There are seven types of story that come up again and again across every time and culture. This term we’ll explore those stories, consider what they tell us about our humanity, and how they help us understand the true story of Jesus
Today, we’ll be thinking more broadly about why we tell stories at all.
Ask for a volunteer to pray a short prayer that however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d know him better as a result of your time together.
Ideas for your first meetings
Welcome people to the group, and ask people to introduce themselves.
Share the vision for your group. Touch on the fact that as we grow as a community we want to be impacted by God’s word, and then think about how to impact the university for good in Jesus’ name.
There will likely be a mix of Christians and those who are exploring faith in your group. You might say something like: ‘All of us will be at different stages of our faith journey. Some of us will be following Jesus, some of us are just exploring things. Wherever you are at, you’re welcome here. Feel free to join in with discussions or just listen along.’
Ready for Impact (5 minutes)
- What story did you most love as a child? Why did you love it so much?
(encourage people to share films, books or stories they heard from family or friends)
Impacted by the Word – Part One (10 minutes)
Having thought about the stories we love, this video will help your group think about why it is that we tell stories.
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
- Where have you seen a story bringing people together or bringing change in a situation?
- Why do you think stories hold this power?
- Think back to the stories you shared earlier. What hopes and fears do those stories express?
Impacted by the Word – Part Two (15 minutes)
Ask for a volunteer to read Luke 1:1-4.
This video will help your group consider Luke’s account of Jesus, the man at the centre of the Christian story
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
- On a large piece of paper, write out the various steps that Luke took when putting his account together.
- How would you describe Luke’s process?
- Why do you think Luke was so keen that Theophilus should know ‘certainty’ about the events of Jesus’ life?
- If we can trust that Luke’s account is reliable, how might that change how we engage with it?
Throughout the early chapters of his account, Luke repeatedly implies that Jesus is God, the great Author of reality (1:32-33, 2:11, 4:21), who has come into the story that he has written.
- Being honest, how do you respond to this idea?
‘Theophilus’ is a name that means ‘friend of God’. For this reason, some have thought that Theophilus is a symbolic name, addressing everyone who would go on to read Luke’s account. Most scholars agree, however, that Theophilus was a real person. He was most likely Luke’s patron, the man who met the costs of publishing Luke’s book.
It might be that conversations about the reliability of Luke’s Gospel come up in your group. We can be confident that Luke’s Gospel is historically accurate. You might find this video a helpful place to start if you want to delve deeper into this topic: Is Luke's account of Jesus' life reliable?
Impacting Our Hearts (15 minutes)
Luke doesn’t just state that his account of Jesus is true. He implies that it’s good news.
In verse 1, Luke speaks of something being ‘fulfilled’, or completed. Jesus uses this same language later in Luke’s
Gospel. He says that he’s come to fulfil all the hopes of God’s people.
Read Luke 4:17-21.
- How do Jesus’ words help you understand what he came to earth to do?
- Which aspect of verse 18-19 sounds most like good news to you? Why?
We thought earlier about how certain hopes and fears drive the stories that we tell.
- In what ways do Jesus’ words reflect these hopes and fears?
- How confident are you that Jesus can deliver on what he says?
Spend some time responding in prayer as a group, praying especially that everyone would grow to see more of Jesus’ truth and goodness for themselves.
If you’re able to sing in your group time, why not consider some of the following songs: How Great is Our God, This I Believe (The Creed), The Goodness of Jesus
Impacting the University (10 minutes)
When it comes to the big questions of life, talking about ‘certainty’ can make us feel nervous. It implies that some people are right, and others are wrong.
- Why do you think we are often not good at disagreement?
- How do you feel about building friendships with people who have different views or opinions to you?
Disagreement is a normal part of relating to other people. If we listen well, speak kindly, and invest in friendship with the person we disagree with, it can actually be enormously healthy.
- In what ways could healthy disagreement enrich both you and those you interact with?
Spend some time praying for the beginning of meaningful friendships in the early weeks of term, and that those who are following Jesus would be bold in sharing their faith.
As you close, you might like to briefly share the titles and themes of the upcoming sessions to give people a flavour for the term ahead.
Wrap-up – TACOS 🌮
Thank You – Thank everyone for coming, and ask someone to thank God for your time together in prayer.
Ask – Ask those who are new to reading the Bible if they’d like to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in Mark’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate one of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life alongside one of you.
Church and CU – What does the CU have planned ahead? And what help would group members value in finding a local church?
Others – Who else could you invite to join your CU Impact Group next week? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
See You Soon – Tell the group where and when you’ll meet next week, and arrange who will bring snacks. (You might like to alternate healthy and less healthy weeks!). See if anyone would be up for sharing a meal or just hanging out in the meantime!