For Your Connect Groups – 5 Mar 2017

As you come together this week to pray and read the Word, here are some reminders and reflections from this week’s sermon.  My prayer is that these reminders and questions will assist your conversation, meditation and prayer.

Pray Together

  • What are some of the church needs you’re aware of?
  • Who in the church needs your intercession?
  • What are you and your loved ones praying for at the moment?
  • What wider situations can you pray into?

Read Together

This week we looked at The Passover, as described by Luke in Luke 22:1-23.  We looked at many of the elements that would have been used during the Feast at Jesus’ time.

Review what you learned during the Sunday morning service.  Did any elements or any aspect particularly speak to you?

The Lamb

The elements were given to the Jews to be done as an act of faith.  In the New Testament, it’s clearly revealed that the feast was given to predict the Messiah (see, for example, 1 Peter 1:18).  The Church continues in the Holy Communion, which Christ Himself established at this time:

1 Corinthians 11:26 – For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

So the Passover pointed the Jews forward to Christ, and the Communion we take together points us back.  It is all about Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

Examine One’s Self

You’ll recall that the Passover began with the playful removal of leaven.  This is from Exodus 12:15, where God commanded the leaven be removed.  The purpose of this is to depict the sober activity of self-examination.  Am I tolerating sin in my life?  Are there areas I’m not fully submitting to the Lord?

1 Corinthians 11:28–29 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself.

Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Aim to talk on this topic for the bulk of your Connect group this week.

Remember, the parsley dipped in salted water is intended to depict how newness of life often comes with the bitterness of tears.  Finding greater freedom and even more abundant life comes through ever fuller surrendering to Christ.

Keep Each Other Accountable

Your Connect Groups are intended to be a place where you can talk and share openly and honestly about the areas in which we struggle.  Again, let this be your focal point this week.

James 5:16  Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Pray for One Another

Paul urges us to pray with perseverance for all the saints.  Make it your commitment to pray for your Connect Group members this week.

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

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