2.28.21 HUDDLE

Zach Below   -  

INTRO QUESTION

  1. If you had 6 free hours and were told to “rest,” what would you do?

 

 

WEEKLY INTRO

This is week 2 of our new series “Restore: Rebuilding a Broken Soul.” Last week we looked at the idea of Lament and discussed the need to grieve what we’ve lost. This allows us to begin where we are and then turn toward God. This week, we are going to look at Luke 8 and explore the power of story and the truth that can be shaped around it.

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGEMENT—LUKE 8:22-25

 Jesus Calms the Storm

22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGMENT QUESTIONS

  1. What stands out you in this text?

 

  1. How would you describe Jesus in this story? What do we learn about him?

 

  1. How does knowing that some of the disciples were experienced fisherman add to the story?

 

 

CONTEXT

A few important notes to help better understand this story are . . .

  • The Sea of Galilee (also referred to as the Lake of Tiberias and the Lake of Gennesaret), runs 14 miles long North to South and 8 miles long East to West.
  • Jesus and the disciples were traveling North to South, a trip that would have taken a couple hours.
  • The Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake in the world, 700 ft below sea level. Surrounded by hills/mountains, this created ideal conditions for some pretty nasty storms.
  • A number of the disciples were experienced fisherman by trade.
  • They were headed to one of the few places around the Sea of Galilee that was not a Jewish community. The disciples would have been a bit uncomfortable going there.

 

 

RESTORE

On Sunday, Pastor Bret gave us 3 insights from this text on restoring your soul:

  • Adjust your expectations about what it means to follow Jesus
  • Remember that you are in training
  • Pray that God would give you a greater view of who you are

 

 

ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS

  1. How would you describe the general cultural expectation of what life looks like when you become a Christian/follow Jesus? Another way of asking this is how have the “American Dream” and Christianity been blurred together?

 

  1. On Sunday, Pastor Bret said, “Jesus took them somewhere uncomfortable and led them to a place of full-blown panic.” How is this counter to the cultural expectation of being a Jesus follower and why is it important to remember?

 

 

REMEMBER . . . YOU ARE IN TRAINING

  1. How do you think you would have responded if you were one of the disciples on the boat?

 

  1. Although the disciples sort of “failed” in this situation, how do you think it formed them/trained them? How do you think this experience impacted their future?

 

  1. Respond to the following quote: “Remember, Jesus may be taking you through something to develop something in you that may be important later.” As you look back over your life, has this ever been true for you?

 

  1. The disciples had not followed Jesus long when this story comes around. How do you think the disciples would handle the same situation if this happened again 3 years later? And . . . what does that say about our formation?

 

 

PRAY, LORD GIVE ME A GREATER VIEW OF WHO YOU ARE

  1. Look back at the text, how did this experience change the way the disciples viewed Jesus?

 

  1. Have you ever had a time in your life where your view of God/Jesus was expanded? Asked another way, do you remember a moment where something clicked, and you saw God in a new way?

 

  1. How does gaining a greater view of God help in restoring our soul?

 

  1. Pastor Bret suggested that perhaps the proper response from the disciples would have been, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Is there anywhere in your life where you need to ask that question right now?

 

 

PRAYER CHALLENGE

We want to challenge you to pray two prayers over the next season in light of this text.

  1. Ask God, in light of this cultural moment, in light of the questions left unanswered and pain or fear in my heart, what would you have me do?
  2. Pray, “Lord give me a greater view of who you are. Expand my vision of you.”

 

As a group, close with these two prayers.