December 15th, 2024 - Exile: Ezra-Nehemiah
3rd Sunday of Advent
Opening
Once you have settled in, connected, shared refreshments, etc, consider these questions together.
Questions
Share together what you know about the time of the Exile.
Were you previously familiar with the story of Ezra & Nehemiah? Discuss some things that were new to you.
What kinds of opposition do Christians face today? How can we stand firm?
Are we currently in a time of Exile or a time of Promised Land? Think about different Christian groups throughout the world. (North America, Middle East, different parts of Africa and Asia, etc.)
Zerubbabel and Nehemiah correctly denied the help of outsiders. Jesus correctly welcomed and ate with outsiders. How do we know when to be like Nehemiah and when to be like Jesus?
How can we tell when a person’s heart of stone has been replaced with a heart of flesh? (Ezekiel 36:26)
Recall Nehemiah’s prayer life. How does your prayer life compare?
Advent is a time of waiting. Are you a patient waiter or an anxious one? Discuss together how we best wait for Jesus to come In the Fullness of Time.
Closing
Close in prayer. Schedule your next time to gather.