NOTES: 1] The focus shifts from Jerusalem to Galilee. 2] Most scholars regard 18+ as an add-on from the time of MT's 'release' (c.75-85CE) rather than from Jesus himself. The issue: Does what Jesus says here sound like the Jesus of the rest of the Gospel, or a church in the throes of changing from organism into organisation? 3] Though only 'the eleven' are mentioned, surely other followers & the womenfolk made the journey too.

WARMING UP: Are differences of emphasis, opinion, belief, a good thing or a bad thing for your Group / Church?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

16-17    Are you more comfortable in a church / congregation where leadership & ministering opportunities are open to as many as possible, or one more 'centralised' & 'controlled'? Is there a Gospel medium? How much does the operating 'style' matter? What difference does it make to the kind of 'Body of Christ' we're part of? If others, especially the women disciples are hidden from view in the way the story's reported, what do we make of the church's seemingly early determination to push  the women into the background? Is it just an eastern cultural thing, or is there more to it than that? What reasons can we see for Christian conservatives wanting to keep things that way? Are we still afraid of this area of sexual equality in God's eyes?
             What are the 'reasonable limits' of doubt so far as we're concerned? [The word 'doubt' here is the one Jesus uses to Peter in 14:31.]

18-20    Do we really believe Jesus has been given 'all authority in heaven & earth...'? Really & truly? What difference has that authority made to a) our own life? b) our faith community's life? c) the life of our wider community? d) the world? If it hasn't made the difference we'd expect, is Jesus not really in authority after all, are we just kidding ourselves - or is he? What are our main questions about the Trinity? Do we ever wonder what happened to the 'Mother' side of God, & why? Given that talking of God in masculine or feminine terms is inadequate & mistaken (God is neither male nor female, but Spirit!)  how does our persistence in using such language help or hinder our imaging / imagining of God?

If Jesus were somehow able to reappear & hold a 'debriefing' with us, how would we report on our success in terms of going, discipling, baptising, teaching, obeying, etc? Does our church have any adeqate procedures for 'auditing' how we're doing as disciples? Or is the very thought a bit scarey? How aware & confident are we that Jesus is present with us now? Does it matter that he says he'll be with us till the end of the world if we aren't all that conscious that he's with us today?