Digging Deeper

Life in Community                 October 17, 2004

 

 

Think About it:

 

            Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23 is powerful.  It lays before us a challenge to live in community in a way that others would hunger to have in their lives.  This community would also be one that you would hunger for in your daily life and desperately want others to have and experience.  These communities, as Mt. 5:13-16 would say, are salty and light giving.  These communities are marked by loving, knowing, serving, celebrating and seeking.     

 

Explore it:

 

  1. Read Mt. 5:13-16 realizing from vs. 1 and 2 that Jesus is talking to his disciples…his small group.  The question is…how salty is your group?

 

  1. Using the attached spreadsheet, record your group’s answers as your get a “taste” of your group.

 

Each person will want to write the names of each group member in the left column and then listen carefully as your group shares responses to the various questions.

 

Group Discussion

□      Loving and Being Loved:  What makes you feel loved or communicates love to you?  Is there an example that comes to mind?  (If you do not know, consider Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages)

1.    Receiving Gifts

2.    Acts of Service

3.    Words of Affirmation

4.    Physical Touch

5.    Quality Time

 

□      Knowing and Being Known:  What do you really want people to know about you?  Why?

 

□      Serving and Being Served:  What is a current or future need you have (big or small)?  What needs do you see around you (friends/neighbors)?  What needs do you see around your group (church/community)?

 

□      Celebrating and Being Celebrated:  What has been a blessing to you recently?  What good things are happening in your life?

 

□      Seeking and Being Sought:  Who is missing from your group?  What can you do this week to seek after them?  Who are you seeking to bring into your community?  What will you do about that this week?

 

Close

 

  1. What can you do as a group in the next few weeks to seek, celebrate, love, serve…(choose one or two things)?

 

 

  1. What will you do this week to invest yourself into your community?  In other words, how will you live life together with your group?