SEPTEMBER 2013 celloutlines
celloutlines | overview
‘KEEP ON RUNNING!’ My eight year old son recently took part in ‘Race At Your Place’ at school, raising money for cancer research. All the pupils in the school were challenged to run a certain number of laps around the school field. For my son’s age group, this was four laps, which was approximately 2K. Always competitive, my son was keen to run the fastest and the longest, and there was no way that he was going to stop running and walk! The afternoon arrived, the parents turned up to offer their support and, dressed in his red top with a lemur tail (?), my son began to run. We cheered from the sidelines, shouting our encouragement… ‘You can do it!’ ‘Keep going!’ ‘You’re looking good!’ ‘Well done’! We took photos and handed out drinks of water. And we counted the laps… 1, 2, 3, 4… 18, 19, 20… 29, 30… Eventually the teachers called time and my little boy had run 32 laps, approx 8K! (And well done to all the children on a grand total of £4000 raised for this worthwhile cause!) Buoyed by his success, my son is now in training for the London Marathon, although I think that may be a few years away yet!
Talking of the London Marathon, my brother did actually run it this year. Although we couldn’t be there to support him in London, we followed his progress on the live marathon tracker, watching the little red dot that represented months of hard work slowly edge its way around the map. As the miles wore on we began to feel the pain. We knew he had set a goal of running all 26 miles in under 4 hours, and so we were willing him on – albeit from a distance – ‘Come on Tim, don’t stop running, you can do it, keep going!’ Read his blog of his marathon experience below: My alarm clock went off at 5:15am, which was less than ideal after only one hour of sleep! Yes, the nerves had got the better of me and kept me awake almost all night. But it was no good worrying about the lack of sleep now, there was the small matter of 26.2 miles to attend to… After a quick bowl of porridge we were on the coach heading to the start line at Greenwich Park, the runners chatting amongst themselves with talk of Mo Farah, training injuries, fund raising and dream finish times. continued over u
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celloutlines | overview (continued...) I shut my eyes and considered the 44 runs and four months of training that had brought me to this point, hoping that all those chilly runs through the snow would prove worthwhile come 10am. I prayed, asking God to be my energy and to watch over my dodgy knees and training niggles. We arrived to a Greenwich Park perfectly bathed in beautiful sunshine. The start compound was buzzing with nervous energy. A few stretches, a cheeky banana, a last minute toilet break, and it was time to hit the road with 37,000 other runners – but not before a perfectly observed 30 second silence in honour of those so tragically killed in the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. The first 12 or so miles were great fun, I was feeling good for all the training and the pasta! I enjoyed seeing the smiling faces, hearing the cheers and high-fiving the kids who were lining the streets of London. 12.5 miles in and I’m just beginning to feel it, the legs starting to get a little heavy. 14 miles and I’m tired, the blazing sun is taking its toll. 15, 16, 17, 18 miles and it’s becoming tougher with each one. 19 miles the exhaustion hits. 20 and I’ve got nothing left – every joint aches, every muscle burns, my body crying out to just stop running. 22 miles and it’s time to find something deep within myself, something I have never had to access before, but whatever it takes and however much it hurts – I WILL NOT STOP RUNNING. Every single mile is a marathon now, each marker seems to take forever to appear on the horizon and I begin to question if I’m going to make it at all. Big Ben… I know I’m close, people are walking around me, I want to join them. Buckingham Palace, so near now. I turn the corner and I’m into the mall, the finish line in sight. I stretch out my arms as if to embrace it, to draw it closer towards me. Just a few more steps… I cross the line and look at my timer, and I’m through in under the four hours I was aiming for! My legs buckle beneath me and I collapse to the floor, unable to hold myself up any longer. The pain is unbearable, the sense of achievement overwhelming, and the relief of knowing it’s all over palpable. The next thing I know I’m being carried on a stretcher, unable to see what’s going on for the tears in my eyes… ‘Never again!’, I think to myself. Some of my family and my wife wait beyond the barrier. I can’t wait to see her, I know she’ll be so proud. I limp towards them cherishing the moment, knowing that days like this one won’t come around again very often.
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Tim Alford (www.timalford.co.uk) Watching a marathon, whether for real or on the TV, always gets me emotional. It’s the sight of all those people pushing themselves to the limit, with one goal in sight… the finish line. Many people run to raise money for charity or in memory of a loved one lost in tragic circumstances. All congregate at the start line in a mix of anticipation, excitement and adrenalin; those who finish are usually hurting and exhausted, but elated that they crossed the line and achieved their goal. The apostle Paul in the Bible describes the Christian discipleship journey as a marathon race. ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart’ Hebrews 12:1–3 NIV In The Message paraphrase it reads like this: ‘Do you see what this means – all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running – and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with
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anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honour, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!’ One thing is for sure, if you’re running a marathon you need to drink lots of water! And throughout our cell groups this year, using our theme of WATER, we have been encouraging each other to run this race of Christian discipleship. We have been using the words of Jesus to bring refreshment, purity, and challenge in our relationship with him. ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.’ John 7: 37–38 MSG So, at the end of our summer and, for many of us, the start of a new academic year, this month’s cells are all about keeping on keeping on… ‘Keep on running!’ It’s about taking stock of where we are at, and committing to continue on or get back on track with God. It’s about looking forward to this new year, with the different challenges and blessings that it will bring, and it’s about ensuring that we are still drinking deeply of the refreshing water of life that Jesus continues to offer. During the cell groups this month you will have time for some personal reflection, rather than a lot of group discussion as is more usual. It’s making time for you and God, time to be with him, to be refreshed and refuelled for the journey ahead, to get back on track and to recommit to running all out for him.
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celloutlines | overview (continued...)
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celloutlines | overview (continued...) Leaders Notes Personal reflection As mentioned above, this month’s cell groups include some time for some personal reflection. In order to make the most of this time you will need to make sure that there is space for group members to spread out around the room and be comfortable. Maybe some cushions would come in handy!
Reflective music In order to facilitate personal reflection it will be good to have some reflective music playing quietly in the background. We would recommend ALOVE’s Spire album, some tracks from which are available on the website, or ‘Quiet.Spaces’ from The Salvation Army (AUS) Creative Arts Department, available on iTunes.
Art Materials As an additional method of facilitating personal reflection it is suggested throughout the cell outlines that you provide a range of art materials for your group. You can then encourage group members to make their responses to God in a variety of creative ways, including writing, poetry, doodling, drawing, painting, modelling, collages etc. Some large sheets of flip chart paper or rolls of wall paper may also work well.
Once Upon An Ordinary School Day Week Four is based around the children’s story book ‘Once Upon An Ordinary School Day’. It is recommended that you purchase a copy of this book, which is available from Amazon for around £4.99, or you may be able to order it from your local library. The book is written by Colin McNaughton, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura, published by Andersen Press Ltd 2005. ISBN 978 1 84270 469 1. (Text copyright © Colin McNaughton, 2004. Illustrations copyright © Satoshi Kitamura 2004.) Order soon to avoid disappointment!
Cell Extra
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Don’t forget to remind your group about Cell Extra – which you/they can download from the ALOVE website. This month’s Cell Extra provides six devotional style activities to complement the cell notes.
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SEPTEMBER 2013
celloutlines | week one These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available every month from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
‘STRIP DOWN, START RUNNING—AND NEVER QUIT!’ WELCOME Water game Have one or two of the large containers of water that you can buy from supermarkets, or a camping water container. Ask group members to volunteer to lift the water, who can lift it for the longest? Who can lift the highest?
Ice Have a bucket of ice or very cold water. Who can keep their hand in it for the longest!? (Allow a maximum of a couple of minutes!)
Feedback from Summer School If any of your group members have been to summer school it may be good to allow some time for them to feedback about this.
Read the cell introduction together The cell intro provides an important introduction to this month’s theme so it is essential to make some time to read it together. As the intro is quite long this month, it may be a good idea to print copies out for each person. After you have read it together, allow the young people to share their own personal experience of any running events that they may have taken part in.
WORD Read Hebrews 12:1–3 again, in the NIV and in The Message paraphrase, as in the introduction.
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Marathon race illustrations Use the following YouTube clips, as well as illustrations from the introduction, to discuss how the Christian discipleship journey is similar to a marathon. Look particularly at the value of water to the marathon runners! This is a great clip of the Canberra marathon in which a guy collapses just before the finish line. His body is spent and he literally crawls across the line and is picked up and carried away by the stewards. (Similar to Tim’s experience that he writes about in the intro) www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUPadKgtYHw&feature=PlayList&p=49C6F3AB5C93146D Vancouver 2013 Marathon Water Hose for the 2013 marathon runners part 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZz1BQxWEyQ London Marathon Water Station – Mile 8 www.youtube.com/watch?v=reKpnMKc7ac Runners Say Rock n Sole Race Lacked Water www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-bBEzdh1RQ
Strip down and keep our eyes on the goal In order to keep on running the race of Christian discipleship Paul, in the verses above, tells us to do two things.
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celloutlines | week one (continued...) 1. Strip down and 2. Keep our eyes on the goal Strip Down or ‘Throw off everything that hinders’ Use the following scenario to discuss the idea of the baggage that can slow us down on our race. Imagine if, at the start of a marathon, a guy turning up for the race dressed in a coat and boots, with an umbrella and a backpack with map and a paperback book along with his lunchtime sandwiches. Someone asks him what he is doing. ‘Why’, he says, ‘I’m running the Marathon – it’s a long way, the weather is changeable, I might get hungry – I’m going prepared for every eventuality’. Do we think he will even finish the race, let alone win it? To make the point you could dress someone up in all the above paraphernalia, and then dress someone up in an outfit suitable for a marathon. Ask the following question: As we are taking stock of where we are at the beginning of this new academic year, what things do we think we will need to ‘throw off’ so we can keep on running? Is there anything that God has already been pointing out to you this year that you have not yet responded to? (You can either discuss this here or leave it for the personal reflection time at the end.) Fix Our Eyes on Jesus: Look at the following YouTube Clip showing footage from the finish line of the London Marathon. Point out the mixture of elation, relief and exhaustion on the faces of those that are crossing the line after 5 plus hours of running! Crossing the finish line at 2013 London Marathon www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmrAk3G90-4 And from one runners perspective! London Marathon 2011 The Finish www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxdInt-C4v0
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Discuss the following question: What was the one thing that kept those runners running for 5 or 6 hours? It was the thought of crossing the finish line… receiving the medal. It wasn’t about getting there first, before everyone else, it was just about crossing that line. Paul said this: ‘I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.’ Philippians 3:12–14 MSG Paul says that his goal is to know Jesus, to be like Jesus and to be all that Jesus has in mind for him. This goal absorbs all Paul’s energy. And he encourages us to make sure that we focus on this goal too! We can let go of any past mistakes, realise that we are forgiven, and look forward to what God will help us become. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training we should put aside anything that would slow us down or distract us from a life of greater faith and obedience, and put all our energy into living life with and for Jesus now!
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celloutlines | week one (continued...) Personal Reflection Give out the personal reflection handout to each person and encourage them to find a quiet space on their own. Allow some time for each person to consider the questions and jot down their thoughts. If you feel it would be appropriate, you could ask for some feedback and for group members to share their thoughts. How well do you feel you have been running in your Christian faith over the last few months? What do you feel you may need to ‘throw off’ so you can keep on running? Is there anything that God has already been pointing out to you this year that you have not yet responded to? Have you got your eyes fixed on Jesus? Or have you lost focus? What do you need to do to regain your focus? Have you been drinking regular water from Jesus during the last few months? In what ways have you been doing this and what difference has this made in your life? Paraphrase Philippians 3:12–14 – that means write it out using your own words. (Be sure to not change the meaning of the Scripture, but use words that are more familiar to you) Prayer Ask each person to turn their paraphrase of Philippians 3:12–14 into a prayer, and take it in turns to each pray it out loud. You may find the following track, by Chaos Curb, good for your time of prayer. Find it on the Chaos Curb website http://chaos-curb.com Track 2, Insatiable.
Dry and so cold without you Why do I move away from you? Your heart is my home Numb to the core without you Come to the valley of my soul Breathe life to these bones
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I yearn for you I burn for you Insatiable I’ve got to have you
Unquenchable My thirst for you As we connect I sense your heart You’re calling me to play my part As we connect you show me more You love the lonely, the broken, the poor I hear your rhythm and move to your beat To see your great commission complete I will soak in your presence and then I must go! So fill this cup to overflow.
© David Griffiths 2010
Action Make yourself accountable to your discipler or an older Christian on the things that you feel you need to ‘throw off’. Memorise Hebrews 12:1–3.
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Personal Reflection:
KEEP ON RUNNING! I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Philippians 3:12–14 MSG How well do you feel you have been running in your Christian faith over the last few months?
What do you feel you may need to ‘throw off’ so you can keep on running? Is there anything that God has already been pointing out to you this year that you have not yet responded to?
Have you got your eyes fixed on Jesus? Or have you lost focus? What do you need to do to regain your focus?
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Have you been drinking regular water from Jesus during the last few months? In what ways have you been doing this and what difference has this made in your life?
Paraphrase Philippians 3:12–14; that means write it out using your own words. (Be sure not change the meaning of the Scripture, but use words that are more familiar to you.)
‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.’ John 7: 37–38 MSG
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SEPTEMBER 2013
celloutlines | week two These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available every month from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
‘SENSING GRACE’ WELCOME Play a game where group members have to guess a variety of different objects using their sense of touch, smell, hearing and taste. Choose an object for each sense, eg, some cat food for the sense of touch! Make sure all the group members are blindfolded and one at a time ask them to come and touch (or taste, smell, or listen to) the hidden object. Ensure that each person stays quiet when they have their turn so as not to give away any clues! Ask each person to jot down what they think that object is. Then move onto the object for the next sense and so on. At the end reveal the objects and see which person has guessed the most correct answers!
WORD Read Matthew 11: 28–30 in The Message paraphrase ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’ This You Tube clip has an animation of this passage, although it is not set to music. (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=66QIxUG8hg8) Group Discussion: (or you could do this as personal reflection after watching the suggested video below, using the attached handout) What sort of picture does the phrase ‘unforced rhythms of grace’ portray for you?
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(In order to answer this question you could simply discuss it in words, or you could provide some art material and have people get creative!) What one object, picture, word, person, story or scripture really sums up or illustrates grace to you? (How about doing an internet image search and asking each person to pick an image of ‘grace’ to set as their wallpaper or profile picture, or simply to print out.) Do you feel you are carrying anything heavy or ill-fitting? If so, consider how you are going to deal with this in order to continue on with this year living ‘freely and lightly’. Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? If so, what changes do you need to make, with God, to find real rest and recover you life? How does reflecting on God’s grace refresh and inspire you in your relationship with him? Read the group the following blog: Jesus wants us to learn to come to him for renewal, recovery and refreshment. He invites us to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Jesus wants us to truly live in grace. To rest, work, play, eat, fellowship, do everything in grace. There is time for everything when we are not forcing our life to be something that it is not supposed to be. The unforced rhythms of grace allow us to have adequate rest, enough soul food, enough fellowship time, continued over u
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celloutlines | week two (continued...) enough work, enough play, and everything else we need for a balanced life. But we need to build our life on Jesus. Nothing else will recover, renew and refresh our lives. No magic button. Not this or that. Only Jesus. But he will never leave us or forsake us. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more freely and lightly we learn to live. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we start breathing with the unforced rhythms of grace. April 15, 2011 by Mari-Anna Stålnacke www.flowingfaith.com/2011/04/how-to-refresh-your-life.html
Prayer/Worship
Presence – Sensing Grace Presence is a Facebook page by the well known DJ and music producer Andy Hunter. Presence is about using creativity and art to spend time in prayer, meditation and reflection. Still in its early stages, this is well worth a ‘like’! (www.facebook.com/andyhunterpresence) Watch the video ‘Sensing Grace’ by Presence. You can find it on the Facebook page or on YouTube. (www. youtube.com/watch?v=XiDzLFS8kDo0 or search Presence – Sensing Grace)
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The video is based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: ‘Here’s what I want you to do; find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.’ Matthew 6:6 MSG Ask each person to find a comfortable position in which they can see the screen. Play the video and ask each person to relax and meditate on the words. Encourage them to breathe deeply and think on God’s grace and what that means for them. Encourage each person to bring anything to God for forgiveness as they feel they need to. Encourage them to reach out for God’s love and to sense his grace. In addition you could ask each person to consider where their ‘quiet, secluded place’ is where they can be themselves with God. What is special about that place? In what ways do they sense God’s presence in that place? If any group members don’t have such a place encourage them to think of where they could find one over the next few days/weeks. After the video has finished encourage people to write or draw their thoughts and prayers… encourage creativity. Provide a variety of art materials if you feel that would be useful. Or you could allow people space to complete the personal reflection questions on the attached handout.
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celloutlines | week two (continued...) Use your pictures or written words/poems in time of prayer/worship together. You may find the track ‘Your Grace’, from ALOVE UK’s Spire album, useful in your time of prayer/worship. Lyrics below:
Your Grace Through all the choices that I make Every sin every mistake You still love me Even when I do my best, you don’t love me more or less Cos you are love I know it’s only by your grace that I am saved Your grace has covered me Your grace now comforts me Where would I be? Where would I go without a place to call my home? But now your grace has taken me in You fully load me for the flight Yet this is easy and it’s light What you place on me Sea of grace beneath my feet I’ll walk toward you faithfully Into your arms I know it’s only by your grace that I am saved Your grace has rescued me Your grace now covers me Where would I be? Where would I go without a place to call my home? But now your grace has taken me in As far as the east is from the west, you have taken our sins from us As far as the east is from the west that is the measure of your love
Action
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How can you be a demonstration of God’s grace to someone else this week? Do an internet image search and pick an image of ‘grace’ to set as your wallpaper or profile picture, or simply to print out, stick up in your room to remind you of Gods amazing grace and love for you. Look at Cell Extra number 4 and let the ‘Sensing Grace’ poem refresh and inspire you some more.
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Personal Reflection
SENSING GRACE ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’ Matthew 11: 28–30 MSG What sort of picture does the phrase ‘unforced rhythms of grace’ portray for you?
What one object, picture, word, person, story or scripture really sums up or illustrates grace to you?
Do you feel you are carrying anything heavy or ill-fitting? If so, consider how you are going to deal with this in order to continue on with this year living ‘freely and lightly’.
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Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? If so, what changes do you need to make, with God, to find real rest and recover you life?
How does reflecting on God’s grace refresh and inspire you in your relationship with him?
Where is your ‘quiet, secluded place’ where you can be yourself with God. What is special about that place? In what ways do you sense God’s presence in that place?
‘Here’s what I want you to do; find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.’ Matthew 6:6 MSG
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celloutlines | week three These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available every month from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
‘CHEER EACH OTHER ON!’ WELCOME Choose one of the following games to get the group talking about their most respected Bible character. Each person secretly writes out ten statements about their chosen Bible character, each giving progressively more detail about the person. For example: for the character of Moses some of the statements could be: It is a man in the Old Testament He had one brother and one sister He was bought up by a princess He worked for a while as a shepherd He lived in the desert for forty years He had a stammer God chose him to rescue his people from Egypt God spoke to him through a burning bush The person reads out the statements one by one. After each statement the group must try to guess who the statements refer to. The aim is for the person to read out all ten statements without the group guessing who it is! A game of twenty questions. In turn the group asks questions of the person to determine which Bible character they are thinking of. The person can only answer yes or no and the group must guess the character within twenty questions or the other person is the winner!
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After the game ask each person to share why they like and respect that character.
WORD Read Hebrews 12:1–3 again. Use the following thoughts/clip to introduce a time of discussion: We are back on the marathon/running a race theme again, but this time when we read the verses in Hebrews we are focusing on the thought of the witnesses, or spectators, who are watching us run the race. If you look back in Hebrews 11 you will see who these spectators are: a role call of honour of many of the pioneers of our Christian faith. Watch the following YouTube clip of the London Marathon but this time focus on the noise of the spectators: their cheering, shouting, clapping etc. (The clip is about ten minute long so watch for as long as you feel appropriate!) Can you make out any of what the crowd is saying? London Marathon 2009 – 600 meters to go www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_ruVmkeuzs&feature=PlayList&p=49C6F3AB5C93146D
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celloutlines | week three (continued...) Ask the group: How important are the spectators to the runners? If you have been involved in any sporting events, how much do the spectators encourage and motivate you to perform to the best of your ability? Which Christians from the past, from Biblical times or more recent times, inspire you to keep running the race? (Don’t forget the person who they discussed in the welcome activity.) Who in your life now encourages you to run the marathon of discipleship? In what particular activities you are involved in do you find strength to keep running, eg, cell group, prayer group, one-on-one discipleship?
Summarise with the following thoughts: In the race of Christian discipleship, some runners have run before us; others will run after us. Those who have run before us haven’t disappeared from the course. Having finished their ‘leg’ of the race they have gathered at the finish line where they can cheer on those who are still running. Those who have already finished the race are ‘the great cloud of witnesses’ of whom Hebrews speaks. In telling us to run the race, the author of Hebrews brings to mind the image of a stadium, an amphitheatre, an arena. (Think of the Gladiator movie). This arena is filled with spectators. At the time the letter to the Hebrews was being written huge crowds flocked to the amphitheater to see blood: they watched gladiators battle to the death, they watched Christians and slaves being torn apart by wild and hungry beasts. But our spectators are not blood-thirsty, screaming crowds of pagans. Ours are the Old Testament heroes of faith that we read about in Hebrews 11: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, the parents of Moses, Moses, the people of Israel, the prostitute Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.
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We who are running now are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses. They are encouraging us moment by moment, telling us constantly that we can overcome any difficulty, as they have done, to join them at the finishline. They are veteran athletes who have already run the race. Hebrews sees them as our coaches. What do our coaches say to us? Their message to us is to run the Christian race and live the Christian life ‘by faith’. They urge us to keep running, to clear all the hurdles, to jump all the puddles, ‘by faith’. Whatever comes our way – problems, worries, sickness, tension, death, unemployment, brokenness, etc. – they urge us to live, to run, by faith.
‘My ‘Great Cloud of Witnesses’ Give out the handout of the runner and ask people to jot down the names of people, dead or alive, who inspire them to keep running. Then to put their speech bubbles of what they might be saying. Share with each other if appropriate. Encourage them to put this picture up somewhere where they will see it and when they feel like giving up to imagine these spectators cheering them on saying… ‘You can do it, you can make it, don’t give up, you’re nearly there!’ Watch the above You Tube clip again and this time ask the group to imagine they are running with the people who are on their sheet of paper cheering them on! This may also be a good time to encourage your group members into any formal programmes of discipleship that may be active in your corps, eg, one-on-one discipleship, Bible study groups… including your own cell group!
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WORSHIP Read Hebrews 12: 12–14 in The Message paraphrase. ‘So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! Work at getting along with each other and with God.’ Allow some time to pray for and encourage each other. Is there any one with some specific prayer needs at the moment? Is there anyone who last week shared that they were feeling tired and/or burned out in their faith and in need of refreshing? Allow group members to share and pray for each other. Finally make a commitment to God and to each other that you will keep encouraging and cheering one another on this journey!
Action Points Be a ‘witness’ this week… think of one way you can actively ‘cheer someone on’ in their discipleship journey… and do it! Think of one person who inspires and encourages you to keep running and write a thank you card to tell them how much it means to you. Look at your handout everyday this week and commit to keep on keeping on running the race!
Further Resources A sermon on the ‘cloud of witnesses’. www.themint.org.uk/z084.htm
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celloutlines | week three (continued...)
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‘Do you see what this means – all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running – and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.’ Hebrews 12:1–3 MSG
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MY ‘GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES’!
Write names around the runner of people, past or present, who are cheering you on in your discipleship journey. Add speech bubbles oftheir encouraging words.
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celloutlines | week four These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available every month from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
‘ONCE UPON AN ORDINARY SCHOOL DAY’ WELCOME Discuss: What is the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to you at school or college? What is the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to you… ever?! Now it’s time for a story – ‘Once Upon An Ordinary School Day’ of course! If you have managed to get a copy of this book gather your group around in a good old-fashioned story-telling way and take your time reading and enjoying this delightful story together! If you haven’t got the book you could summarise the story as follows, using the pictures that have been sourced from the internet. The story opens with the usual routines, reported in dead-pan prose, in black and grey illustrations. ‘Once upon an ordinary school day, an ordinary boy woke from his ordinary dreams, got out of his ordinary bed, had an ordinary pee and an ordinary bath, put on his ordinary clothes, and ate his ordinary breakfast.
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The ordinary boy brushed his ordinary teeth, kissed his ordinary mom goodbye, and set off for his ordinary school.’ But the story proceeds to twist convention when something Story by Colin McNaughton quite out of the ordinary Pictures by Satoshi Kitamura happens. Enter a new teacher, Published by Anderson Press 2004 Mr Gee, with a plan for getting to know his new students: Play music and have the kids draw what they hear. By now, the illustrations in the book have changed from grey to delicate colours. And as the boy’s imagination busts loose the colours go wild, too. The author deftly nails the varied reactions of the other students. ‘Some wrote stories about giants … Some just made up stuff because the music didn’t mean anything to them… and Billy Pearson fell asleep.’ But for the boy in the story his imagination runs wild and he began to write what he saw and heard: ‘He wrote as fast as he could but it would never be fast enough – there was just too much to say. It was if a dam had burst in his head and words just came flooding out… and the words were his toys and he was lost, lost in the game… And it was extraordinary…
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celloutlines | week four (continued...) The boy sees the teacher leaving after school and tells him that was the best lesson ever. ‘I’ve never felt like that before. It was magic!’ ‘Still think I’m bonkers?’ said Mr. Gee, smiling. The ordinary boy blushed. ‘I can’t wait to read your story tonight,’ said Mr. Gee. ‘See you tomorrow.’ And he disappeared in a cloud of smoke out of the school gates. On the final page we see the ordinary boy in his ordinary bed wearing his ordinary pyjamas… but dreaming extraordinary dreams! Once Upon An Ordinary School Day stands out for its mischievous story, its quirky characters and for cartoonlike artwork that dials up the colour as if to prove that extraordinary things can happen even on ordinary days. (Review adapted form www.bookmakingwithkids.com)
WORD ‘The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel.’ 1 Samuel 17:46 (MSG)
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The word ‘extraordinary’ isn’t used very often in the Bible. (A couple of times in the Good News Translation Paul refers to the extraordinary grace of God, something we considered in week two this month! See 2 Corinthians 9:14, Ephesians 2:7-9.) But in the verse above the writer of The Message paraphrase has chosen to use the word extraordinary to describe God! Yes that’s right, we have an extraordinary God who chooses to be with us in our ordinary lives! What’s more, he can make our lives extraordinary… watch the following YouTube video... and ask group members how it makes them feel! You are a child of God. You were created for an extraordinary life! www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOABne0pNzU One of the things that can make us feel tired or burned out, as we have discussed over the last few weeks, in our relationship with God, is when we lose our focus, give up on our dreams, or when our vision becomes dulled. When we feel like this we can ask God to come and renew us with a fresh vision and dreams’, like the little boy in the story, and to remind us that we were created for a purpose, a plan and that we have an important part to play in God’s extraordinary story in the world. Play some reflective music and have your group members spend some time quietly talking to God about their dreams, vision and passions. Then ask them to begin to write or draw the dreams that are in their heart, in a similar way to the boy in the story. Ask them to reflect on our extraordinary God and be open to be refilled and refreshed. Share these with each other if appropriate. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (MSG) and introduce a time to pray for each other:
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celloutlines | week four (continued...) Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time – pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honours the name of Jesus, he will honour you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.
WORSHIP Use these verse from Ephesians 3: 8 – 21 in The Message paraphrase to pray this blessing for each other to be filled again with the extraordinary love of God. One way to do this would be to split into pairs and ask each person to pray the words of this Bible passage out loud for the other person, using the others person’s name where possible. For example: ‘My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you, James, by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength – that Christ will live in you, James, as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love James, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. James… reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live a full life James, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing you around James but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!’ Finish your time this month with saying the following blessing (taken from Romans 15:13 and Isaiah 55:12 in The Message paraphrase) out loud together: ‘May the God of hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the lifegiving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!
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And you’ll go out in joy; you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.’
Action Points Tell a friend or family member about the story ‘Once Upon An Ordinary School Day’ and how it speaks to you of God’s extraordinary love and plan for your life! Give each person a copy of the picture below and encourage them to keep it somewhere on, to remind them of God’s extraordinary love and plan for their life.
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And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length!
‘God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.’
Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.’ Ephesians 3:8–21 (MSG)
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‘I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit— not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in.
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