24 Hours That Changed the World
Facilitator Guide, Week 3
To be used March 11-17, 2012

(Time noted in minutes for a one-hour session. If you have a 90-minute timeframe, don’t hesitate to extend the discussion time, but be sure not to cut short the prayer time. Praying for one another is a deep way of caring for each other.)
Gathering time: Before the group starts, you may have coffee, tea, water, juice or soft drinks available as a sign of hospitality.
1. Welcome, Prayer, & Icebreaker (10 min.)
• Welcome everyone. If you have new persons in the group, be sure to have everyone introduce themselves. Name tags are an option.
• Remind your group that personal sharing is all voluntary. No one will be required to talk or read out loud or pray out loud. To build trust within the group, invite everyone to repeat this aloud together: “We agree that we will hold everything shared in this group in complete confidence.”
• Open in prayer, perhaps using the opening prayer from pp. 33-34 of the leader’s guide.
Begin with an icebreaker question to be discussed in groups of 2-4 people: “What was your greatest fear when you were a child?” After a couple of minutes, briefly list some of the fears. This should generate some laughter.
2. Review Bible passage & set the context for the discussion. (2 min)

Share something like this: While our childhood fears may seem silly or harmless to us now, they were so real to us at the time, they shaped our behavior. (We intentionally kept our closet door shut at night to keep the monsters away from us.) Our fears always shape our behaviors, regardless of our age. As someone reads the key Bible passage for today, watch for places in the story where fear motivated people’s behavior.

Invite someone to read the passage from Mark 14 in the 24 Hours book, pp. 45-46.
3. Watch Video (9:15 minutes) Invite people to take notes in their book.

4. Small Group Discussion (15 min)

Place people in smaller groups of 3-4. You could do so by numbering off. For instance, if you have 12 in a group, ask people to count off to 3. Then have all the 1’s, the 2’s, etc. form little groups. They can go to separate spots in your meeting place if they would like.

While still in a large group, direct people to the middle of page 48 in the 24 Hours book and highlight the greatest irony of the passage and perhaps of Jesus’ life:

It was not the “sinners” who arrested God when he walked among us. Those who took him into custody and tried him were the most pious and religious people on the face of the earth. –Adam Hamilton

Invite the small groups to discuss these questions (you can either write them on a board or put them on slips of paper):

• What were the fears that led the members of the Sanhedrin to arrest, bring to trial, and sentence Jesus to death?
• Have you ever seen those kinds of fears motivating people’s behavior in our present day?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high, to what extent do you think people’s resistance to Jesus and his message is motivated by fear? Why?
• How might our behavior change if instead of asking, “What is the thing that will make me feel most secure?” we asked “What is the most loving thing for me to do?

5. Large Group Discussion (10 minutes)

In the large group, list and discuss the fears of the Sanhedrin. Hamilton lists several:
Fear of losing their power
Fear of losing their way of life, position of authority, status with people.
Fear as self-preservation is coupled with sin in an unholy alliance.
Fear of standing up against the majority.

Have someone volunteer to read 1 John 4;16b-20 found out p. 51 in the 24 Hours book.
Note that “Perfect love casts out fear.”

Discuss some answers of the group of the other questions, finishing with what would be different about us if we asked, “What is the most loving thing for me to do?” This is Jesus’ Ethic of Love that is meant to guide every one of his followers.

6. Praying for One Another (10 minutes)

Depending on your group size, ask for ways that the group can be praying for group members in the week to come. Share that all prayer requests should remain strictly within the group. If the group is smaller and comfortable with one another, ask the whole group at once. If the group is larger or less comfortable, ask people to pair up in twos or threes and ask one another: “How can I be praying for you in the coming week?” Ask the twos or threes (or have someone in the group) to pray for one another.
7. Assignment and Closing (2 minutes)

Thank everyone for coming. Remind people that the group will meet at the same time next week, and that anyone who does not yet have a book should pick one up at the church before the next meeting. They should read chapter 4 before next session.

Pray (or ask a group member who is comfortable to pray, or perhaps use the closing prayer from the leader guide, pp. 41-42) a prayer of thanksgiving for the group time, and ask God to help each person apply the truths and insights to the way we live our lives.

24 Hours that Changed the World
Facilitator Guide, Week 2
To be used March 4-10, 2012

(Time noted in minutes for a one-hour session. If you have a 90-minute timeframe, don’t hesitate to extend the discussion time, but be sure not to cut short the prayer time. Praying for one another is a deep way of caring for each other.)

Gathering time: Before the group starts, you may have coffee, tea, water, juice or soft drinks available as a sign of hospitality.

1.    WELCOME, PRAYER, & ICEBREAKER (10 min.)

-Welcome everyone. If you have new persons in the group, be sure to have everyone introduce themselves. Name tags are an option.

-Remind your group that personal sharing is all voluntary. No one will be required to talk or read out loud or pray out loud. To build trust within the group, invite everyone to repeat this aloud together: “We agree that we will hold everything shared in this group in complete confidence.”

-Open in prayer, perhaps using the opening prayer from pp. 23-24 of the leader’s guide.

-Begin with an icebreaker question to be discussed in groups of 2-4 people: What’s your favorite story that begins this way, “Long, long ago, in a kingdom far, far away . . .”? If you don’t have a favorite, what stories can you name that began that way?

2.  Review Bible passage and set the context for the discussion. (p. 24) (2-3 min)

“In our icebreaker, we talked about stories that begin ‘Long long ago, in a land far, far away.’ We’ve heard enough of those stories to know that this is the way that a fairy tale begins. There are religions in the world whose stories begin like this—whose teachings are drawn from fables or stories that are set in some other place. Christianity is not one of those religions. One of the things that sets Christianity (and that sets the Bible) apart from most world religions is that the events described took place in real time, and in real space. Everyday, ordinary people witnessed them and passed on what they saw.

Our discussion today will center around events that happened in a particular place, roughly 2000 years ago. Let’s watch the video and we’ll move forward from there.”

3.    Watch Video (~7 minutes) Invite people to take notes in their book.
4.    Large Group Discussion (7-10 min)

Begin by asking the open-ended question, “What struck you/ was new information to you/really spoke to you from what we saw in the video? From the reading?” Allow that conversation to unfold.

5.  Small Group Discussion (20 minutes) Place people in smaller groups of 3-4. You could do so by numbering off. For instance, if you have 12 in a group, ask people to count off to 3. Then have all the 1’s, the 2’s, etc. form little groups. They can go to separate spots in your meeting place if they would like.

Ask them to discuss the passages and questions found on p. 27-28. You may need to prompt them one question at a time. After discussing these, ask your smaller groups to discuss the following from p. 26:

“When have you been unable to “stay awake,” pay attention, or follow through when you felt Jesus most needed you?”

“When in your experience of faith have you heard the whispered temptation, ‘Just run!’? How did you respond?”

6.  Praying for One Another (10 minutes)

Depending on your group size, ask for ways that the group can be praying for group members in the week to come. Share that all prayer requests should remain strictly within the group. If the group is smaller and comfortable with one another, ask the whole group at once. If the group is larger or less comfortable, ask people to pair up in twos or threes and ask one another: “how can I be praying for you in the coming week?” Ask the twos or threes (or have someone in the group) to pray for one another.

7. Closing (2-3 minutes)

Thank everyone for coming. Remind people that the group will meet at the same time next week, and that anyone who does not yet have a book should pick one up at the church before the next meeting. They should read chapter 3 before next session.

Pray (or ask a group member who is comfortable to pray, or perhaps use the closing prayer from the leader guide) a prayer of thanksgiving for the group time and for safety for group members as they head home from the group.

January 15-21, 2012

Openers

-Tell us one of the craziest, most risky things you have ever done? Why did you do it?

-Have you ever said, “That person walks on water”? Maybe someone has said that about you. What does that phrase mean?

Digging Deeper

After Jesus feeds the five thousand, he needs some time to himself to pray. So he sends his disciples ahead on a boat.

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

 ²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV)

-When the disciples are in the boat, the waves were high and the wind was against them. They were doing their best to keep from capsizing. Not long before dawn, they see Jesus walking on the water. What was their first reaction, relief or fear?

In groups of 3, ask people to talk about an experience when God came close to them. Was it comforting or terrifying? After the initial reaction, what did they do? Did the experience lead them to take any action?

-At first glance, Peter’s attempt to walk on water seems impulsive and reckless. But a closer look reveals Peter’s desire to be with Jesus and a direct request: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Only after Jesus gives a direct command, “Come,” does Peter step out of the boat. Peter knew there was no way he could do that on his own.

First in groups of 3 and then in the large group, invite people to talk about a time when they sensed a leading or a calling from God to do something, go somewhere, or talk to someone. Ask these questions: “Was it scary? Did you want to do it at first? How did you overcome your fear? As you were carrying out God’s leading or after the fact, how did you feel?”

Now What?

-One of the unavoidable truths of a commitment to follow Jesus is the constant recurrence of fear. Pastor and author John Ortberg talks about a consistent pattern in Scripture.

1. There is always a call. God leads us where we have not been before.
2. There is always fear. The thought of this new challenge is scary.
3. There is always reassurance. God says, “Do not be afraid.”
4. There is always a decision. It could be “yes” or it could be “no.”
5. There is always a changed life.  Whatever decision is made, it changes the person’s life from that point forward.

In groups of 3 or in the larger group, invite people to answer:

In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, “Come”?

Since fear is unavoidable, we need prayer to help us overcome it. Invite people to write on a piece of paper their biggest fear (anonymously). Put the fears in a bowl in the middle of the group, make a circle around it and invite each person to say in turn: Lord, by your perfect love, drive out these fears.

OVERCOMING THE FEAR FACTOR

Sermon-based Small Group Study

Numbers 13:25-33

January 8-14, 2012

Openers

-Did you ever pretend you were a spy as a kid or have a secret spy decoder ring?

-When you were 10 years old, who seemed to be a giant to you?

Digging Deeper

The people of Israel had been delivered from Egypt and were in the desert wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. The Lord told Moses to send some men to explore the land of Canaan that they had been promised. The following was their report.

²⁵ After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned ²⁶ to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. ²⁷ This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. ²⁸ But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea^[a] and along the Jordan Valley.”

³⁰ But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

³¹ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” ³² So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. ³³ We even saw giants^[b] there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”                                           Numbers 13:25-33 (NLT)

-God was asking the people of Israel to go to a place they had never been before, a place where he would give them a future with hope. But the 10 “spies” spread a bad report. “It is far too risky. We would never make it there.” These “Border Bullies” were trying to hold the people back from their God destiny. Either in groups of 3 or in the whole group, name a time when you really wanted to do something, maybe something God was leading you to do, but you were too afraid to take action. Have you ever had any Border Bullies try to hold you back? If so, how did you deal with them?

-We all have “comfort zones.” They are areas in life we have carefully built to ensure personal safety and happiness. When we are being led to go beyond them, it causes great personal stress. Invite people to share a comfort zone they find hard to break through.

-Early in chapter 14, Caleb and Joshua give the “Minority Report” to the people saying, “Do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid” (Numbers 14:9). This is a constant theme in Scripture. “Do not be afraid. The Lord is with you.”  In groups of 3, invite people to answer this question: Where do you most need to hear God say, “Do not be afraid. I am with you.”

Now What?

-When we hear God’s voice inviting us to trust God extraordinarily, it brings us to a decision point. Invite people to share a time when they chose to trust God, even in the face of their fear.

-Fear is very real and very powerful. But faith is more powerful. When you join together for prayer, invite people who are facing a significant fear to sit in a chair where they can see everyone else in the group. (The person does not have to share what the fear is.) Then ask at least three people to look the person in the eye, one at a time, call the person by name and said, “NAME, Do not be afraid. God is with you.” After you have done this with each person in the group who requests it, pray together for faith to overcome fear in each of our lives.

DREAMING OF A WHITE (Flag) CHRISTMAS:  A Change in Plans

Sermon-based Small Group Study

Matthew 1:18-25

December 18-24, 2011

Openers

-What is your favorite (or the funniest) story surrounding your birth?

-Did anyone ever play Mary or Joseph in the Christmas pageant at church when you were growing up? If so, what do you remember about it?

Digging Deeper

Don’t let the familiarity of this birth story in Matthew lull you to sleep. If you have ever had a big decision to make, are facing a big decision now, or think you will face one someday, this passage is for you.

The Birth of Jesus Christ            

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.                           Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)

-Joseph was facing the biggest decision of his life, and he felt as though he had no good options. To expose Mary to public disgrace could lead to her death by stoning. To divorce her quietly would mean she would have to beg to support her herself, or worse yet, sell herself to feed her child. Tough choice. Have you ever had a big decision staring you in the face and none of your options were good?  How did you resolve it? Did you ask anyone for advice? To whom did you listen?

-In smaller groups of three, invite people to share on this topic.

Scripture says, Joseph “considered this.” Joseph was hoping there would be a better option. As he waited and listened for a word from God, he received that better option in a dream. Has anyone ever desperately needed a word from God, some new possibility for the situation you faced, and then received it? How did that happen? How did you know it was from God?

-In the whole group, invite people to share a time they received any word, instruction, or leading from God.

-In the message, Roger said there were three things we could expect when we listen to God: 1) Surrender of our agenda, 2) Soak in the Presence, and 3) Submit to a reshaping of desires. Did any of the personal stories just shared include one of more of these elements?

Putting It Into Practice

-Your group may want to practice listening to God. Ask for consent from everyone before launching into this exercise. If people are sitting close to each other, ask them to spread out a little. Have everyone put everything out of their hands and laps, sit upright in their chairs, put their feet flat on the floor, and place their hands comfortably in their laps. Ask them to spend 3 minutes in silent prayer together. During this time, invite them to choose a word or a phrase to repeat over and over again. It could be “Abba” or “Jesus” or “Have mercy on me” or “I receive your grace” or something else of their choice. As the leader, you will keep the time. When the 3 minutes are over, end with a short prayer thanking God for listening and speaking to us. Break into groups of 3 and ask people to share their experience, particularly anything they heard, sensed, or felt.  After 3-4 minutes of sharing, invite people to share their experiences with the whole group.

Now What?

-Carving out some time, even 5 minutes a day, to quiet your mind and spirit to listen to God can be personally transforming. WARNING: It will mess with your agenda and reshape your desires! BLESSING: Like Joseph, it will also give you new options from God you would have never seen otherwise.

Opener

-        What was the earliest time you can remember that you felt like an “outsider” in a room?  How did it feel?  What were their actions that made you feel that way?

-        When was the first time you were an “outsider” to a group, but they treated you as an “insider?”  How did that feel?  What were their actions that made you feel that way?

Digging Deeper

-        Have someone read Luke 7:36-50.

• What do you think made the Pharisee so upset?  The woman’s reputation?  His own reputation?  Jesus’ acceptance of the woman?  Explain.
• What risk was the woman taking in coming to the house of a Pharisee?  What does that tell you about her emotional state?
• Why do you think the woman is crying?
• What do you think Jesus’ purpose was in telling the parable in verses 41-43?  Why didn’t he just accuse Simon of not loving enough?  What does this tell you about Jesus?
• What does Jesus see in this woman that Simon does not or cannot see?
• How important to the woman do you think it is that she receives forgiveness from Jesus?  What does this tell you about Jesus?

Now What?

-        Who was the prophet in your life who saw beauty in you and believed in you before you believed in yourself?

-        Are there people in your life to whom you could extend that same blessing?  If no one comes to mind now – would you consider praying and asking God to reveal to you a person that you could encourage?

-        It’s ironic that the Pharisee, who was a religious man, didn’t extend signs of hospitality to Jesus that the “sinful woman” did.  What are some signs of hospitality you could extend to people on behalf of Jesus this week?  To whom might you show that hospitality?

-        If you responded to people in your workplace, home, marriage, family in a way that reflected the way Jesus responded to the woman, how would Jesus’ actions/thoughts/worldview change your relationships?

-        Close in Prayer, asking God to change your hearts to love like He loves.

Openers

-Describe the fanciest dinner party you have ever attended?

-What about that dinner made you feel special?

Digging Deeper

The Scripture for this session is less well known than some. You might want to read 2 Samuel 9:1-13 together. (Don’t worry about pronouncing all the names correctly. Nobody does. J)

-Mephibosheth was dropped by his nurse when he was very young and became lame in his feet. Have you ever felt dropped by someone, even if it was an accident?

-Has anyone ever offered you hospitality (took you in and cared for you) when you felt that you least deserved it? What was that experience like?

Now What?

-Can you identify a weakness in your life that became a saving factor? Is there some brokenness from your past that led you to find a different kind of wholeness?

-When we accept God’s invitation to his table of grace, it changes us. We become one of God’s chosen people, a part of God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Is there someone to whom you could show radical hospitality? Maybe at school or at work or at home, perhaps in your neighborhood or your workout place, there is someone you could take in as a friend and care for his or her needs? When we have been touched by God’s hospitality, God can use us to be a transforming influence in someone else’s life.

Openers

-How did you become a part of First United Methodist Church?

-Describe the people, services, and activities that opened doors for you. What obstacles made it difficult to feel like you belonged?

Digging Deeper

The Bible is filled with passages about welcoming the stranger:

Jesus says, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35

Jesus teaches, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name

welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5

Paul says, “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed

you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some

have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

- What are the biggest barriers to welcoming the stranger? How can those barriers be overcome?

- What does First UMC and/or your group offer that people need?

Now What?

- Which groups in our church are the easiest to join? What can be learned from them?

- How are you and your group doing at inviting others and including newcomers into your part of the church family? Whose responsibility is this?

- What one, practical step toward radical hospitality could you and your group take to value people?  (One possibility is “The Three Minute Mission.”)