Week 7
Read: Matthew 4:18-25 and your notes from Sunday morning’s sermon.
Intro: This week we look at Jesus choosing his first disciples. Matthew gives us a couple of examples, and describes how Jesus called four men. These are regular people, with families that may count on them, jobs which they rely on, and who probably had no idea that Jesus was going to one day choose them to be one of His disciples. In Judaism it was actually customary for the disciple to choose which rabbi they would like to study under. In this case though, Jesus hand picks who his followers will be, by a simple invitation. In response, they act immediately. They don’t hesitate even a little. They must have at least heard about Jesus, enough to know that it would be better to follow Him and leave their occupations, and families, rather than to simply say “no thanks” and keep doing what they were doing.
Questions:
- In the verses above, when Jesus calls his disciples, they act immediately. What do you think would have happened if they had chosen to wait to respond, or take some time to think over their options?
- In this account Jesus not only invites the men to follow him, but also offers them a glimpse into what they can expect to happen if they do. What can they expect and what do you think that actually looks like?
- Has God ever called you to do something, leave something, or follow Him in a specific way? Take a moment to think of one example for yourself and share with the group if you would like.
Feel free to discuss or ask additional questions as they arise
Spiritual Practice: As we transition from the practice of meditation into the spiritual practice of prayer lets recap just a bit. Early on in this study, we talked about the idea that Christian meditation should not only be based around scripture, but also lead to action or change. That is where prayer comes in. Whether that is an inward change in yourself that you once considered a character flaw or personality trait, or if its a change in behavior as you are able to focus on Jesus and draw on his strength throughout the day, the goal with Christian meditation and prayer is to begin thinking the way that God does, and acting the way He would act. As we talk more about prayer next week, keep these ideas in mind. Meditation has introduced us into the life happening inside of us, and has allowed us an avenue to be introspective and curious, while we simply open ourselves up to God. Prayer on the other hand is the avenue that God uses to transform us. You’ll see as we continue on studying about prayer, that meditation and prayer go hand in hand. Jesus often went out to lonely places to be alone before praying. I hope that as we learn more about prayer over the next few weeks, and begin practicing it very intentionally, that we are taught to see things from God’s point of view – which alone would be an incredible transformation. This week, reflect on the way meditation has made a change in your life. Think about how learning to meditate may improve your prayer life, or how it already has.
Closing verse: Matthew 4:22 – “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
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