Table of Contents Devotions 3 Our Purpose as a Home Group 4 Our Ground Rules for Home Group Discussions 5 Week 5 The CONFIDENCE 6 Story: 1 Kings 18:41-46 Weekend of: May 20-21 Week 6 THE CONFORNTATION 7 Story: 1 Kings 21:1-29 Weekend of: May 27-28 Week 7 STUDENT TAKEOVER Weekend of: June 3-4 Week 8 THE CONTINUATION 8 Story: 2 Kings 1:1-18 Weekend of: June 10-11 Week 9 THE CONTRACT 9 Story: 2 Kings 2:1-14 Weekend of: June 17-18 Appendix Prayer and Celebration i. Sermon Series: ELIJAH, MAN OF FAITH AND COURAGE May 20-June 18, 2017
Devotions Stop Everything Carve out a time to spend with God every day. Prayerfully ask God to remove all distractions and fill that time with just Him. Find a Time God calls us to meet with Him because He loves us. We need to give Him daily praise and prayer. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Seek a Relationship Pray that your time is about building that relationship with Him and knowing Him better. Be open in your prayers and praises and He will listen, and in turn, you will grow closer to Him. Start a Conversation Don t hold back. It doesn t have to be perfect prayers and Christian phrases. Ask Him questions. Ask Him for help. Cry out to Him. Praise Him. His Presence Pray that your quiet times are filled with His words and your heart is filled with His truth. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16). He is Able Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20). Seek Him with all of Your Heart You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13). Time spent with God is time well spent. The Confidence: Psalm 146:1-3 Psalm 57:5 Colossians 1:3-5 Colossians 2:2-3 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 Hebrews 3:1-6 The Confrontation: John 4:10-13 Matthew 4:1-11 1 Samuel 17:33-34 Mark 8:22-25 Matthew 8:5-13 Daniel 3:16-18 The Continuation: The Contract: Joshua 6:1-5 Judges 7:19-24 Matthew 23:33-39 Jeremiah 20:11-12 Luke 11:37-40 Exodus 17:8-16 Luke 10:1-2 Matthew 28:18-20 Luke 10:21-23 Matthew 10:1 Matthew 4:18-20 1 Corinthians 4:17-21 3
OUR PURPOSE AS A HOME GROUP THE PURPOSE OF HOME GROUPS: Although weekend worship is important, we believe that Jesus command to make disciples is best lived out in small group relational environments. Jesus methods are just as divine as His message. Therefore, we have chosen to follow Jesus example by creating community home groups which are the primary vehicle by which we carry out the mission of the church. Ranging in size from 4 to 14 people, home groups are community-based relational environments of men and women that meet for the purpose of intentionally growing as disciples of Jesus. VISION: To reach the world for Jesus Christ by creating relational environments for the purpose of making disciples who can make disciples. MISSION: Loving God, Loving People, Disciples Making Disciples METHOD & STRATEGY: To follow Jesus divine model in making biblical disciples through intentional relational environments using His reproducible spiritual growth process. Abide in me, and I in You. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:4 And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20 And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 4
OUR GROUND RULES for Home Group Discussions SAFE GROUP: We will all do our part to create an environment where everyone can be real, open and honest with their struggles and victories. CONFIDENTIALITY: What is said in group stays in the group. LISTEN: Let s value one another during the discussions by really listening to what is being shared. Try to avoid thinking about how you are going to respond or what you are going to say next. PAUSE: Allow a pause in conversation after someone shares. A pause gives the person sharing the chance to finish, and the group the opportunity to consider what was just shared before responding. SILENCE: It is important to allow silence in the group. Silence provides an opportunity for someone to share and for members in the group to process the topic or question being considered. NO CROSS TALK : Be considerate of others as they are sharing. No side conversations. NO FIXING: We are not here to fix each other. Jesus does that part. Give encouragement; speak truth and point to Jesus. Don t try to solve problems or fix each other. NO RESCUING: When people are sharing something deeply personal, there can be a tendency to try to make them feel better about themselves or the situation by providing immediate condolences. This will often cause them to stop sharing. Resist the temptation to rescue people. SHARING: Be sensitive about the amount of time you share. BE SELF-AWARE: Be self-aware of how you are personally affecting the environment through your words, actions and non-verbal communication. USE I STATEMENTS: It s easy to talk about the issues of others, but for our purposes, we want you to put yourself on the table. Try to use I statements rather than them, the church, us, we, etc. CONFLICT: We will commit to resolve conflict biblically. When conflict or sin issues between group members arise, we want to make sure that we are honoring God and each other in the way we deal with issues. 5
Main Idea: A Living Confidence in God and His Promises The Confidence God keeps His promises. Elijah lived expectantly and God honored his faith. Do we expect God to continue to fulfill His promises to us in our lives and circumstances? Ice Breaker: Ever been threatened by a wild animal? Bear? Lion? Wolf? House mice? Setting up the Story: In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah shares with Ahab what God had instructed him to, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. Physical rain symbolized God's removal of judgment upon the land. Rain and springs of water constituted such a material blessing to the land of Israel that God often used them to illustrate the blessing or outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In this passage we are looking at the closing scene that follows the confrontation between Jezebel's prophets of Baal and Ashera and the God of Israel's prophet, Elijah. The sacrifice had been offered and accepted. The people had chosen to believe and to turn to God. Sharing the Story: 1 Kings 18:41-46 Rebuild the Story: Please feel free to use your Bible Retell the Story: Optional, have someone else retell the story. Discuss the Story: Feel free to come up with your own discussion questions. Elijah, likely exhausted after having served the Lord in the showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, does not decide to take a break and get some much needed rest. What is the very next thing we see Elijah doing? How would you describe Elijah s character? If you were the servant going back and forth seven times to look out over the sea, what would you be thinking while doing this? What was the first sign that God was fulfilling His promise to Elijah? What characteristics of God do you see displayed in this story? On a scale of 0% to 100%, how confident would you be that the small cloud over the sea was going to bring a large rainstorm? As a group, work together and see how many promises you can list from the New Testament that impact you? Which ones are most meaningful to you, and why? What promise from God do you pray for fulfillment that gives you hope? How can we, as a group, support or encourage you in that prayer? Practice: How will you live in confidence in God and His promises? Assign Next Week s Passage: 1 Kings 21:1-29 Announcements: Pick up your copy of @Northshore in the lobby. Prayer Requests and Closing Prayer: ELIJAH, MAN OF FAITH & COURAGE May 22-27, 2017 6
Main Idea: God is good and patient, yet He is also in charge. The Confrontation God is good. God is patient with us. But there is a time when God says, That s enough. Ice Breaker: What is something you possess that you consider priceless and would never be willing to sell? What makes it so valuable to you? Setting up the Story: The story of Naboth and his vineyard provides us with a sobering description of the self-centered weakness of Ahab and the cold cruelty of Jezebel, the royal couple who ruled the Northern kingdom. Samaria was Ahab's capital city, and its name is used in this passage to represent all of Northern Israel. It was located on the Jezreel river in the ancestral territory of the tribe of Issachar. Technically, all of the Promised Land was the Lord's, who granted it perpetually to each Israelite tribe (Lev. 25:23-28). Sharing the Story: 1 Kings 21:1-29 Rebuild the Story: Please feel free to use your Bible Retell the Story: Optional, have someone else retell the story. Discuss the Story: Feel free to come up with your own discussion questions. What did you learn about how Ahab and Jezebel value others in this story? Ahab, a Jewish king, is under the biblical law. Just looking at the 10 Commandments alone, did Ahab and Jezebel violate any them? (Exodus 20:1-17) Compare the values of people today with the values of Ahab and Jezebel? Why does God hold Ahab accountable for Naboth s death when Jezebel is the one who committed this act? What do you learn about God from this story when looking at the severity of the punishment? What enables you to stand firm in your convictions when worldly authorities exert pressure to compromise? "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment," (2Peter 2:9). How does knowing about God's justice bring you comfort? How is it cause for concern? Is wanting a larger house for your growing family covetous? Is wanting what others have covetous? How do you practice stewardship of God's provision, enjoyment of His blessings, and contentment without becoming covetous? Practice: What area in your life do you sense God is telling you, enough is enough? Next Week: Student Takeover Week. There is no guided curriculum for next week s sermon teaching, June 3-4. Next week you are encouraged to reflect on the message from our student ministry and/or have a social event. Announcements: Pick up your copy of @Northshore in the lobby. Prayer Requests and Closing Prayer: 7 ELIJAH, MAN OF FAITH & COURAGE May 29-June 3, 2017
Main Idea: Confronting our enemies and any unpleasant circumstances. Confronting our enemies, unpleasant conditions and threatening circumstances requires an element of faith in God s Word we don t often reflect on. Ice Breaker: Describe a time when you had to skimp on food. What was your most creative meal? Setting up the Story: The Continuation In this story Elijah is again called upon by God to confront the wrong thinking of Israel's leader. God set out the sentence for worshiping false gods in Exodus 22:20; "He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be utterly destroyed". Recall that God's presence in Israel was demonstrated by fire when Elisha confronted the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. God again demonstrates His presence with fire in the encounters between Elijah and the first two detachments of soldiers that Ahaziah sent, one after the other, to force Elijah to come to Him. Sharing the Story: 2 Kings 1:1-18 Rebuild the Story: Please feel free to use your Bible Retell the Story: Optional, have someone else retell the story. Discuss the Story: Feel free to come up with your own discussion questions. What was the sin of Ahaziah that ultimately brought the judgment of God on his life? How did the sin of Ahaziah affect others? Why do you think Ahaziah sent messengers to seek the council of Baal Zebub? What are some ways you are impacted by the godless culture that surrounds you? When you are going through difficult times or even facing your own mortality, what is your first instinct? If it is not God, why not? What are some ways the enemy works in our culture that we must be aware of? Discuss how you can grow in faith and knowledge of Jesus resulting in a deep relationship of seeking council from the Lord as opposed to worldly sources? (Read 2 Peter 3:17-18) Practice: How do you intentionally and continually turn to God during bad times? Assign Next Week s Passage: 2 Kings 2:1-14 Announcements: Pick up your copy of @Northshore in the lobby. Prayer Requests and Closing Prayer: ELIJAH, MAN OF FAITH & COURAGE June 12-17, 2017 8
Main Idea: Making a Disciple Maker Being a disciple maker is a call by Jesus to go and make disciples of all the nations. Ice Breaker: Who would you like to spend a day walking and talking with? (Excluding: family, friends and Jesus.) Setting up the Story: The Contract Elisha began life as a farmer s son in northern Israel during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel. God called him to become a prophet like Elijah, and Elijah had adopted him as his own son. Elisha was trained, equipped and discipled for ministry by Elijah. As was the custom, Elisha spent every moment of his life as a disciple with the older prophet for eight to nine years and worked with him, just like the twelve disciples lived and worked with the Lord Jesus Christ for three years (Mark 3:14). From Elijah s attitude and example, Elisha learned to know the living God as a Holy God who loved His own and worked miracles on their behalf in time of need. As time went on and Elisha increasingly recognized the greatness of Elijah s character and the closeness of his walk with God, Elisha longed to experience the same power. Sharing the Story: 2 Kings 2:1-14 Rebuild the Story: Please feel free to use your Bible Retell the Story: Optional, have someone else retell the story. Discuss the Story: Feel free to come up with your own discussion questions. What do you learn about Elisha and his commitment as a disciple to Elijah? What did you find most astonishing or encouraging in this story? What do you learn about Elijah as a disciple maker in this story? How would you describe the attitudes of the other prophets they encountered along the way? Who is discipling you and equipping you for the work of ministry? (Eph 4) Bethel could symbolize the earliest stages of a relationship with God. What would be the danger, metaphorically speaking, of settling down permanently in Bethel? ( fire insurance Christianity ) Jericho represented the key barrier that must be overcome if the Israelites were to enjoy the abundant life of the Promised Land. Are you presently facing a Jericho of your own? How can we be joining you in that battle? Do you have a Jericho victory story? Practice: How do you need to be more like Elisha and Elijah in your discipling relationships? Announcements: Pick up your copy of @Northshore in the lobby. Prayer Requests and Closing Prayer: 9 ELIJAH, MAN OF FAITH & COURAGE June 19-24, 2017
Prayer and Celebration NAME PRAYER REQUESTS / CELEBRATIONS i