Numbers 6
Richard Dahlstrom, Senior Pastor, www.spiritsoulbody.org
This week we step into the New Year with a reminder of the expansive nature of salvation, re-visiting our mission statement so that we might intervene in the world on God’s behalf.
- The World is “tohu/bohu/chosek” without God
- God is the source of all that is good
- We are invited to bring God’s goodness into reality
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Discussion Questions
Before questions, attempt to give the group a bit of a summary of the main points of the sermon and then choose a few questions that fit your group’s needs and style. We don’t intend for you to use all of these. Three to five questions may be a good number.
- Begin by watching the Our Mission video.
- What are some of the ways that people can be invited to God? (ex. creation, serving, teaching, etc.)
- How does Christ show up through other people? (ex. YOU! Your small group, community meal, serving etc.)
- What did Jesus mean by “bringing life” to people? (ex. the new way of living, life-long transformation, etc.)
- What is your vision for 2021?
- How might your vision go beyond personal well-being towards sharing the light of Christ with others?
- Has your vision for 2021 shifted as of the events this week?
- We see in the creation narrative that the world without God is terrifying, but that God is above the deep and desolation. What can we know about the character God in how he intervenes in the moments or seasons of desolation, beginning with his first actions in the creation narrative?
- How do you know God exists? Or that he is “good”? (ex. Consider Richard’s friend who was present at Tiananmen square who shared “I have seen life without God.”)
- Read the following quote from Lisa Sharon Harper, whose book “The Very Good Gospel” Pastor Richard references:
- “God’s intent for the world is that all aspects of creation would live in forcefully good relationship with one another. This is what “very goodness” looks like: all humanity living into its call and capacity to exercise dominion. It looks like governance that honors and stewards the image of God in every corner of the earth and stewards the rest of creation with care and protection.”
- How can this vision of shalom be poured out through you? Through your community?
- In what ways can you lean into the parts of Jesus’ teaching that say you’re blessed if you mourn, or face sorrow, or face loss, or if you’re desperately hungry for you own world, or the bigger world to be healthier than it is right now?
- (Note: Be encouraged to consider that these longings are the soil in which relationship w God deepens and ultimately the place where shalom is born and grows!)