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Feast.
Autumn Term 2025.
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​Introduction
This term's preaching series is on spiritual disciplines – things we do and habits we form to help us grow to maturity. But it’s not a how-to, it’s more of a why-to. We’re not supposed to pray, study or fast begrudgingly, but because we’ve seen something of how glorious God is and how magnificent the gospel is, and as a result, we want to know God better and become more like Him. So we’ll remind ourselves what – or Who – makes spiritual disciplines desirable and how they can help us grow in Him.
So it's also a series about God, lifting our eyes to Who He Is.
​​​​The questions and activities below are suggested ways of engaging with this outside of the Sunday service: individually, with a friend, or as a basis for City Group discussions. You should be able to use these questions even if you haven’t heard the sermon.
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You may not have time for all of the questions in a City Group evening, so consider them as a menu of options to pick from, either in advance or in the moment as you see how the discussion progresses. Some of the questions are repeated in multiple weeks; others are specific to one week's passage. Try to reflect both elements of the ​​series in your discussions – the nuts and bolts of the discipline and the character of the God who invites us to feast on them.
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How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast in the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
Psalm 36:7–8 NIV
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Quick Links
Tips for leading | 28 Sept | 5 Oct | 12 Oct | 19 Oct | 26 Oct (no notes) | 2 Nov (no notes) | 9 Nov | 16 Nov | 23 Nov | 30 Nov
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Sermon recordings are here (or search City Church Cambridge in a podcast app).
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Tips for Leading Bible Discussions.
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In advance, try to at least read the passage, pray for the group, and decide which of the suggested questions and activities you’re going to prioritise.
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You want to help the group to have a discussion with each other, so don’t talk too much yourself, and do encourage them to respond to each other’s contributions (“That’s an interesting point; what does everyone else think about that?” – especially useful if someone’s said something unhelpful.)
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Encourage people to discover things in the Bible passage, not just share their own ideas (“It’d be great if you could share which verse you’re looking at when you answer this question.”)
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Generally speaking, ask one question at a time, and keep it simple to understand (even if it’s not simple to answer!)
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Make sure everyone gets a chance to participate. Discussing something in 3s and 4s is a great way to do this.
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Don’t be afraid to leave silences, nor to call time on a side-track that’s gone on for longer than is helpful.
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Week commencing 28th September: The Treasure of Devoted Time
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] Do you have a habit of setting aside time to focus on your relationship with God? If so, when, where and how do you do that?
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What do you appreciate about setting aside time to focus on God?
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What do you find hard about setting aside time for your relationship with God? What challenges might get in the way?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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What aspects of God's character motivate you to set aside time for your relationship with Him?
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We exercise spiritual disciplines because God loves us, not to make Him loves us. Does that make a difference to how we approach them,?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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Are there any Bible passages that encourage you to make time to focus on God?
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What effect would it have on our lives if we never deliberately put aside time for our relationship with God?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to change what you're doing to spend time focusing on Him? What will you do this week to respond?​​​​
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Week commencing 5th October: The Song of the Bride
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] How does sung worship feature in your life? When, where and how do you do it?
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What do you appreciate about sung worship?
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What do you find hard about sung worship?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians sing. What does that tell you about God?
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What aspect of the gospel has stirred you to worship recently?
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How has God revealed Himself to you as you've worshipped?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we sing?
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What effect would it have on our lives if we never sung to God?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to change how sung worship features in your life?
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Sing in worship together now!
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Week commencing 12th October: The Light of Scripture
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] How does reading the Bible feature in your life? When, where and how do you do it?
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What do you appreciate about reading the Bible?
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What do you find hard about reading the Bible?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians treasure the Bible. What does that tell you about God?
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"God calls us to read the Bible because He loves us." Discuss!
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Who would like to share something God has shown you about Himself from the Bible recently?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we read the Bible?
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What effect would it have on our lives if we never read the Bible?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to change how reading the Bible features in your life?
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Week commencing 19th October: The Witness of Water, Bread and Wine
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Our Experiences
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Where and when were you baptised?
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What do you appreciate about taking communion?
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What do you find hard about taking communion?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians are baptised. What does that tell you about the gospel?
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Christians share communion. What does that tell you about God?
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What aspects of God's character do we benefit from as we take communion?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we are baptised?
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What does the Bible say about why we take communion?
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What effect would it have on our lives if we never had communion?
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Action
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Is there anyone who needs to be baptised? (i.e. anyone who is following Jesus, or wants to start, but hasn't been baptised!)
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Share communion together.
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Week commencing 26th October: Standalone sermon
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[No notes this week.]​​
Week commencing 2nd November: Standalone sermon
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[No notes this week.]​​
Week commencing 9th November: The Manifestations of the Spirit
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] Have you ever shared from the front in a service in an unplanned way?
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What do you appreciate about contributions from the congregation on a Sunday?
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What makes it hard to bring contributions on a Sunday?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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What aspects of God's character are we benefitting from as we make space for people to exercise different spiritual gifts in our meetings?
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Why are spiritual gifts a benefit of the gospel?
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How has God revealed Himself to you through someone being led by the Spirit to say something?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we make space for congregational contributions in our meetings?
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There are lots of spiritual gifts and not all of them involve speaking up in a meeting! But what effect would it have on our lives if we never made space for people to contribute in meetings?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to exercise spiritual gifts in meetings more or differently?
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Spend some time worshipping together and before you start, encourage everyone to try to contribute a prayer or prophecy or verse of scripture or something during your worship.
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Week commencing 16th November: The Privilege of Prayer
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] How does prayer feature in your life? When, where and how do you do it?
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What do you appreciate about prayer?
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What do you find hard about prayer?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians pray. What does that tell you about God?
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What aspects of God's character are a blessing to us in our prayers?
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"The Bible's instruction to pray is an expression of God's grace." Discuss!
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How has God revealed Himself to you as you've prayed?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we pray?
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What effect would it have on our lives if we never prayed?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to change how prayer features in your life?
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Spend some time praying together now.
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Week commencing 23rd November: The Feast of Fasting
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] How does fasting feature in your life? When, where and how do you do it?
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What do you appreciate about fasting?
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What do you find hard about fasting?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians fast. What does that tell you about God?
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What aspects of God's character are a blessing to us when we fast?
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How does fasting remind us of the gospel?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we fast?
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Would it have an effect on our lives if we never fasted? Why/why not?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Is God stirring (or challenging!) you to change how fasting features in your life?
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As a group, is there something you'd like to agree to pray about this week, and all skip the same meal as you do so?
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Week commencing 30th November: The Strength of Fellowship
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Our Experiences
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[In threes and fours:] How have other Christians helped you in your relationship with God recently?
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What do you find hard about helping other Christians in their relationship with God?
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Has anyone got any ideas/tips from their experience which might help with that?
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God's Character
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Christians help each other to follow Jesus. What does that tell you about God?
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How is the act of encouraging one another's faith a reflection of the gospel?
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The Discipline's Blessings
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What does the Bible say about why we help one another to follow Jesus?
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What effect would it have on our lives if other Christians never talked to us about our walk with God?
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Action
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[In threes and fours:] Would anyone like to share something that's a challenge at the moment and talk and pray it through with the others?
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[In threes and fours:] Who is God stirring (or challenging!) you to encourage in their relationship with God?