Philemon, Pt. 2: Scripture
Take Communion
Leader Note: Begin your gathering by taking communion together, whether as a full meal together or some version of the bread and the cup before or after your meal. If you don’t already have a Communion liturgy, have someone lead through this guided prayer:
Holy Spirit, as we begin our time tonight, would you bring to our minds a moment in which we heard your voice really clearly this last week?
(Leader Note: Pause here for a moment.)
God, we remember that you are kind and that you love to speak to us.
We remember that you are patient and will continue to teach us to hear you.
We remember that you are gracious, gentle, and good.
And, for all of this, we are thankful.
Amen.
Review the Last Practice
Before we jump into tonight’s Practice on Scripture, let’s take a few minutes to hear from one another how our practice of praying Scripture went.
What did your time praying Scriptures look like this week? Did you decide to pray Philemon v4-6 or another Scripture passage?
What’s one way you heard God speak to you through his Word in your time of reading this week? How did you feel led to practically respond to God’s voice this week (i.e. a change of mind or change of habit, an act of love toward someone you know, etc.)?
Read This Overview Aloud Together
There’s no doubt that Scriptures played a central and essential role both in Jesus’ life and ministry. The study and knowledge of the scriptures for Jesus, measured far beyond academia, to a more personal and compelling reality. All throughout his life and ministry we see him use them in his relationship to teaching, interacting with the teachers or the Pharisees of the day, his disciples, and even Satan himself.
For Jesus, it seems, Scripture was not as much a tool, instrument, or weapon as it was part of how he viewed and interacted with both God and the world. Both from a historical knowledge of Rabbi’s, to the account we’re given in the Gospels, we know that the integration of Scripture in Jesus’ life was paramount to his work with his disciples and to those around him.
For the disciple of Jesus, some of the greatest transformation we will experience takes place amongst the thoughts in our minds. What we think about will shape what we believe and, ultimately, that will shape what we live into. This is why, in the New Testament, Paul continually tells us to renew our minds – a renewed mind leads to a transformed life. As Paul invites Philemon to respond out of his own transformation and freedom, we are also invited to live differently because of the Gospel. We’re invited to live in unity with our brothers & sisters even when it doesn’t make sense – to let our weaknesses be our strength.
All throughout church history, disciples of Jesus have pressed into the practice of knowing the Scriptures — and more specifically putting to memory the truths of God found on the pages of the Bible.
In meditating and memorizing Scripture, we are not only following the commands found within them, but employing the deeper reality and power of those words to combat the lies of the enemy about ourselves, culture, God, political climates, and who our real enemy is. When we harness God’s truth in our minds through meditation and memorization, it becomes both a realized and embodied experience.
Do This Practice Tonight
As we talk about memorizing Scriptures, there might be a temptation to think that we are not, or won’t be, good at it. And the truth is, this is a journey and it will take time to develop the skill of memorization. But it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do it. In fact, it means the opposite. Without the practice of memorizing Scripture, the enemy has the ability to deceive us and thwart the truth and, in turn, the good things that God has for us. Memorizing Scripture helps us to learn what the voice of God sounds like. And for the apprentice of Jesus, it is necessary for life in the Kingdom.
Let’s take the next few minutes and talk through these practical suggestions. The goal is to have each person share which idea they want to try this week.
You can start with shorter passages you may already be familiar with (e.g John 3v16, Proverbs 4v5-6, or Psalm 23) or longer passages that are meaningful to you (John 15, Galatians 5, or Romans 12). Either way, keep it simple and start small. And if you learn best when you do something with your hands, it can be helpful to knit, shuffle a deck of cards, squeeze a stress ball, etc. while you quote. The repetitive motion might help you concentrate.
Index Card: Write the verse(s) on one side of an index card and the verse reference on the other side. Carry the card around with you so you can work on memorizing in your free time.
Record Yourself: Try recording yourself on your phone reading the verse(s). Listen back to the recording while you're driving, working out, cleaning your house, grocery shopping, etc.
Make It Visible: Tape the verse(s) to the bathroom mirror or to your car dashboard and work on it as you go about your day. You can also put it as your desktop or phone background. You'll honestly be surprised by how much that helps.
Repetitive Writing: Transcribe the verse(s) by hand. Rewrite the verse(s) over and over or use hand-lettering or other creative illustrations or pictures as a way of putting it in your mind.
Repetitive Recitation: Read the verse(s) out loud in 5 minute increments and repeat (while allowing some time for your mind to rest). Worked out as a discipline, this could look like:
Reading/reciting it out loud 4 times per day for a week
Then, read/recite it out loud once a week for a month
Then read/recite it once every three months for a year
And then read/recite it once every year
Let’s talk through which of these ways of memorizing Scripture you want to try this week – which verse(s), when, where, how.
What do you think about meditating and memorizing Scripture? Is this something you already do? Have you ever done this before? When?
Any thoughts or creative ideas about practicing it this week? Is there anything new you want to try? Or something that has been helpful to you in the past that you’d like to share?
Read The Practice for the Week Ahead
In the week ahead, let’s continue this practice of memorizing Scripture, partnering with God in the renewing of our minds. The Practice for this week is fairly simple. Take the time to work through the above way of memorizing Scripture that you selected. Determine what you need to do ahead of time to be successful in your commitment. Whether it means buying index cards or a stress ball, take the practical steps you need to to make it happen.
End in Prayer
Leader note: Close your time praying for each other, asking God to help you make time and press into the Practice, remembering that the enemy attacks that which God is after most. If we are in Christ, we have the mind of Christ, which is constantly being renewed and transformed. So as followers of Jesus, we want to be actively engaging our minds in ways that are worshipful and intentional. Perhaps even consider inviting another person in your Community to help keep you accountable to your commitment.