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Introduction
About Table Communities
Table Communities are community gatherings for the purpose of:
- Building meaningful relationships through intentional time together
- Engaging in mutual discipleship through directing one another towards Christ with truth shared in love
- Multiplying grace through love, prayer and gifts of the spirit
The notes will guide you through praying together, reading scripture and engaging in intentional relational time together. There are also notes and practices for this month's habit of grace. We know that most groups will not have time to discuss the habit of grace during their time together, but they are available if time allows and are available for those seeking to intentionally engage with God's grace during the week. If that desire is within you, please read the notes on your own time or go through the habit of grace practices with a spiritual friend or your spouse, so as to build one another up in truth and love. Finally, this gathering is not about getting through all the note content, but rather this gathering is about building meaningful relationships, engaging in mutual discipleship and multiplying grace. Let those values shape the direction and pace of your time together.
Remember: What we all have in common
Saint : Beloved, forgiven, being renewed, filled with the Holy Spirit
Sufferer : Carrying real pain and struggle
Sinner: Still in need of ongoing grace
Kick off with prayer
Some one pray for your time together.
Example prayer, if needed. Ideally pray freely as you feel called:
Father we praise you for gathering us together. Despite whatever weighed on our hearts as we entered this house, we pray that your Spirit guides our time together and free us from anything that is not of you. We pray that by the strength of your might we may speak truth in love to one another. We pray that we are led by the gifts of your spirit, so that we may build up one another and your church as a whole. As we read your word, we pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner pleasing to you.
Passage: Servant King | Mark
We will read the text together seeking for God to give life to the text through his Spirit. "Lord please help us to hear your word and receive what you have for each of us"
Read Mark 3:22-35
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Passage Summary
Opposition to Jesus is growing. The religious leaders do not simply reject Him, they accuse Him of being empowered by Satan. At the same time, Jesus’ own family is outside asking for Him. Jesus is neither surprised nor redirected by the misunderstanding and opposition around Him. He remains secure in who He is and what the Father has called Him to do. Jesus then describes those who do the will of God as His family. Following Jesus can sometimes cost us the understanding or approval of others, but Jesus draws His followers into a new and deeper belonging with Him and His people.
Discussion
Discussion Questions
- Someone close to me did not understand a decision I made because of my faith.
- I have sometimes avoided talking about Jesus because I don't want conflict.
- I have felt judged or stereotyped because I am a Christian.
- Most people around me are accepting of my faith, so I haven't experienced much opposition.
- I'm still exploring Christianity, so sometimes I am the person who disagrees or has questions
- Yes, I have found it difficult to celebrate something good happening through someone I don't like.
- I can become suspicious of what God is doing when I don't trust the person involved.
- I've compared myself with someone and wondered why God seems to be using or blessing them.
- Someone has hurt me before, and that makes it difficult to recognise anything good in their life.
- I have had to learn that God can genuinely work through people I would not naturally choose or approve of.
- I don't think I've experienced this personally, but I can understand how resentment could affect what I see.
a. How can Satan cast out Satan? Jesus showed that if He were an agent of Satan and was working against Satan, then surely Satan’s kingdom was in a civil war and would not stand. Jesus said this to show that Satan would not work against himself.
b. No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods: With this Jesus answered the charge that He was in league with the Devil. He said, “I’m not under Satan. Instead, I am proving that I am stronger than he is.”
c. Unless he first binds the strong man: In this parable Satan is the strong man who guards what belongs to him. Jesus’ ministry was defeating this strong man, both in the case of casting the demon out of the man who was mute and in the broader sense.
d. Then he will plunder his house: Jesus looked at every life delivered from Satan’s domination and said, “I’m plundering the kingdom of Satan one life at a time.” There is nothing in our life that must stay under Satan’s domination. The one who binds the strong man and will plunder his house is our risen Lord.
-Excerpt from Enduring Word Commentary
- I need courage when I feel misunderstood.
- I need freedom from needing everyone's approval.
- I need help trusting God's goodness when I don't understand what He is doing.
- I need greater confidence in the authority of Jesus.
- I need to experience deeper belonging with God and His people.
- I need him to teardown the strongholds (strong man) in my life.