GATHERING / WORSHIP / PRAYER Take a few minutes to catch up with each other and build community. If you have new people present give time to getting to know each other. Possibly listen to ‘New Wine’ by Hillsong. Thank God for the ways God has blessed your life since meeting Jesus. FOCUS Our series ‘The Good and the Beautiful’ is based on three books by James Bryan Smith. Our focus throughout May on the first book 'The Good and Beautiful God’, challenges us to unpack God’s character and discover how this knowledge impacts both who we are and how we live. SETTING THE SCENE When God chose Israel it wasn’t because of their size, strength or number; for they were the fewest of all nations (Deut 7:7). Yet this nation would be the people through whom Jesus the Messiah would come, blessing all the Earth. Further, as the New Testament church was born Paul records that God chose the foolish, the weak, the insignificant, the lowly and the despised (1 Corinthians 1:27-28), for his power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is the transforming power of Jesus living in us, changing our lives and taking us from glory to glory. OPENING GOD’s WORD Warm Up Question: When was a time that you were expecting bad news but received good news? Read: 2 Corinthians 3:11-18 Take turns reading a few verses each. What first caught your interest or stuck out to you as we read this passage? Discuss what the veil represents and symbolises? Describe what are the freedoms for Christians that the Spirit of the Lord brings? What are we freed from and what are we freed to? How is God transforming your life to increasingly reflect His glory? LIVING OUT GOD’s WORD When can we find time this week to read and reflect on the Word, as looking deep into a mirror to hear the transformational whisper of the Holy Spirit in our lives? What actions of transformation does this passage encourage you to grow in so as to increasingly reflect Jesus? PRAYER Pray that we could each have a fresh encounter with the freedoms that come in the presence of God. Pray that we could grow more like Jesus so we can increasingly reflect his glory to a world that needs to see him. Contacts If you would like more information or further help please contact: scott.button@hopevalleychurch.com.au