Session Five: Fighting for Your Church and God’s Glory

SHARE YOUR STORY

Open your group with prayer. This should be a brief, simple prayer, in which you invite God to be with you as you meet. You can pray for specific requests at the end of the meeting or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion. Telling our personal stories builds deeper connections among group members. Begin your time together by using the following questions and activities to get people talking. Sharing our stories requires us to be honest. We can help one another be honest and open by creating a safe place; be sure that your group is one where confidentiality is respected, where there is no such thing as “stupid questions,” where you listen without criticizing one another.

1. When you hear the word “church,” what comes to mind? 2. Why would Christians need to fight for the church? 3. Last week you stated a step you would take this past week.

Report your progress to the group.

WATCH VIDEO SESSION 5

HEAR GOD’S STORY

READ EZRA 2:68-70; 3:1-3

Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel in their towns.

When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening.

1. How did the Israelites give to the treasury? Why is this significant?

2. What motivated the Israelites to set the altar in its place?

3. What were the Israelites afraid of?

STUDY NOTES

DARICS, verse 69, a coin weighing about ¼ ounce.

MINAS, verse 69, a measurement of about 1 ¼ pounds

REST OF ISRAEL, verse 70, or all Israel

CREATE A NEW STORY

1. How have you experienced fear of “the peoples of the lands?” 2. How does the fear (respect) of the Lord replace the fear of “the peoples of the lands?” 3. What is the relationship between worship and mission? 4. What is one act of worship you can practice this week? 5. Spend some time praying about those you know who might respond to a simple invitation: to come to a church service, to join your small group, or even just to have coffee and talk about spiritual matters. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind people you can pray for. 6. A strong group is made up of people who are all being filled up by God, so that they are empowered to love one another.

What specific steps will you take this week to connect with

God privately, so He can “fill you up?” If you’ve focused on prayer in past weeks, maybe you’ll want to direct your attention to Scripture this week. If you’ve been reading God’s Word consistently, perhaps you’ll want to take it deeper and try memorizing a verse. Tell the group which one you plan to try this week. Then, at your next meeting, talk about your progress and challenges. 7. Ask “How can we pray for you this week?” Invite everyone to share, but don’t force the issue. Be sure to write prayer requests on your Prayer and Praise Report on page 140.

Close your meeting with prayer.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

If you feel God nudging you to go deeper, take some time before the next meeting to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this session’s theme on your own and jot your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. A great way to gain insight on a passage is to read it in several different translations. You may want to use a Bible app or website to compare translations.

READ EPHESIANS 1:15-23.

1. Why did Paul give thanks for the Ephesians?

2. According to this passage, what are the components that make up “the hope to which He has called you?”

3. What has Christ given to the church?

READ PSALM 34:1-10 .

1. What is continually in your mouth? How can you praise

God continually?

2. What are you grateful for?

3. Read this psalm aloud. What stands out to you?

DAILY DEVOTIONS

DAY 1. READ PSALM 67:3-4

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Respond: How can you praise God for His justice today?

DAY 2. READ PROVERBS 29:18

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint. Respond: How are you discouraged today by a lack of vision?

DAY 3. READ ROMANS 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Respond: How is what you are listening to impacting your faith?

DAY 4

READ 1 PETER 2:9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Respond: How do the words of this verse affect you?

DAY 5 READ PSALM 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Respond: How do you need God’s Word to illuminate your path today?

DAY 6

Reflect on the verses from this past week, and use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotions time this week.

Session Six

Fighting for Faithfulness

MEMORY VERSE: ACTS 13:36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption.

INTRODUCTION

One of the things that drew me to the Ezra and Nehemiah story is that it’s a rebuilding story. The temple was razed and so were the walls of Jerusalem. Many businesses, churches, and organizations find themselves rebuilding. As we opened back up from being shut down from the Coronavirus Pandemic, I told our staff, “You can tear anything down in a day – a career, a marriage, or a high-rise. But it takes seasons to build. It will take us two years to rebuild.”