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 “House of the Lord” video and ask:
- What verse of scripture does this song most bring to mind and why?
- What is your favorite traditional church hymn and why?
- What is your favorite worship song that was written in your lifetime?
- Why do you go to a place of worship on a regular basis?
- What about your current experience of worship make you glad?
Content
Read Psalm 122, then watch the Bible Background Video.
Ask questions like these:
- Which parts of of this psalm are most familiar to you and why?
- In what ways does the original idea of taking a pilgrimage to Jerusalem adjust your view of this text?
- In what ways might someone associate the “house of the Lord” with justice and safety?
- Since there is so much injustice and insecurity in our world today as well as when the Psalmist wrote this, how can we use our times of worship to see a better future?
- Given this context, what do you think this psalm teaches us about hope?
Closure
Play the Truman Show video clip and ask:
- When we see darkness in our world, why do some want to save the world while others hide in the shadows?
- What kinds of thing might we see in the light that we may not want to see?
- What is something going on in the world that may be casting a sense of “darkness” over us and why?
- What do you hope God might do about it?
- In what way is the promise of Jesus’ coming, which we celebrate in this season, a source of hope?
- How might we make Jesus’ presence a source of hope for others?
Close in prayer.
Writer: Jon Self