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Given: Week 4:

Chosen, Blessed, Broken & Given. This was a rhythm of life that Jesus modeled for us. This Lenten season we are going to explore together how we might live into this same rhythm Jesus modeled for us. The last couple of weeks we have looked at being Chosen, Blessed & Broken by God, this week we are going to look at what it means to be Given.

Just a reminder of ways to stay connected during this time:

• Keep meeting in your Community Groups. If you don’t have a group yet, you can find one here: societychurch.com/groups
• Utilize our website! If you’ve made it to the podcast, you are already utilizing our website, well done! On our website you can stay connected through our contact form, find our Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to our Newsletter, resources and more!

Listen along with us!

Community Group Discussion Guide:

STEP 1- Ice Breaker

Help people to loosen up and share. It will be helpful if someone is new to go around and do names and have each person share about a question and share a bit about themselves. CLICK HERE for ice breaker questions ideas.

(Group Leader Note: Use the Learning/Living Circle to guide your discussion and application of the content. Try your best to keep the “learning” and “living” focus balanced. You use this model moving clockwise around the circle. The goal is working towards practical and personal life application.)

Step 2- Learning- Observe, Reflect, Discuss

(Group Leader Note: Don’t feel the need to go through every scripture, point or question. Pick and choose what you feel will make the most impact for your group. If you are not sure where to start, just ask your group what stuck out to them about the message most and start with that.)

Read this scriptures together: John 6:1-15 (NIV)

“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about 10-15 thousand people were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

Observation & Reflection Questions to Discuss:

• Anything that jumps out to you as important, helpful or interesting in this scripture?
• Are there any questions or curiosities you have about this portion of scripture that you would like to look into more?
• Why do you think Jesus involved Philip, Andrew and the boys lunch in this moment?
• What did Jesus do with the 5 barley loaves and 2 fish?
• Who ended up being blessed by this boys lunch?

STEP 3- Living- Planning, Accountability, Action

• Take a moment and talk about what you do have and that you are grateful for during this time.
• What are some specific pockets of poverty and abundance in your life right now?
• How might God be leading you in this process of multiplication (GRACE x GRATITUDE X GENEROSITY = A NEW GRACE) amidst areas of poverty and abundance you are experiencing in your own life right now?
• Do you have some clarity of mind and heart to confidently sense God’s leading and direction in your life? If not, what might be some helpful spiritual practices and rhythms that could help?
• What might be some specific steps that God is putting in your heart to take during this time?

STEP 4- Prayer And/Or Meditation

Please don’t skip prayer!! Cut the discussion short if needed to pray for one another 🙂 Try one of these options, don’t be afraid to mix it up.

• Have people split into groups of 2-3 to share prayer needs and pray for each other.
• Share requests as a group and pray for one another. Assign requests to people that are comfortable with praying and go around the circle praying for each others needs.
• Help your group develop a vocabulary of prayer. Pray a wrote prayer together.  Prayerfully read a Psalm or something from the Book of Common Prayer .
• Meditation with silence and stillness- A word or phrase to focus your group. A time of silence and stillness, set a timer for 5 minutes if you want. Close the time with a prayer for your group.
• Develop someone in your group as the Prayer Coordinator. Have them write down prayer needs, ask them to pray for those needs during the week, have them send a list to the group to keep in prayer, go through the list regularly to celebrate answered prayers and check off or add on prayers.