CROSS PERSPECTIVES – “Feeling Helpless”
Bible Study Instructions:
For these Bible studies, you are invited to watch the video and then work through the material with people in your home or call someone else and work through it with them over the phone. You may also post comments, responses, or questions on this page and respond to other people’s comments as a way to engage with the broader faith community. Pastor Dan will check on the comments section of this page from time to time to respond to questions that come up.
You will need access to a Bible for this study. If you do not have a Bible, biblegateway.com is a good website you can use to look up passages online.
FINK YOUTH: You are asked to work through this with your Faith Partner. Please let Brenda Erber know when you and your Faith Partner have had the opportunity to do this.
Crucifixion Character: Mary, Mother of Jesus (this is the title of the video)
Bible Study:
Share a high and a low for the week. Or you may share a concern and something you are grateful for.
Read Psalm 139.7-12.
Discuss the following:
1) What about this passage stands out to you the most?
2) Share a time in your life when you felt helpless.
a. What was the situation?
b. What helped you through that time?
3) In this Bible passage, the psalmist acknowledges God’s presence with us. God is ALWAYS with us. There is no place we can go where God is not. There is no place where God cannot find us. Even if we try to “escape” from God, we cannot; God always finds us.
a. In what ways is this a comfort?
b. In what ways might this make you uncomfortable?
c. Is it easy or difficult for you to believe that God is always with us?
i. What makes it hard or difficult?
ii. What are things that help make you aware of God’s presence?
Do this activity:
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic it can be easy for us to feel helpless. Yet, as the psalmist confesses, God is with us even now. One of the ways we become aware of God’s presence is through connection to one another, especially intentional connection with our community of faith. Think of someone in your life, whether that is someone who is a part of our community of faith or not, whom you haven’t been in touch with in a while who could use a reminder of God’s presence. Take a moment with whomever you are working with in this Bible study and pray for those people by name. Then set aside some time to call them or write and mail them a card letting them know that they are being prayed for. If you write the letter or card,
please do send it.
Say this prayer together:
“Lord God, we give you thanks that you are always with us, even when darkness threatens to surround us. Make us aware of your presence and trust that presence even when we feel helpless and it is difficult to sense our connection to you. Help us to be reminders to one another of your love and hope in all the ways we can. We ask this and all the things we hold in our hearts in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Take turns blessing one another:
“(Name), child of God, have hope, for Christ is with you. Amen.”
For these Bible studies, you are invited to watch the video and then work through the material with people in your home or call someone else and work through it with them over the phone. You may also post comments, responses, or questions on this page and respond to other people’s comments as a way to engage with the broader faith community. Pastor Dan will check on the comments section of this page from time to time to respond to questions that come up.
You will need access to a Bible for this study. If you do not have a Bible, biblegateway.com is a good website you can use to look up passages online.
FINK YOUTH: You are asked to work through this with your Faith Partner. Please let Brenda Erber know when you and your Faith Partner have had the opportunity to do this.
Crucifixion Character: Mary, Mother of Jesus (this is the title of the video)
Bible Study:
Share a high and a low for the week. Or you may share a concern and something you are grateful for.
Read Psalm 139.7-12.
Discuss the following:
1) What about this passage stands out to you the most?
2) Share a time in your life when you felt helpless.
a. What was the situation?
b. What helped you through that time?
3) In this Bible passage, the psalmist acknowledges God’s presence with us. God is ALWAYS with us. There is no place we can go where God is not. There is no place where God cannot find us. Even if we try to “escape” from God, we cannot; God always finds us.
a. In what ways is this a comfort?
b. In what ways might this make you uncomfortable?
c. Is it easy or difficult for you to believe that God is always with us?
i. What makes it hard or difficult?
ii. What are things that help make you aware of God’s presence?
Do this activity:
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic it can be easy for us to feel helpless. Yet, as the psalmist confesses, God is with us even now. One of the ways we become aware of God’s presence is through connection to one another, especially intentional connection with our community of faith. Think of someone in your life, whether that is someone who is a part of our community of faith or not, whom you haven’t been in touch with in a while who could use a reminder of God’s presence. Take a moment with whomever you are working with in this Bible study and pray for those people by name. Then set aside some time to call them or write and mail them a card letting them know that they are being prayed for. If you write the letter or card,
please do send it.
Say this prayer together:
“Lord God, we give you thanks that you are always with us, even when darkness threatens to surround us. Make us aware of your presence and trust that presence even when we feel helpless and it is difficult to sense our connection to you. Help us to be reminders to one another of your love and hope in all the ways we can. We ask this and all the things we hold in our hearts in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Take turns blessing one another:
“(Name), child of God, have hope, for Christ is with you. Amen.”