Through Prophets' Eyes - Trust Fall

November 22 & 23 - Trust Fall

Core Scripture: Habakkuk 3:16-20

Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJ) "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Discussion Questions:

1. Look up the memory verse. Explain what this verse means to you.
2. Do you think God gets "mad" when we question Him? Why or why not?
3. What does God feel like when we choose "our world" over "His Word"? What things make us want to choose the world over Him and His Word?
4. How can we choose God's word over our world?
5. Does "walking by faith, or trusting God" mean you have every question answered in your life?
   
6. How do you walk by faith when you don't completely understand the negative things happening in your life or in the world around you?

Bottom Line:

• Habakkuk chose to see God's word instead of His world. This is the question that this prophet invites us into as well: our world or His word?
• We can ask God the hard questions. But our hope is that, as we grieve and ask and ponder, we will move from why to Who and move from just seeing the world around us to trusting God's word.
• This is the hinge on which true discipleship swings: The moment we realize that God really is good and that He really can be trusted. In this moment, God builds is us faith that can face the fire and come out on the other side.
• No matter what is going on in our lives now, as followers of God, we can trust the truth that God has the last word in our lives. So today, we make this choice between our world and His Word.
  

Don't forget - next weekend (November 29 & 30) is large group only (no 242) but your kids would still love to see you and John would LOVE your help!

Through Prophets Eyes - Hall of Justice

November 15 & 16 - Hall of Justice

Core Scripture: Micah 6:8

Memory Verse:
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways do people choose "just us" over justice?
2. What would it look like for us, as Christians, to choose justice in our lives? How will this lead us to put Others First?
3. How does loving mercy help us choose justice? How can we do this?
   
4. How does walking humbly with God help us choose justice? How can we do this?
   
5. What things can we do to help bring justice to people who have less than us? How can we bring justice to people who are a different race than us? How can we bring justice to people who are weaker than us?

Bottom Line:

• Micah saw the sin that others often overlooked. As he stared into the eyes of the poor and destitute, Micah saw just how corrupt power can be. So Micah spent his time standing up for them.
  
• For Micah, true religion was not about ritual or a great worship service. Rather, it was about putting Others First by acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
• Micah calls us to pick up the fight of justice for those who cannot fight for it themselves. This includes people who have less than us, people who are a different race than us, and people who are weaker than us.
• The struggles of justice are the struggles of our world. Thankfully, Christians around the world are getting involved. Today, you too can join the movement, both in your school and around the world.

November 8 & 9 - Judgement House: REVISED QUESTIONS!!!

We decided to revise the notes for the next couple of weeks and make the questions a little easier to ask... I will have print-outs available for you this weekend.

Core Scripture: Nahum 1:2-3

Memory Verse:
John 12:47 (NIV) "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it."

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your definition of "judgment"?
2. Who do you think "deserves" judgment?
3. Why do you think we look at judgment this way?
4. Do you think most people judge themselves or others more harshly? Why?
5. How do you think God wants us to view judgment? Is that easy or hard?
6. How can we help others see the kindness and sternness of God appropriately?

Bottom Line:

• Judgment is never God's heart; it is what God is forced to do when people refuse to live the way the Judge meant, or intended. He is good, and so at times He is driven to defend His goodness and defeat evil. This is Nahum's message.
• Nahum tells us two things. First, God is slow to anger. Second, God does not leave the guilty unpunished. This means that, as much as God hates judgment, He have evil more.
• Consider the kindness of God today. Life with God is about more than avoiding judgment. It is about learning to live in the way the Judge meant for us to live and to put Other First in our lives.
  
• The ball is in our court. How will we live? Will we see the world and life through prophets' eyes, or will we go on acting as if we had never heard Nahum? Judgment or what the Judge meant - the choice is left to us.
  

Why do we do 242...

How much do you retain?

Generally…

We retain 10% of what we read.

We retain 20% of what we hear.

We retain 30% of what we see.

We retain 50% of what we hear and see.

We retain 70% of what we say.

We retain 90% of what we do.

If we just talk to people we are doing them a disservice! Thus the reason for the groups to get them to own it!

PF