Session 13: New Rules for a New Reality
PREPARATION
Read Scripture and background information. Reflect on the questions in the participant book. Review links suggested in the lesson outline below.
Train of Thought
God defines the mission of the church and equips the church through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Leaders create an environment where the people of God can discover what is already there. Change no longer causes anxiety, but inspires excitement and enthusiasm for the order that God will reveal out of apparent chaos.
Desired Outcomes
As a result of this session, participants should be able to:
- See the need for new rules in a new reality.
- Understand how rules, or norms, give a community a sense of identity and structure.
- Recognize the importance of clearly understanding current reality in order to move into the future faithfully.
Lesson Supplies
EXPLORATION AT GROUP SESSION
Total time: 50 minutes
Light the candle as you read Ephesians 4:23-24: "be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." In one Bible (NRSV, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers for Cokesbury, 1990), these words are followed by the heading "Rules for the New Life." This week's session is titled "New Rules for a New Reality." May God open our hearts and minds to the rules of God for our time.
The author of Ephesians clearly instructs the leaders of the church to act differently from people outside the church. What insights came from your preparation this week?
Bible Study Focus Verses: Ephesians 5:15-20
Ask group members who have same version of the Bible to read the verses aloud, slowly and in unison.
Ask, "What feeling does this passage stir in you? Do you hear encouragement? Warning? How do you respond to such a directive passage? What do you think is the main message of this passage?"
Next, ask someone to read this passage from another version of the Bible, such as The Message or the Contemporary English Version. How does this different version reflect or support earlier comments? Does this version bring new meaning to earlier comments? Read aloud the "Introduction" paragraph on page 111 of the FaithQuest Bible Study and the first paragraph under the heading "Christian Community in Ephesus" on page 113. What insights does this information about Ephesians provide to this discussion? How does the world of the Ephesians compare to and contrast with our world today?
Finally, encourage participants to make a "faith response" to the future. What hope does this passage offer for our congregation? What response might we make to this word from God?
Transition to Our Time
How do events in the world and the passage of time in our lives shape our values and expectations? Ask groups of three to share their responses to the Reflective Moment Along the Way on page 113.
DISCOVERY — APPLYING IDEAS TO THE CONGREGATION
Total time: 45 minutes
Discussion Questions (30 minutes)
In Session 1, participants talked about ways the world has changed. This session helps us think about moving into a future which will continue to change. Discuss the questions on page 115 of the Bible study. Ask, "How do rules get made? Who makes them? When is it okay to break the rules?"
In this session, the word rules is used for our understanding of the way we do things. People view rules differently. Age, gender, culture, race, and whether or not we make the rules all influence how we understand the rules.
Begin to fill out Figure 13A and 13B (page 116) which you have enlarged on newsprint. Ask participants, "How do you understand family? What do you do for play? When is it appropriate to play? When and why do people work? What's important about faith?" Have participants respond to these questions for themselves. Ask, "How can we get information from people who are not represented in our FaithQuest group? Distribute copies of charts describing age-level characteristics for further discussion. As necessary, remind participants of the danger of stereotyping when we speak for others.
Feedback & Evaluation (5 minutes)
Conclude by asking how this information has an impact on your congregation.
Sending Forth (10 minutes)
Share prayer concerns. Read the devotional. Close by praying together the prayer on page 111.
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