Instructions: You can use these questions – all, some, or none, as you seek to understand the Scriptures. Each Sunday as you come to worship, you will have an opportunity to share your favorite (written) insights, either by offering them symbolically, or writing them so others can read and benefit.
1. This story tells of the covenant between God and Abraham and Sarah. They are made great “ancestors” , or mothers and fathers of faith.
Who are your “ancestors” in faith? Who are your spiritual mothers and fathers who have helped nurture your faith, and been models of faith for you?
2. When you think about your “ancestors in faith”, think about some of their qualities.
In what ways are you an “ancestor”, a mother or father in faith, to others? Are they different ways or similar?
3. Abraham and Sarah are old when they have children. Children and babies were often symbols of being “fruitful” and new life, in the Old Testament. But not all of us are able to have children. Last week, the symbols were a rainbow and water.
What are some other symbols of God’s ways for you, and why?
1. This passage talks about suffering and “taking up the cross”.
What is Peter’s, response to Jesus teaching that he has to suffer? What do you think your response might have been if you were with Jesus and heard this?
2. Jesus often seems to speak in riddles or paradoxes: “to save life, we must lose it”, or “if we gain the world, we might forfeit our life”.
What do these sayings mean to you today?
3. What are some of the crosses, or points of suffering in your life right now? How might you connect these to Christ’s cross? What helps you to do this? Any particular phrase from this passage, or other Scripture? Any particular person or model? Any particular story you hold onto?
4 Responses
Passage 2, question 2: I think when Jesus used these paradoxes He's pointing out that things are sometimes the opposite of intuitive. We are biologically programmed to survive, but in his ministry he came to die. The world wants us to acquire “things”, but those things can enslave us. To make peace, sometimes you have to start by making waves.
Out lives as Christians will be the opposite of intuitive sometimes if we are going to follow Him. We have to rush towards the problems, instead of away from them. Seek out the suffering, instead of looking away. To take up our cross and follow Him we have to trust Him that this life is not the ends, but the means of our sanctification.
Cassie
I promise…I'll do my homework this week. 🙂
Just coming back from the family party, I'm drawn to the questions about spiritual ancestors. I definitely have spiritual ancestors who inspired me to take on this church life. It's an interesting thing to reflect upon. There is gratitude for what I've received, and also humility in knowing that I didn't invent everything. There's also a strength we have in the church that seems to be ignored a lot these days, and that's how community can support the individual. A lot of Christians don't get the idea of community, and think their spiritual life is all about me and Jesus. But you miss a lot that way, and you miss a lot of what you should be offering as well.