Before the Session
- Have the Bible Background Video ready to view.
- Review today’s scripture text and the session activities to help better facilitate the discussion.
- Encourage your group to listen to the FaithElement podcast ahead of the next session (Share the link via email or social media).
Context
Play the Pizza Hut commercial and ask:
- How do you feel about the commercial’s underlying statement that it’s best to have “both” things you want, despite what it may lead to?
- To what degree do you think your congregation might find it more important to keep people or reach people and why?
- Why do you think some people find it more important to love God or love people?
- How is it possible for people to really get and do two things that seem to oppose each other?
- What are some competing tendencies with which you struggle and how do you cope?
Content
Read Luke 9:28-43a then watch the Bible Background Video and ask:
- In hearing these words, why do you think the writer did not make a bigger deal out of this event?
- Why do you think verse 36 tells us that they were basically silent about this event?
- What is the significance of Moses and Elijah in this story?
- Why did Peter want to stay with Jesus on the mountain?
- What is the significance of the cloud and the voice speaking?
- Why do you think things went wrong on the next day?
- Why does it seem that Jesus is frustrated with the people, after he’s just come back from taking a break?
- Even though Jesus seems frustrated, what can we learn from what he does anyway?
Closure
Play the Prank video and ask:
- What kinds of things would you do if you were working with a Transformer?
- How would we be able to use power or influence properly, assuming we had it?
- What might keep us to keep the things we derive from our relationship with God to ourselves instead of sharing them with humanity?
- How can we balance private moments with God and still be a part of God’s will in transforming our world and the people within it?
- What might change if we could invite other people to “travel with us” as God takes us through life?
Close in prayer.
Writer: Jon Self