25/06/2023 | FORGIVEN! What now? | Parable 10

Home Group Study Notes:   25 June 2023

Message:  Rev Tim Rist

Theme: “Forgiven! What now?” (Parable 10)

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 built on the foundation of a relationship with Jesus, his life, and his teaching.

Meeting and Greeting:

Begin with general conversation and sharing about how the past week has gone.

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.

You do not have to answer all the questions below.

READING:  Matthew 18: 21-35

Warm up for the discussion time:

Do you know anyone who has the gift of storytelling? How do they grab and keep your attention? When it comes to storytelling – do you have a good one to share?

Discussion and Sharing

This week the parable deals with the truth of Forgiveness. God forgives us, and we are instructed to forgive others (see vs 35).

Think also of the Lord’s Prayer and the words in Matthew 6:9-15. Focus on verse 12. What does this verse imply?

The instruction from Jesus is clear, but the reality of forgiving others who have caused hurt and pain is for many a very difficult and painfilled challenge. One perhaps, that is almost impossible to contemplate.

Therefore, this meeting is an invitation to share prayerfully, gently, and in a care-filled way with each other. Listen to each other’s views on forgiveness, on the struggle perhaps with giving forgiveness to another, or your need to receive forgiveness from someone else.  Pray together. This is not a time to counsel and direct each other, this is not about naming names, this is simply an opportunity to be together, to share heart to heart (if you feel you can do so, you are not forced to) …. And then to pray!

Forgiveness …… How goes it with you?

Faith building:

How will you focus on offering the gift of forgiveness to someone this week?

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.