... Welcome to the Off the Beaten Path Study...

Transcription

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2 ... Welcome to the Off the Beaten Path Study... Many people will flock to the popular summer destinations Disney World, Ocean City, Outer Banks, and more. But sometimes it s when you go off the beaten path that the best memories are made. A tour through the bible can be the same way. As important as the main roads are, this summer we re going off the beaten path to find some hidden jewels. Here is how this works: Let s Talk For the opening part of the guide, there will be a dedicated time for informal conversation. If your group has an opening tradition already in place by all means use that! However, if you need some help starting conversation, this section is for you. Read This section of the study is for deeper study of the Scripture. Each week will have a specific section of Scripture your group will read and study. It will dive into the historical context, the setting, the characters and how this all impacts the story of God. Your group looking to go deeper? Here is where you will thrive! Reflect This section of the study will primarily focus on reflection on the Scripture. You will have the opportunity to answer some application questions. Questions such as: How does this impact my life? What can we as a group get from this? Reach In this final section, your group will have an opportunity to go beyond itself and think about how these Scriptures propel us to reach others. You will have dedicated time each week exploring impactful ways about how to reach the community around you!

3 ... WEEK 1 // The Journey Begins Here... Let s Talk Take a minute and think of someone or something that gave you a start. Maybe it was a job opportunity, an athletic accomplishment, an educational accomplishment etc. For example, Kevin Durant dedicated his 2013/2014 MVP Speech to his mother because without her it would not have been possible. Watch the highlights: Questions: Who has given you a start? Who paved the way for some of your successes? Read Being a midwife is a difficult yet rewarding profession. We all know that labor can be traumatic and unpredictable. Essentially, it is a miracle to have a baby. Now imagine for second that you are a midwife secretly delivering babies, in the midst of a tyranny. This is exactly the story of Shiphrah and Puah, two ordinary midwives, who changed the course of history by the choice to listen to God. Open chapter 1 and read together starting in verse 11: 11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh

4 labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. 15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live. 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live? 19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive. 20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live. Reflect The book is Exodus is largely dominated by the biblical hero of Moses. However, did you know there is an important moment in Exodus 1 sets the stage for the birth of Moses! Even the most popular figures in the Scripture need a starting point and that starting point is always initiated by someone else. Many of us fail to realize those who have helped us start our journey with God. Take a moment and share with each other those who paved the way for us to start our journey with God. Follow up, have you paved the way for someone to start their journey with God? Are you working on someone s path now? In verses 15-20, Shiphrah and Puah s courage and vision are on perfect display. God creatively works in the lives of the Israelites, in the midst of the darkness of slavery. Shiphrah and Puah end up making a significant difference in Israel and

5 God. God is able to work through two ordinary, yet really extraordinary women, which allows the possibility for God to work his way into the future with the people of God. This future (i.e. the birth of Moses) may not have been possible if it were not for the faith and courage exhibited by Shiphrah and Puah. Share a time in which you have seen incredible faith and courage exhibited by someone. Can you say the same for yourself? If so, share away! How can we be praying and encouraging one another to step out in faith? o Difficult decisions are universal. They happen in all times. What are some difficult decisions you might have to make that your group can be praying for? Reach Believe it or not, Exodus 1 can help us reach our community! What can the story of Shiphrah and Puah tell us about reaching our community? Get your hands dirty and start paving the way for someone far from God to find God! If you already have a relationship with someone who hasn t started a relationship with God, take some time to brainstorm some moves you can make this week. Be that starting point for someone! o Babysit their kids o Buy them lunch, dinner or coffee o Take them a meal o Offer to do some yard work for them Pray daily for courage and faith. Be careful, this a dangerous prayer. But if you pray it, God will give you the opportunity to step out. Make sure you are ready.

6 ... WEEK 2 // Dusting Off Your Map... Let s Talk Think back to when you were 8 years old. You might have been in grade school. You were probably playing some kind of sport like baseball, softball, gymnastics, football. Or maybe sports weren t your thing. Maybe you were discovering the beauty of a guitar, piano or clarinet. Maybe you were being swept away by a great novel. Questions: Share some things about what you liked when you were 8 years old. What did you enjoy doing? Read Whether it was playing a sport or an instrument, you probably were not leading a kingdom. We can t say the same about Josiah. Open up your Bibles to 2 Kings 22:1-19: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said: 4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who

7 repair the temple of the Lord 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings. 8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord. He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple. 10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king s attendant: 13 Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us. 14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter. 15 She said to them, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched. 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people that they would become a curse and be laid waste and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place. So they took her answer back to the king.

8 Reflect Imagine being in Josiah s shoes for a moment. You have just inherited a people group in complete disarray. An assassination preceded you and then warfare before that. Oh, and did we mention you are only 8? Seems impossible to fix, right? Yet, we have a God who works wonders through every impossible season. This is exactly what he did for Josiah. God raised up people in the madness of the times in order to get the people to turn back to him. Josiah just needed to listen. Share about a time where the madness of life seemed to be getting the best of everything. What was your relationship with God like then? o Were you listening? Were you angry? Were you distant from God? Were you in God s word? Now think of a time you witnessed someone else go through the madness of life. Did you play a role in helping bring the peace of God back to their lives? Did you direct them to Scripture? Did you steer them back to God? Why or Why not? In verses, 11-13, Josiah takes a stand. After hearing the Word of the Lord, the Bible says he tore his clothes. We know this to be historically true because the tearing of one s clothes is an ancient tradition among the Israelites. It only occurs when it is associated with mourning, grief, loss. Another example of this is in 2 Samuel 1:11-12, when Saul and Jonathon were killed. Whatever was read from the Book of the Law must to have had profound impact on Josiah for him to tear his clothes. Talk about a time in which the something you read in Scripture has had a profound impact on you (We advise that you keep your clothes on) How did it change the way you lived? Reach Even though we know the profound impact Scripture can have, it still is so easy in our lives to push them aside. With baseball practices, soccer practices, dance recitals, meal prepping, working out jobs, school etc. it is so easy to just wait

9 for Sunday. How many times have we said to each other our ourselves, I ll just read my Bible on Sunday? Yet, God has called us to live better. Joshua 1:8 says, the Law shall not depart from your mouth; meditate on it night and day. Take a moment to share why it is so difficult to read the Scriptures every day? Be honest here. How can we do better? How can we encourage one another to practice the art of Scripture reading? Maybe this is a text group, phone call or Facebook group message to help remind each other daily.

10 ... WEEK 3 // When the Road is Tough... Let s Talk Has anyone heard of the White Helmets? Watch: WARNING SOME CONTENT MAY BE UNSETTLING. Take a look at this Netflix trailer: Every day in Syria volunteer rescue workers from the White Helmets rush to the scenes of chaos to pull people out from under the rubble and carry them to safety. They risk their lives multiple times a day. They have now saved 95,024 lives and counting. They are an unlikely group of heroes. They are tailors, bankers, teachers, and much more. But, during the war, they have become saviors. I think we can all agree that the road they are on is extremely tough. Questions: Back home, we may not be running into bombings or danger, however, we might face a different challenge like a still born, tough diagnoses, tragic death etc. If you are willing and able, share about a time in your life when the road became tough? Read When it comes to Scripture, the road for believers in God is often rough. The beauty about this is that we get to learn from these stories. This is no different for the prophet Habakkuk. The Prophet:

11 Even though little is actually known about Habakkuk, except that he worked during the same time of Jeremiah, he was a vigorous man of faith. He was deeply rooted in the traditions of Israel which makes the coming judgement from God perplex Habakkuk. Open up to Habakkuk 1:2-4 1 How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, Violence! but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. Sound familiar? Habakkuk seems to be talking about the internal injustice he sees in his own country; Israel. However, what makes Habakkuk special, because it actually provides a sustained dialogue between God and a prophet about the topic of injustice. Habakkuk seems to have an issue with the justice of God. The wicked surround the righteous and treat them violently, but God does nothing about it. The Lord then responds with something surprising. Read the Lord s response to Habakkuk Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth

12 to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour; 9 they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. 10 They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them. 11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on guilty people, whose own strength is their god. Habakkuk complains again. Verses Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? The Lord then replies again. Chapter 2:3-6 Write down the revelation

13 Reflect and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. 4 See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness[d] 5 indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. Suffering and tragedy is one of the strongest barriers between God and non-believers. Have you ever finished the morning news or a stroll on social media and are consumed by injustice and violence? The natural question rises, WHERE IS GOD? Why do the wicked and the dishonest people prosper? In these first few verses of Habakkuk, what do you notice in particular about God s response to Habakkuk s valid question of injustice? (There are no wrong answers) Summarize as a group the central theme to the book of Habakkuk. The core of Habakkuk s message is centered on the idea that the righteous person must wait faithfully for the fulfillment of God s vision. The vision where the world is restored and every knee will bow to the King. Being in line with God s vision for the world takes immense patience. A patience that only stems from God.

14 Prophets of God (which you all are) still function in the midst of evil, oppression, and injustice. Today, they live in a nation marked by greed, bigotry, and intolerance, and in a world haunted by war, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. The sounds of weapons of war permeate everywhere. The forces of terror take hundreds of innocent lives in different parts of the world almost daily. Yet, we are still called to bring the truth of God to this deceptive world. In the midst of the destruction you see daily, how are you able to maintain the faith in God that he calls us too? How do you deal with the injustices you see daily? How do you have the faith of even though? Reach There is a difference between patience and complacency. God never wants us to hoard ourselves in our homes and just wait for the day to come where all things are made right. God calls us to take action! Work for peace! Be like the white helmets! What are you doing to try and bring God s vision for the world here and now? Brainstorm together some ideas in which you can be a peacemaker in your community here and now!

15 ... WEEK 4 // The Road Less Travelled... Let s Talk As the world advances, we are told that new roads will make it easier to get around. However, the truth really is that the roads are getting more complicated. Thus, the invention of GPS has just about become mandatory. Whether you use google maps, apple maps, or a paper map kept under your car seat, they have become necessary to get around in an unfamiliar area. Watch Michael Scott from the popular show The Office here fail at using his GPS. Questions: Share with the group your best navigation story. It can be funny or serious! If you personally don t have one, share one that isn t about you. Read What makes the GPS so handy is that it always calculates the quickest possible route (or at least tries). It searches for shortcuts and backroads in order to get you to your destination quicker. This means you might travel on roads less travelled. When it comes to our relationship with God, doesn t it seem like we travel on a road less travelled? If you think about it, the entire bible leads us down a unique road. A road filled with compassion, love and forgiveness for ourselves and one another. This road seems so contrary to the road the world walks down doesn t it? Furthermore, we travel on a road that is rooted in truth-telling instead of deception and unfortunately in our world today, truth-telling is rare to find. Open to 1 Kings 21:1-19 to read about a prophet who took the road less travelled.

16 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, Don t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram? 4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead? Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. 5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, First seek the counsel of the Lord. 6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets about four hundred men and asked them, Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain? Go, they answered, for the Lord will give it into the king s hand. 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of? 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah. The king should not say such a thing, Jehoshaphat replied. 9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once. 10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 11 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, This is what the Lord says: With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed. 12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious, they said, for the Lord will give it into the king s hand. 13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably. 14 But Micaiah said, As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me. 15 When he arrived, the king asked him, Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not? Attack and be victorious, he answered, for the Lord will give it into the king s hand. 16 The king said to him, How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord? 17 Then Micaiah answered, I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.

17 18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad? Reflect Before we reflect on Micaiah Ben Imlah s actions we need to discover the role of a King s prophet in ancient biblical times. Kings in the ancient world wielded almost absolute power-and most of the time they did not tolerate others telling them they were wrong. (Talk about a bad boss). Those who boldly did, often found themselves in a ditch. Inevitably, the prophets summoned by the King were often yes-men who only said what the King wanted to hear. Moving back to the story today, in verses 5-7, you see this exact phenomenon. The King calls the prophets, 400 men to be exact, and they all said Yes, go to war. The stage is then set for Micaiah: two Kings, surrounded by their yes-men waiting to hear the 401 st yes. The most fascinating events then unfold. After the build up from Ahab (this guy hates Micaiah) Micaiah CHOKES!! Micaiah says, Go, the Lord will give you victory! Ahab doesn t believe it at first which is why he responds How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord? Then Micaiah brings the hammer, amongst all the pressure in the world, he brings the true prophecy, I saw all Israel scatted on the hills like sheep without a shepherd and the Lord said, These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace. In plain English, If you go, you are going to die, big guy. Just imagine the room for second. There were probably audible gasps, broken glasses, taunting, yelling, cursing and so much more. He just told the KING he was going to die if he went to battle! How does the story end? Well, just like Micaiah predicted. Ahab goes to war and an arrow sneaks past his barricade and hits him in an un-armored area of his body. He bleeds out and dies.

18 So what happened to Micaiah? We simply don t know and maybe it is meant that way. He had his 15 minutes of fame. We never see him again in history. However, his story is deeply convicting. In spite of his humanity, he took a stand and did what was right, no matter the pressure or cost. He spoke the Word of Lord with no public support. This story speaks to our humanity because it calls us to examine our relationship to truth. Take a couple moments to think about your relationship to truth. How much do you value it? Is it difficult to cling to truth? Are you willing to admit that you need to do better? Does this story remind you of a New Testament teaching? o Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it. Discuss the relation between Jesus s teaching and the path that Micaiah chose to take? o What can we take from this? What about the King? Are you surrounding yourself with yes people just like him? Or are you actively looking to rub shoulders with people who are different from you? Reach Believe it or not, because of Jesus, we are all prophets now. We might not get divine revelation like the prophets of the Old Testament, however, our prophecy lies in truth-telling. Christ has called us to bring the higher consciousness of the Bible to people. We are to offer a perspective beyond the superficial concerns of the times to our neighbors and friends. We go beyond the nations of this world and cling to the convicting, pure truth that stems from the Kingdom of God. What is infecting this truth-telling? Are we succumbing to the deception of the national media, social media, political media, talk amongst our friends, etc.? As we look to take the truth out, are we embodying it? Or are we just yes-people because it has always been done that way? When was the last time it was actively hard for you to tell the truth? Maybe this is an insight into how easy it is to get comfortable, instead of taking the truth of God to the next person we see.

19 ... WEEK 5 // When the Best Turn is a U-Turn... Let s Talk Has anyone heard of a Doomsday Preppers? In 2011, National Geographic launched a TV series highlighting individuals called Doomsday Preppers. Take a look at this clip from the show. Basically, these people are building up a base in order to protect themselves from an apocalyptic scenario unfolding in the world. They then are judged on creativity, effectiveness and strategy. How the judges actually decided which ones are good or not is beyond all of us. Questions: If you were a Doomsday Prepper, what would be your strength? Building a tunnel? Prepping meals for months at a time? Building up a weapons base? Where would your base be? Read This might go without saying but Doomsday Preppers is just one of many TV/Movies about the coming apocalypse. Some other popular ones are the Walking Dead, Zombieland, World War Z. These shows all give us a glimpse into the obsession our culture has with the apocalypse!

20 Did you know that apocalyptic language/imagery is also riddled throughout Scripture? Most of us might think of Revelation when it comes to the biblical apocalypse, however, there are many books in the Bible that use apocalyptic imagery to convey God s Word to a nation. One of these books, is Zephaniah. The book of Zephaniah is a small book nestled among the of minor prophets. Zephaniah was a prophet with considerable social standing in Judah and probably had ties to the royal line. Thus, Zephaniah s utterances show a much greater familiarity with court circles and current political issues of the day. His theme was to announce the coming judgement for Judah. He portrays the stark horror of what is to come with the same graphic imagery as Revelation and Daniel. Open to Zephaniah 1:2-6 I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. 3 I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth, declares the Lord, 4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests 5 those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek, 6 those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him. Then read Zep 1:17-18 I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord s wrath. Terrifying right? Apocalyptic literature is not for the faint at heart. This is why some say I like Jesus but the God of the Old Testament is ruthless! This is understandable. Therefore, we need to clarify something together about this type of literature. When we read about apocalypses today, we often are tempting to read them as if these apocalypses are predicting things in our own future. Do not fall in that trap!! Ancient apocalypses were not meant to foretell what is going to happen in the 21st century! They are meant to speak to people in their own day. Ancient people would have heard a lot of apocalypses during their day. It was the popular lingo. However, and more importantly, they would have understood that

21 these are functioning to provide hope in the midst of foreign forces closing in. For example, in Zephaniah s case, the Babylonians were coming for Assyria which eventually meant they were coming for Judah. As these foreign forces get closer to Judah, Zephaniah prophecies in chapter 3, 14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Even though the scene is still apocalyptic and distress, anguish, ruin, devastation is imminent, God s redemptive grace is still immersed in bringing Israel from its depths! Jesus acts the same way. When he shows up announcing the Kingdom of God, he seems a bit like Zephaniah. He is God s voice calling for Israel to return to him! The shift between Christ and Zephaniah is that instead of allowing the judgment to come, Jesus takes it on his shoulders in order to demonstrate the purifying love of God for all people. Reflect Let us take a minute and admit that this is not easy stuff. Wading through the apocalypse is not meant to be easy. Rather, we need to be asking more questions about this type of literature. Take a minute to discuss with one another any other questions you might have regarding Zephaniah. It is stories like these we are reminded about serious God takes sin/disobedience. As Christians who see the full story with Jesus, how do we live in the tension of grace and wrath? Throughout the Scriptures, God s judgement never comes without any cause. In Zephaniah s case, Israel was consumed with idols and reckless living. Thus, Zephaniah comes along to suggest a U-Turn for Israel In terms of our personal life, do we need to make a U-Turn.

22 Are there some idols we need to put down, in order to refocus our devotion to the Lord? (i.e. technology, school, work, a relationship) Reach Continuing with the theme of hope. Identify someone in your life that is going through the apocalypse and discuss how you can bring the hope of Christ to their lives. Go and reach them this week!

23 ... WEEK 6 // When it s Your Turn to Drive... Let s Talk If you live in America, you know that the automobile is a central aspect to this land s way of life. Everyone has a different story about how they first started driving and their first car. Questions: Share about the first time you were behind the wheel or the first time you were in the passenger seat with your child driving. Share about your first car? Is there a story behind it? Did you buy it? Was it a gift? Read When it comes to the story of God, there are many times where the driver s seat was un-occupied. Judges is a particular book where this happens A LOT! God was searching for someone to step up in courage, faith and leadership. So open your Bibles to Judges chapter 4:4-10, and let s dive in. But before we dive in, we need to know that the book of Judges depicts the life of Israel in the promised land from the death of Joshua to the rise of the monarchy. On the one hand, it is an account of frequent apostasy, provoking divine chastening. On the other hand, it tells of many urgent appeals to God in times of crisis, moving the Lord to raise up leaders (judges) through whom he throws off foreign oppressors and restores the land to peace. Deborah was one of the strongest. Open to Judges 4

24 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands. 8 Barak said to her, If you go with me, I will go; but if you don t go with me, I won t go. 9 Certainly I will go with you, said Deborah. But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman. So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him. We first meet Deborah as she is seated in the shade of a palm tree in the hill country, going about her work as a "judge" settling disputes among her people. But the story picks up as Deborah puts on her prophet's hat and brings a word from the Lord. She summons a certain Barak, from the territory of Naphtali to the north, and tells him that the Lord wants him to call out some 10,000 troops from Napthtali and Zebulun and bring them to Mount Tabor. There the Israelites will battle the Canaanites under Commander Sisera and will defeat them. But the story is just getting started. Barak says he'll carry out this order from the Lord, but only if Deborah will go with him. She agrees to go but says ominously that the Canaanite commander Sisera will be humiliated in this battle. Not only will he be the loser, but he will die at the hand of a woman! (that is very bad in those days) Verses 14 and 15 show Deborah s words come true. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you? So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot. While a number of themes appear as one reflects on this story, an interesting and appropriate one for our time the role of women in the story and the song. It is a great misunderstanding of the biblical tradition to think that women were totally

25 subservient to men and had no voice or role in public affairs. Deborah was a married woman. She worked as both a judge and a prophet, roles most often associated with men. And Deborah isn t the only woman to step into the driver s seat while the rest flee. Continue reading in verse Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, Come, my lord, come right in. Don t be afraid. So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 I m thirsty, he said. Please give me some water. She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. 20 Stand in the doorway of the tent, he told her. If someone comes by and asks you, Is anyone in there? say No. 21 But Jael, Heber s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. 22 Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. Come, she said, I will show you the man you re looking for. So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple dead. 23 On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him. Another woman in the story is Jael, an Israelite sympathizer who took out the Canaanite commander under the subterfuge of typical mid-eastern hospitality (4:17-22; 5:24-27). One of the slogans floating about our churches these days is "God's work, our hands." These stories remind us that those hands carrying out the work of a mighty and merciful God are women's hands, too. Reflect The driver s seat is often trembling. It is difficult to drive and it takes time to do it well. But it is well worth it when you are doing it for God! Is there a time in your life where you have to step up and take the driver s seat for God? If so, share.

26 Reach Even though driving is individual, the car is communal. Who are you driving (i.e. leading)? Is there someone in your life that you know you need to invite into the passenger seat to teach them about faith and leadership? Are you going to be more like Barak or Deborah? Finally, are you the one who needs to step up? If so, discuss ways to get involved around here at Mountain! We need help everywhere especially with the fourth campus around the corner!!!

27 ... WEEK 7 // Running Down Cats in the Snow... Let s Talk If you have been around Mountain for a while, you have probably heard some disdain for cats. If you are new, do not worry you will hear it soon. Here at Mountain we seem to be split between people who love cats and people who hate them. Questions: Whether you are a lover of cats or hate them, everyone has a funny story about them. Share a story about a cat you have encountered or heard. Read Believe it or not, the Bible has stories about cats. Well, lions to be exact. Open your Bibles to Samuel 23: Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

28 This passage falls in the context of David s last words (2 Sam 23:1-7). David seems to be leaving his lasting mark. He is praising the Lord for choosing him to continue the covenant and curses his enemies one last time. The passage then moves to David s mighty warriors. It seems to be a sort of Hall of Fame type passage. This is where we hear of Benaiah and some of his accomplishments. In verse 22, he is compared to three mighty warriors while only being one man. Reflect Although Benaiah seems to be in David s Hall of Fame, it is a guarantee that he displayed some kind of fear during these incredible events. He chased a lion into a hole in the snow! If he didn t have an ounce of fear during that he probably was not human. This is an important discussion because it makes us think about our fears. Fear can be crippling. It can paralyze. It is never asked for but is definitely inevitable. However, instead of viewing fear with a negative lens, what if we view it as a stepping stone of faith. What if we use it to rely on God! Even though fear is a universal concept, think of a time in which fear seemed to be getting the best of you? What were you focused on? Where were you with God? Are there fears that you have in your life now that are debilitating and need to be addressed? If so, be honest and speak up! This is what group is for! The concept of fear is also littered throughout the New Testament as well. If you recall, the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke all share the story of the bleeding woman. Jesus is walking towards Jarius s daughter when all of the sudden someone touches him. He turns and calls out Who touched me? I have felt the power of God escape me. The woman acknowledges it was her and Jesus says, Go in peace, your faith has made you well. What a story! Imagine the fear of the woman. First, she lives in a deep patriarchal society, so for her to approach Jesus without a man is almost criminal. Second, she is bleeding. Those who had disease or bleeding were marginalized. They were not allowed near people. They were isolated until they were healed and some never regained their health. This is reality for the bleeding woman but she decides to use her fear to propel her towards Jesus!

29 Reach Fear is universal. Everyone experiences it. Fortunately, groups and the church as whole allows us to walk with each other through the darkness of fear. Is there someone in your life that you need to reach out to and help through their fear?

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