Small Groups

March 31 thru April 6

The Way of the Chosen


Week 6

Ask Because Jesus Tells You To

 

OPENING PRAYER

Father God, open my eyes not to see the world more clearly, but to see You.  Open my eyes to see You working around me and in me.  You orchestrate every day of my life.  Allow me to see Your hand in the mundane and fantastic.  Help me to trust in what I cannot see, and to believe in Your presence.  Amen

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8

“In this episode we see John the Baptist sending his followers to ask Jesus if He is really the Messiah.  Was John asking for himself, for the benefit of his followers, or maybe both?  Jesus wasn’t upset though. He honored John’s faith.  He knows how hard unmet expectations can be – which is why He encourages us to ask.  He wants us to bring to Him our doubts, confusion, and fears along with all of the questions they unearth.  We bring the nitty-gritty of our hearts and lives to the Lord including our confusion, doubt, and fear – because He knows everything, and can do anything, and because we can trust Him to handle our questions with care, kindness patience, and truth.  In His perfect wisdom and abounding love, He’ll do everything we ask that aligns with His perfect Will.” 
(Chosen Study Guide Pg 91-94)
 
 
 
 

WATCH THE VIDEO

Chosen Season 3

Episode 6
Intensity In Tent City
 
Click the following link to watch on The Chosen website.
 
 
 
 

 

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20

Catechism of the Catholic Church – “Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is as necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism. The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which we become an adoptive child of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.” CCC 1276 & 1279

Pope Francis reminds us: “Jesus did not need to be baptized, but with His Body and His Divinity, in Baptism He blessed all the waters. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told us to go into all the world to baptize. From that day forward there has been an uninterrupted chain; they baptized their children, who baptized their children, who baptized their children, and so on. These children are links in a chain. Such is the chain of faith! It is the most beautiful inheritance you will leave to your children: the Faith.” From the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary of Pope Francis.

 

Before leaving this earth Jesus gave us His beautiful gift of Baptism through His own Baptism, and then through the apostles, and those ordained to follow them.

 

 
 
 
 
Baptism, God’s most Beautiful and Magnificent Gift!
 
Lord, Thank You for the precious gift of Baptism,
that we can publicly declare
our love and passion for You.
 
Lord, we ask for Your goodness and blessings
To be poured out on us, Your faithful servants.
We pray that You would work deeply
Within our hearts and souls to
Renew and refresh us each day.
 
Come, guide our footsteps,
Give us a hope and a vision for the future.
Today the past is gone. We stand free and whole,
Loved and forgiven within the kingdom of God.
 
Father, cover and protect us now,
Encircle us with Your promises
And fill our hearts with joy.
May our Baptism Day be one
We cherish and remember forever!
 
Amen
 
 
 
 
ASK BECAUSE JESUS TELLS YOU TO
 
 

 

THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH OUR GROUP
 
1. What, or Who, impacted you most in this video today, and why? And what new insight did you receive from the Sermon this Sunday?
 
2. At Jesus’ Baptism we hear, “…the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on him.’” (Matthew 3:16-17)
 
Question – What are your feelings about this Sacrament – surprise, amazement? What do you wonder about? What memories do you have about your Baptism?
 
3. “Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears Me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him.” (Revelation 3:20)

Through our Baptism we are made special children of God!

Question – Page 90 If Jesus was in this room right now what looming questions would you have for Him today? What fear or confusion would you want to share with Him?
 
4. “Peter proceeded to speak and said: ‘You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Gaililee after the Baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.’” (Acts 10:36-38)
 
Question – What difference do you believe Baptism has made in your life?
 
 

AT HOME
PRAYER FOCUS: Thank God for inviting you to bring your questions to Him.  Praise Him for promising to respond when you do.  Ask your Heavenly Father to grow your faith, enabling you to come to Him first and to accept His answers.