26/02/2023
WHEN YOU FAST
Matthew 4: 1-11 and Matthew 6:16-18
This format is a guide to you for your small group meeting. Feel free to change and adapt it according to the needs of your group. The objective is for you to build authentic relationships within the group, relationships that enable you to learn to love others who are different to you, and to discover as a reality the treasure of relationships that are built on the foundation of a relationship with Jesus, his life, and his teaching.
Fellowship
Begin with general conversation and sharing about how the past week has gone. Try not to go over time.
Worship and Prayer
Click on the link below on your smartphone, Smart TV, or computer, to select songs to sing; and then spend a few minutes in song and prayer.
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL SONG’S PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsAkwbV_S1vXdZVPkZ0_tQW5n9RqeZX0
And if you need to check on the Message for the week again, then click on:
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL (MESSAGE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1X4YYw1KLpda1yGnqKgfw/videos
This time of worship and prayer will encourage you to move your thoughts from daily worries and pressures to our time of Bible study and prayer.
Read: Matthew 4:1-11
Warm up for the discussion time:
Have you spent time in a wilderness place while on holiday. Do you enjoy getting away from it all into a secluded, and “wild place”? If you have what are some of the experiences, you have had?
Discussion Questions:
- What had happened to Jesus just before he went into the wilderness? (see Matthew 3:13-16 for your clue)
- Who led Jesus into the wilderness, and why?
- Can you think of other times the number 40 is used in scripture. What do you think the significance of the number might be?
- When did the “tempter” begin to put pressure on Jesus? What do you think Jesus physically, emotionally, spiritually felt like at that stage of his time in the wilderness?
- List the temptations Jesus faced, and then, what is the significance of the last temptation he had to deal with?
- Do you think these types of temptations are ones that modern leaders have to face? What about each of us as individuals?
Read: Matthew 6: 6-18
In this reading Jesus is speaking to the disciples and the others who are following him. Jesus fasted as part of his spiritual discipline and clearly the others with him are expected to fast too.
- Have you ever fasted before. If so, what was the experience like?
- What is the purpose of fasting?
- Do you think that fasting might be a valuable spiritual discipline to learn during this Lent?
Faith building:
- Pray this week about joining with the STMC family on a fast during Lent. What might taking on such a spiritual challenge mean for you at this time?
Prayer: Share prayer requests and then pray together.
Closing Prayer: And now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and forever more. Amen
Have a wonderful week.
God bless,
Tim.