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A Lenten Study for Adults ... February 24 through March 24.
"Watching the Disciples"
"Learning From Their Mistakes"
This study was written by Mary Jane Gorman and published by ABINGDON PRESS/ Nashville, 2008
We will meet after our soup supper in the Fellowship Hall for our study each Wednesday evening until Easter. Supper at 6:30 p.m. and study from 7 until 8 p.m. Ann and Bill Robertson and Barb Brown will help lead the discussions. There will be pencils/ paper/and Bibles available.
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First week, February 24: Advance readings;
For the introduction ... Barb
Matthew 10:2 - 4 [A listing of the very human men who became Disciples.]
Luke 5:1 - 11 [Another listing of who the 12 Disciples were/see any differences?]
The introduction is based on some questions about who the Disciples were and recalling stories about how they became Disciples of Christ. We will end this introduction after the first 15 minutes by each of us asking ourselves, silently, if we have any particular mistakes in our own discipleship that we would like to correct? The big question that we need to talk about - briefly - will be, "What is a mistake, and what is a sin?” This should lead to a short discussion.
For the first lesson: "Five Loaves and Two Fish Are Not Enough." ... Bill and Ann
Matthew 14:13 - 21 [The feeding of the multitudes - 5,000 men, women and children.]
Matthew 15:32 - 39 [An account of the second feeding of thousands.]
This first lesson and discussion is about the five loaves and two fishes that the Disciples made the mistake of thinking were not enough to feed the crowd of people come out to Lake Gennesaret [the Sea of Galilee] to hear Jesus preach. Their faith was not yet strong? Or, they didn't understand what the miracle was.
At lessons end, Bill and Ann will offer a prayer that will help us deepen our understanding and commitment during the Lenten season.
Focus for the Coming Week
Be attentive to bread this week. Let it remind you of having enough relative to the needs of a hungry world; and let it symbolize for you the Bread of Life, which is truly enough.
Second week, March 3: Advance readings;
For the second lesson: "Agenda: Listen to Our Plan for You, Jesus." ... Bill and Ann
Matthew 16:21 - 26 [Jesus tells his Disciples what is in store for Him, they don't understand.]
John 11:1 - 16 [The beginning of the Lazarus story, and again the Disciples don't “get it.”]
Further readings that could be looked at beforehand, or during the session;
Matthew 4:1 - 11 [The temptation of Christ.]
Mark 1:12 - 13 [Another report of the temptation of Christ.]
Mark 1:17 ["Come follow me" ... and they try, but have human failings and make mistakes in what "following Christ" truly means.]
John 11:8 - 16 [The Disciples try to get Jesus to follow their agenda, for His safety.]
This second lesson is about the Disciples who try to get Jesus to 'stay safe'. They know he is the Son of God and the Messiah, but just want him to follow THEIR human plans for his ministry, not follow the ones he seems to come up with that are dangerous for Him and for them. The Disciples don't always understand Jesus' metaphorical language, and take some of his words literally. But, he is a good teacher, and he keeps on teaching the same lessons again and again.
At lessons end, Bill and Ann will offer a prayer that will help us deepen our understanding and commitment during the Lenten season.
Focus for the Coming Week
As you consult your calendar for your daily agenda be reminded of Jesus' agenda for you as His disciple.
Third Week, March 10: Advance Readings;
For the third lesson: "Cost: We Will Follow You Wherever You Go." ... Barb
Luke 14:24 - 33 [Jesus tells people who wish to follow him how costly it will be in terms of their own families.]
Mark 10:17 - 31 [A rich man asks how he can join Jesus' followers and finds the cost prohibitive.]
These may be read ahead, or looked at during the session.
Matthew 4:18 - 22 [Fishermen from Bethsaida leave their livelihood to follow Jesus. at what cost?]
Luke 5:27 - 28 [Jesus picks up more followers, who leave lucrative jobs (for which they were hated.)]
Luke 9:32 [Peter and the other Disciples make the mistake of falling asleep, thinking that they are truly following Christ.]
Throughout His ministry, Jesus cautioned his disciples, other followers, and would-be followers about the high costs of discipleship. He never offered an encouraging pep talk, he told them the truth. Some disciples made the mistake of not understanding, some followers made the mistake of not going with him, some made the mistake of promising that "no matter what, they would stick with him to the end" and then were unable to do so. A way to look at this for us is to reflect on what denying self and taking up the cross might mean within our faith community.
- Are we followers?
- Have we misunderstood?
- Have we made promises we haven't kept?
- Have we made mistakes - that are correctable or that take us away from Christ?
At lessons end, there will be a prayer to help us deepen our understanding and commitment during the Lenten season.
Focus for the Coming Week
Reflect on what "one thing you lack" that Jesus might ask you to give up or to do before he says, "Then come, follow me."
4th Week, March 17: Advance Readings;
For the fourth lesson: Betrayal ...What will you give me to betray Him? ... Ann and Bill
Matthew 26:69 - 75 [The story about Simon Peter in the courtyard, denying that he knows Jesus.]
These may be read ahead, or looked at during the session.
Matthew 26:74 - 75 [Peter denying he knows Jesus]
Luke 22:61 - 62 [Simon Peter denying Jesus and remembering that Christ had told him he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed. Peter makes the mistake of saying that won't be so.]
John 21:15 - 19 [Jesus has returned from the dead and asks three questions of Simon Peter, who again promises to follow Jesus and to do as He asks.]
A brief discussion here about the Disciples and the human mistakes they made, and how Jesus forgave them, [sometimes reprimanding them] and gives them new charges to follow. The main part of this lesson is about the current day followers of Jesus. Are we following what Jesus would ask us to do? Do we know what He wants us to do? [Do we need a literal or metaphorical bracelet on our wrist saying, "What would Jesus Do?"] We can look at differing situations where we may promise to follow Christ's teachings, and then make the human mistake of not doing so. Also, we may look at the betrayals of Jesus by different Disciples and try to determine if these were human mistakes, or human sins and think about what our mistakes/ sins might be in following what we interpret to be Jesus' Way.
At lessons end, Bill and Ann will offer a prayer that will help us deepen our understanding and commitment during the Lenten season.
Focus for the Coming Week
In humility, ask God to help you recognize your vulnerability to denying, or even betraying, Jesus by your words and actions. Pray daily for strength at this point of weakness.
5th Week, March 24: Advance Readings;
For the fifth lesson: Denial ... "I Do Not Know the Man." ... Barb
Matthew 26:69 - 75 [Again the familiar story of Peter's denial of Jesus at his time of trial.]
These may be read ahead, or looked at during the session.
Matthew 26:17 - 30 [The Last Supper where Jesus predicts the mistakes of the Disciples.]
Matthew 26:74 - 5 [And, then, the cock crows and the mistakes have occurred.]
Luke 22:61 ["The Lord turned and looked at Peter.” What did Peter see on His face?]
John 21:15 - 19 [The only writer to provide an insight into the process of Peter's recovering from this devastating mistake. Jesus repeats the call to Simon Peter that he had given him in the beginning, "Follow Me".]
This wrap-up to our Lenten study of the mistakes of the Disciples and the mistakes of the modern day followers of Jesus will be a discussion of how we can learn to better face risky situations we may encounter as we follow Jesus. We will look at some of the printed examples and talk about some of our own. This would be a good place to again examine what we mean by 'following Jesus' and what about those people who say they are following Jesus, with whom we disagree. To ask ourselves silently, "Can one be a 'secret' Christian?"
Closing Prayer, asking help to understand and "dig deeper" into ourselves while waiting for Christ's Resurrection Day.
Focus for the Week Before Easter
Look for ways to be a disciple so that you, like Peter, will be accused of being with Jesus, of being "one of them."
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