BUILD UP | ...In Love Worship Series, week 1
August 5, 2018

From Worship To Discipleship

ADULT RESOURCE | CHILDREN/FAMILY RESOURCE

For Adults

Faith Formation Groups

The name “formation groups” is intentional. These groups have a specific weekly focus; they emphasize growth in the formation of Christian character. The role of the group leader is not to be the “answer” person or the person with the most biblical knowledge. Often, it is more important that a good facilitator be able to help the groups ask the right questions than to provide the exact answers. Facilitators should familiarize themselves with the format, questions, possible answers, and background information ahead of time.

Groups should consist of six to eight people. If there are more participants than eight, consider adding more time for the group to meet and/or more groups. Each person that is added to the group will create more relationship dynamics to be managed, and each person might not have enough time to share. It is also highly advisable to use a group covenant that will give guidance to expectations of the participants’ roles and manners of speech. Specific items to include should be confidentiality, speaking only for oneself, and a willingness to risk sharing perspectives, no matter how popular or unpopular.

Another factor to consider is space. If your group meets in a church building, be sure the chairs for the group are soft and the group is set up in a circle. Use one table for food only. If meeting in a home, make sure there are plenty of seating areas and that distractions, such as pets, are appropriately tended to. If your group is meeting in a coffee shop or restaurant, be sure the space will be both comfortable and quiet enough for conversation.

Introduction to the Format

There is a pattern for each week. The times are suggestions and are loosely based on an hour timeframe. The times should be modified as needed. Each session will consist of the following elements:

Fellowship (Snacks or a Meal; 10 minutes with snacks; longer obviously, if there is a meal)

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes) — Each session will begin with an opening exercise to foster dialogue and help the participants settle in to the theme for the week.

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes) —This guide does not include a multitude of questions. The intent is for greater time to be spent on certain questions. During the dialogue sections, you will see guidance and possible answers to the given questions with brackets [ ]. These are only possible answers and are not meant to be exhaustive of other answers. Questions that begin with (R) are meant to be more reflective. This means more time should be spent on these questions relative to others and will often result in participants needing more time to process. It is a helpful practice to allow participants plenty of time to internally process these questions. Don’t be afraid of silence.

Prayer (10 minutes)—Allow each participant who would like to do so to lift up a person or situation he or she would like the group to be in prayer over. Following each request, the leader will pray, “Lord, in your mercy…”; and the participants will respond, “Hear our prayers.” If the situation is warranted and the participant is willing, surround the participant as a group to lay hands on him/her and allow those who are willing to pray for this person and/or situation.

Sending Forth (1 minute)—Ask for a volunteer to send the group out with the printed blessing or read the prayer in unison.

Week 1 — Build up...in Love

Ephesians 4:1-16

Fellowship (Snacks or a Meal; 10 minutes with snacks; longer obviously, if there is a meal)

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes) — In pairs, discuss: “What are you hoping to gain by being part of this faith formation group?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes)

Opening question: Name one example of the most mature Christian man or woman you have encountered.

Read: Ephesians 4:1-16 [It would be good to have several readers each take about four verses.]

How do the qualities (humility, gentleness, patience, bearing one another in love, maintain unity, peace) in verses 2 and 3 help us to live “a life worthy of the calling”?
What are the purpose of the gifts (v. 11 — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) Christ has given to the church? [equipping for the work of ministry, building up the church, for unity, maturity, v. 12-13]
It is not uncommon for people to either enjoy or recoil from “speaking the truth in love.” Which person are you? What’s the difference between “speaking the truth in love” and just being a jerk? What are the two purposes of “speaking the truth in love” that Paul identifies? [maturity or “grow up” in verse 15 and the church’s growth in verse 16]
(R) What does it look like for a person to become mature in Christ (or grow into “the measure of the full stature of Christ,” v.13)? [See note below for help.]
What would it look like for a church to be built up in love (v. 16)?
How can this group (or others) help you be built up in love?
What are some ways that you can build others up in love (at church, home, work)?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Biblical
A form of the word “call” is used twice in the opening verse. The way the word “call” is used here by Paul indicates that God is inviting us to live in response to what God has already done in Christ and what God is continuing to do in working for the redemption of all things. As baptized Christians, our identity is wrapped up in following Christ. As baptized Christians, our purpose is to love God and love neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28).

Our identity, purpose, and calling means at least two things. First, God is always about the work of fitting the people of God for heaven (see maturity below). Second, how we live into our calling matters. We have the dignity of causality.

C. S. Lewis masterfully observes the effects of Christians living out of their identity and purpose. In a letter addressing why praying matters, building on the philosopher Blaise Pascal, Lewis talks about how God had constructed the world so that our prayers and actions have the “the dignity of causality” (C.S. Lewis, The World’s Last Night and Other Essays, New York: Harcourt, Harvest Books, pp 8-9). Our prayers and actions influence what happens in the world.

When we live out of our identity and purpose, other people are encouraged, blessed, challenged, and built up in love. As we learn to love God more deeply and love our neighbors more compassionately, our lives will naturally be attractive to others and be a sign of God’s work in us and in the world.

Theological
Maturity — It is one of our foundational beliefs—that “by grace you have been saved through faith,” as Paul writes earlier in this letter (2:8). As Methodists, we wholeheartedly affirm this belief and also insist that the good news does not end there. God is constantly working within us to fit us for abundant living or Christian maturity. One of the ways our founder, John Wesley, spoke of this work is in the metaphor of the “new life.” This metaphor emphasizes that God not only forgives us, God also desires we grow in abundant living or holiness (built up in love). Another image for this is that God’s love is expanding our capacity to love God and love others through acts of compassion. So while Methodists might not use terms like “saved” or “being saved” as often as other denominations, it is not that we disagree with those terms. Rather, those are starting points for living the new life God has for us, as we mature into more fully seasoned disciples of Jesus Christ.

Prayer (10 minutes)

Sending Forth (1 minute)—As a maturing disciple of Jesus Christ, go with the eyes of compassion, looking to share and spread the love of God in all the ways and places you can this week.

Children's Messages For Worship

This resource may also be used in a midweek ministry or family devotions.

Week 1 — Build up...in Love
Ephesians 4:1-16

Introduce Paul and Ephesians
The apostle Paul was a teacher and pastor in the time after Jesus returned to heaven. Paul went to different cities and told people that Jesus is the Messiah whom God raised from the dead! Paul started many churches. Church leaders wrote him letters, asking questions about what they should do. Paul prayed and listened closely to what God told him. He wrote letters to guide the church as a community of faith in Jesus. Paul’s letters on how to live as a Christian became part of the Bible in the New Testament. These letters help us to grow as disciples today.

Ephesians is a letter to the church in Ephesus, a big port city in Turkey where many people worshiped other gods.

Intergenerational: For Children’s Moment or Family Devotions

To use these lessons in other settings, give children opportunities to respond or reflect through activities such as art and craft projects.

Ephesians 4:1-16, NRSV:

1 “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.’ 9 (When it says, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”

Our verse for today is Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 2. We are to live “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”

Let’s think about what this means:

Humility is humbleness. To be humble is to not be proud. Let another person go before you.

Gentleness is like peace. To be gentle is to talk softly or to reach out to touch softly.

Patience is waiting quietly. A patient person gives others plenty of time, even if it seems long.

To bear with one another in love means to not fuss or hurry, to be calm and kind.

Can you think of some ways that these qualities could help a family as they get ready to leave home in the morning?

What kinds of things could a child say or do to be humble, gentle, and patient?

What kinds of things could a parent say or do to be humble, gentle, and patient?

(Suggestions may include saying, “Here, you go first,” or “Let’s take turns,” or “I can help with that.” Affirm the responses. Add other suggestions as you feel led.)

These would be good ways to start the day.

Let’s pray.

Dear God, thank you for always being gentle, patient, and loving to us. Please help us to remember that the people in our life are much more important than things or tasks. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who is working in our hearts to help us to grow more like Jesus. We pray in his name. Amen.