Grace

Small Groups

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

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “What is important to you when someone offers you an apology? Including the words ‘I’m sorry”?  Naming exactly how they have wronged you? Asking for your forgiveness? Making ‘restitution’? Something else?” (These categories are loosely based on The Five Languages of Apology by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas.) 

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). You likely won’t get through all the questions in the time you have together. Consider inviting group members to work through any remaining questions on their own throughout the week. 

• Prepare to read Exodus 14:19-31 by inviting participants to have the scripture in front of them, either in a Bible, on a phone app, or printed on paper. Introduce the passage by explaining that Moses is leading the Hebrew/Israelite people out of Egypt, accompanied by an angel and a pillar of cloud. While Pharaoh and the Egyptians initially “allowed” the Israelites to leave, they later changed their minds and pursued the Israelites into the Sea of Reeds/Red Sea. Read Exodus 14:19-31.
  • What do you notice about the Israelites, the Egyptians, and God in this passage?
  • What questions emerge for you after reading this passage?
  • If this were the only passage in scripture in which we could understand God’s character, what would we know about God?
• Read Matthew 18:21-35. What different postures about forgiveness do you see in this passage?
  • [Peter—suggesting to forgive someone in the church up to seven times; Jesus—forgiving someone seventy-seven (or seven times seven); the lord in Jesus’ parable—forgiveness of 10,000 talents (about 150,000 years’ worth of salary); the “same slave”—did not forgive a hundred denarii (100 days' wages)]
  • Mercy has been defined as “not receiving what you deserve,” whereas grace is “receiving what you do not deserve.” Where do you see mercy represented in this teaching from Jesus?  
  • Based on what you know about the apostle Peter, what do you think his reaction might have been to the parable (of the unforgiving servant) that Jesus told?

The Preaching Note for September 13 says,  

“But how does the [parable of the unforgiving servant] end? What is the moral that Jesus leaves his hearers with? It is hard not to hear those final verses as a threat. When you read verses 34 and 35, you hear the Sea of Reeds crashing down over the Egyptian army. This is the God who destroys, who punishes. Those who seek divine judgment can find it and wield it like a sword against enemies and oppressors. But look again. This judgment is not about breaking the law. It is about not showing mercy. It is about learning how to forgive.”

• Based on these two passages, how do you connect mercy and forgiveness?
• Taking the discussion today into consideration, how do you understand forgiveness?  
• Just One Thing: Offering forgiveness can be one of the most difficult aspects of a relationship. However, scripture makes clear that forgiveness is central to understanding Christ. What one thing can you do in the week ahead to grow in offering or receiving forgiveness?
• Going Deeper on Your Own: This week, consider studying one of the other lectionary texts in the following pattern:
  • Prayerfully ask God to open your eyes to the scripture. (Psalm 119:18)
  • Read the selected text [Psalm 114; Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21; Genesis 50:15-21, Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12] out loud.
  • What do you notice about the text?
  • What questions arise?
  • What do you think God might be saying to you in this text? 

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord's Prayer:

God of forgiveness, your word points to how important it is for us to forgive one another. We confess that we may not always want to offer forgiveness to others, even though we come to you asking for it. Will you teach us to forgive and receive forgiveness? We pray this in the name of the one in whom all mercy and grace is revealed. Amen. 

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Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford, Director of Adult Discipleship, an elder in the Great Plains Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, served in campus ministry for twelve years and in leadership with the Great Plains Conference for over a decade. She has a passion for connecting people with resources and encouraging them to nurture their faith and walk in step with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. She has a D.Min. in spiritual direction from Asbury Theological Seminary. Ashlee also has a Certificate in Discipleship Coaching through Discipleship Ministries.