Growing in Christlikeness - day 2

Wisdom and discernment 

Introduction

Today we are looking at pursuing wisdom and discerning God’s will together. We live in a complex and uncertain world. I’m sure that each of us recognises our need for God’s guidance and wisdom as we lead.

Daily we are surrounded by human wisdom in the media, on social media, in books and through many voices ready to tell us what a wise course of action looks like by the world’s standards. Today we are focusing on the far greater wisdom that comes from the Lord, who sees all, reigns over all, and for whom nothing is beyond his knowledge, understanding and extravagant love. As it says in James 3:17-18:

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

As we reflect together, let’s ask God to open our hearts and minds to what he wants us to learn about wisdom and discernment today through this story about Jesus in John 8.

Pray asking God to show us how to hear his voice and act wisely.

Stories

John 8  (NIV)

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Discussion questions: 

As we are in smaller groups you will probably have time for some sharing some highlights of the discussions. Please ask someone to take notes to pass on to the team that will be synthesising the outcomes of the Gathering daily.

• How does Jesus model for us how to access deeper wisdom about a situation than just responding or reacting to the situation in front of us?
• In this story, Jesus was surrounded by people observing and putting him under pressure to give quick answers. How can we act wisely when we are under pressure from those around us?
• In this story, Jesus demonstrated both wisdom and discernment but was also able to interact with the woman with compassion. How can we act wisely and show compassion at the same time?

We would like to end this session with a video about how leaders in the Americas use the national Tables gatherings not only for sharing information and coordinating efforts for Bible translation, but primarily as means of seeking to discern God’s leading together.

Tables as a discernment process (Subtitles: English, Spanish; Subtitles: English, French, Indonesian).  Allow 6 minutes for the video