small group

^{First published June 23, 2021 as part of the Jesus Mindset series}

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:26-28

One of my friends has found herself with an unexpected teaching opportunity. She and her husband were active participants in a Bible study held at my house for about five years. But her husband seemed stuck in his faith journey.

A year after that study group disbanded, my friend came to me asking about starting another study group. She was particularly concerned about her husband. They were no longer attending the same church, and with the study group having disbanded, her husband was without the counsel of other Christians. We decided to start a new group, but it would include only women this time, leaving her concerns about her husband unanswered.

Over the past year, my friend has grown tremendously in her faith. Just last week, I listened as she answered a difficult Bible study question with a great analogy, making it all clear to the rest of us! I felt the same delight I had while watching one of my Girl Scouts successfully build a fire. I wanted to jump for joy at my friend’s insight. I loved it!

And God has answered her prayers about her husband. It wasn’t the answer she was expecting. You see, the teacher he needed was her. Her husband has watched her transformation with awe. She is living out the Word, and he has started asking her questions about Jesus. After church—their new church—they go to breakfast and discuss the sermon. He relies on her for further insight and instruction.

^“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15-16

My friend’s teaching opportunity was close to home. At the start of Jesus’ ministry, He, too, started close to home. The first recorded teaching by Jesus was to His cousin, John the Baptist. Jesus asked John to baptize Him, but John recognizedHim as the Messiah and tried to convince Jesus that it should be the other way around.

“Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.” Matthew 3:15

Jesus knew His audience. As a devoted man of God, John was well-practiced in what it meant to achieve holy righteousness. And so, he accepted Jesus’ reasoning.

Follow Jesus’ teaching ministry, and you see patience, purpose, and an approach tailored to the people He encountered. And that’s the joy of teaching. What we teach matters, but so does how we teach it. At first, Jesus reached out to His cousin, then to His cousin’s followers and their friends. The tipping point came after He performed quiet acts of healing and word of them spread: the Sermon on the Mount.

But even after He preached to large crowds, He encountered individuals and specifically set aside time to teach them about the glory of God and the forgiveness of sins.

To the learned, He spoke with confident knowledge of Moses and Isaiah. To the poor and lame, He taught through love and compassion. To the average man and woman, He used parables containing everyday elements such as farming and relationships. And to the disciples, He opened their eyes to the mysteries of the Kingdom. Each time, He sought the “aha” moment for which every teacher longs—the moment when the light comes on inside.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

I once led a small Bible study, and the topic of “evangelizing” came up. It usually makes people squirm. One participant said she just didn’t feel ready to talk to people about God. And yet, she had been a Christian for about 50 years. What if we erase the word “evangelize” and replace it with sharing or teaching? What if, instead of picturing ourselves standing before the Pharisees or Sanhedrin, we picture ourselves sitting with our children or a friend and sharing how Jesus has brought us peace and joy in times of trouble? That should, at a minimum, be expected of us.

My friend, whom I mentioned at the beginning, has come a long way. About a year ago, her adult son started asking her questions about God and Jesus, and she felt unprepared. She had prayed for many years that her son would turn to Jesus, and now he was asking her questions. So, what did she do? She sought instruction, prayed, and was bold. At her next opportunity to teach a family member—her husband—she was ready.

“Our lives should reflect the love and goodness of Jesus, but we should pray that the Lord would give us opportunities to share the gospel with people who come into our lives.” Pastor Adriel Sanchez, Core Christianity Podcast

Jesus didn’t want to keep His life offering among a small group of people. So yes, He lived a good and faithful life, but He didn’t stop there. He reached out to people. Through teaching, He shared the most important lessons we will ever learn. He prepared for this task. And when His time came, He was ready.

The question is, are you ready?

Your role as a teacher may be needed right now—for your children, your spouse, your neighbor, a struggling believer, or a searching nonbeliever.

Have you worked on the other steps so you can teach, as Peter says, with gentleness and respect Have you put yourself in a position to be a humble servant and, therefore, to interact with nonbelievers in positive ways? Are you studying His Word so that, when confronted with half-truths or outright lies about God, you can stand firm like a warrior?

God has already tested you in all these areas. He’s tested me. What is your report card? In what areas do you need to ask for God’s help today so you can be ready?

When my youngest daughter and I started working on our relationship I prayed, a lot. I prayed what to say the first summer she was home from college. I prayed each time I visited her. I asked God to put the right words in my mouth at the right time, with the right heart. I prayed to have my need to feel hurt and offended by her words be taken from me. I wanted God to change me so dramatically that my daughter could see that change. She needed to see that I was doing the work on my own issues. I had two God moments that have stuck with me during that time. The first was the summer after her freshmen year. I knew, from my older daughter, that life was going to change at our house. We would now have four adults living in our home – no children. And so, I prayed for the right words at the right time. James has taught us so well that when we rely on God in times of trial that wonderous solutions come to us that we might never have thought. I prayed that her newfound relationship with Jesus would also guide our conversations.

The last few words in the Book of James is really a summary. He tells us to take all of the wisdom and expectations of the five chapters and work together for the glory of God. To help those Christians who wander off God’s track and bring them back into his loving arms. To guide our children to a life of grace, wisdom and forgiveness.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:19

Which brings me to the second of those God moments. My daughter and I were on the phone having yet another tense conversation while she was back at school. Full of misunderstandings and secret expectations (She has since told me she had long felt I had extremely high expectations of her and she didn’t want to fail me). I took a breath and prayed for God to speak through me. I stopped talking. I started listening. And finally, the right words came.

Me: “I have something to ask of you.”

Her: “What?”

Me: “I am working really hard on trusting God to handle a lot of stuff – including my fears and hopes and dreams for you.”

Her: “Uh uh.”

Me: “But I fail, a lot. I’m very impressed how you give a lot of grace and forgiveness to your friends, coaches, and teachers. What I’m asking for is that you give me some of that same grace and forgiveness for when I fail.”

Pin drop. God’s words not only diffused the situation but it called on her to look on her own faith. It asked her to treat me just like any other Christian to whom she shows love. It took me out of being “just her mom” to being a person. God was doing a mighty work in that moment.

As Christians we probably have Christian friends. We might have Christian children and spouses. We should have the expectation to which James exhorts us, which is to help keep our brothers and sisters on track. We might cringe at that thinking, again, we don’t want to be judgmental people. But by relying on our faith and reminding others of their faith helps us all to grow closer to Christ. It’s that Imperfect Progress my Bible study girls like to talk about.

What is more worthwhile than saving someone from death and covering a multitude of sin?
Faith That Works

If we are in the mindset that our faith is ours and ours alone, we won’t reach out and bring others to Christ. We won’t help our brethren when they fall. I was in a Bible study group once where a woman stated she had never had a conversation about Christ with someone other than people at her church. She seemed ok with that. It made me sad. I know that God had put multiple people in her life along the way (she was in her 80s) to help do His work. I know that because that is God’s nature.

Every person you meet is providential, not accidental.
Phil Hopper, Pastor, Abundant Life Church

So often we think about going out to foreign countries to share our faith when in our own homes and neighborhoods and schools and play groups and Bunco groups and dinner clubs there are people who need Christ. There are Christians who need our support. It’s one thing to gain wisdom from studying His Word and yet another to actually use that wisdom to glorify God.

May we be lumps of salt in the midst of society.
Charles Spurgeon

I like that visual. To be placed around our neighborhoods and cities for the people to gain something good. We aren’t to be stockpiling our salt for our own personal use. We should be anticipating those moments God says, “Here, help my beloved.”

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.
Phillipians 2: 3-4

In other words, if we look at our salvation as a gift from God, we must also share that gift. We must also share the love and teachings of Jesus. By using Jesus’ ways as our touchstone, we can guide others along the way.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10: 24-25

My daughter now will give me biblically based advice when I am struggling. She reminds me to lean into and on God. She gently pushes me closer to Jesus. I had a older friend, who at the beginning of the Covid19 crisis, I checked in on. I considered him a leader in our church, a man of strong faith. He was distraught and depressed. He said to me, “I just can’t see God in any of this to be honest.” And me, a person who struggles with memorizing any scripture spoke these words back to him: “You must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a boat on the waves of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6) This man of great faith was silent. And then he said, “Thank you.”

As a Christian, I need my Christian friends and family to remind me of the promises God has made. I need nudges back toward His light. I may even need a whack over the head once in a while. If we choose not to help each other, think of all the opportunities we have missed to glorify Him and the people we will not have helped save from death. And as for my older daughter, I pray every day of my role in bringing her to Christ. More importantly, I pray that a Christian friend of hers will tell her their testimony and invite her on The Way.`

Tag: small group

Jesus Mindset: Are you ready to teach?