Cell group notes

w/c 23rd May 2010

Welcome

If you could be an animal in a zoo, which one would you be?

Worship

I know we’ve done this before but lets create an acrostic psalm together – that’s one
where each line of the psalm begins with the next letter of the alphabet. (You can leave
out X if you get stuck!) However, this time, since we’re celebrating Pentecost, lets create
a psalm of prayer and praise for the work of the Holy Spirit. Provide some pens and
paper, and then you might like to work in pairs, having shared out the letters of the
alphabet. I suggest you read Roman 8:9-17 together as you begin to help you to reflect
and remember how the Holy Spirit works. Be as creative and wide-ranging as you can!
(In fact, if you like that sort of thing, you could decorate your psalm in colour). When
you have finished creating your lines, put the whole thing together and read it out.

Word
This week we’re considering the 3rd Commandment – “You shall not misuse the name of
the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
Exodus 20:7
And we’ve been doing it with the background of the coming of Spirit at Pentecost and
the beginning of the spread of the Good News of Jesus as the disciples were sent out to
be witnesses for Jesus.
But in order to think about the importance of the name of the LORD – find up Exodus
3:1-15 and pray for the Lord to speak as you discuss together. Use Moses’ experience
to help you think about these questions.
1. God reveals his name to Moses as ‘I am who I am’ – what does this mean to you?
2. What other names of God do you find yourself using as you pray, think or talk
about him? Why do you use these?
3. When you pray ‘hallowed be your name” in the Lord’s prayer- what does the
phrase mean to you?
4. If God’s name reveals his character, his nature and his activity – what will
honouring his name mean for you in the coming week?
5. How do you think your cell group could better honour the LORD’s name in what
you do together?
6. If part of that honouring is in ‘getting out more’ (living out his reality in the world
and not just in church), where do you need help to ‘break out of the zoo’? (for
those who missed the sermon- this means living instead in fullness in the world, rather than
‘hiding’ in church!) Does the call to go ‘Deep and Wild’ mean anything in particular to
you?

This might be a good point to minister to one another, laying on hands and praying for
the Holy Spirit to fill us all afresh.

Witness

Even when our main witness is as individuals, it is really good for us to be together as a
Christian community in the outside world. How could you go somewhere outside your
homes and the church, and be seen as Christians, living out the fullness of life that Jesus
won for us? Better still, can you invite some friends to join you? Talk and pray about
what you are going to do.
Chris