NOTES: 1] The raised Christ appears only to those capable of seeing him. F. Goodman [in 'Social Science Commentary on John', p.284, Malina & Rohrbaugh, Fortress, '98] suggests 'The visionary needs to know how to find the crack between the earth, ordinary reality, & the sky on the horizon, the alternative reality'. Interesting thought?

WARMING UP: How ready are we to believe other people's accounts of events beyond our experience?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything that's happened this week?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:
19-23    Can we remember a time when fear blocked us from having peace? Do we ever lock ourself into some 'room' because of fear? Has Jesus ever appeared in any kind of meaningful but mysterious way in our life, or is that just an old way of looking at things? Is 'being sent' to tell others still a responsibility of discipleship today, or was that just a temporary phase?

What can we learn from the fact that Jesus breathes Holy Spirit on the gathered disciples here? Don't we usually connect that gift with Pentecost? What does the 'retention' of sins mean compared with the forgiveness of sins? Is there some 'upper room' we're used to gathering in as part of our discipleship, & which is open to anyone & everyone who believes - or wants to? Or is there a 'door' locked to some people? Does the fact that forgiveness can be in short supply in congregations mean we see it too much as a private thing between a person & God & not enough as a responsibility we all have as a Body for forgiving each other & being forgiven?

24-29    Do we find Thomas an encouragement or discouragement to us in our faith journey? Do we find any particular doubt(s) holding us back, getting in the way of our enjoying Jesus' peace? Are we at all conscious of being blessed because we believe without ever having seen Jesus raised in the flesh? Where does all this leave those who can't yet say, "My Lord & my God!"? What does that expression mean in today's terms?

30-31    Are there any other things we wish JN (or other Gospel writers) had included in their account of Jesus? JN clearly believes he's given enough information for anyone to make the decision to believe in Jesus as Messiah (Anointed One) & God's Son: Has he provided enough evidence for us? Can we think of someone we know whom no amount of evidence will ever convince? Do we believe because of the sort of evidence JN (& the others) provide, or is there more to our faith than that? Which comes first, evidence or belief? Have we come to rely too much on written 'evidence', & not enough on experiential evidence, or vice-versa?
 
 

NOTES: 1] Returning to Judea, Peter has to justify his actions (in Ch.10) regarding Cornelius & co. in Caesarea. This first part of Ch.11 is a re-telling of what happened there. 2] The issue was a divisive one for the early church.

WARMING UP:  Have we ever played the party game called 'Chinese Whispers'?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything that's happened since last week's Group?

EXPLORING ACTS:
1-3       Does it take long for news to get around in our church circle? Does bad or controversial news pass around faster than good or non-controversial news? What issues are currently 'on the boil' in our church? For good or ill? Can we identify a 'strict' faction in our church? What about a liberal one? Which, if either exists, is stronger? Have we (I write as an Anglican) perhaps now moved into a phase of church life where divisions are not so much along the old 'high' or 'low' or other similar emphases as along lines advocating strict or liberal attitudes to issues like homosexuality, the place of women, taking political stances, & the like?

4- 12   Is there a yard stick we can apply to assess whether something is 'unclean' or 'profane', or is that kind of thing just a matter of opinion? While Christians have abolished the old Hebrew food taboos, have we replaced them with others in other fields? What leads us to take such stances? Can we call to mind some issue where God has, or may want to over-rule our decision that something is, say, either 'clean' (& therefore allowable') or 'unclean' (& therefore not allowable)? How does / can God change something from being, say, 'unclean' to 'clean'?
           What issues are so important to us that we use them to make a distinction between us & someone else? Is it our experience that 'taking someone with us' makes it easier to explain or pursue an issue with someone we want to convince about something? Why should we want to convince anyone about anything?

13-18  How do we feel when someone confronts us with an experience they have had but we haven't, & which doesn't fit within the parameters of our beliefs? How much latitude are we able to allow them before we feel threatened or alienated? How do we tell when the Holy Spirit has genuinely 'fallen upon' someone; personally, or as part of a group experience? Given there are those who are uneasy about the possibility of some supposedly 'Holy Spirit experiences' being manipulated, how do we tell the real thing, except by the fruits such an expeience brings? Is it better that we take all claims of the Spirit 'falling upon' someone at face value?
           What might it mean to 'hinder God'? Are we ever guilty of doing that? Do we get away with it? What does it take / who does it take to silence us on an issue? Is praising God an 'inbuilt' part of our relationship with him? Or just on special occasions? What does it mean that repentance 'leads to life'? Is that our experience?