TOPIC - AGENTS OF GOD’S GRACE - Luke 10: 1-12, 16-20

STARTER (In pairs for 5 minutes) Describe a time when you were invited to do something that felt like a great honour or privilege.

WORSHIP Celebrate your knowledge of God’s grace and calling to you

READ PASSAGE ALOUD

RE-READ PASSAGE AND COMMENTARY (Reflect on these and the personal focus questions in silence 10 minutes).

COMMENTARY

For centuries God’s people longed for a messiah. They yearned for someone who would bring about God’s reign, a time of peace and blessing. The prophets had an unshakable faith in God’s reign and communicated that faith to the people. It is this reign that Jesus preached and began. He commissions the seventy-two disciples to proclaim the coming of this reign. The peace of God’s reign is made possible through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It is the fulfillment of all humanity’s hopes. The disciples are successful because they are agents of God’s grace. That they have been chosen as instruments of that grace is the real reason for rejoicing.

PERSONAL FOCUS QUESTIONS

(Initially just reflect on the question that chooses you. It may help to clarify your thinking to make notes in the spaces provided. This will also give you material to reflect on in the future)

1What thoughts come into your mind as you read this passage? What might God be saying to you?

2In what ways do you feel called to help bring in the harvest [v.2]?

3Is there anything God is asking you to let go of in order that you can “Travel light” in your mission [v.4]?

4.In what ways do you experience that God’s kingdom is here [v9]?

(When you have reflected alone, share in threes).

LIFE FOCUS QUESTIONS LEADING TO ACTION PLANS (Discuss as a whole group)

1In their excitement these early disciples pooled their joys and success stories as well as their frustrations and failures [v.17]; how well do we facilitate this happening today?

2How can we be the agents of God’s peace [v.5] in the fragmented society we live in?

3What specific plans do we wish to make?

REVIEW TIME: In what ways has this time helped you to think about your mission?

PRAYER TIME: Use the hymn God’s Spirit is in my heart [H & P 315] to prayerfully reflect on our calling to Christ’s Mission.

Peter EdeLuke 10 a C 2016Sunday 3rd July 2016