week of 9/25

Unit 13  Session 4

ELIJAH'S POWER

2 KINGS 4 - 6

God works through His people to do great things for His glory.

Elijah left the earth by God's appointment, and by God's will, he passed on his title and his spirit to the new prophet, Elisha. This prophet is now filled with the same power as his predecessor and is present in Israel. The majority of kings that follow in Israel are still wicked in the eyes of the Lord, and the people follow them. So Israel still needsa prophet to call them to repentance and obedience to Yahweh. Through Elisha, God continues to demonstrate His power so the kings, people, and nations will know Yahweh is the Lord God. And Elisha remains faithful in obedience to God, following the footsteps of his mentor.

Points to consider:

✞   The man of God brings life from death.

     * How should the reality of God's 

        resurrection power affect the lives 

        and actions of people today?

✞   The man of God multiplies bread for the people.

     * What are some ways you have seen the 

        Lord provide for your needs?

     * What are some ways we can serve the 

        Lord for His glory?

✞   The man of God heals a skin disease.       

     * What are some ways we can show kindness 

        in the world and point people to Jesus?

week of 9/18

Unit 13  Session 3

ELIJAH'S SUCCESSOR

1 KINGS 19 ; 2 KINGS 2

Those who seek to be faithful to God's call do so empowered and equipped by His Spirit.

Elijah had been a faithful prophet, obedient to God and consistent in calling Israel to repentance and their own obedience to God. He spoke directly about the sins of the people and performed miracles that demonstrated the Spirit of God was with him. Now the end of Elijah's time on earth was near. He was still following the Lord faithfully, and his protege, Elisha, was right by his side. The nation of Israel still needed a prophet, still needed someone to declare God's truth to them. God had said it would be Elisha, but how would Elisha fill Elijah's rather large shoes?

Points to consider:

✞   Faithful to the call.

     * What are some ways disciples of Jesus 

        should demonstrate their faithfulness 

        to Him?

✞   Power for the call.

     * What are some physical places that 

        hold spiritual meaning for you?

✞   Equipped for the call.       

     * Why do we need the Holy Spirit to 

        fulfill our gospel mission in the world? 

week of 9/11

Unit 13  Session 2

AHAB'S IDOLATRY

1 KINGS 15- 18

God will not fail to confront evil, but neither will He fail to offer mercy to those who repent.

Because of Jeroboam's idolatry, his whole house was wiped out in judgment (1 Kings 14:10). The kings of Israel that followed failed to restore the kingdom to a healthy place. Over and over again, they walked in the ways of Jeroboam, in the ways of idolatry and sinfulness. With each passing king, it seemed to be getting worse. Then King Ahab came to power, and he was more evil than all the others. And of course, the people followed. But in God's mercy and grace, He sent messengers and prophets to speak truth and to call for a return to the Lord. Some would listen, and some would not.

Points to consider:

✞   Ahab leads the people further into idolatry.

     * Why should we maintain hope when we 

        see evil?

✞   Elijah leads the people toward repentance.

     * What are some potential dangers believers 

        in Christ might face for obeying the Lord?

     * Why should believers be able to speak the 

        truth with boldness even in the face of 

        opposition?

✞   God's power leads the people toward worship.       

     * What are some ways we can see the power 

        of God on display today? 

week of 9/4

Unit 13  Session 1

JEROBOAM'S COMPROMISE

1 KINGS 12 - 14

Left unchecked, doubt and fear can be the first steps toward sin and judgment.

At some point in Solomon's wise reign over Israel, he succumbed to foolishness and worshiped idols. God had declared that He would humble David's descendants when they did not do what was right in His eyes. For Solomon, this took the form of war, but succeeding generations would suffer a divided kingdom. After Solomon's death, his son, Rehoboam, was made king over all Israel, but he did not listen to wisdom and was harsh with the people. Because of this, the kingdom was divided and Rehoboam ruled over Judah while the people established Jeroboam as king over the rest of Israel. Jeroboam now had the responsibility to lead the people to obey God and enjoy His favor.

Points to consider:

✞   Doubting God's promises leads to fear.

     * Why is it doubt a dangerous way to view and 

        relate to God?

✞   Fear leads to idolatry.

     * What are some ways we can resist temptation 

        to sin?

     * What reasons do we have to trust God's wisdom 

        over our own?

✞   Idolatry leads to judgment.       

     * Why should we listen to those who speak God's 

        truth to us?