THE STORY SESSION 18 LEADER GUIDE

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Basil Mills
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1 THE STORY SESSION 18 LEADER GUIDE Encourage group members to read pages from The Story Bible. Walk through the discussion material on your own prior to the meeting. Leading the Discussion: Ask for a volunteer to read the introductory paragraphs about the the four young men from Judah. Talk About It: Read the opening question and encourage a response from as many group members as possible. DVD Teaching Notes: Provide pens so group members can take notes as needed. Play Session 18 from the DVD (time=12:17) DVD Discussion: We re in the second half of The Story! The Northern Kingdom is gone, and the Southern Kingdom is taken captive by Babylon; they are slaves. In the midst of the drama God unfolds his plan to bring glory to his name through 4 young men who are unwilling to disobey Him. In the Lower Story it looks like a disastrous situation, but in the Upper Story God s got it all under control. 1. When Daniel and his three friends became prisoners of war, they were pressured to change many things as part their training process (Daniel 1: The Story, pp ). What concessions were they willing to make and where did they draw the line and say no? Why do you think they drew the line where they did? They were willing to be obedient to the king s command to train and serve as his counsel; they we re even willing to have their names changed. However, they we re unwilling to eat of the kings food (probably plants and animals God had declared unclean for the Israelites to eat) and drink. They didn t want to compromise God s standard set forth in His Law (an important part of their faith). What is an example where you have said, I draw the line here and I will not cross it? What has happened as you made the stand and maintained your integrity?

2 This question is one of the most important questions in the study and should spark some good dialogue! Answers will vary: sexual purity, language, alcohol, or cheating. Having said that, there are probably people in your group (you included) who should have drawn the line yet didn t. So feel free to ask the question a different way: Has there ever been a time when you should have drawn line or wish you had but didn t? 2. When Daniel heard of King Nebuchadnezzar s seemingly impossible request (Daniel 2:1-18; The Story, pp ), he asked his three friends to pray and seek the face of God with him. Why is prayer the right response in this critical moment of Daniels story? What is the one situation you are facing right now that needs prayer and how can your group members support you in this way? his is another critical question! Have group members look up James 5:16. It says, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. If this is the case, prayer is always the appropriate response to any type of situation. Encourage group members to partner up or sub-group for the second part of the question. Then take the time at this moment to say one blanket prayer for the entire group. Listen to the hurts, and encourage your group- but you must move on! 3. Once God answered the prayers of Daniel and his friends, Daniel lifted up an amazing prayer of praise (Daniel 2:20-23; The Story, p. 252). What do you learn about Daniel s understanding of God from this prayer and how might this shape the way you pray? Answers may sound like, He was very thankful for what God did God is always in control God understand things we don t All good gifts, even intelligence, are from God. Really encourage group members to think about the application side of the question; i.e....how might this shape the way you pray. 4. As Daniel explained the king s dream and it s interpretation, he was careful to not take credit, but give all the glory to God (Daniel 2:27-30; The Story, pp ). In what ways can we be tempted to take credit for what God does? How can we give him the glory instead? Often when we give credit to ourselves it takes the form of I statements: People may answer like this I ve worked very hard to earn the position I m in- I deserve

3 it I spent years devoted to my raising good kids I work hard for my money I spend numerous hours in the office and that s why I m successful. While all the statements above may be true, only God can give us the very breath to accomplish any of these tasks. 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT) tells us, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him. f we take this posture of humility we will always give God the glory, and celebrate the great things he is doing in our lives! 5. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood face-to-face with King Nebuchadnezzar and told him they would not bow down and commit idolatry, even if it cost them their lives. Where does this type of strength and integrity come from? Tell about a situation where you face (or are facing) real pressure to compromise biblical truth. The first part of the question is definitely a nod to the power of community and doing life with others. We are always stronger than me. The 2 nd part of this question is important- encourage the people in your group if they are going through a difficult time. Make sure to keep the conversation positive- don t let it become a time for members to air their complaints or gossip. Also, remind people Jesus understands what they are going through. He was constantly pressured not to speak biblical truth. 6. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ended up in the furnace, they discovered they were not alone (Daniel 3:25; The Story, pp. 256). Describe a furnace time in your life when God showed up in a very personal and powerful way. Encourage people to share, and don t be afraid to be silent for a moment; most people need a little time to think about what you asked. It s a great time for your group to be encouraged by other member s stories. Like Pastor Tim said Our faith should not only be personal, but public too. 7. Despite Daniel s Lower Story struggle of persecution and oppression, what were some of the ways God was working in the Upper Story? Why is it so important that we slow down occasionally and take note how God is working in the Upper Story of our lives? God was setting the scene to dethrone Nebuchadnezzar, and to bring glory to his name in the form of Daniel s persecution. By saving Daniel God allowed the

4 Babylonians to understand He was the one true God. Our lives are so busy. If we don t slow down and take time to see how God is working in our lives we may get discouraged because it may seem as though he isn t involved in our lives. This is a great time to encourage people to begin journaling their experiences with God. Every time God answers a prayer your group can note in your phone or on a tablet. You may even try using a mason jar, and drop a marble or candy in every time God answers one of your prayers- it will be fantastic to see how God is working in your lives! 8. It is in the dark places that light shines most brightly. What are some ways we can be part of our culture and still not compromise? Why is it valuable and even essential for Christians to understand and function within our culture (without crossing the line of compromise) if we are going to bring Jesus message and love to this world? Where is the one place in your life that God wants his life to shine through you? People may answer we can go to parties and not drink We can go to concerts and not use profane language We can hang out with people at work, but not entertain inappropriate humor We can go out to the movies, but not go to shows with inappropriate content (You can screen the content of movies by going to websites like First because Jesus said to do it; He said, in John 17:15 My prayer is not that you take them (us) out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. Therefore, Jesus intention for our lives was not for us to create our own little prayer huddle, but to shine brightly in the world- if we hide from the world they will never see the light of Christ in us. Romans 12:2 tells us do not be conformed to the pattern of this world. This is a nice way of saying; don t follow what the world does be like Jesus. The 3 rd part of question 8 is pretty important. Allow, if time permits, space to share. 9. Read movement 4 of The Story (pp. 11 of the participant s guide). How has your connection in the local church brought you closer to Jesus and more aware of his plan to reach all people with his love? You may be crunched for time so you-be prepared to share. his is also a great opportunity to discover whether or not the people in your group are serving (volunteering) in the church; get them plugged in! We need café workers, greeters, promise land volunteers, and ushers. As you know God will bless and transform them!

5 Closing Prayer: Review the 3 points of the closing prayer and ask group members to choose 1 from the list. Ask, Looking at the list, how can I pray for you? Once everyone has shared, say a closing prayer. Between Sessions: Remind group members to review the exercises before the next meeting. Go over where and when the next group gathering will take place. Clean up and go home.

The Story Shad, Shach and Abednego Last week we talked about the big story of Hosea. Remember he was warning the people of the northern kingdom of

The Story Shad, Shach and Abednego Last week we talked about the big story of Hosea. Remember he was warning the people of the northern kingdom of Israel that they were going to be taken into exile if