WORD SEARCH, SCRIPTURES, WORKSHEET Mar 27 2011
THE LORD “STIRS UP” YOUR SPIRIT! Haggai 1:1-‐15
C3 Bible Study March 27, 2011
March 27, 2011
Please take time to read/re-read the sermon handout from the past Sunday. Based on the themes in the sermon, your C3 group will delve deeper in study and discussion of the key themes. 10 Minute 5 Minute 10 Minute 15 Minutes 35 Minutes Fellowship Announcements Outreach Care & Pray Bible study
The Book of Haggai encouraged the people to take care of God’s house -‐-‐-‐ and there are many lessons for us today as well. Haggai speaks on God’s behalf 4 times in 2 chapters, and over the next 4 weeks, we will look at each one of them. Today we heard the first Word from God. The people delayed building God’s House because they were too preoccupied building their own homes! The Lord sees it, and frames it, as a first commandment issue: it was all about priorities! THE STORY STARTS with the fall of the Babylonian Empire. Read Daniel 5 for the story. •Who interprets the dream? •What does MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN mean?
• Explain how this was powerful Law for the king (5:5-‐6) The Persian King Cyrus the Great let the Jews return to Jerusalem.
• Read Ezra 1:1-‐4 • Note Jeremiah 29:10-‐14. This is what God promised 80 years earlier. • Note Ezra 1:7-‐11 for Cyrus the Great’s kindness to the Exiles 50,000 Jews followed a man named Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem, where they tried to build their lives and live in peace and new found freedom. (Their story is in Ezra 1-‐6). One of the things that the Jews did in Jerusalem was rebuild the Temple, which the Babylonians had completely destroyed. People generously gave money for the work of the Lord; there was joy and excitement among the people, they once again worshiped God as He wanted to be worshiped. But soon the worked stopped -‐-‐-‐ the foundation was laid, the altar was built, but no further construction occurred. Sadly, the worked stopped for 20 years. THEN GOD SENT HAGGAI. God sent Haggai to confront the people and call them to repentance. Read Haggai 1:1-‐15 • Why did the people delay in building God’s Temple? (1:2) • What did God think of their excuse? (1:3-‐4)
• Explain why God saw it as a first commandment (priority) issue. Does God notice neglect? • What are common excuses people (maybe yourself even) use today for neglecting God: o Not worshipping weekly? o Not attending C3 or other Bible studies? o Not praying? o Not tithing? o Not helping in the Capital Funding Campaign? o Not witnessing for Christ? o What do you think God thinks of these excuses? o Are our excuses today any different than the people of Haggai’s time?
• Note 1:5,7. “Give careful thought to your ways” is literally “put your heart over your ways.” o What does that mean? o How is that a warning from God? o Is this what Jesus means in Matthew 6:21? • Note 1:6, 10-‐11 -‐-‐-‐ Does God bless self-‐centeredness? • Read 1:12. Explain why this is repentance. • Read 1:13. Explain why this is Gospel.
• Focus on 1:14. God “stirred up” their spirits. Note that it comes immediately after the good news, after the “Gospel”. The Gospel creates faith and “stirs up” our spirits. The Law of God can only crush you and lead you to repent and confess. But without the Gospel, you end up like Judas. The Gospel comes after the Law and creates faith, and “stirs up” your spirit. o Does the Gospel still “stir up” your spirit? Why or why not? o If it doesn’t, does that concern you? Explain. Are you taking the Gospel for granted? o Only God can “stir up” your spirit through the Gospel -‐-‐-‐ only you can squash your spirit. How can you hinder the work of God “stirring up” your spirit? o How can you help “stir up” someone else’s spirit? o CLOSE YOUR C3 TIME TODAY ASKING GOD TO STIR UP YOUR SPIRITS THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!
C3 Bible Study March 27, 2011
March 27, 2011
Please take time to read/re-read the sermon handout from the past Sunday. Based on the themes in the sermon, your C3 group will delve deeper in study and discussion of the key themes. 10 Minute 5 Minute 10 Minute 15 Minutes 35 Minutes Fellowship Announcements Outreach Care & Pray Bible study
The Book of Haggai encouraged the people to take care of God’s house -‐-‐-‐ and there are many lessons for us today as well. Haggai speaks on God’s behalf 4 times in 2 chapters, and over the next 4 weeks, we will look at each one of them. Today we heard the first Word from God. The people delayed building God’s House because they were too preoccupied building their own homes! The Lord sees it, and frames it, as a first commandment issue: it was all about priorities! THE STORY STARTS with the fall of the Babylonian Empire. Read Daniel 5 for the story. •Who interprets the dream? •What does MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN mean?
• Explain how this was powerful Law for the king (5:5-‐6) The Persian King Cyrus the Great let the Jews return to Jerusalem.
• Read Ezra 1:1-‐4 • Note Jeremiah 29:10-‐14. This is what God promised 80 years earlier. • Note Ezra 1:7-‐11 for Cyrus the Great’s kindness to the Exiles 50,000 Jews followed a man named Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem, where they tried to build their lives and live in peace and new found freedom. (Their story is in Ezra 1-‐6). One of the things that the Jews did in Jerusalem was rebuild the Temple, which the Babylonians had completely destroyed. People generously gave money for the work of the Lord; there was joy and excitement among the people, they once again worshiped God as He wanted to be worshiped. But soon the worked stopped -‐-‐-‐ the foundation was laid, the altar was built, but no further construction occurred. Sadly, the worked stopped for 20 years. THEN GOD SENT HAGGAI. God sent Haggai to confront the people and call them to repentance. Read Haggai 1:1-‐15 • Why did the people delay in building God’s Temple? (1:2) • What did God think of their excuse? (1:3-‐4)
• Explain why God saw it as a first commandment (priority) issue. Does God notice neglect? • What are common excuses people (maybe yourself even) use today for neglecting God: o Not worshipping weekly? o Not attending C3 or other Bible studies? o Not praying? o Not tithing? o Not helping in the Capital Funding Campaign? o Not witnessing for Christ? o What do you think God thinks of these excuses? o Are our excuses today any different than the people of Haggai’s time?
• Note 1:5,7. “Give careful thought to your ways” is literally “put your heart over your ways.” o What does that mean? o How is that a warning from God? o Is this what Jesus means in Matthew 6:21? • Note 1:6, 10-‐11 -‐-‐-‐ Does God bless self-‐centeredness? • Read 1:12. Explain why this is repentance. • Read 1:13. Explain why this is Gospel.
• Focus on 1:14. God “stirred up” their spirits. Note that it comes immediately after the good news, after the “Gospel”. The Gospel creates faith and “stirs up” our spirits. The Law of God can only crush you and lead you to repent and confess. But without the Gospel, you end up like Judas. The Gospel comes after the Law and creates faith, and “stirs up” your spirit. o Does the Gospel still “stir up” your spirit? Why or why not? o If it doesn’t, does that concern you? Explain. Are you taking the Gospel for granted? o Only God can “stir up” your spirit through the Gospel -‐-‐-‐ only you can squash your spirit. How can you hinder the work of God “stirring up” your spirit? o How can you help “stir up” someone else’s spirit? o CLOSE YOUR C3 TIME TODAY ASKING GOD TO STIR UP YOUR SPIRITS THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!
