Ready for Impact (10 minutes)
Catch up on how things have been since the last time your Impact Group met. Allow anyone new to introduce themselves. Then ask group members to:
- Talk about a small thing someone did for you which had a massive effect.
Ask for a volunteer to read Matthew 13:31-32 to the group, praying a short prayer that – however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d know him better as a result of your time together.
Watch
If you’re not gathered in person, the leader should project the video for the group through sharing their screen. If you’re using Zoom, make sure you have optimized your screen share for video.
Impacted by the Word (15 minutes)
Suggested questions to help your discussion
Ask each group member to write down words they immediately associate with a move of God. Then ask them to write down words they immediately associate with a growing seed.
- What differences do you notice between your two lists of words?
- How does this exercise help us understand the expectations in Jesus’ day around the coming of the kingdom of God?
- How do you think the original hearers might have reacted to Jesus’ parable?
- According to Jesus, what causes the kingdom of God to grow?
- In which different ways is the kingdom of God like a mustard seed?
- Where does Jesus’ parable encourage us to look if we want to see a true move of God today?
If your group comprises only Christians, you might like to ask these optional questions:
- Jesus teaches that, fully grown, the kingdom is like a tree with birds nesting in its shade. This was an Old Testament image of a powerful king protecting his people with stability and peace (see Ezekiel 17:22-23). How does this picture speak to you? What does it say to you about the experience of being in the kingdom of God?
Impacting Our Hearts (10 minutes)
- Option 1: Write Your Own Parable. In pairs or threes, work together to come up with your own image or metaphor describing the kingdom of God. Ideally your image should capture the kingdom’s humble beginnings, dramatic growth and inevitable dominance. Start your parables, “The kingdom of God is like…” and present them to the group.
- Option 2: Deep Impact. Discuss: If you were to take this parable of Jesus seriously, how might it change your life and priorities?
You might also like to share personal prayer requests. Invite group members who are willing to turn some of these thoughts to prayer.
Impacting the University (15 minutes)
It’s easy to overlook the small things that God can use to make an impact. Watch Brandon’s story together.
Now discuss together:
- What strikes you most about his story?
- Do any of you have similar stories, where people did things that probably seemed small or inconsequential to them, but which made a big impact in you coming to faith?
Jesus wants us to see that, in time, tiny and seemingly unimpressive seeds have the potential to accomplish almost unimaginable outcomes.
- Within your group, adopt a shared challenge this week to each plant a gospel seed, praying that in God’s hands they would grow in ways that exceed your expectations. This could be your own challenge or one listed below.
Ideas for sowing seeds:
- ‘Name drop’ Jesus in a conversation with a friend
- Invite a friend to join you at church, or to come to next week’s Impact Group
- Ask a friend, “Other than family members, who’s impacted your life for good the most?” Be prepared to answer if you’re asked the same question in response!
- Post on Instagram sharing something you’ve learned about Jesus recently, whether or not you’d call yourself a Christian
Wrap-up
You may have people in your Impact Group who are less familiar with Jesus and his teaching. Perhaps this was the first time they heard about Jesus’ kingdom!
- Let them know how much you’ve enjoyed having them, and encourage them to keep coming to your Impact Group!
- Invite them to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in John’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate Jesus for themselves. Make it easy for those who are keen to opt in. (You can find hints on using Uncover online here).
- Next week we will be looking at Jesus’ story of a reckless shepherd and a sheep that got lost. Who could you invite to join you? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
- Find out who’s in your university city this week. Who’d be up for going for a walk together?
Confirm the time that you’ll meet next week, and ask someone to close your time together in prayer.
Taking it further – links you might like to share with your Impact Group
- Jackie Hill Perry’s song Mustard Seed speaks about the gradual pace of change with life in the kingdom of God.
- The seed was planted in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and has continued growing since then. This hour-long audio overview tells the story of what has happened in the two thousand years of Christianity since!
- There are now university Christian Unions in almost every country of the world! Receive inspirational stories of what God is doing globally through students at IFES Prayerline.
- In a thoughtful blog article, Ian Paul writes about the need for faith in sowing seeds.