SMALL GROUPS

INWARD PRAYER

QUESTIONS:

1. What stood out to you tonight in the message? Why do you think that was especially a highlight for you?
2. What is your initial reaction to silence? How does it make you feel?
3. Why do you think our culture prefers noise than silence?
4. Has your understanding of Jesus being led to the desert by the Spirit changed? If so how?
5. Jesus seemed to be spiritually empowered after every EREMOS experience. Where in your life can you carve out EREMOS experiences?
6. How would your life look different if you adopted the Spiritual practise of silence? (Impact on relationships, stress, work ect…)

 Challenge:

Spend 5 minutes every day this week, in silence.

Start with praying this seven syllable prayer:

As you inhale say “Abba” as you exhale say “I belong to you.”

And then sit in quiet and listen to the father.

See how this impacts your faith, and everyday life this week.

 

OUTWARD PRAYER

 

Week 2 | February 5, 2020

Follow the Leader: SILENCE

WHAT’S THE MAIN POINT?

Following Jesus doesn’t simply mean knowing about him or doing things now and again to please him. Being a disciple of Jesus, literally means apprenticing under Jesus. Living lives where Jesus is in the driver’s seat. And our daily lives start to look radically different from those around us.

Jesus exemplified the practice of “Silence” as part of his yoke (how he lived)

If Jesus exampled this, then his apprentices should also.

WORD UP:

Mark 1:9-13 & 35-37

Before Jesus begins his ministry he spends 40 days fasting and in prayer. This story can sometimes seem really strange. Why would Jesus be led by the Spirit into the desert before starting his ministry. The desert or wilderness can often seem like a place of weakness or abandonment. But Jesus was led there by the Holy Spirit, so why?

The greek word for desert doesn’t necessarily mean sand and heat. It is a greek word, EREMOS which could mean: deserted place, desolate place, solitary place, lonely place, quiet place (Pastor Chris’s personal favourite), wilderness.

So to read that again… The Spirit led Jesus to “a quiet place”… now this sounds a little different. It was in this place that Jesus did not become weak… he actually became strong. It took 40 days of fasting, praying and alone time with God the father, that prepared him to be tempted by Satan, and ultimately to begin a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led ministry.

“Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness because it was there, and only there, that Jesus was at the height of his spiritual powers. It was only after a month and a half of prayer and fasting in the quiet place that he had the capacity to take on the devil himself and walk away unscathed.” John Mark Comer, Author and Pastor.

What shows us that Jesus didn’t hate this place, was the fact that he went back to the EREMOS, the quiet place… multiple times in his ministry. One story is the day after he gets back from his 40 day quiet time.

 Mark 1:35 – After his first full day of ministry (marathon day, up early, teaching, healing peter’s mother in law over lunch, then up late healing the sick and demonized. He must have been exhausted. Jesus deserved a lie in and a good brunch the next day… but what does he do. He goes back to the quiet place early in the morning to be with his father and pray.

Meaning the quiet time for Jesus wasn’t a one time thing, it was an ongoing rhythm in his life.

WAKE UP:

Here are a few options to help youth wake up to the idea of the devotional you are teaching:

1.  Spend two minutes as a full group in silence, and then ask everyone what their experience was. Did it feel weird? Relaxing? Awkward? Silence can feel abnormal because we live in such a noisy world.
2. Watch this video as a group and follow the instructions (which involves a minute of silence)  https://drive.google.com/a/beulah.ca/file/d/1Q7UT4uKBTQoqCviXLeCGQATSTn7wX2H3/view?usp=sharing

WHY DO I CARE?

If Jesus spent multiple times in silence with the father… then there must be something to it.

After every EREMOS moment… Jesus seemed to be empowered to do miracles, teach, notice the unnoticeable people, heal, free demonic people and more…

If we spent intintial times in silence, listening to the father… imagine the untapped potential of our lives in doing “JESUS THINGS.”

Why should you care?… a life apprenticing under the yoke of Jesus… brings freedom (not just to you…but others to) 

WHAT DO I DO?

1.       Begin by physically marking out a time when you will spend in silence with God.
2.       Turn off your phone or any devices that cause distraction. Silence means silence.
3.       Surround yourself with people who practise “Silence” well. Ask them how they do it.
4.       Spend those EREMOS moments intentionally listening to the father.

Challenge:

Spend 5 minutes every day this week, in silence.

Start with praying this seven syllable prayer:

As you inhale say “Abba” as you exhale say “I belong to you.”

And then sit in quiet and listen to the father.

See how this impacts your faith, and everyday life this week.