First Importance (Part 3): A Response

TO START

This week, we jumped into part 3 of a series called First Importance, a series that invites us to look at five important invitations from the resurrection of Jesus. Each of which reminds us of the fact that our faith isn't created but rather handed down to us. This week, we took a closer look at the ways that we are invited to respond to others the same way Jesus charges Peter after his resurrection. 

  • What quirk, mannerism or habit was handed down to you from either those who raised you or grew up with you?  

TO SHARE

For the entirety of this series, First Importance, we invite your group to have 1 member share a 5 minute response to the following prompt: How was the faith handed to you?

Reminder: Invite folks to share in advance of your group meeting and maybe start with folks who are less likely to share. This practice will continue for the next 3 weeks of the series: May 8th, 15th and 22nd. 

TO DISCUSS

To receive a depiction of how Peter responds to Jesus and compare it to how Jesus responds to Peter, read Luke 22:54-62 and John 20:24-29 side by side. 

  • Why do you think Jesus asks if Peter loves him multiples times even though Peter finds it hurtful and unnecessary? 

  • What does your internal voice tend to say to you when you mess up, sin, or perpetuate an unhealthy decision? (Would you be willing to provide an example from this week?) 

As discussed in the message, one of the ways Jesus matures us is by revealing to us the gap between our false perceptions of ourselves and the reality of ourselves others experience. 

  • What have you come to know about yourself while following Jesus that you haven’t always known in your life? 

  • With what actions or decisions in the past has Jesus responded kindly and with love towards you? 

Near the end of Jesus and Peter’s conversation, Jesus alludes to how Peter is to respond to others with the same love he is receiving in this moment. The wording Jesus chooses reveals Peter will (literally) be stretched and asks him to sacrifice himself in ways he wouldn’t choose for himself. 

  • Who in your life has Jesus stretched you to respond to in love even though it’s extremely difficult and sacrificial? (Or if you were to consider a relationship with Jesus, how would it stretch you to love someone in a new way?) 

TO CLOSE

Near the end of the message, we were charged with the language of Ronald Roheiser to “keep our touches warm.” In other words, respond to others with kindness and love that if it were our last interaction with them, it would be a good memory (just like the final touchpoint Jesus has with Peter). As you close in prayer, invite each member of your group to name one person they want the Spirit of God to strengthen with the same love Jesus has given to them this week. 

Matt DeLano