Jesus: Son of God series part three
SEEING THEIR FAITH
Small group devotion
The purpose of this discussion is to encourage your group to consider the power of vicarious faith, particularly in the hard times of our lives.
Opening discussion: Share with one another a personal mentor in the faith. Maybe it’s your mum or dad, maybe it’s a youth leader. How have they helped you get through hard times?
Watch the “Living vlog” posted on 12th October to the Living Room facebook page. Jordan talks about how the faith of others can hold us. (See Leader’s Notes)
What did you think about what he said? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Read Mark 2:1-12. You’ve probably heard it many times before, so try and pay close attention to what is going on.
What stands out to you in this story?
Have there been times in your own life when your faith hasn’t been enough? If not, what about someone else? Share stories.
How did you (or the person in your story) come to renewed faith?
The journey of discipleship is not an easy journey. It has its ups and its downs. It has its times of faith and its times of intense doubt. Sometimes people fall away from faith altogether. Where do you think God is in all this?
In contrast to the faithful friends, the scribes are cynical, while others are blocking the entrance to Jesus. In what ways can the Church sometimes be like the scribes or like the crowd blocking the entrance?
What do you think Mark 2:1-12 has to tell us about intercession (praying for others)?
Spend time praying for one another. Try and be honest with what’s going on in your life. If there is enough trust in the group, get everyone to share at least one thing (even if it’s small).
Leader’s notes:
- There is a strong history of infant baptism and many denominations (including the Presbyterian Church) still practice it today. At Hope it’s not the common method of baptism. Instead we tend to dedicate infants and baptise them when they’re old enough to make their own decision. Both methods have scriptural and theological support, both have a rich tradition and history, and both say something important about discipleship and the Christian witness. It’s important to keep this in mind, particularly if you have strong views one way or the other. The World Council of Churches said this about baptism:
“Both the baptism of believers and the baptism of infants take place in the Church as the community of faith. When one who can answer for himself or herself is baptised, a personal confession of faith will be an integral part of the baptismal service. When an infant is baptised, the personal response will be offered at a later moment in life. In both cases, the baptised person will have to grow in the understanding of faith. For those baptised upon their own confession of faith, there is always the constant requirement of a continuing growth of personal response in faith. In the case of infants, personal confession is expected late, and Christian nurture is directed to the eliciting of this confession. All baptism is rooted in and declares Christ’s faithfulness unto death. It has its setting within the life and faith of the Church and, through the witness of the whole Church, points to the faithfulness of God, the ground of all life in faith.”
- While we wouldn’t want to say Jesus is powerless if there is no faith, there seems to be a strong correlation between faith and miracles in Mark’s gospel (e.g. Mark 6:5-6). Having faith is important as is the faith of others on our behalf (intercession). There is also strong scriptural support for the vicarious faith of Christ and the Spirit (who intercedes with sighs too deep for words). In short, we should be very careful before placing too much weight on the individual’s ability to believe.