NOTES: 1] Jesus' initial comments reflect Moses' in NUM 27:15-17. See also I KINGS 22:17, ZECH 10: 2, & JUDITH 11:19 (apocrypha). Be mindful of the connections throughout Scripture.

WARMING UP: What are the chief characteristics of good leadership?

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

EXPLORING GOSPEL:
35-38    Are we as aware as we need to be of our responsibility towards both big & small communities of Christians? Is our  'duty of care' being challenged by the erosion & diminution of small communities? Are we as aware as we might be of the kinds of healing people who are part of the circles we move in need? Are we able to offer that healing in any way? Are there issues of 'shepherding' & 'harvesting' confronting the church we're part of?

1-4        What authority issues are challenging today's church? How much does our attitude to authority stem from: a) the quality (or lack of it) we experience in authority figures? b) the role we see them playing (or not playing)? c) how they achieved that role? d) their authenticity in terms of the Gospel? e) other factors? Given that our names are not on Jesus' list, how can we be sure of appearing on his 'data base' today? Is our own discipleship (= following) & apostleship (= being sent) any less important than those named here? If someone wanted to feature us in a stained glass window, how would we like to be portrayed?

5-6        Are we at all conscious of any 'target' group as we reach out to people in Jesus' name today? Or, don't we have 'targets' any more? If we don't have 'targets', do we have any priorities for evangelism in the broadest sense? Or is most evangelism today so broad that no-one is reached anyway?

7-8        What does 'God's Rule is at hand' mean for us in daily life? Anything much, as opposed to being central to Jesus' teaching? How might we explain what 'God's Rule is at hand' means to: a) a sympathetic enquirer? b) a sceptical one? c) an antagonistic one? Could we offer convincing enough examples to any of the above? Are we ourself convinced? Does our fixation with God's Rule (kingdom) coming in the future blind us to the fact that it's already & always has been near / at hand / upon us / closing in? ('Closing in' is from The Complete Gospels, Harper Collins, '94) Do any of these translations pack more punch than others? Maybe 'closing in' is a bit threatening?

What do 'heal, raise, cleanse, drive out', mean for us today? Do we breathe any sigh of relief that the set Gospel stops where it does without going on to the specific 'regulations' that follow? Or, are such restrictions not relevant (in our setting) today?

How can we foster in & among ourselves a conviction that Jesus still needs us to commit to him & each other?