Week 6 - Dinner

WHO IS THIS MAN?
WEEK 6 DISCUSSION GUIDE "DINNER"

READ

This week we continued in the “Who Is This Man” series seeking to answer the question, who is Jesus? We looked at the last supper, which was the last meal Jesus would share with his disciples. There, Jesus would redefine the elements of the Passover meal and point to a new covenant based on love.

The Passover meal was a time when the people of Israel would reflect back to and reenact parts of the Exodus, which was God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Each part of the meal was eaten in a specific order and had a symbolic meaning.

Unleavened bread was served as it pointed back to when the newly freed slaves fled Egypt. They did not have time to wait for bread to rise. This bread, known as the bread of affliction, was a reminder of the suffering their ancestors endured in Egypt.

We are told in Mark 14:22 that while they were eating Jesus took the bread and after giving thanks broke it and giving it to his disciples said, “Take it; this is my body.” In breaking the bread, Jesus points forward to when his body will be broken for many. The new Exodus, Jesus death and resurrection would bring freedom from sin and death.

Mark 14:23-25
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they alldrank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he saidto them. Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

This cup, taken as part of the Passover meal was the cup of redemption. It signified the price paid to move from slavery to freedom, the blood of the goat. Here Jesus points to a new covenant, where his blood will be shed as the ransom, the price paid, for freedom from sin and death. When we take the elements of unleavened bread and juice with communion today, we remember how Jesus paid for our sins with his death on the cross.

This new covenant Jesus pointed to at the Passover meal will be based on love, on loving him, knowing him and abiding in him. As we abide in him, this enables us to love one another.

John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must loveone another”

DISCUSS

Gathering for the Passover meal held great significance in Jewish life and culture. Share with your group about a meal that is an important part of your family tradition.

Has someone ever given you something that they treasured, that was a sacrifice for them to give up? How did that make you feel?

Tell about a time when you sacrificed something, time, money, or preference for someone. Was this difficult for you?

We may sacrifice time, money or personal preference for others, but Christ gave his life, the ultimate sacrifice, for us. How does knowing the magnitude of his sacrifice help you understand his love for you?

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must loveone another” (John 13:34). What does it look like to live this out in your life? In what ways does this challenge you?

Tell about a time someone showed you the love of Christ through their actions.

Brainstorm with your group ways that you can show the love of Christ to someone this week.

PRAY FOR YOUR GROUP

Pray that we would reflect on Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us. That this would move usto action, to love others as Christ loves us.

PRAY FOR FCC

Pray that we would live grounded in the love of Christ. That people in our community and the world would come to know Christ’s love by the way we love them.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS

Pray and thank Jesus for the faithfulness of our global partners, Mid India Christian. They will begin breaking ground soon for the first BOYS Mercy Home in Damoh, India, which is a program and full-time facility for vulnerable children in need of support, care and education. Please pray that Jesus will supply more partners and donors to come alongside them to complete the building process so more boys can come to be educated in a safe, loving environment. Pray for Mid India as they continue to reach out to those who have yet to hear about the good news and love of Jesus.

Week 6: Suit Up

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This week Scott talked about the fact that as followers of Jesus, we need to understand that our true enemy is the devil. This can be a real struggle for us in this age of secularism. If we believe what the Bible teaches about spiritual forces, it will reframe our worldview. We will no longer see people as our enemies. We will understand that our real enemy is not flesh and blood.

Ephesians 6:12

Many of us are familiar with this verse, but we feel more like our struggles are, in fact, against flesh and blood. Our present culture has rejected the spiritual, and when we do this, other people become our enemies. C.S. Lewis speculated that the secularization of modern society is all a part of Satan’s strategy. In his book The Screwtape Letters, a fictional demon writes to his protégé...

My Dear Wormwood,
I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves. Of course this has not always been so. We are really faced with a cruel dilemma. When the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism and we make no magicians. On the other hand, when they believe in us, we cannot make them materialists and skeptics.

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn’t exist.” -From the movie The Usual Suspects (1995)

Regarding those who were plotting to kill Jesus, he said...

John 8:44

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Jesus consistently attributed evil to the devil. The fact is, that if we believe the words of Jesus, then we will understand the world around us as a spiritual battleground, where the enemy works against God and his purposes.

DISCUSS ~

Describe your default worldview. Do you have more of a spiritual or secular way of seeing things?

Is it ever a struggle for you to believe what the Bible teaches about spiritual forces?

When you think about an enemy, is there a person, or group of people who comes to mind?

How is the perception of other people as our enemies changed, if we really believe and apply Ephesians 6:12?

If we believe what the Bible says, then all people have a common enemy. How does this reframe the conflicts you experience with other people?

Look up and read Ephesians 6:10-17. Is there a piece of gear in the “Armor of God” that you feel like you are missing? What can you do to grow in this area?

This section of scripture ends by encouraging us to pray. Why is prayer so important? How does an active prayer life affect your spiritual worldview?

PRAY ~

PRAY FOR YOUR LIFE GROUP
Pray that we will see reality. Pray that we will understand that our struggles are not with people, but with the devil. Pray that we will reject the secular worldview that permeates our culture.

PRAY FOR FCC & OUR COMMUNITY
Keep on praying for our “Snow Way Event”. This is an opportunity for us to invite friends and neighbors to FCC, and connect with people who need Jesus. Pray about who you might invite, and that the event will be a success.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS
Spend a moment giving praise to God and thanking Him for the impact the FCC Mexico Global Connection Team had 2 weeks ago. They built a home for family that makes $177 a week and the team finished two other unfinished homes in Tijuana. Pray for the 3 families living in those new homes that they would be surrounded by an encouraging group of like-minded Christians and that they would be able to continue seeing positive transformation in every aspect of their lives.