INTRO–‘Are You in a Communitas?’

Even though another new crisis has surfaced, the swine flu, you still need to seek God’s perspective, because God often uses crisis for redemptive purposes. One key in understanding this principle is that God most often uses communities of people to accomplish God’s purposes. However, it is not just any group of followers that God uses, it is those fully committed groups, the communitas or single-purpose minded groups, that seek to fulfill God’s story in the world and not their own. Read Judges 7:1-7.

• What has been your fear level this week because of the outbreak of the swine flu across the world?


• Name the groups in which you are a member or regularly attend? Why did you join these groups?


• Have you ever been in a ‘Communitas’? (A group solely assembled to accomplish God’s purposes) What set that group apart from others you’ve attended?

GROUP 1–‘The Curious’Re-read Judges 7:3 and Read John 6:1-2

When Gideon amassed his army to fight the Midianites, God immediately began to whittle them down to a group that God would be able to use for deliverance. The first group you notice in both passages are the curious who merely show up to see what’s in it for themselves. These are the people who want to know what’s in it for me and not what’s in it for God and God’s kingdom. And as soon as the fear or cost factor outweighs the perceived gain then these people are first to leave. God is not looking for the selfish or self-reliant who don’t realize their weakness or brokenness, but only those who will rely on God. Read II Corinthians 12:9.

• In what ways are you almost totally self-reliant? When do you seek help from others?


• Is there something that regularly keeps you dependent upon God? How dependent would you say you are upon God?

GROUP 2–‘The Convinced’Read Re-read Judges 7:4-7 & II Timothy 3:5

The second group of people that God can’t use is the convinced. Even though these people are further along in what they believe about God and Jesus, they stop short of taking on a Jesus life and faith. Bringing Jesus into your worldview without ever being convicted of his view only makes your faith self-focused. And when crisis occurs in life you become obsessed with your own interests instead of becoming God’s instrument for redemptive purposes.

• What does the expression ‘having a Jesus faith’ imply to you?


• Do you think you live your life in the way Jesus lived his life? What’s the difference?


• What normally keeps you from fully committing to Jesus’ way of life?

GROUP 3–‘The Committed’Read John 6:66-68; Mark 10:38; & Acts 20:24

Just as God narrowed down Gideon’s army to those fully committed to the task, Jesus can only use people who are willing to lay down their lives and commit everything to him. When you become fully committed to God’s purposes you are no longer subject to fate or circumstances around you in this world, but will find that abundant life which only comes in living and serving Jesus. It’s when you lose your life for Christ that you will truly find it.

• What does the word commitment mean to you? What are you committed to accomplishing right now?


• What do you need to do to move from being convinced of your faith in Christ to being fully committed to living solely for God’s purposes?