Second Talk
MOMENT OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE

Purpose:  To recognize the incarnate Jesus in our lives - To build one another up, to affirm one another, to insure that we are intentional in our examinations of our own intimate encounters with Jesus.

I.	When we recognize the presence of Christ in ourselves, our relationships or actions, we experience spiritual growth.

A.	We may recognize Jesus in our own growth.

l.	In the new ways in which we respond to God.

2.	In our improved relationships with others.

3.	In an expanding prayer life with God.

4.	We might suddenly be convinced that certain behavior of ours is not acceptable to God and suddenly know that we have to make some choices about our behavior.  

	In the peace which surrounds such a revelation, we recognize the loving presence of Jesus, at once both admonishing us and affirming us.  His will then becomes our joy.

B.	We experience his presence in improved responses to those around us.

1.	We may regret the way in which we reacted to what another person said or did.  Jesus redeems this response by giving us a vision of a better way to respond and granting us the love to want to respond in Christ.

2.	We might be filled with admiration for another whose depth of love allows him or her to sacrifice personal desires in a situation in order to better serve the needs of someone else, thus allowing us to see Christ in them.  

3.	We might rebel against the will of God in our lives and suddenly sense a strong awareness of Jesus' presence speaking to us about that. 

C.	The identifying factor is spiritual growth.

1.	"Happiness" and "elation" are not necessarily identifying factors of a "close" encounter with Jesus.  We can be very happy as a result of a game in which "our" team won.  We can be very happy as a result of a race which we won.  We can be elated over the sudden arrival of unneeded but much wanted money.  We can be awash with joyful emotion over the touchable presence of someone near and dear to us.  Often, though, these do not result in spiritual growth.  It is not Jesus with whom we are close at these times, but rather our own desires, our own sensual and emotional fulfillment.

II.	Example in scripture.

A.	A principal opponent of "the Way," Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen and was on his way to arrest other followers of Jesus when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Read Acts 9:1-8.

1.	Paul was persecuting Jesus' followers.

2.	Jesus told Paul that it was Jesus whom he was persecuting.

3.	Jesus loved Paul through Ananias, restoring his sight. See Acts 9:17-18.

4.	Paul was baptized and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.  Acts 9:19-20.

III.	Brief personal witness of speaker, sharing "close moment" which occurred during the past week.  Be vulnerable.  The speaker should try to choose that confrontation with Christ during the past week which was the most difficult to face, yet resulted in true growth.

Response by the Leader:
A.	Invite participants to spend l5 minutes in subjective discussion of talk.
B.	Instruct pairs to share their close moments with each other.