As You Go: The Power of Story

May 23/24, 2015



READ Matthew 5:13-16
What do these verses say about how we should go about living our lives? What does that mean to you? 

Have you ever thought deeply about what it means to be salt and light? Have you ever gone long periods of time without salt or light? It's hard to imagine because we have such easy access to both. Historically, salt and oil for light have been used as currency. That's how valuable they were to people. TALK about the correlation of our value to God and to others as it relates to salt and light. 

So how do we go? How do we share the power of God's story? Do you have a clear picture of God's story? Have you stepped into God's story? The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith gives a great picture of who God is if you want to dive deeper into that topic. EXPLAIN the difference between sharing a story and sharing facts. Why is there more power in the story? 

Let's LOOK at some other stories. REFLECT on each character, how they come to Jesus, how Jesus responds, and the power of the story as they go. DISCUSS in your small group.

• READ Matthew 8:5-13 - a man with power and authority 
• READ Mark 1:40-45 - a man riddled with disease and shunned
• READ Luke 19:1-10 - a greedy man

So what's the power of your story? in light of God's story? intermingled with the stories of everyone in your small group? How does God work them all together for His good? 

SPEND some time praying together as a group thanking God for the beauty and power of His story. CELEBRATE your stories together. PRAY for His hand in the continuation of your stories that you may be salt and light in a dull and dark world.