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Matthew 9 35 - 10 7

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

Note the context in which, according to Matthew, Jesus summoned his disciples: it was his observation of the crowds as “sheep without a shepherd”

Who do you think these shepherdless sheep that Jesus saw were? Keen practising Jews? Nominal ones? Pagan hangers-on? Straight pagans? Some of each?

Who do you think (a) Jesus, (b) his disciples had in mind when Jesus told them to ask the Lord to send labourers?

How much do you know (how much has Matthew told you) about each of the disciples he lists? Would you call them a “happy band of pilgrims”, free of any internal tensions?

How do you think they re-acted to being sent out? Do you think they would feel that this was what they had followed Jesus for?

How much training did they get?

In the light of this, think about your discipleship.

How does its context differ from the Biblical one? Would Jesus still see shepherdless sheep? Is it more or less multi-cultural? What difference does, e.g., a National Health Service make?

Do your re-actions to being sent out differ from your understanding of the original disciples’ reactions?

Jesus restricted them from going to non-Gentiles (Why?). What limitations, if any, does he make to-day? To what extent does the message they were given (“Proclaim the kingdom”) need translating into 21st Century speak?

In comparison with what Jesus gave then, have you received too little/ too much/ the right sort of/ the wrong sort of training for this sort of discipleship?
 

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Matthew 25: 31 - 40 The parable of the sheep and goats

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'
Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Mission is here described in terms of active love for our neighbours. Many, many people were called forward to discover to what extent they had participated in this mission. It meant a few surprises

We are given examples of neighbourly love, are there others you can think of?

Who, if anyone, organised them? Or are they indications of a way of life that people found themselves living?

Do any of the acts of neighbourly love described in the passage include churchy jobs?

Are churchy jobs using up our energy or are they a welcome diversion from more difficult ‘mission’ work?

Do you feel like a sheep or a goat?

Who do you see performing these acts of neighbourly love in your community, and in our wider world? Could you share with them? Do you see that you might be one of them already?

How could your church life encourage this neighbourly love, how could it celebrate it?

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 Matt. 23: 1 - 13. Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-- the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.

Please note ‘ministers’ here refers to the ‘official’ ones, the Revds and CRCW’s, we set aside.

The Pharisees and Jesus had much in common, both tried to show people how to live out their faith in daily life, so why did Jesus have so much trouble with the ‘ministers’ of his day?


Is Jesus being fair on the Pharisees?


What do you think Jesus wanted the Pharisees to do differently?


Why do we set aside people for this official religious task of ministry?


What do you think Jesus would be saying to a minister’s summer school today?


If you have ministry or if you are in ‘vacancy’:
Does having a minister just mean less work for you as a congregation? Does it divide up responsibilities that rightly belong to the congregation?

Ministers are doing their best to serve their churches and local communities, how should we change things to get the best out of these committed people?

How could a church lead a healthy, active and caring life without its own minister up front? Have you any ideas and experiences to share?
 

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1 Cor. 14: 26 - 40

What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged. And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets, for God is a God not of disorder but of peace. (As in all the churches of the saints, women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?) Anyone who claims to be a prophet, or to have spiritual powers, must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. Anyone who does not recognize this is not to be recognized. So, my friends, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; but all things should be done decently and in order.


What patterns of ministry do we detect from this passage on the early church in Corinth?

Why didn’t Paul just stay put and be with one church only?

Given that these were new Christians, some of whom were experienced Jews ...

Are you surprised that so much responsibility was shared amongst them?

Are you surprised that despite being small in number much was expected of them?

How do you think they put into practise Paul’s highly participative worship and ministry pattern? Especially when (supposedly) they weren’t allowed to involve women. (Presumably Paul had to mention this because churches were involving women and poor old Paul couldn’t cope)

What might the Order of Service look like for the church in Corinth next Sunday? Where were the notices? Did the preacher wear clerical dress?

Given that we are old experienced Christians, some of whom have heard 100 sermons a year over the past 70 years, given that we welcome the leadership and participation of women, and we too are small in number ...

What ideas does this passage give you for planning and leading worship?

What ideas does this passage give you for considering who might be allowed to contribute?

What steps might you need to take to make this possible?

What might make you and others eager again?
 

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Galatians 6: 1 - 10 Paul encourages bearing one another’s burdens

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads. Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.


What words would you use to describe the life Paul is trying to encourage in the church in Galatia?


What did this congregation in Galatia need to do to live up to these words and ideas? If you had gone to worship there what might you have noticed?


Why does Paul’s message to the church include encouragement to take personal responsibility as well as encouragement to share out work amongst others?


What sort of mood do you detect in your churches and why?


How do people in your church talk about other people inside the church?


How do people in your church talk about people and groups in the community outside your church? Take young people for example. Are you always telling off groups who use your building?


Does the fellowship in your church match, fall below or exceed Paul’s description here?

Paul’s often bullying tone makes him an interesting proponent of treating each other with a spirit of gentleness, is this spirit an important aspect of fellowship? What other key ingredients do you feel make up a healthy outward looking fellowship? How can they be encouraged to take further root?

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