery’s message this week was about change. In light of New Year’s, he began by highlighting the tradition and practice of retrospection (looking back), introspection (taking stock), and projection (future hope). The text looks at the Demoniac in Mark 5. He was a man whose life was so in bondage and so unchangeable, that he was simply known as possessed. The point was made that he “lived in dead place” and had “no restraints in his life”. These life patterns keep us from the abundant life. Charles urged us to get into life-giving relationships and to leave the dead ones and dead places behind. He urged us to embrace God’s ways and live chained to Him, and nothing else. The possibility for change comes when we know we can’t change ourselves. We need to see Jesus and worship him, acknowledge him, and turn to HIM with full awareness of how much we need him. Jesus worked on the man from the inside out, while the world works from the outside in. We can forget there is an enemy, that evil is personal. The illustration was made that E-V-I-L is L-I-V-E, but backwards. Life lived backwards from God’s will is evil. But the change for this man began internally. Jesus has to deal with the man’s identity, and the transformation is amazing. But the story doesn’t end – Jesus wants the man to bring testimony to his family and community. It’s a great thing to know Christ and his power to bring about radical transformation, regardless of where we come from.

In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.
• What were one or two things that resonated with you about this weekend’s sermon?
• What New Year’s resolutions did you make, if any? If none were made, why not?



SCRIPTURE STUDY

Mark 5:24-36 (TNIV):
24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Context
The Gospel of Mark, attributed to John Mark (Peter’s companion), is concerned with telling the story of Jesus and the message of the Gospel – namely that the new Kingdom of God has begun with the arrival of Jesus. But the nature of the KOG was different from what everyone expected and Mark wastes no time in making that clear. This story is part of a series of stories illustrating Jesus’ power and authority (Mark 4:35-5:43) – specifically over the sea, demons, death, and uncleanness. For context read Mark 5:1-23. “Consider what polar opposites Jairus and this un-named woman were in terms of their economic, social and religious background. Jairus was well recognized, important, and as the synagogue ruler a very prominent person in the community. The bleeding woman was a female in a male dominated society, physically ill, ritually unclean, destitute, and is not even named in the text signifying her status as a nobody in the community. In fact she was worse than a nobody, since she was considered to be unclean due to her bleeding (Leviticus 15:25-33)” [8] . Also consider reading in a Bible Dictionary for more understanding of unclean and clean (free internet resource ).

• Who are all the characters in this story?
• Describe the basic details you know and don’t know about the woman (consider what plagued the woman (25), the result of her medical care (26), what she did upon hearing about Jesus (27) and why (28)).
• Read verse 26. Recall a time when you made attempts to improve, only to spiral downward. Describe your emotions and attitude toward God during that time. In what ways did you fail to plug Jesus into the equation?
• There is some insight into what she was thinking and feeling about this encounter with Jesus (vv 28, 33), please describe.
• What happened when she touched Jesus’ cloak (29)? How did He respond (30, 32)? Why might Jesus have responded in such a way? (possible answer – despite many people “touching” him as they walked, only the woman came to him with a need in faith and he didn’t want her to leave without personally acknowledging and speaking with her).
• Does anyone wrestle with the line of thinking that God doesn’t see you or your problems? Or doesn’t care? This story shows that God will make time - despite other seemingly pressing issues - to answer our heart’s cry when we earnestly seek him. Can anyone share a situation where you resisted coming to Jesus with an issue and when you finally did you were amazed by His grace? Please share briefly.
• What’s the significance of the woman’s bleeding (see above in Context section)? Is there a modern day equivalent in the church, locally or internationally, of some one or class of people being unclean? Nothing is off limits to the transforming love of Christ – Read Romans 8:31-39 as a closing praying and meditation over the group.

MINISTRY APPLICATION

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

• For those longing for freedom, or healing, or life change this year – consider gathering as a group or break down in small groups to pray together
• Recalling the sermon, in what ways are you living in dead relationships or dead places and missing God’s abundant life? Pray with another trusted friend and ask for supernatural and practical steps to break free.
• If you are still waiting for His rescue, as the woman was just before she touched Jesus, ask Jesus to give you faith, freedom, and healing like the woman in this passage.
• If there is nothing personally you’re wrestling with - ask God to give you supernatural perception, so as to effectively minister to those around you in need of miraculous change. Ask God for more power and insight in the ways the KOG is ministered through you.
• Consider studying and mediating in some great passages this week on Transformation – Galatians 5, Acts 9, Romans 6, Ephesians 2 – to name a few.