16 Sep Discussion Guide: For the Love Week 5
Ice Breaker
One of the things we value within community is fun. In the midst of all the pressures life throws at us, it is our ability to laugh, play and celebrate together that reminds us we serve a good, loving, and resurrected Lord who stands above it all. So, we want to take the first few minutes of our time together to play, have fun, and celebrate the fact that we belong to Jesus.
Today’s Ice Breaker: Blown Away
Another challenge involving balloons, Blown Away requires players to blow up balloons and use the air inside of them to knock over a whole line of cups on a table. Not only does it require speed, but aim and agility as well.
What You Will Need:
- 2 Balloons (1 per player)
- 20 Plastic or Foam Cups, placed in 2 lines of 10
*You can always add the number of balloons and cups if you want more than 2 players to play.
How to Play:
- The challenge is set-up by placing 20 cups upside down on a table in 2 lines of 10. The players are given a balloon before the clock starts.
- When the clock starts, the players will blow up their balloon and use the air inside of it to knock over the cups on the table. They must blow the balloon back up when it runs out of air and knock all 10 cups off the table. The first to complete this task is the winner.
Today’s Discussion
This week we continue our series that will take us into the Fall titled For the Love. We will be walking through the Gospel of John and seeing God’s love as revealed through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ. We will see that love may not always look and feel the way we think it should, but that if we will allow God’s love to reveal itself to us then our lives will never be the same.
Discussion Questions
What was your church experience growing up, and how did that impact your understanding of what the church is?
¿Cuál fue tu experiencia creciendo en la iglesia, y cómo te afectó tu comprensión de lo que es la iglesia?
Ephesians 2:13-22, 3:10
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
…10 so that through the church the manifold (multicolored, many-sided) wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
We’ve talked about our experiences and perceptions of the church growing up, but based on this passage what does the Bible say the church is?
What does the Bible say the church is for?
Have you experienced those purposes in the church as an adult? If so, how has that changed your perception of the church?
How has God used the church to rescue you from, or defend you against, the hell that life has brought, or threatens to bring, your way?
Whose lives have you seen transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the people of God? How did their church community impact them?
Efesios 2:13-22, 3
Pero ahora en Cristo Jesús, ustedes, que en otro tiempo estaban lejos, han sido acercados por la sangre de Cristo. 14Porque El mismo es nuestra paz, y de ambos pueblos hizo uno, derribando la pared intermedia de separación, 15poniendo fin a la enemistad en Su carne, la Ley de los mandamientos expresados en ordenanzas, para crear en El mismo de los dos un nuevo hombre, estableciendo así la paz, 16y para reconciliar con Dios a los dos en un cuerpo por medio de la cruz, habiendo dado muerte en ella a la enemistad. 17Y vino y anunciopaza ustedes que estaban lejos, y paz a los que estaban cerca. 18Porque por medio de Cristo los unos y los otros tenemos nuestra entrada al Padre en un mismo Espíritu. 19Así pues, ustedes ya no son extraños ni extranjeros, sino que son conciudadanos de los santos y son de la familia de Dios. 20Están edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular, 21en quien todo el edificio, bien ajustado, va creciendo para ser un templo santo en el Señor. 22En Cristo también ustedes son juntamente edificados para morada de Dios en el Espíritu.
De este modo, la infinita (multiforme) sabiduría de Dios puede ser dada a conocer ahora por medio de la iglesia a los principados y potestades en los lugares celestiales.
Hemos hablado sobre nuestras experiencias y percepciones de creciendo en la iglesia, pero en este pasaje, ¿qué dice la Biblia que es la iglesia?
¿Para qué dice la Biblia que es la iglesia?
¿Has experimentado esos propósitos en la iglesia como adulto? Si es así, ¿cómo ha cambiado eso tu percepción de la iglesia?
¿Cómo ha usado Dios a la iglesia para rescatarte o defenderte del infierno que la vida ha traído, o amenaza con traer, a tu via?
¿De quién has visto las vidas transformadas por el poder del Espíritu Santo trabajando a través de la gente de Dios? ¿Cómo los impactó la comunidad de su iglesia?
Leaders notes coming soon. With a guest preacher, I didn’t get the notes until this morning so I have not had time to put the leader’s notes together.
Matthew 5:13-16
Why do you think some have a negative view or perception of the church today?
What’s the danger in being a church spectator as opposed to a church participant?
How does the faithful and obedient participation of others in the church community (both on Sunday mornings and throughout the week) help you to experience the heart and presence of God more deeply?
How can we be the kind of Gospel-community that accurately reflects Christ to one another? To the world around us?
Mateo 5:13-16
¿Por qué crees que algunos tienen una visión o percepción negativa de la iglesia hoy?
¿Cuál es el peligro de ser un espectador de la iglesia en comparación con un participante de la iglesia?
¿De qué manera la participación fiel y obediente de los demás en la comunidad de la iglesia (tanto los domingos como todo la semana) te ayuda a experimentar el corazón y la presencia de Dios más profundamente?
¿Cómo podemos ser el tipo de comunidad evangélica que refleja fielmente a Cristo el uno al otro? Para el mundo que nos rodea?
Closing Thought
How would you say you can personally contribute to Mosaic being that kind of church community?
Pensamiento Final
¿Cómo dirías que puedes contribuir personalmente a que Mosaico sea ese tipo de comunidad de iglesia?