This week we stepped out of our ongoing series “End in Mind” through II Peter to celebrate our mothers. It’s Mother’s Day—a day where all of us stop to appreciate the mothers in our lives. So, this week we stepped into a story that is repeated in three gospels (Matthew 8, Mark 1 and Luke 4) to see how Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law shows us that Jesus brings healing into our homes. In this story we see how Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful. It’s available in that Jesus enters Peter’s home. It’s personal in that Jesus takes Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand. It’s powerful in that her fever, which had become a chronic condition in her life, leaves her immediately—opening up a pathway for her to serve in response to the healing. And just as this story shows us that Jesus’ healing comes into Peter’s home, so Jesus’ healing power is wanting to intersect our own homes demonstrating to us and others that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful for all who would engage with him.

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

Title: Jesus and Peter’s Mother-in-Law // Scripture: Matthew 8, Mark 1, Luke 4

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 stepped out of our ongoing series “End in Mind” through II Peter to celebrate our mothers. It’s Mother’s Day—a day where all of us stop to appreciate the mothers in our lives. So, this week we stepped into a story that is repeated in three gospels (Matthew 8, Mark 1 and Luke 4) to see how Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law shows us that Jesus brings healing into our homes. In this story we see how Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful. It’s available in that Jesus enters Peter’s home. It’s personal in that Jesus takes Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand. It’s powerful in that her fever, which had become a chronic condition in her life, leaves her immediately—opening up a pathway for her to serve in response to the healing. And just as this story shows us that Jesus’ healing comes into Peter’s home, so Jesus’ healing power is wanting to intersect our own homes demonstrating to us and others that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful for all who would engage with him.

THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
Jesus brings healing into our homes.

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes

Picture (What is the story saying?): Why is this story important? (It stands in a triplet of stories—Leper, Centurion, motherin-law—and corresponds to the different barriers in the temple concerning those who were “unclean”, Gentiles and women.) How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is available? How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is personal? How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is powerful?

Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What areas of your home need to encounter the healing of Jesus? Why? What might it look like for you to believe that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful? How might Jesus be calling you to respond to his healing in your life?

Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): What might Jesus be saying to your family right now? Why do you think this might be a word from Jesus to you right now? How can you pivot off of this word in your current situation through belief and service?

BE IT – Practice

Change UP // Family Prayer
Take some time in your group this week to pray for your families together. Invite your group to lift up any prayer requests or concerns for people in their nuclear or extended families that might need Jesus’ healing power. Break your large group up into smaller groups of men and women to pray for your families specifically in the needs that have been mentioned.

Change IN // Family Involvement
Studies show that one of the factors which determines whether or not a student keeps their faith beyond high school is whether an adult other than their mom or dad has spoken into their lives. In other words, our faith needs more than our own mothers and fathers speaking things about God and ourselves into us. We all need surrogate parents who champion the work of God in our lives. Take some time this week to think about how your group can do that for each other. Brainstorm some ways that you can help each other raise all of your group’s kids in faith. Then start to put a few of those things into practice.

Change OUT // Family Invitation
The truth is that we all need extended family to help us live our lives in the word, work and way of Jesus. And just because we might have that with our group, it doesn’t mean that everyone in our church or neighborhood does. Take some time this week as a group to think about to whom you might need to give a family invitation. Who might you want to invite to join your community group? How could your group invite them to join your little extended family? Come up with a few names to whom you might want to give a family invitation and how your group might make the presence of Jesus available, personal and powerful in their lives.

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.