Life Group Discussion Guide

Transcription

1 Life Group Discussion Guide

2 Ice Breaker Against the Odds David and Goliath What is something that you would like to accomplish in the next three years? Read 1 Samuel 17. Digging Deeper I think we can agree that one of the most well known stories in the Bible is David and his encounter the Philistine giant, Goliath. David was a man after God s own heart. He was a man of great faith. The story begins in 1 Samuel 17, where the Israelite army is facing off against the Philistines! Goliath, a champion Philistine, who stood nearly 10 feet tall, ridiculed the army of Israel making them look foolish and weak. During this time in history, opposing armies would select their most capable champions to fight in place of armies. Both armies would agree to accept the outcome of personal combat between the two soldiers so neither army would need to engage in battle. The logic behind such contests was grounded in the belief that God or the gods ultimately decided battles. The champion representing the more powerful deity would triumph. Goliath, a capable and fearless solider, taunted Israel every morning and evening. Goliath, being the champion of the Philistines, demanded that Israel send out a worthy opponent to face him. For 40 days he taunted the Israelites but no one dared face Goliath because of his strength and size. Everyone in the

3 Israelite army was afraid, and everyone lacked courage. What are some of your personal fears? At this time, David was too young to be in the army. He was a shepherd, who tended his father s sheep. David s father sent him to the Valley of Elah, where the two armies were gathered, to take roasted grain and bread to his three older brothers, and cheese to their commander. When David arrived at the battlefield, he heard the taunts of Goliath. When he heard this, he was furious. David was outraged with righteous anger because Goliath was insulting God and His chosen people. In verse 26, David asked the soldiers standing nearby, What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God? Let me remind you that David wasn t a warrior, and I m sure he knew it. He spent his life shepherding his father s flock. But David had something that Goliath didn t have faith in a living God! David wasn t going to let the Philistine s mock his God anymore. Has God ever asked you to do something you didn t think you were capable of doing? David knew that it was his fight alone; he had God on his side. David trusted God for protection and victory if he was going to face Goliath. The fight didn t belong to David, but God. He trusted in God for protection when he faced Goliath. He told the Philistines You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven s Armies the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. They were

4 challenging the God of the armies of Israel. David does something different here. When the other Israelite soldiers trembled in fear, David ran towards the giant full of faith and trust in the God of Israel. He didn t wait for Goliath to approach him, but ran forward, eager to take a stand for Israel and for his God. Holding no sword but only a sling and a rock, David defeated Goliath and shocked and overpowered the Philistine army. David's purpose for defeating Goliath was to defend his God's honor. Even when David talked about how he had fought a bear and a lion not once does he brag about his own abilities yet he gives credit to God for protecting him and making him overcome them. To see God move sometimes you have to undertake something that seems impossible. David was willing to do that. Are you? What do you admire most about David in this story? Which of his character traits would you like to develop in your own life? Is there somewhere you should be and act like David? In what ways? What are some of the Goliaths you face today? What is God doing in your life right now that requires you to have courage? How can you respond well in this situation?

5 Praise Requests and Reports!

6 Ice Breaker Take a Stand Elijah and Mount Carmel When have you been challenged to take a stand for your faith? Read 1 Kings 18. Digging Deeper After three years of drought in Israel, Elijah presented himself to Ahab, the king of Israel, with the promise that the Lord would provide rain. Ahab and Elijah weren t on the friendliest of terms. Ahab and Elijah had a dispute to settle and Elijah had a way to resolve this problem. Elijah challenged 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to a contest on Mount Carmel. Thousands of people gathered since Elijah wanted all of Israel to witness this event on Mount Carmel. It s interesting to note that Mount Carmel stood geographically between Israel and Phoenicia - a centre stage. Ahab and Elijah were having quite the discrepancy. In verse 17, Ahab accuses Elijah as being the one who had put a curse on Israel. Ahab calls Elijah a troubler for bringing misfortune on their community. If Baal is a god, Elijah would have no power at all. But if Elijah can bring drought and rain by the power of the God of Israel, then Baal is not really God and Ahab has something to worry about. In verse 21 we read Elijah s concern for the indecisiveness of the people. They don t know which God to serve. Have you ever been indecisive? Elijah is concerned because people were

7 wavering between two opinions. Think of yourself as one of the people witnessing this major event. Which God are you going to follow? Have you ever caught yourself living a double life? How firm are you in your commitment to God? What can you do to strengthen your faith and trust in Him? Baal s followers believed that he answered by fire and controlled the thunder and lighting. Elijah set out and challenged Baal s prophets. The God who answers by fire is the one true God. How were they going to accomplish this feat? The prophets of Baal must produce a burnt offering before everyone to prove that Baal is real. The only issue, no fire was coming. They call on Baal day and night without an answer. They dance around the altar hoping for a response and trying to gain the attention of their god. Baal was silent. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal. He taunted them. His sarcastic remarks are enough to drive the prophets mad! Now it s time for Elijah to set up his offering before the people. He puts together an altar of twelve stones representing the 12 tribes - and twelve doused them with water. Even though the tribes were divided, they were all still God s chosen people under the same covenant with the same destiny. Elijah then prays that the hearts of the people will be turned back to God, bringing fire to consume the offering. In verse 38 it reads, Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! There was nothing left.

8 When have you ever witnessed God move in a miraculous way? When everyone saw this they were ecstatic. They fell face down and began crying to the Lord saying The Lord He is God! While still in awe of God s display of power, Elijah called on the people to seize the prophets of Baal and Asherah to be killed. The story of Elijah on Mount Carmel help us understand the importance of putting our faith and trust in our God. There are so many false religions out there claiming to have the truth, but we serve the Living God! Have you ever been indecisive of your decision to follow Jesus? Why have you chosen to follow Jesus over other religions? It s important to remember that today, calling fire from heaven on our enemies is not the appropriate approach. We are to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. However, taking a stand for our faith is just as important today as it was back then. When we are in the will of God, we can allow God do amazing things through us! When did you need to take a stand for your faith? Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a stand? How can we gain the confidence to live all for Jesus in every aspect of our lives?

9 Praise Requests and Reports!

10 Ice Breaker The Lord Is With Us Caleb and Joshua Who is one person that has had a great influence in your life? Read Numbers 13:17 14:38 Digging Deeper The story of Joshua and Caleb is a powerful and dramatic story in the Bible. This story comes at the time when Israel had left Egypt and was eager to enter the Promised Land that God was going to give them. Moses, their leader, challenged Israel to take possession of it. But the people suggested that they first send scouts ahead to check out the territory. Moses agreed to the plan. The Israelites sent twelve spies into the Promised Land to scope out the enemy and develop a strategy to defeat them. God was going to allow them to go into the Promised Land, but they first had to defeat and drive out some of their enemies in order to conquer and possess it. The land was truly all God said it was. Joshua and Caleb, two of the scouts, were eager for the Israelites to take possession of the land. But not everyone agreed. When the spies came back, ten of had bad news to report. It was these ten scouts who the Israelites chose to listen to. They came back with their tales about the great walled cities and the many giants who lived there. Joshua and Caleb s reports were forgotten in the fear. Being so close to the Promised Land, Israel had again given up.

11 Have you ever received bad news and just wanted to give up? How should we handle situations that seem out of our control? The Israelites were still scared even after witnessing God s display of supernatural power in Egypt. God was angry once again at the Israelites for their lack of faith, however Moses intervention saved the nation from God s wrath. But their punishment was severe. God tells the Israelites that all of the men who are twenty years and older would not enter into the Promised Land because of their lack of faith and belief in Him. They would all wander in the desert for the next forty years until they all literally died out in the desert. For forty years they would wander in the desert. God then tells Joshua and Caleb that they and the younger generation under twenty years of age would be the ones who would be able to go into the Promised Land because they had wholeheartedly followed God. They had full faith and belief in God that He could defeat all of their enemies once they went into the Promised Land to conquer and possess it. Joshua would be the leader to eventually lead them in. Just like Joshua, we need to fully surrender our entire life over to God. When we do this, we can have trust that God will lead us through. God will places a specific call on each and everyone on of us and we can choose whether or not to follow Him. Where is God calling you to step out in faith and trust Him? Like Joshua, it took time before he would lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Sometimes it takes years of preparation before we are ready to be used by God for a specific purpose. We need to continue trusting God and pursuing Him and trust

12 that He will guide and lead us where He wants us to go. Do you have trouble trusting God like the Israelites? How can we be like Joshua, full of faith even when others around us seem to lose hope? When we choose to follow God, there will be giants and strongholds that we will need to face. Remember the above story on Joshua. He saw the same giants and strongholds that you are now seeing. He saw all this before going in. God allowed him to see exactly what he was going into before he actually went into it and God is showing you the exact same thing You can either let fear and panic set in just like the Israelites did, and lose your one and only chance to enter into your Promised Land. Or You can have the same strong faith and belief in God that Joshua had. You can go in there trusting God that you will be completely victorious and that you will accomplish everything that God will want you to accomplish for Him. What will you choose? How will you live?

13 Praise Requests and Reports!

14 Ice Breakers Beastly Showdown Daniel in the Lion s Den What thoughts or images come to you about the story of Daniel in the Lion s Den? If a law were passed making it illegal to pray, what would you do? Have you ever faced a trial in which you were pressured to abandon your integrity or your faithfulness to God? If so, what happened? Read Daniel 6. Digging Deeper Daniel 6 is the concluding chapter of the life of Daniel. The following chapters contain Daniel s prayers, dreams, and visions of Israel s future. In Daniel 6, we read that God allowed Daniel to be faced with one of his greatest challenges, being thrown into a lion s den. Now, Daniel served in a position of authority. His faith in God flowed into all areas of his life both publically and privately. Daniel refused to compartmentalize the God he served. He trusted God enough to serve Him in all areas of his life. His life was the kind of life Eugene Peterson has described as a long obedience in the same direction. Throughout Daniel s faith being tested time and time again, he served and loved God. What does it mean to be a Sunday Christian? Why is this not

15 okay? Why is it important to have a faith that is integrated with all areas of life? How can you have a faith that goes beyond the weekend? As with Daniel, our trust does not remove all present trials, we can have the strength to live for our God when we put our faith and trust in Him. Frustration and tragedy may still come, but they cannot overwhelm the purposes of our God or the usefulness of our lives when we continue in His plan set before us. What are some characteristics of an individual that puts their trust in God? Daniel was a man of wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness. Heading into his later years he faced pressure from his peers and a death sentence in a lion s den. If you were in his position, what would be going through your mind? How would you describe your emotions if you were in Daniel s place? Because he trusted in his Lord, Daniel was able to live for God in a great variety of circumstances. Through Daniel s example, the Bible inspires us to live with courage when circumstances and threats tempt us to compromise. Our trust in God should fill us with the courage to live for him. Daniel is teaching us something even harder. We are being called to live for the Lord even when it costs us everything. Remember that Daniel was alone in his stand of faith against all the other advisers of the king. The law, the unchangeable decree of the Medes and Persians put Daniel in the lion s den. Even the king had no power to alter this law. It had to be done.

16 How do you think Daniel faced all this and kept his faith, not to mention his sanity? What do you think it takes to develop a courageous faith such as Daniel s? What are the obstacles to living with this kind of faith? How do you relate to the temptation Daniel faced the temptation that argues that because it will make no difference what I do, it does not matter what I do? We live in hope despite the circumstances at school, at work, or in our own family, where others are pressuring us about our faith. You may not be able to see any value or results from your stance. But we still stand for God! God can use you to build his kingdom if you stand your ground, because you are never alone in your stance for Him. God came through, God was faithful and Daniel was rescued from the lions. But the greater sign that proves the value of Daniel s hope for his nation is found in the last words of this chapter. The chapter ends with these words from verse 28, So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Under this ruler the people of Israel began to return to their homeland. And because they returned to Israel, a child would be born in the city of David who would be Christ, our Lord. Daniel s influence and God s promise finally were fulfilled according to the faith and hope that Daniel held even into his old age. The message to Daniel s people and to us is that our hope in God is not misplaced. Though we may have to wait to see the results

17 of our faithfulness, our God will accomplish His purposes. So we trust Him and live for Him each and every day. As followers of Jesus, we always live in the hope of the ultimate and eternal victory that He provides for us. What does Daniel s faith and hope teach you about waiting on God s timing? What are you facing today that you need to take a stand for what is good? Do what is right, and let God take care of the rest. Whatever life may bring, God still explains clearly what he expects. Just like Daniel, pray without ceasing as you trust the Lord and live for him. Praise Requests and Reports!

18 Ice Breaker For Such A Time Esther Tell of a time that you were afraid to speak up for what you believed in. Read Esther 4. Digging Deeper As we begin to look at Esther and her life, it s important to understand a few of the relationships surrounding her. Haman a royal official and Mordecai from Esther s family, for generations had been enemies. Haman was so driven by hate for Mordecai that he wanted to eradicate all the Jews! Haman had the king issue a decree to destroy the Jews. Mordecai troubled by this news, wants to do something about it but knows that he cannot do this on his own. Starting in verse 1 Mordecai is overcome with grief. Something must be done. If the Jews are to be saved, he s going to need the help of Esther. Esther s first reply really gives the impression that she doesn t want to do this. There is protocol to follow and the king doesn t like it when people defy his orders. You cannot enter the king s presence unless by his request. The law states that a person can be put to death if you enter the king s presence without being summoned. Esther tells Mordecai that it s been thirty days since she was last called in to see the king. It s been awhile so I m sure she lacked confidence. Was there every a time in your life where you lacked the

19 confidence to do the right thing? Did you follow through? Why or why not? Mordecai lays it all out for Esther to hear: the fate of a whole nation and their future is in your hands. This isn t something that you asked for, but the situation lies before you. And just because you live in a palace doesn t mean you will escape when all the other Jews are killed. Esther was brought to this crossroad in her life to be a part of God s redemptive plan. Esther had the choice to stand for justice and to be a part of the solution to save her people from great suffering -to stand against a man of great evil and power. Have you ever been in a situation out of your control where you needed to act? You have been brought to this point in your life to be a part of God s plan to redeem the world. Sometimes we need help from others. Mordecai helps Esther discern God s calling for her life. He challenges her to rise to the calling otherwise she may be missing the very reason why she is on the earth. She has come to her position for such a time as this. This is her moment. One of the most popular verses in Esther is 4:14. How does this verse make you feel? Have you ever felt that you were in the right place at the right time, and asked by God to do something? What did you decide to do? What was the outcome? Esther finally gets it. She tells Mordecai she wants three days with her maids to fast and pray. She then asks Mordecai to do the same. Gather all the Jewish people in Susa to fast and pray the three days for her. Esther knows it s not going to be her beauty, cleverness or influence that will save her. Her only hope

20 is in God. She s going to the king, even though it s against the law. And if she dies, she dies. Esther fasted and prayed. What spiritual practices or disciplines do you engage in regularly to show your dependence on and respect for God? Sometimes God may want us to do something risky for the sake of the Kingdom. It may involve confronting someone rather than avoiding or being passive. If we know it to be the will of God, we must do it. And God will honor it. He did for Esther. And God has a purpose for you! Right now, right where you are, no matter who you are, where you live, what you have experienced in the past, or what you are facing in the future. He has a plan and a purpose for you. Will you follow Him? Have you ever decided to do something that you were initially scared to do? What gave you the courage to do so? Who is a Mordecai in your life? Who is the spiritually wise person who knows you and helps you discern God s activity and calling in your life, and who loves you enough to challenge you? Who are you a Mordecai to? Ask each other what God is most impressing upon you to do right now. It could be something such as pausing to faithfully pray for someone he brings to mind, agreeing to teach a Bible study, or sharing your faith with another person. Let s live for God and follow Him wherever He leads us!

21 Praise Requests and Reports!

22 Praise Requests and Reports!

23 Praise Requests and Reports!

24