The first one was earlier on in February with the central group (which I am hopefully going to soon write another post about...but all in good time), and it was from Mark 8:14-38. It's where Peter finally "realises" that Jesus is the Messiah, and is kind of a turning point in the book that we've been studying since September! Main application was that, whether Christian or non-Christian, it's not enough to only half-see who Jesus is. We need to recognise his identity, and his mission. And we need to accept him as our Saviour, and as our Lord.
The second one was the Monday just gone, at the UCL lunch time group at Woluwe. They're studying John like most of the other GBU groups in Belgium, and we'd got to John 4:43-54 where Jesus heals an official's son fifteen miles away in Capernaum. (Click the link to read it, it's not the same as the centurions servant story). This was much harder than Mark I thought, for lots of reasons, but I did finally get it prepared and did it, and think it went ok. The main applications we looked at were how both we and others are often like the Galileans, who though it appeared they welcomed Jesus, Jesus himself said that they wouldn't honour Him. So we looked at how as Christians we can fall into the trap of trying to 'use' God, either in just praying for things we want, or in subtle changes in Gospel preaching that turns Jesus into a life-improvement plan, or at worst, the prosperity gospel. We also thought about how non-Christians might think they're honouring Jesus by ackowledging him as a good man, teacher, prophet, saint, miracle worker... but that it is only by honouring him rightly as the Son of God and messiah that we can honour Him and the Father. This lead to some discussion about how to answer friends who would say that Jesus was just a good man.
It was encouraging to see in that passage, that even though Jesus knew he wouldn't be welcomed properly in his hometown, that he went anyway. Just like we had seen in John 1:10-11 that he decided to come to this world, knowing that he's be rejected.
"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."
And he also healed the man's son, who proved his faith in believing Jesus at his word rather than wanting to see the miracle, even though they were in that region that didn't honour Him. Shows his grace and compassion. (Credit to John Piper (and God) for LOTS of help from this sermon.)
So that's a rundown of what we did. As far as the French goes, it wasn't too bad really. Having prepared the studies I knew more what I was expecting in answers so the conversations were actually easier to follow than normal. I just have problems that I zone out now and then when someone is replying and then feel bad when I don't really understand what they've just said.
Also in news regarding my French capabilities, I'm much more confident with praying out loud in French now, especially if I know the people quite well, and don;t feel the need to plan the whole thing in my head beforehand. Thank you God!
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
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