11.25.07
Small Group Plan - November 25, 2007
“The Final Straw”
Small Group Plan
November 25, 2007
Dear Small Group Leader,
The guiding vision for Prestoncrest is “Passion for God … Compassion for People.” It is a vision that comes straight from the heart of Jesus since He said that all moral values and ethical principles depend upon these two (Matthew 22:37-40).
In principle we believe this. But in practice … sometimes it’s just easier to love a perfect God than to love a very imperfect person.
But nevertheless, God puts these two concepts together over and over in scripture, as He does through the prophet Ezekiel.
OPEN IT / INTRODUCE IT …
· Remember the three monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth, so they would “see no evil” “hear no evil” and “say no evil”?
· Is this approach to life always a good idea? Explain.
· What issues in life do you think people should see, hear and speak up about?
· If you had to pick a monkey, which would you be? Explain.
LOOK AT IT / STUDY IT …
Hurting God
Ezekiel 8:3-17
1 In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign LORD came upon me there. 2 I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal. 3 He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood. 4 And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain. 5 Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing — the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable.” 7 Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. 8 He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there. 9 And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and detestable animals and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 In front of them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising. 12 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’” 13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.” 14 Then he brought me to the entrance to the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, mourning for Tammuz. 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.” 16 He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east. 17 He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the house of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually provoke me to anger?
· Count how many times the word “detestable” is mentioned in Chapter 8.
· Why so many times? How would you define “detestable”?
· In each vision Ezekiel is shown a deeper part of the Temple. What about each vision is “more detestable” than the last part?
· The “idol” that makes God jealous keeps showing up in the story. Why does it make Him jealous? Why is it a serious matter to put something else in God’s place?
· The turning point in the story is verse 17.
· How would you answer God’s question, “Is it a trivial matter … to do the detestable things they are doing here?” Just how important is our relationship with God, our Passion for God”?
· What is God feeling when says, “Must they also fill the land with violence?” Just how important is our relationship with humanity, our Compassion for People”?
· What does it mean for God to put violence in a league with idolatry?
· Why does it hurt God when people hurt people?
Exciting God
1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins
Psalm 133:1
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
Romans 14:19
Let us therefore make every effort
to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
· Why does it excite God when we live together in unity?
· What are we learning about God when we cover someone’s sin with our love?
· Why would someone choose the pain of disharmony over a “pleasant” unity?
· Why would Peter say that a sin covering love should be shown “above all”?
· To “make every effort” sounds like work. Why is the work worth it?
USE IT / APPLY IT …
· What modern idols are most often put in God’s place today?
· How have we forgotten or misunderstood God when we replace Him?
· What blessings are stripping out of our lives when we replace God?
· Of the two, “Passion for God” or “Compassion for People” which takes the most work for you? Explain.
· How can our Passion for God empower us to have Compassion for People?
Close by asking God to rekindle our vision – Passion / Compassion.