Read Luke 11 & 12 and meet in your Good Soil Group by Sun, Feb 19.

Remember: Formation, not information. Luke and Acts invite us to live differently than the world around us. Focus on the seeds of trust, hope, and compassion God is planting.

Reading

As you read, here are a few things to notice, in addition to everything you notice naturally.

Last week, Jesus crossed the Rubicon. “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk 9:51). In other words, Jesus turned toward the cross, toward the rejection, suffering, and death that waited in Jerusalem. This is why that Samaritan village did not welcome him. The cost, the risk was too great.

Read chapters 10, 11, and 12 in this light. Jesus’ teaching on prayer, warnings about enemies and opposition, parable about the rich fool, encouragement to trust God, not worry about material things, and to care for the poor. Don’t just wonder what these passage mean. Wonder what they mean knowing Jesus has “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” What does the cross have to do with them? Why is the resurrection necessary for them?

Finally, remember the fire James and John wanted to call down on the unwelcoming Samaritans? Now Jesus says, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Lk 12:49). (If it’s not punishing fire, which Jesus forbade James and John, what kind of fire is it?) Here Jesus reminds all who listen where he is headed: to a “baptism” in Jerusalem. And after all the promises of and teachings on peace, Jesus warns of division and conflict. In the words of bible scholar Raymond Brown, “the results of Jesus’ ministry are ambivalent” (p. 247).

Given ambivalent results, Jesus encourages bold prayer and trust. And in the end, it’s not our own but Jesus’ bold prayer and trust that offers hope.

Meeting

Getting to Know Each Other (10 min): You might ask each other, “What in your life right now is a mixed bag of good and bad? In the midst of it, what helps you trust God and not worry?”

Or you could tell each other stories of prayer answered. When did you ask and receive? Seek and find? Knock and have the door opened to you?

Talking about Luke (20 min): Here’s some good starting questions for any week, “What did God do in these chapters? What did people do?” You also might ask each other, “What in these chapters did I welcome? What did I resist? How was Jesus freeing me as I read?”

Praying (15 min): Start this time by asking, “Who or what do we have to pray about today?” Don’t censor yourself. Nothing is too big or too small to pray about. And no one is beyond God’s care. If nothing else, pray for each other and for all of the other Good Soil groups that God will open us to the seed of God’s Word.

After Reading & Meeting

Check back on this website, for art and more. Ask Pastor a question. Leave a comment and let us know how the Spirit is moving with you!