Historical Disciplines Study 1

Weekly Group Time

LOOKING BACK (Care and Accountability)

How was your week (highlights, difficulties, challenges, etc.)?

In what way did you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?

Engaging in the Historical Disciplines

Discipline should work in concert with dependence, since grace in not opposed to effort but earning. The multiple benefits of the time-tested disciplines of the faith contribute to spiritual formation in the same way that training prepares us for skillful endeavor.

When you hear the word, “discipline” what do you think of? Not in the sense of punishment or correction, but more in the line of a martial art. Think about your daily routine to prepare to play, or your off-season routine, the discipline it takes to be a professional athlete.

What does dependence mean? The state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else. A desperation for someone or something to provide what you need.

When you read the phrase, “grace is not opposed to effort but earning,” how did that strike you? I think too often we hear the word grace and we think of unmerited or undeserved favor and/or gift, and that is what it means. But it possibly gives us the impression that we are effortless, that we just sit and receive. Maybe for salvation justification and salvation glorification, but not in regards to salvation sanctification.

Let’s talk about sanctification for a minute, what is it? The work of the Holy Spirit by grace through faith, in joint participation with the individual to help transform you into the likeness of Jesus, more holy.

What role do you think the Historical Spiritual Disciplines play in our sanctification? If we desire to partner with the Holy Spirit, if we desire to grow and mature, if we desire to become the holy individual God has declared us to be, then we must put forth effort in order for that to happen. We’ve got to put ourselves in position to receive what it is that God has for us.

LOOKING UP (Scripture and Discussion)

What did you hear God saying to you through the reading this week?

What word, phrase or passage got your attention this week? And why?

How has it changed the way you live or the way that you see the world?

Let’s look at this weeks passage: Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

New Living Translation Chapter 12

A Living Sacrifice to God

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

• What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

“Offer you bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” The O.T. sacrifices started alive and as they were offered, became dead. We too are to offer ourselves alive, holy and acceptable to God, and then die to ourself and live for God. Or die to ourselves and live for God and become more holy and acceptable as we offer our bodies to Him.

Also, “that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.” Don’t we all want to “know” the will of God, not just what to do, but to trust that it is good and acceptable and perfect, and thereby do it. This comes by us dyeing to ourselves and living for Him, by doing this we then get to know and see that His will is right.

• What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now?

I need to be reminded of this because I am self-centered and selfish. To lay down my life and offer it to God, my life to God, what does this look like? Am I striving for holiness and to be acceptable to God? I know by Jesus I am, but am I striving for it? Also, He is calling us to live according to His ways, to do His will, and as we do it we will then know and see, experience and be able to discern that it is good and perfect.

• What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase?

He’s inviting me to trust Him, to know that He is good and His ways are perfect. He’s inviting me to abandon my selfish ways and to experience Him in whole new ways. He’s giving me an opportunity to examine Him and His ways to see and prove they are good. What a way to know Him! What kind of God lets you examine Him?

Be prepared to share how the passage(s) impacted you with the group (make a note).

LOOKING FORWARD (Prayer and Commissioning)

Personal: Based on our time today, how can we pray for you and for one another?

Mission: How can you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?