WEEKLY HOME GROUP GUIDE

Belong
Welcome/opening prayer
This weeks passage reveals that Jesus is the High Priest. Thank God for the sacrifice of His Son for our sins and our sin problem.

Oct 7 Oct 13, 2012

Become
Family Time
Object needed: A special dish or bowl (think crystal, china, etcpick one that is special, but still gets used). Put a note card or sticky note on it that reads DO NOT TOUCH. Share with the group why the dish or bowl is so special. Maybe it was a gift from a family member, possibly an heirloomor maybe you bought it while on a special trip. Have you ever had someone say to you do not touch? If someone says that to you it is often because the piece in question is valuable or because it is dangerous to touch whatever they are speaking about. Well in some ways your dish/bowl may be like that. You may be inclined to tell people do not touch. But this dish/bowl was made to be touched and used (this is why you ought to choose something that you actually use). Explain the occasions that you use your dish/bowl. It is made to be used not stored away somewhere and never seen or touched. Some people think of God like that. They think God is not to be bothered or approachedBut the Bible teaches otherwise. This is what Hebrews 4:14-16 is about. God is incredibly special but wants to be approached. Thats why He sent Jesus. Take off the DO NOT TOUCH sign!

Kids Time

God took off the DO NOT TOUCH sign when He sent Jesus to the world for us. Now we are invited to be close to God. What are some ways that you can be close to God? Hebrews 4:14-16 says that we should approach God with boldness (confidence). Will one of you pray a bold prayer for us? *Use Jesus coloring sheet.
Adult Time

What does the writer affirm about Jesus the Son of God in 4:14? Discuss how Jesus experienced temptation in all things. Elephant in the Room Question: This passage and others like it often cause people to ask: Was it possible for Jesus to have failed
(sin) while being tempted? (if answer is yes, does this undercut His deity? If no, does this undercut the reality of His temptations?) We are physically, mentally, emotionally was tempted, and it is in the nature of fallen humanity to a) not recognize Gods full worth and b) choose respond to temptation by sinning. Jesus shared our natural capacity for sin, yet not the moral capability of sinning (i.e. There was no moral badness in Him to choose sin). He simply had no interest or desire in sinning. Check out *Matthew 4 for a great example of this idea. *After 40 days of fasting, Jesus is tempted by the Devil to turn stones to bread. Jesus response of Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God reflects Jesus satisfaction in the fullness of God and His general distaste for sin. As great as His physical hunger surely was, He had no desire for sin, and so incidentally He could not sin.

Since we have such a High Priest to advocate for us, how may we approach the throne of grace? With confidence If we do approach the throne in boldness through Christ of what are we assured? What does confidence/boldness in prayer look like for you?
Prayer Time
Lord, thank you for sending your Son to the earth so that we could have a relationship with you and live with you forever. Help us to share with others the good news of Jesus, the High Priest. Amen.

Beyond
Its not to late to sign up for this years Golf Tournament or the 13.1 (or 5 mi) run benefitting World Visions efforts to put a clean water well near Woliso! Sign up at support.worldvision.org/goto/pantego today!

Pantego Bible Church

Jesus the Great High Priest

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we areyet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach Gods throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
14