Inside Voice - Week Two Discussion Guide

CoreGroup Guide | Inside Voice - Week 2

Welcome!

Last week Pastor Matt Miofsky began a new sermon series called Inside Voice: A Study of the Holy Spirit. Part 1 of this series focussed on the Holy Spirit as Fire – a fire that refines, illuminates, empowers, and energizes our lives. 

As part of last week’s discussion, we watched a meditation video from Pastor Adam Baker. Take a few minutes at the beginning of this week’s group to talk about what changed in your heart or mind as a result of this meditation. How did it impact your experience of communion?

[If you did not have an opportunity to view last week’s meditation, you can check it out here – The Holy Spirit as Fire: A Communion Meditation]

In today’s CoreGroup discussion, we will talk about Part 2 of the series, the Holy Spirit as Counselor. So get comfortable, grab your Bible, take a deep breath, and let’s begin in prayer… 

Opening Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to gather here today and for the ways your Holy Spirit is already working in this group. Thank you for helping us create space for these conversations and for the unique perspectives you have given each of us when it comes to our understanding of the Holy Spirit. Please guide our discussion today, God. Strengthen us, challenge us, and be present with us as we tune our hearts and minds to the movement of your Spirit. Amen. 

Ice Breaker: 

Think about the important people in your life – Family, friends, co-workers, professionals, etc… Answer one or more of the following questions

• Who do you turn to when you need advice? 
• Who do you turn to when you need comfort? 
• Who do you turn to when you need an advocate? 
• What, if any characteristics do they (your adviser, comforter, and/or advocate)  have in common?

The Head:

Below are five different versions of the same scripture, John 14:15-17 

1. Common English Bible (CEB)
2. New Living Translation (NLT)
3. English Standard Translation (EST)
4. King James Version (KJV)
5. Revised Standard Version (RSV)

• Read each of these different versions out loud with the group and compare and contrast the names/descriptors of the Holy Spirit. 
• How do the names impact or change your view or relationship with the Holy Spirit? 
• What are the main similarities between each version? What are the key differences?

Common English Version (CEB)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever. This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you.”

New Living Translation (NLT)
“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

English Standard Version (ESV)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

King James Version (KJV)
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Revised Standard Version (RSV)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.”

• Which version of John 14:15-17 resonates most with your own understanding of the Holy Spirit? Why?

The Heart:
 

• In what ways have you experienced the Holy Spirit as a Counselor in your life? If you are comfortable, share an experience with the group about a time you received wisdom, advice, advocacy, or comfort from the Holy Spirit.
• What hesitations, doubts, or fears do you have when it comes to seeing the Holy Spirit as a counselor? 
• What do you do with those hesitations, doubts, and fears?

Read John 14:25-27 (from any version you prefer, or multiple versions!). 

• How does this conclusion to the chapter influence your understanding of the Holy Spirit as Counselor?

The Hands:

Take a moment to listen to or watch (on one screen, if possible) this meditation by Pastor Sarah Rugenstone: The Holy Spirit as Counselor

As part of this meditation, Pastor Sarah poses these questions:

• What’s sitting on your heart right now?
• What’s been bringing you joy lately?
• What’s been heavy lately?
• How can I be praying for you?

Either during your group time, or on your own time, spend a few minutes journaling your responses to these questions. Where do you feel the work of the Holy Spirit in this process?

• Consider sharing your responses with a trusted partner, friend, or CoreGroup member.
•  If time and level of comfort allow, ask these questions of somebody else in your life, perhaps a person who could use a Companion, Advocate, Helper, Comforter, or Counselor. 

Closing Prayer:

God the Comforter and the Counselor, thank you so much for your presence with each of us, in every moment of our life. Thank you for your presence in this CoreGroup and for your guidance of our conversation. Thank you for the tremendous gift of peace that you offer us. You are with us in our moments of joy, and you hold us in our moments of heaviness. May we be reminded of your comforting and counseling presence always. Amen. 
[Adapted from Pastor Sarah’s prayer in the meditation linked above.]