LIFE TOGETHER
Gather & Eat
Eat, talk, hangout, have fun.
Pray
Gather together in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Have somebody lead a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together. Don’t be afraid to leave some space in the quiet to just listen and rest.
Discuss
Everybody hopefully had a chance to listen to the message for this week. The message was from John Mark Comer again on what it means to be a community of honor.
Use these questions to help guide your discussion as a large group:
What impacted you from the teaching this week?
What was the most challenging part?
Learn
Read Romans 12:10-21 together.
“10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Now take time to do the following exercise:
In the message for this week, the sermon referenced that
Think of a person who you would consider worthy of honor (someone we respect and have affection for), a person who you are angry with (someone you respect but have relational tension with), and a person who you might have contempt for (someone who feel does not deserve your respect or affection) - this person/people could be a real person in your life, or it could be a theoretical person).
Now go back through that passage and think (maybe even journal, writing down your answers) what it would practically look like to do those things, or act that way towards that person. This exercise isn’t about what you want to do, or what you feel capable of doing, but what would objectively be the reality of living this passage toward that person.
Take about 10 minutes to do this. If it helps put on some quiet music in the background as you think and pray through this exercise.
Share
Split into triads (groups of three, ideally of the same gender).
Check in with each other and get to know each other a little if you don’t already know everyone in your triad. Then work through these questions, engaging your heart as much as your mind.
Share with each other which people you pictured, and how you felt you could practically outwork the Christ-like honor of Romans 12 towards them.
What stands in the way of you living like this toward these people?
Are there people in your life who you know you have struggled to show honor to? Is there anyone who you’ve shown contempt to (a spouse, a child, a public figure, a people group)?
Pray
Staying in your triads, pray for each other. There may be a need for repentance together as you confess who it is you have dishonored and accept God’s forgiveness together. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you so that you may see people how He sees them, and honor them how He honors them.
Practice (90 mins)
Listen
For next week please listen to this sermon, Trinity + Hospitality by Gerald Griffin
Stretch Goal
The Relational Soul by Richard Plass & James Cofield