Small Groups

March 10 thru March 16

The Way of the Chosen


Week 4

Stand Where Jesus Stands

 

OPENING PRAYER

Dear Jesus, we come before You in humility and reverence, seeking the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  Help us to see the world through Your eyes, Jesus, to understand the hearts of others, and to discern the path of righteousness. Fill us with the fruit of forbearance, that we may be patient and brave, even in the face of adversity. Lord, grant us the Wisdom to be understanding in conflicts, and to be a source of peace and love.  May Your Supernatural power and Grace flow through us to bless others and bring glory to Your name.  Amen

“Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”  Matthew 7:24-25

“The Bible is full of word pictures – metaphors of rock and sand, fruit and vines – because we humans better understand the nature of our invisible God by way of His visible creation.  Jesus used these examples to assure us that He is the source of our strength, the foundation of our hope. We follow Jesus, not because our lives will be storm-free, but because this world isn’t all there is.  We follow because He has control over death itself, and He has promised to raise us to life in heaven where storms will forevermore be stilled.  We follow because, He promises to be the solid ground on which we stand.  Indeed, the only way to avoid being tossed by the storms of life is to know and remain in Jesus. And by the Holy Spirit, in His power and by His grace, we shall not be moved.” 
 
(Chosen Study Guide Pg 68)
 
 
 
 
 

WATCH THE VIDEO

Chosen Season 3

Episode 4
Clean, Part 1
 
Click the following link to watch on The Chosen website.
 
 
 
 

 

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

“When Pentecost day came around, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.”  Acts 2:1-4

“A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots:  on Him the Spirit of Yahweh rests, a Spirit of wisdom and insight, a Spirit of counsel and power, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh. (The fear of Yahweh is His breath)”  Isaiah 1:1-2

Catechism of the Catholic Church – “Christ promises outpouring of the Spirit, a promise which He fulfilled…strikingly at Pentecost.  Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim the mighty works of God.  Those who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift of the Holy Spirit…From that time on the apostles…imparted to the newly baptized by the laying on of hands the gift of the Spirit…The imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the Catholic tradition as the origin of the Sacrament of Confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.”  CCC 1287-1288

Pope Francis reflects: “Dear brothers and sisters.  The rite of Confirmation recalls and renews the promises made at Baptism and invokes a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Just as Jesus received the outpouring of the Spirit at His Baptism in order to carry out His messianic mission, the Church prays that we too may receive the gifts and fruits of the Spirit that enable us to help the Body of Christ grow in unity and missionary zeal.  The gift of the Spirit is communicated through the laying on of hands and anointing with sacred Chrism.  Sealed with the Holy Spirit, we are configured more closely to Christ and strengthened to be His soldiers and to bear witness to Him in our world.  May each of us grow in gratitude for the gift received at our Confirmation and open our hearts ever more fully to the creativity of the Spirit Who makes all things new.”  General Audience 5/30/2018

 
 
 

Before leaving this earth Jesus gave us His beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit through His apostles and those ordained to follow them.

 
 
 

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

 

O God our Father, Give me Your Holy Spirit

In my heart and in my mind,

That I may ever choose what is right,

That I may know what choice to make,

And what choice to reject.
 

Give me Your Holy Spirit

To fill my heart with good desires,

To make my life wise with knowledge,

Beautiful with love,

And Useful with service.

 

Give me Your Holy Spirit

To enlighten the Scriptures for me,

And to fill my life with the fruits

Which only He can give.

Amen

 
 
 
 
STAND WHERE JESUS STANDS
 
 

 

THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH OUR GROUP
 
What, or Who, impacted you most in this video today, and why? And what new insight did you receive from the Sermon this Sunday?

“The Lord said, ‘There – anoint him for this is the one!’ Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed David in the presence of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.” 1 Samuel 16:12-13
Question – What are your feelings about this Sacrament – surprise, amazement? What do you wonder about? What do you remember about your Confirmation?
 
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock…But everyone who listens…and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.” Matthew 7:24-27
The video showed Simon struggling with wanting to follow Jesus and trying to live a normal family life. Do you ever find yourself struggling like this, even knowing that Jesus is the way? Question – Page 68 How can you choose to abide in Jesus today?“
 
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me…” John 15:4
Once we discover our strong foundation with Jesus, He asks us to reach out with His message to others. Question – Do you feel you are prepared to do that?
 
 


AT HOME

PRAYER FOCUS: Praise Jesus for being your sure foundation, the Rock of your salvation, and your future hope. Thank Him for promising to remain with you in every storm. Ask for more faith to believe His words, and for a greater sense of His peace and presence in the midst of chaos. Pray for strength through the Holy Spirit, to keep following no matter how difficult the circumstances are, knowing that Jesus’ way is right and good and true.