GOING DEEPER
06.30.2019 | “12 WORDS | Wk 5: Secrecy”
Join the community and go deeper with this Bible study.
Breaking Ground
What’s a funny, but embarrassing, story that you can share about yourself? Think about a time when you did something that made you look silly in hindsight.
The Dig
Read 1 John 1:5-10.
In these verses, John gives the church he is writing to a teaching on the importance of community, confession, & growth.
First, notice the strong language between light & darkness.
What is the connection between secrecy & darkness? What comes to mind when you think of the connection between these two words?
On the other hand, John relies on the connection between God & light to discuss dealing with brokenness in our lives.
What is the connection between light & confession?
John lays out three essential components in verse 7 when it comes to letting God heal our brokenness through confession: light, fellowship, & Christ’s sacrifice (grace).
First, discuss the role of light. Often – we, as the Church, talk about Jesus as being “the Light” without thinking about what that really implies. In biblical times, light was crucial & rare – there was no electricity, so night meant real darkness & light was a sign of safety, hope, & finding one’s way home.
How does that understanding of light change the way you think about Jesus in terms of dealing with brokenness in our lives? How does it change the metaphor of “walking in the light” when it comes to our walk with God?
Next, think about the role of fellowship. John does not see this as optional – he claims that we cannot deal with our brokenness without fellowship & community. John also doesn’t see confession as a punishment, which we often seem to do in our culture. It is rather simply a spiritual tool necessary for the purpose of spiritual growth.
Why do we often treat confession as a punishment & think of it as being so hard to do? What keeps you from telling people about the stuff you are struggling with?
Why do we need confession in fellowship to do the process of growing right?
How does telling someone else the simple truth of your life help you heal, grow past it, & see things more clearly?
Have you ever found healing from telling someone about something that you have previously kept totally secret?
Finally, John closes with grace & the recognition that we all have brokenness in our lives.
What role does grace play in the process of naming our brokenness, facing it, telling it to someone else, & seeking healing?
How does acknowledging that we are all broken help us do confession well? How does it help us respond to people who are seeking to confess brokenness to us?
Getting Out of the Hole
This week, take time to pray & meditate on where you are trying to deal with a struggle in your life alone. What are the stories you tell yourself to not ask for help? What keeps you from reaching out? Think about one, small step you could take to involve someone else (i.e., reach out for coffee, write a letter, talk to a pastor, etc.). Remember, you don’t have to do it all at once – but the first step is always the most important!
Each week – continue to share with your group how it is going!
Additional Resources*
Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen
Practice Resurrection by Eugene Peterson
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, July 7: Join us for the next week of our series 12 Words as we explore the essentials of faith & spirituality. We will be discussing fear & release.
* Please see mye3.org for details.