Ready for Impact (10 minutes)
Take time to introduce yourselves to one another (over drinks or snacks if possible). Then ask group members to answer this question:
- What do you find genuinely puzzling about the world?
(this could be profound, like the nature of evil or suffering – or trivial, like the popularity of a talentless musician or bland TV show)
Over the course of this term, we’ve explored the ancient book of Ecclesiastes. Though Ecclesiastes comes from a very different culture and time to ours, it touches on some of the most profound issues of humanity.
Ask for a volunteer to read Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 to the group, praying a short prayer that, however much they’ve come to know God, they’d know him better as a result of your time together.
Watch
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Impacted by the Word (15 minutes)
Suggested questions to help your discussion.
- What impression of the Teacher do you get from verses 9-11?
- Imagine you heard the Teacher speaking live in his day. How do you think it would have felt?
- What do you think the Teacher hoped his wisdom would do in his hearers? To what extent has this been your experience reading Ecclesiastes this term?
- What are we encouraged to do with the questions we ask about life that remain a mystery? (verse 12-14)
- Read Matthew 11:28-30. How might Jesus’ invitation help us in what we do with our unanswered questions?
Verse 11 suggests that the Teacher (and Jesus) use words that are like nail-embedded goads, prodding us in the right direction. Whilst these words aren’t cruel, they can be painful at times to hear. Their wise words are intended to keep us safe, by sticking in our memories and spurring our wills. As our Good Shepherd, Jesus guides us – and prods us, when necessary – because he loves us and knows us by name (John 10:11-16). His intentions for us are always good.
Verse 12 is not a biblical warrant for skipping that essay you have coming up! It’s not university education that is bad for us, but a form of unrelenting questioning.
Verse 12 alludes back to 1:8 and a theme that’s continued throughout Ecclesiastes. The more questions the Teacher has asked about the meaning of life, the closer he has got to the unknowable… and the wearier he has become. Barry Webb says, “Grappling with unanswerable questions brings exhaustion. Beyond this it is not safe to go.”
So asking questions isn’t wrong: far from it. But we must recognise their limits – and be satisfied that sometimes trusting God is better than knowing all the answers.
Impacting Our Hearts (10 minutes)
- What unanswered questions do you have about God?
Some of our questions have answers that are worth pursuing and finding. Other questions have unknowable answers; we’re instead called to trust the God who loves us.
- Which of these responses do you think Jesus is asking you to make with your own questions?
Ask someone to pray in the light of your discussions for the group.
Impacting the University (10 minutes)
Discuss together:
- Why is it hard to say “I don’t know” when someone asks us a question about our beliefs?
- Sometimes we need to admit we don’t know everything, but that Jesus has given us enough to trust him confidently. What might this attitude show your friends?
Take time to pray together. Pray that you’d respond well to questions – your own and those of friends. Ask God for wisdom, for patience in finding answers together – but also the humility to say, “I don’t know.”
Wrap-up – think 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 hanging out socially in the meantime!