Wells & Wineskins (Part 3): Drinking Deeply

TO START: We believe the words used to describe Jesus in the Gospels as "filled & led" is the specific invitation God is placing before the Round Rock Church of Christ. In our new series, "Wells & Wineskins" we are unpacking what it looks like to cultivate a desire to be filled by God in the midst of a schedule & society that siphons this desire. 

READ: Luke 5:33-39

QUESTIONS:

(1.)  Jesus describes His relationship with the disciples as that of a Bridegroom, implying an intimate connection built on love and longing. What season of your life would you mark as a time of deep closeness with Jesus? 

(2.) Jesus uses the imagery of garments tearing and wine bursting to illustrate how the Kingdom of God involves growth and transformation. In what area of your life with Jesus, have you already experienced stretching and maturing?

(3.) When it comes to following Jesus, which of these do you tend to think about the most and the least: 1) the ideas/worldview of Jesus (theology), 2) the teachings of Jesus (ethics) and 3) the life of Jesus (lifestyle)?

(4.) Jesus warns, “No one, after drinking old wine, wants new wine because the old is better.” What do you identify as your biggest resistance to opening yourself up to the Holy Spirit’s work of transforming you and the way you are invited to be a part of ushering in the kingdom of God?

(5.) Lastly, what words or claims of Jesus do you long to experience more deeply in your lifetime?

BLESSING PRAYER: To close small group, we invite you to practice blessing prayer together. The practice of bringing God’s heart and head down to someone in a moment of prayer. The model has three steps 1) Listen: take time to slow down and ask the Holy Spirit to speak through words, images, Scriptures, etc. (seek God’s desires for this person) 2) Name: point to God’s character (name who God is) and name the way God views that person or his people as a whole. 3) Bless: bless what God has done and is doing and ask for God to reveal anything He would like for you to boldly pray over that person. For this week, based on the night’s conversation, we invite you to pray over someone in the group who named words or claims of Jesus that they are longing to experience more of in this lifetime. Pray for the Spirit to usher in that reality right now.