Commissioned, part 2 — “Why did Jesus leave?”
Welcome to our series Commissioned, where we will examine the practical nature of our beliefs, finding encouragement to put the Gospel message of Jesus to work in our lives.
1. Have you ever wondered why Jesus left the earth after his resurrection? Discuss.
2. In the Primer Podcast, Pete and Rich discuss the “Kingdom of Heaven.” Have you previously thought about this Kingdom as something disconnected from our lives here on earth, something reserved for after we die? What new insights did this discussion and sermon spark in you?
3. Discuss the implications of this Kingdom as it was meant to be: a kingdom to be established—as we say in the Lord’s Prayer—“on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Read Acts 1:6-9. Though they have been with Jesus for 3 years prior to and 40 days after his Resurrection, Jesus’s disciples are also confused about the nature of God’s Kingdom. What follows in Acts, however, shows the power of the Church under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
4. In your group, discuss and dream about what the Church today could do to fulfill the Great Commission if we were to submit to the Spirit in the way the early followers of Jesus did in Acts.
5. In the podcast, Pete draws a parallel between the temptation Jesus faced in having the kingdoms of the world bow down to him at the beginning of his ministry and the disciple’s inclination to establish a worldly kingdom to reign on earth. Talk about any similar temptations Christians may face today.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
6. Near the end of the podcast, Pete points out that the question “why did Jesus leave” is intimately tied to the question “why did Jesus come”. How does the passage you just read in 2nd Corinthians help to answer this second question?
Close your time today reflecting on the following quote from Rich Stearns’ Unfinished:
“Just as the fall in the garden had resulted in sin, death, and separation, Jesus’s revolution would result in peace, love and reconciliation. Men and women could now live in a restored relationship, not only with God but also with each other. The kingdom of God would be comprised of God’s people, forgiven and empowered, living according to God’s values in communities he called church…. I believe Jesus envisioned his new kingdom transforming the world much as the coming of spring transforms the frozen landscape after a long and brutal winter…”
7. How did Jesus’s death and resurrection reinstate our free will and empower us to choose His way?
8. Finally, as those who have chosen His way, discuss our responsibility, privilege, and commission to transform our community and world.
Find Rich Stearns’ book Unfinished here, on Amazon, or purchase at the Mission Cafe.
(*Video available after Sunday services)
