Leader’s Guide
Take Him at His Word
Page 7
Table of Contents
Click on the study title you’d like to see:
Study 1: Take Him at His Word
Study 2: A Look at Things
Study 3: Caring Commitment
Study 4: Faith at Work
Study 5: Hurried Sick
Study 6: The Sensuality Snare
© 2005 • Christianity Today International
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Leader’s Guide
Take Him at His Word
Page 2
Leader’s GuideTake Him at His Word
God and His Word are 100 percent trustworthy!
It’s difficult to find people we can really trust. Few of us know many people we’d trust with our lives. And how many people would we trust with our eternal destinies? Fortunately, God—and what he has revealed to us about himself through his Word—merits our complete trust. He sees the big picture and the end of the story, and he wants us to trust him with every part of our lives.
Men of Integrity Lesson #1
Scripture:
Judges 6–7; Psalms 37:16–24; 145:17–21; 25:8–10; 18:30–36
Based on:
This study adapted from Men of Integrity devotions for week of Sunday, March 9 (Knowing God: Take Him at His Word)
© 2004 • Christianity Today International
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Leader’s Guide
Take Him at His Word
Page 2
Note to Leader: In preparation for this study, read all of the Scripture passages above. If you have time, reading Judges 1–5 would give you good background for the main passage you’ll be looking at in this study. You may also want to reflect on times God has taught you to trust, and be ready to share such experiences at appropriate places during the study.
Warming Up
Leader: Read the following story to your group.
The Catcher
Henri Nouwen wrote about The Flying Roudellas, friends of his who were trapeze artists with the circus. They told Henri that there’s a very special relationship between the flyer—the one who lets go—and the catcher—the one who catches. As you might imagine, this relationship is important—especially to the flyer!
As the flyer swings high above the crowd on the trapeze, the moment comes when he must let go. He arcs out into the air, and his job is to remain as still as possible and to wait for the strong hands of the catcher to pluck him from the air.
The flyer told him, “Henri, everyone applauds for me because, when I do those leaps and back flips, they think I’m a hero. But the real hero is the catcher. When I come down from the triple somersault, all I have to do is stretch out my hands and trust, trust that he’ll be there to pull me back up.”
“The flyer must never try to catch the catcher,” he noted. The flyer must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him. But he must wait.
—John Ortberg in Preaching Today
Adapted from Preaching Today (1999) by permission.
Discuss:
[Q] How does this story connect with how we should look at God?
[Q] In what ways are we like a flyer in life?
Running the Race
Leader: Give your group as much of the following background information as you feel is helpful.
Gideon’s Story
Gideon was one of the judges God raised up to lead his people at a particular time in history. This time period, covered by the book of Judges, was a dark period in the history of the Hebrew people. It was a time of repeating the same cycle over and over. God would bless the people with prosperity and peace; the people would bask in the prosperity and eventually fall away from God; God would allow hard times to come to the people; the people would repent and cry out to him for help; God would bless them with a leader who would once again bring peace. Then the cycle would start all over again.
In this section of our study, we’re looking at the story of Gideon, most of which is found in Judges 6–7. If we look at the end of the verse just prior to Judges 6 (5:31c), we find where Israel is in the cycle: “Then the land had peace forty years.”
The start of Judges 6 sees Israel declining through the next two steps of the cycle—turning from the Lord and experiencing the hard times of oppression under the hands of their enemies. That’s where we pick up the story of Gideon.
Leader: For this major part of the study, form four groups. If necessary, a group can be only one person. Have each group explore the assigned passage finding answers to the questions listed below.
Group 1—Judges 6:7–32
Ø How would you describe Gideon’s faith in God at the beginning of this passage?
Ø How did Gideon’s trust in God change during the events described in the passage?
Ø How did Gideon demonstrate his trust in God?
Ø What was the result of Gideon’s obedience?
Group 2—Judges 6:33–40
Ø How would you describe Gideon’s faith in God at the beginning of this passage?
Ø Why do you think Gideon decided to test God with the fleece?
Ø Do you think that what Gideon did with the fleece was appropriate? Why or why not?
Ø What do you think Gideon’s fleeces and God’s responses accomplished in Gideon’s life?
Group 3—7:1–8, 12
Ø How did the forces of Israel described in Judges 7:3 compare to the forces of the Midianite coalitian?
Ø If you’d been Gideon, what would you have been thinking as God thinned down the Israelite troops?
Ø In Judges 7:2, God expressed his purpose in thinning down the troops when he had 32,000 men. What effect do you think this thinning process had on Gideon? On the remaining 300 men?
Ø What effect do you think God’s promise in Judges 7:7 had on Gideon?
Group 4—Judges 7:9–25
Ø What does Judges 7:10–11 tell you about Gideon’s faith status at this point?
Ø What do the Midianite’s dream and its interpretation (Judges 7:13–15) tell us about how God is able to accomplish his purposes?
Ø How did Gideon’s trust level change after his eavesdropping on the Midianites?
Ø What can we learn about trusting God from this story of victory against seemingly insurmountable odds?
Leader: After the groups have completed their studies, have them report their findings. First, have them summarize the passage they studied, and then have them give the answers they found to the questions. Allow others to add any thoughts or comments as well.
Discuss:
[Q] How do the ups and downs of Gideon’s trust in God compare to your own level of trust in God? Can you give examples?
[Q] How should Gideon’s story affect our trust in God?
[Q] Read Psalm 37:16–24. What does it mean that “The Lord upholds the righteous”?
[Q] What thoughts in this passage help you relax and trust God’s provision?
[Q] Read Psalm 145:17–21. What promises do we see in this passage?
[Q] How should those promises affect the way we live?
[Q] What should our response be to God for all he’s done for us?
[Q] Read Psalm 25:8–10. What does God offer us?
[Q] What does God expect of us?
Reaching the Finish Line
Leader: Read the following story to your group.
Stick to the Plan
The late Christian leader Spencer Perkins told about the basketball team he played for that made it to the state championship. The team members weren’t big. None were superstars. But they were in top condition and trusted their coach.
Just before the tournament, they were blown out by 30 points by another team. In the tournament, the team that defeated them was beaten by 30 points by yet another team. They figured that team must be 60 points better than they. Not a chance of winning! But Perkins’s coach kept saying, “We’re the best-conditioned team here. If we stick to our game plan, we’ll win. Trust me.”
At the half, Perkins’s team was down by 10 points. When the fourth quarter began, they were still behind by 10. The coach told them, “Stick to the plan. Speed up the tempo. Don’t panic. Trust me.” They did. With a minute to go, they tied the score. With a few seconds to go, they had the ball. Coach called time out, drew up a play, and sent them back in. It worked! They were state champs!
When we take God at his Word, we’ll do what he says in spite of all obstacles or opposition—and taste victory.
—Dave Egner in Power Up!
Discuss:
[Q] As humans and especially as men, we want to see what’s ahead and execute our own plans for our future, but what does this story suggest we should do?
[Q] Must we understand God’s game plan in order to trust him?
[Q] Read Psalm 18:30–36. Why should we be able to trust God with every part of our lives?
[Q] What part of your life is toughest for you to give to God?
[Q] How can we help each other learn to trust God more fully?
Leader: Wrap up your study with prayer, allowing men to pray as they feel led. Close with your own prayer, thanking God for his trustworthiness.
—Study by Paul Woods, a writer, editor, and pastor near
Sturgis, Michigan. He is the father of three children and
has been the husband of one wife for nearly 30 years.
© 2004 • Christianity Today International
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Leader’s Guide
A Look at Things
Page 2
Leader’s GuideA Look at Things
Reconsidering possessions and money.
If the love of money is the root of all evil, why is the accumulation of money so important to so many people? Money and possessions are enticing. We all like to have shiny new things. We all like to be looked upon as successful. We all like to be able to give nice things to our wives and families. Is there anything inherently wrong with those desires? Only when they come between us and God. If we begin serving money instead of God, we’ve lost perspective. We’ve crashed and burned in our relationship with God. Fortunately he has a better plan for our lives—keeping money in its place as we serve him alone.
Men of Integrity Lesson #2
Scripture:
Matthew 6:24; Matthew 6:25–33; Mark 8:34–37; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; Hebrews 13:5.
Based on:
This study adapted from Men of Integrity devotions for week of Sunday, December 8, 2002.
© 2004 • Christianity Today International
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Leader’s Guide
A Look at Things
Page 5
Note to Leader: In preparation for this study, read all of the Scripture passages above. Also plan to bring a stack of old magazines for use in this study.
Warming Up
Leader: Read or summarize the following story if you’re doing this study with a group.
Rejected Prescription
A doctor slammed the phone down in exasperation and rubbed his eyes. I asked him what was wrong. He recounted to me his financial woes. His huge home in an exclusive part of the city was costing far more than he’d ever planned to spend. His children were costing a small fortune to send away to fine boarding schools. His wife demanded a new, very expensive car. And the fee for membership in the country club had quadrupled.
When I suggested cutting back, he glared at me as if I were a leper and remarked, “The most important thing in my life is my house and my social standing. If I lose those things I might as well die! My life will have no meaning!”
—Bruce Hennigan in God's Man
Adapted from Don Aycock, God's Man (Kregel, 1998)
Discuss:
[Q] When have you heard this kind of attitude expressed by someone who wasn’t a Christian? By someone who was a Christian? When have you felt this way?
[Q] Besides our faith, what factors influence our outlook on possessions?
[Q] This story is an extreme example, but how do our desires for things often govern the way we live?
[Q] If we truly let God shape our value systems, how would our lives change in regard to possessions?
Running the Race
Leader: Share the following information with your group.
This study is starting right off with one of the most often-quoted verses of Scripture when it comes to discussions about money. It will give us a basis from which to launch into other passages that explore the topic further. That verse is Matthew 6:24.
Discuss:
[Q] What is the key thought that pops out from this verse?
[Q] What does it mean to serve money?
[Q] How does serving money prohibit one from serving God?
The following three passages explore different aspects of the relationship God wants us to have with him and with money or possessions. Exploring the three passages will help give us a broad understanding of what God expects of us in this area.
Leader: If you’re doing this study with a group, form three smaller groups and assign one of the following passages to each group. If you have a small number of participants, a group can be one person. Have groups read their passage discuss the questions. Be sure each group assigns someone to take notes to enable sharing with the larger group later.
Group 1—Matthew 6:25–33
Ø What do these words of Jesus say about our worries regarding money and things?
Ø In what ways do we worry about these things?
Ø What is Jesus getting at through his comparing us to birds, flowers, and grass?
Ø How well do we really know what we need? What is the value in our heavenly Father knowing what we need?
Ø How can the key principle given in Matthew 6:33 change the way we look at money and possessions?
Group 2—Mark 8:34–37
Ø What does it mean for someone to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus?
Ø How can someone save his life through losing it?
Ø What does it mean to lose one’s life for Jesus and for the gospel?