Some things are just better together. What good would macaroni be without cheese? Who would eat mashed potatoes without gravy? Everyone knows that peanut butter is better with…chocolate. That’s why this week we are going to follow up last week’s message on the Thread of the Spirit through the gospel of John by looking at John’s Thread of Truth—bringing together a combustible combination that filled so much Jesus’ life and ministry.
As we seek to be a family of people guided by both Spirit and Truth, it might surprise you to see just how central the idea of truth is to John’s core message and our best life. So join us this week as we follow the Thread of Truth throughout the book of John, because you might just find the other half of the combination you have been hoping for.
Podcast
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(Weekly Community Group Discussion Guide)
Title: Can You Handle the Truth? // Scripture: John 20: 19-29
ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.
SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
This week we continued our journey through the Gospel of John. Our thread through John this week was seeing the interaction between the relationship of Spirit and Truth. Jesus surprised the disciples when he appeared through their locked door. They had a spiritual encounter with him as He showed them his scars. Thomas was not among them when this occurred. He’s forever been known as the “Doubter,” but what he really was hoping for was the same experience they had. His heart wanted to believe what they were saying, but he was struggling because he did not see it. Jesus comes back just for him. He presses his flesh to Thomas and allows him to touch his scars. We find that through the book of John there are people who see and believe, those who see and doubt and those who see and disbelieve. Thomas’s face-to-face encounter with Jesus unlocked his doubt and allowed him to see the truth of who Jesus is.
THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion
“Discovering the truth is a contact sport.”
SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes
Picture: Why are the doors locked? Why does Jesus come back? What did Thomas really need and how did Jesus meet that need? What does it mean that Jesus is the truth revealed? What do we receive when we receive the truth? What is the difference between doubt and disbelief?
Mirror: Have you ever felt like you missed a spiritual moment? In what areas of your life are you experiencing true freedom as a result of believing the truth? Do you struggle more with doubts or with disbelief? Are you living out of who God says you are, or are you trying to discover who you are by how you behave? In what areas of your life do you know who God is and who you are but you are in rebellion against God?
Window: If religion is living from the outside in, what is relationship? What is being lost in translation between who Jesus really is and who people see in you? During your days are you seeking peace or just calm?
BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Exercise 15 minutes
Spend some time praying for discernment about doubt and disbelief. What areas of your life are you doubting God’s truth? Ask God to reveal those locked doors and places in which you need to welcome God.
Change IN // Group Activity 5 minutes
Jesus comes through locked doors. Are there some doors in your life that are still locked to Him? Put a key or keys on a table. On a slip of paper write down one door of your heart that is still locked and where you are in doubt that God can bring truth. As a group go around and write the truth that God can unlock that door and bring freedom. Trust that Jesus wants to bring truth to those areas.
Change OUT // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes
Summer is here. Go to a park or your neighborhood pool and bring some extra snacks or popsicles. Pray for an encounter with someone. Show Jesus’ love through sharing your lunch or snacks with this person. Invite them into conversation about their day. Look for ways to bring the peace of Jesus in what you say to them.
CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.