Week Four

See, feel, taste, know

SEEDS TO SOW: CONSIDER VISUAL DETAILS FOUND IN THE READINGS *

Introduction: As we a continue to experiment with having a visual/multi-sensory motif for each week, for this week’s study we take three images: a broken yoke, a cross, and some bread and wine. The idea is that these pictures provide an additional focus point during study this week. Let these images in scripture inspire creative responses to the readings.

Read Isaiah 9: 1-4

Breaking the yoke.

Does this powerful image in verse 4 refer to a particular time in history, or is it an everyman/ woman event that the prophet sees? Are there personal yokes of bondage from which we need to delivered? Is this a manifesto of God’s coming Kingdom, if so how could it affect our lives?

Read 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25

The message of the cross.

A living picture. Do we need a cross in Christianity? Is the message of the cross a revelation rather than a logical argument? What is the revelation that the cross portrays?

Read 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

Communion — ultimate communication.

We end our month on communication thinking about how God communicates with us through Communion. What does it mean to you when we say together the Sursum corda? (Referring to the Communion liturgy, ‘Lift up your hearts’.)

How does the multi-sensory experience of Communion affect how you relate to God in that moment?

* SEEDS TO SOW: These are open-ended and optional prompts and are designed for people wanting to develop their own resources in response to the themes. Perhaps if you are using this material as a group you could use these prompts to inspire a time of prayer, or drawing, or creative writing? They are a short and sweet, simply a starting off place for you and your imagination. Tailor and develop as suits your group.