SESSION 5: LIVING HOLY LIVES!
(Meditations for March 19-25)

Before the Session
Read through the scripture, meditations, and prayers from The Upper Room for March 19-25. Write on large sheets of paper the scripture references and questions listed in "Reflection on The Upper Room" in the pages at the back of the March-April issue of the magazine. Display these on the wall or on tables in your meeting space.

Opening Prayers and an Introduction to the Study (5 minutes)

An Introduction to the Theme for the Session (5 minutes)

Invite the group to join you in saying responsively,

*LEADER: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
PEOPLE: the whole earth is full of his glory."
LEADER: The Lord commands, "Be holy, for I am holy."
PEOPLE: Sanctify us in your love so that we live holy lives, following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*The leader statements are drawn from Isaiah 6:3 and Leviticus 11:44.

Introduce the theme for the session, saying,

God is holy; and those who follow God's ways live holy lives. Holiness comes from awareness and experience of God's presence. In each of us, the divine is revealed; and God's love is manifest in our lives. To be holy is to be like Jesus, to pray and to show compassion, especially to those who are less fortunate.

Reflection on The Upper Room (25 minutes)

Invite discussion of the meditations for March 19-25.What does each meditation say to you about holiness? Which do the meditations say about being aware of God's presence? about living in ways that reveal God's love? Which are most meaningful to you? Which come closest to your understanding and experience?

After they have discussed the daily meditations from The Upper Room, invite each of the participants to walk around the room, to choose one of the following scripture passages, and either to reflect on or to discuss the questions listed below:

March 19 2 Corinthians 3:2-4
When you send an email or a letter to a friend, what do you say?
We are letters for Christ. What kind of letter is written by your life?
How do other people know what is written on your heart?
In what ways are you a love letter from Christ to your community?

March 20 I Samuel 3:1-10
What experiences have you had in which you heard the voice of God?
How did you know that God was speaking to you?
What was God saying to you?
How did you respond?

March 22 2 Corinthians 9: 10-10:6
What does it mean for the community of faith to live not by human standards but according to the "knowledge of God in Jesus Christ"?
In what ways do you glorify God?
How do you proclaim the gospel of Christ? In what ways are you generous?
Pray aloud 2 Corinthians 9:15: "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

March 23 Matthew 21: 12-17
Why was Jesus upset when he entered the Temple?
What did Jesus expect from the people who entered the temple?
How were God's purposes revealed by the children?
Why were the religious leaders angry with Jesus?
When you go to church, what is expected of you? How do you feel about those expectations?

March 24 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16
How is human wisdom different from God's wisdom?
How does God's Spirit work in human lives?
What are we called to be and to do?
What does it mean to "have the mind of Christ"?

March 25 Mark 10:13-16
What did Jesus mean when he said, "People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God"?
In what ways are we like children? (Reflect on these characteristics: spontaneity, trust, openness, easy forgiveness, unpredictability, simplicity.)
How can youth and adults learn to be more like children?

Holy Living (20 minutes)

Invite the participants to spend some time in silent reflection. In a large room, ask them to find places where they can be quiet and alone. Provide paper and pens for those who choose to write.

Guide the participants in reflecting on the meaning of holiness. Ask these questions. After each, allow several minutes of silence.

• Who is someone who lives a holy life?
• What comes to mind when you think of this person?
• What makes you think he or she is holy?
• In what ways do you see in this person the love of God?
• What about you is holy?
• How do you experience the presence of God in your life?
• In what ways is God's love manifest in your life?

Bring the group together. Invite volunteers to talk about what holiness means to them.

Suggestions for Multigenerational Activities

• Invite volunteers to tell the story in Samuel 3:1-10. Or ask the group members to tell the story round robin, each person adding a line of narrative or dialogue. As the story is told, encourage the group to use hand claps to identify the characters in the Bible story, as follows:
  • When Samuel speaks, clap the fingertips of one hand against the heel of the opposite palm.
  • When Eli speaks, keep the fingers outstretched and the hands stiff while clapping the palms together.
  • When God speaks, cup your palms and clap them together.
  
  This is the beginning of the story:
  Samuel heard a voice calling him through the darkness.
  GOD: "Samuel! Samuel!" (Clap as God speaks.)
  SAMUEL: "Here 1 am," Samuel said. (Clap as Samuel speaks.)
  ELI: "I did not call for you. (Clap as Eli speaks.)
  
  When the participants have finished telling the story, ask them to go back and review the story using hand claps and no words.
  
  Invite discussion: Do you hear God's voice? How do you know that God is with you?
• Show pictures of Jesus' ministries of teaching and healing. (Select pictures from books such as Faces of Jesus, an older book of photographs and art that tells the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, or Rembrandt's "Life of Christ.") Invite the group to talk about what's happening in each picture. Then ask: What are some ways that we can be like Jesus?

Closing Prayers (10 minutes)

Invite the group to join you in singing all four verses of "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" (UMH 402).

Say a Prayer: God, be present in our lives. Make us more holy so that we grow in your love, through Christ Jesus. Amen.

This Week at Home
(facilitators: make copies of the following brief suggestion and distribute to people as they leave)

Prepare for the next lesson by reading each day the scripture, meditation, and prayers from The Upper Room.

Spend some time each day in silence. Put aside distractions and enter into the presence of God. Pray for God's guidance. Listen for God's voice. Conclude your time of silence with praise. Either say or sing, "Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest." (UMH page 9)