Weekly Teaching Reflection

March 2 Reflection

Discussion Questions:

 

1.Understanding and Experiencing Suffering

  • Life is often hard, and challenges can feel overwhelming. How have you personally experienced moments where the pain felt unbearable? How did this impact your trust and faith in God during that time?

  • C.S. Lewis describes feeling abandoned by God during the hardest times. Have you ever felt this way, where it seemed like God was distant in your suffering? What helped you navigate that feeling?

2. Jesus' Intercession for Us

  • The teaching emphasizes that Jesus is praying for us. Reflect on the significance of this truth: how does knowing that Jesus is actively interceding on your behalf impact the way you experience hardship?

  • Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34 highlight Jesus' ongoing intercession for us. In what ways do you think this intercession is applied to your daily life, especially in areas where you feel spiritually or emotionally weary?

3. Jesus' Prayer for Joy in Suffering

  • Jesus prays for joy for his people, even in the midst of suffering. How do you reconcile the idea of joy coexisting with sorrow? Have you experienced moments where joy seemed to come out of pain or hardship?

  • In John 16:20-22, Jesus speaks about turning grief into joy, likening it to the pain of childbirth. How can this analogy help us understand the kind of joy Jesus is praying for us to experience, even in difficult circumstances?

4. The Role of Truth in Sanctification

  • Jesus prays for us to be sanctified by truth (John 17:17). What are some lies that you’ve struggled with in your spiritual life or daily life? How can the truth of God's word help combat these lies and lead to healing?

  • How do you respond to the idea that obedience to God’s commands is not about restricting our freedom but about setting a foundation for true freedom? How does this perspective shift the way we view God’s commands?

5. The Intercession of Jesus in Our Daily Struggles

  • The idea of intercession can seem distant, but it’s presented as Jesus praying for us in our day-to-day struggles. What does it look like to practically rest in the fact that Jesus is interceding for you right now, especially when you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances?

  • How can we learn to experience Jesus' prayer for us more deeply in our personal lives? What are some practical ways you can remind yourself that Jesus is praying for you in your everyday struggles?

6. Responding to Jesus' Intercession

  • The teaching presents three responses to Jesus' intercession: Realize, Rest, and Surrender. How can you "realize" the impact of Jesus' intercession in your life? What difference does it make for you to recognize this truth?

  • Resting in Jesus' prayers is another key point. How can you practically learn to "rest" in His intercession, especially during stressful or difficult times in life? What might “resting” in His prayers look like for you?

7. Surrendering Our Lives to God

  • Surrender is mentioned as a response to Jesus' prayers for us. What are some areas of your life that are hard to surrender to God? How can you find comfort in the fact that Jesus Himself surrendered His life for you in the Garden of Gethsemane?

  • Jesus’ final prayer in John 17 speaks of unity and joy, but also about surrendering our lives to His will. How does surrendering to God bring peace, even in the midst of trials and hardship? What do you find difficult about surrender, and how can the example of Jesus' surrender help you?

8. The Power of Prayer in Community

  • The teaching emphasizes the power of Jesus' prayers for us but also the importance of praying for each other. How have you experienced the power of someone praying for you, either in times of struggle or in moments of joy?

  • How can we support one another more effectively by praying for others, as Jesus prays for us? What does it look like to pray in faith for each other and trust that God is at work through our intercession?