welcome
What are the first three words that come to mind when you think of ‘holiness’?
worship
read
Ask the group to sit quietly and reflect on who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us, then turn these thoughts into prayers of thankfulness for, and celebration of, Jesus. You may want some instrumental worship music in the background.
word
read
Exodus 19:3-6 and Exodus 19:14-25
Imagine you’re an Israelite here, what do you learn about the holiness of God and about his plans for his people?
Note how this passage leads straight onto the Ten Commandments; in grace God gives his people definite rules to show what holiness requires.
discuss
John, the beloved disciple, expressed holiness as ’walking in the light’ (1 John 1:5-7).
- Why are we all tempted to hide part of ourselves?
- What does ‘walking in the light’ mean?
- What remedy has God provided for when we fail to live up to his standards of holiness?
Paul, the outstanding missionary, wrote to the Christians in Colossae about the ‘Rules for Holy Living’ now they had become Christians (Colossians 3:5-15). Take a large sheet of paper and make two lists, one showing the things Christians must totally reject, the other, the things God wants to see in our lives.
application
In silence, study the completed lists. Ask everyone to pick out two items from the first list that they personally find hardest to battle with, and then two from the second list that they specifically pray God would make true for them. Break into pairs to discuss these thoughts, pray for one another and make plans to incorporate these changes into your lifestyle.
witness
Remind each other who our friends are that we would like to see becoming Christians and pray that God’s holiness, through you, would begin to affect their lives.
