Announcements
We are having a worship and prayer night on October 3rd at 6:00 pm! This is going to be an awesome time for us to join together for some evening worship as a church! Childcare will be provided!
Also, don’t forget about our new 4th service on Sunday evenings at 8:00 pm! (No childcare provided).
Theme
This week’s GC guide draws on themes from both the passage and the sermon. This week’s discussion will help us look at core values of a disciple (like Gospel and Mission) from a new perspective.
**Special Note: Portions of this passage and the GC guide below deal with tragedy and suffering. While we shouldn’t shy away from these issues in scripture, we should deal with them sensitively and intentionally. We’d encourage you to spend time in prayer before this discussion. As you enter into the questions on verses 16-18, be attentive to how your group is responding and be prepared to adapt the GC meeting accordingly. Feel free to skip sensitive questions as you need to or to ignore this week’s other topics in order to spend more time on a difficult issue. If people in your group raise their own difficult questions, remember that a good listening ear and an offer to join with them in prayer is sometimes the best answer.**
Passage
Matthew 2:16-23
Summary
After realizing that the wise men did not help him find Jesus, Herod orders an unthinkable act of violence. Matthew sees in the tragedy and grief a connection to an exilic passage in Jeremiah which describes the weeping of Rachel. After Herod’s death, an angel again appeared to Joseph to let him know that it was safe to return to Israel. Joseph and the family obey but are afraid to resettle in Judea after learning that Archelaus, son of Herod, has taken the throne. Instead, he and the family make their way to Nazareth which fulfills a set of prophecies to which Matthew refers.
Discussion
Throughout the first 2 chapters of Matthew, we have seen God use the unexpected to fulfill his word and accomplish his will.
-What can we learn from this about the way God works in history?
-What can this tell us about what we should expect in our own lives as Christians?
The passage in verses 16-18 describes a violent act that is almost unimaginable in its cruelty.
-How do you deal with passages like these in scripture?
-Considering the cruelty and suffering we see in our own time, what does it tell us about God that such instances are included in the Bible?
-How can we see and proclaim the Gospel in the midst of a world that is hurting and that hurts us?
Drawing on the sermon: How does your view of the Kingdom change when we consider that the King was to be known as a “Nazarene”?
-How does this change your view of what it means to be a Christian?
-How does it change your view of what it means to be a Christian on mission?
Prayer
Pray together with your group. Consider allowing some time for silent prayer before closing out the GC meeting.