Opening (15 minutes)
Getting to Know You – Choose 1 or 2 questions (15 minutes)
- Where would you most like to travel?
- Would you stop eating all junk food to live 5 years longer?
- Would you prefer money for a housekeeper, cook, gardener, or personal secretary?
Opening Prayer
Study the Bible (25 minutes)
Use these questions as you read the Bible with the daily reading plan and to discuss a passage of scripture with your Wesley Small Group.
- What excited or resonated with you?
- What challenged or frustrated you?
- What was confusing or did not make sense?
- How did this change your understanding of your faith and your relationship with God?
Daily Reading Plan
- Last Sunday – Matthew 25:31-45
- This Sunday – Matthew 3:13-17
- Monday – Luke 23:26-56
- Tuesday – Luke 24:1-12
- Wednesday – Luke 24:13-35
- Thursday – Luke 24:36-53
- Friday – John 1:1-18
- Saturday – John 1:19-28
- Next Sunday – John 1:29-42
Matthew 3:13-17, CEB
13“At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. 14John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?”
15Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.”
So John agreed to baptize Jesus. 16When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. 17A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”
Matthew 3:13-17, NRSV
13“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Your Life with God (30 minutes)
Use these questions to reflect on your life with God and invite each Wesley Small Group member to share their response to one.
- Where are you currently in your relationship with God?
- How have you felt God’s presence in the past week?
- Where have you seen God at work in your life in the last week?
- How is your life in God?
- How is it with your soul?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, what number would you give to how close you feel to God today? Why?
- How are you living as a disciple of Jesus Christ as you worship, grow, give, serve and share? (choose one today)
- Where are you seeking guidance from God?
- How can others in this group pray for you and your walk with God?
Serve the Church and World
- What are upcoming opportunities for you to serve on your own or with a group?
Concerns and Prayers (5 minutes)
Take time to pray each day for others and yourself and be ready to share with your Wesley Small Group.
- How can others pray for you and your walk with God? For your family, neighbors, and friends?
Closing Prayer
Wesley Small Groups
As a Wesley Small Group, we covenant to …
- Pray together and for one another
- Devote time during each meeting to study together.
- Actively participate and engage in the Wesley Small Group meeting.
- Respond to group communications and inform the group of an absence.
- Respect differences, treat each other with love.
- Keep what is shared within the Wesley Small Group confidential.
- Provide care to every member of the Wesley Small Group
- Serve together at least twice a year.
- Review and recommit in one year.
Wesley Small Group Reminders
- Wesley Small Groups will be a safe place to learn about Christ.
- Wesley Small Groups will provide a place where members can practice living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- No one will ever be called on to pray or talk.
- Groups will be composed of a mix of believers in a variety of spiritual stages.
- Discussion facilitation will ideally rotate among members of the group.