It's a Trap! SFK for October 22

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Subject: It's a Trap! SFK for October 22

HMBFC ____
Spiritual Formation Kit
DIY Bible study

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Intro

After pondering the Scripture passage for this week's worship gathering, the staff of Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community put together this spiritual formation kit for groups and individuals to use.

We hope that it will encourage transformation as you encounter God's voice in fresh ways through the Bible; connection as you talk and pray together; and interaction as the sermons become less of a Sunday morning monologue and more of a week-long community conversation.

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Liturgy
Frame your time together with prayer.

Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
Follow this link to center your hearts and minds with silence, the responsive prayers, and/or music. Read and discuss this week's passage below instead of the passages suggested by Common Prayer. After discussing the passage with the questions below, close your time with prayer for each other and the benediction.

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This week's text
Read this passage aloud once or twice

Matthew 22:15-22 ›

Compare this week's passage to the parallel versions in Mark and Luke.

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Reflection Questions
Guide discussion with these questions or ask your own.

1) Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire. The Pharisees (resisters) and Herodians (collaborators) set aside their political differences in order to lay a trap for Jesus. What do you think would have happened if he had said, "No way, paying taxes to the emperor is against God's law!" or "Yes, totally. Pay those taxes!"

2) Describe a time when you felt trapped by conflicting priorities, beliefs, or convictions. How did you navigate the tension?

3) Jesus says to give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and back to God what is God's. Christians have wrestled with what this means for us as citizens in the world (but of the kingdom). They've basically offered three answers: 1) don't pay taxes 2) pay taxes - but remember that obeying the government is subject to obeying God and 3) pay taxes - because obeying the government is equivalent to obeying God. Which of these do you agree with most?

4) If the coin belongs to the emperor then what belongs to God? How does the use of your money, time, energy, resources, and gifts reflect the truth that you (and others) are created in the image of God?

Make SFK a regular spiritual practice:

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Subject: It's a Trap! SFK for October 22