Poured Out

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

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, tell a story about when you have heard from or about a missionary who lives in a different country.

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18.

• What is a libation, and why do you think Paul compares himself to that? [A libation is a liquid sacrifice as opposed to a grain sacrifice or meat sacrifice. This metaphor speaks to how Paul has given everything to the cause of Christ.]
• Why do you think Paul’s relationship with God in Christ enabled him to live in such a way that he would describe it as “fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”? What might it mean to “keep the faith”?
• What might it look like to fight “the good fight” today? How would this fight be more about others than about ourselves?
• How is what Paul says in this passage similar to what Jesus said in John 10:10?
• What might it look like to live a life “poured out” for God?
• What practices (Bible study, prayer, communal worship, fasting, journaling, etc.) could help you keep the faith?

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

Sending Forth (2 minutes). Ask for a volunteer to lead the group or read the following prayer in unison:

God of our fathers and mothers in the faith, we give you thanks for those who have gone before us in the faith. May their lives, which pointed us deeper in our relationship with you, serve as a source of strength and abundance. Guide us where we might serve as mentors to others. Amen.