The Evangelical Catholic Ministry - Signs and Wonder: Encountering Jesus of Nazareth

SIGNS AND WONDERS

Encountering Jesus of Nazareth

A Catholic Guide for Small Groups

Copyright 2016 by The Evangelical Catholic

All rights reserved.

Published by The Word Among Us Press

7115 Guilford Drive, Suite 100

Frederick, Maryland 21704

www.wau.org

20 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 5

ISBN: 978-1-59325-296-0

eISBN: 978-1-59325-486-5

Scripture texts are taken from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version Bible, 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Cover design by Andrea Alvarez

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author and publisher.

Made and printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016943612

Contents

Introduction

Why Read about Jesus and His Followers?

How many times have you said to a friend something like this?

Youve just got to meet my friend ________! You would love him! Hes so interesting! We enjoy lots of the same things, and we never run out of things to talk about. Hes an awesome (skier, actor, basketball player, singer, or _________ ). Hey, were getting together to hang out next Friday. Can you come too?

Friends of a man named Jesus said very similar things about him almost two thousand years ago. What they said about Jesus was so important that they eventually wrote it down so that it would be remembered forever.

These stories about Jesus and his friends are in the four Gospelsfound in the New Testament of the Bible. In this six-week guide, you can read about some of the most dramatic events in Jesus life and discuss them using the questions provided or those you ask on your own.

Jesus taught with an authority that set him apart. His words had power and his touch could heal. Signs and wonders drew people to Jesus, both skeptics and believers. What Jesus said and did demanded a decision from them: who exactly was this Jesus? The answer to that question led some to walk away, but many others chose to follow him because he changed their lives.

These new believers shared with others the stories of Jesus, of how he had healed and freed them. Those peoples lives were transformed too, and they told others; and so it continues to this day, to the ends of the earth.

You may not have yet decided what you think about Jesus. But whatever you think, its clear that few figures in history have generated such far-reaching consequences for so long. Few cultures have been entirely shaped by one man in the way Jesus influenced the development of the Near East and the West.

If that intrigues you, then you might want to understand why he made such an impact. Reading the stories his friends left behind has helped people think about Jesus for the last two millennia. They will help you, too, to develop a sense of who he was, what he did, and what that could mean to you.

Even if its just curiosity thats leading you to open this book and read this introduction, take the risk. Commit to attending a small group for all six sessions or to meditating on the readings and discussion questions by yourself. Either way, you will get to know Jesus.

No matter how you end up feeling about Jesus, after going through this guide, you will be more culturally literate and more aware of the big issues that engaged followers of this man and others for centuries. Plus, if youre in a small group, youll be making friends with the other participants.

You already have something in common with your small group: you are all curious enough about Jesus to look a little deeper. You will probably find many other similarities as well. Make the commitment to become a community for these six weeks. Come to each meeting. Participate and be respectful of one another. Then watch as the riches unfold!

How to Use This Small Group Guide

Welcome to Signs and Wonders, a small group guide designed to help people know Jesus of Nazareth more deeply.

Weekly Sessions

In the weekly session materials, you will find opening and closing prayer suggestions, the Scripture passages to be discussed that week, questions for discussion, ideas for action, and prayer prompts to help you continue encountering Jesus through the week.

Unlike some small group Scripture discussion guides that progress consecutively through a book of the Bible, each session in this guide is self-contained. That way, if you or a friend attend a small group for the first time on , there wont be a need to catch up; anyone can just dive right in with the rest of the group. Instead of building sequentially, the sessions deepen thematically, helping you engage more with Jesus little by little.

The more you take notes, jot down ideas or questions, underline verses in your Bible (if you bring one to your small group), and refer back to previous sessions, the more God has the opportunity to speak to you through the discussion and the ideas he has placed in your heart. As with anything else, the more you put into it, the more you get back.

The best way to take advantage of each weeks discussion is to carry the theme into your life by using the Encountering Christ This Week section. Your small group facilitator will talk about the recommendations during each session. You will have a chance to ask questions and share experiences from previous weeks.

If youre not in a small group, Signs and Wonders can be used on your own by considering the questions asked of each Scripture passage and following up with the suggestions in Encountering Christ This Week.

Appendices

Helpful appendices for both participants and facilitators supplement the weekly materials. are for group facilitators.

Prior to your first group meeting, please read , Small Group Discussion Guide. These guidelines will help every person in the group set a respectful tone that creates the space for encountering Christ together.

This small group will differ from other discussion groups you may have experienced. Is it a lecture? No. A book club? No. will help you understand what this small group is and how you can help seek a Spirit-led discussion. Every member is responsible for the quality of the group dynamics. This appendix will give you helpful tidbits for being a supportive and involved member of the group.

also offers help in finding other spiritual reading that can increase your appreciation for the teachings and person of Jesus.

In Sacrament of Reconciliation is an indispensable way to close the gap. This appendix leads you through the steps of preparing for and going to Confession in order to lessen the anxiety that you might feel.

While assist the facilitator in his or her role.

A facilitator is not a teacher. His or her role is to support and encourage fruitful group discussion and tend to the group dynamics.