Session 31 (Last Session) The End of Time

Timeless Truth: The King is coming!

Yes, I am coming soon.—Jesus. Of the original apostles, only John remained to hear these words. He had experienced the climax of salvation history, but God was not yet finished. He had one more message to share with John and the growing churches to show His servants what must soon take place.

John was exiled on the island of Patmos for his faith in Jesus. It was here that the glorified Christ appeared to John with a message of His second coming. John saw someone "like a son of man" dressed in a priestly robe and ready to judge. He fell like a dead man at His feet. This John who had leaned against Jesus’ breast (Jn. 13:25) could not even stand before Christ’s unveiled glory. Jesus presented Himself as the resurrected One who has authority over life and death. He stood among seven golden lamp stands which represent the seven churches located in the province of Asia Minor on the mainland close to the island of Patmos.

Jesus had messages for each of these seven churches. From the three churches addressed in this chapter, a pattern emerges. First, there’s a unique description of Jesus that is related to the message. Then each message contains both a word of commendation and a rebuke for the congregation. He then gives an instruction or warning before an encouraging promise to those who listen and overcome the problem. Jesus who stands among the lamp stands was carefully watching His churches.

John then saw the throne room of heaven where he was shown visions of future events. God sat upon His throne in unimaginable splendor and beauty. He was surrounded by living creatures and elders who worshiped Him without ceasing. He held a scroll that no one was found worthy to open, causing John to weep. But John’s hope was restored when he saw the Lamb standing as if slain. For the Lamb was worthy to open the scroll and also to receive power and glory and honor and praise!

Shortly thereafter, the bride who symbolizes all faithful believers was ready, wearing clean linen and prepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Then John saw heaven opened, and Jesus descended in full glory on a white horse ready to wage war and judge mankind. The King of Kings was ready to rule with blazing eyes and a blood drenched robe, a sharp sword and filled with the fury of God’s wrath. He was accompanied by the armies of heaven. His appearance is a dramatic reminder of the awfulness of God’s coming judgment upon those who reject the Lord. God’s final judgment from His great white throne is the final event of human history as we know it. The dead stand before Him in judgment. Those not found in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire.


Then John saw the New Heaven and New Earth and the New Jerusalem. In this future re-creation, God dwells among His people where He wipes away every tear. Many themes from His redemptive Story find their culmination in this place where all things are made new. The majestic and glorious New Jerusalem will be home to all the redeemed. Nothing impure will ever enter it. The water of life flows from the throne of God, the tree of life bears much fruit, and all are invited to partake. This place is the hope of every believer, for it is where God’s Upper Story and His Lower Story finally merge into one. It is here that the redeemed will enjoy the presence of God and of the Lamb forever. As Jesus concluded His message to John, three times He said, "Look, I am coming soon!" No wonder we are called blessed! Our King is coming! Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Icebreaker Question: Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real that went you awoke you had to convince yourself that it had not actually happened? What was the dream about?

1. Why might Christians resist studying this book? According to this chapter, what are the benefits connected to studying Revelation? (Hint: p. 379, 387; Rev. 1:3, 22:7)

2. Make a list of the various ways God the Father and God the Son are described throughout this chapter of The Story. For example, on page 379, the Father is him who is, and who was and who is to come; Jesus Christ is the faithful witness. After completing your list, discuss what one or two of these descriptions mean.

3. Jesus’ messages to the seven churches usually follow a general pattern: a description of Himself, a commendation, a rebuke, a warning or instruction, and a promise. Compose a letter to your church using this format.

4. Notice the description of the throne room of heaven (p. 382, Rev. 4:1-6). Look up Ezekiel 1:26-28, Exodus 19:16 and 20:18, Job 37:4 and John 12:27-28. What do these images communicate about God?

5. What four-fold reason makes the Lamb worthy to open the scroll and receive praise (p. 383)?

6. Read Matthew 24:29-44, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and Titus 2:11-14. How should you live in anticipation of Christ’s return?

7. From what you have learned in this chapter about the great white throne judgment and the lake of fire, how might you respond to the person who does not believe that a loving God could ever sentence anyone to hell (p. 385-386, Rev. 20:11-15, 21:8)? See also Revelation 20:10 and Matthew 25:41 for further insight.

8. Find at least three similarities between the original creation (Genesis 1-2) and the new heaven and new earth (p. 385-387; Rev. 21-22). How do these sections of Scripture contribute to our understanding of God’s Upper Story and what would we be missing without them?

9. Share with your group how The Story experience has impacted how you live now.

Session 30 - Paul's Final Days

Timeless Truth: Suffering and perseverance are part of the Christian journey

If one could earn frequent traveler miles two thousand years ago, Paul might hold a record. After spending nearly three years in Ephesus, he retraced his steps through Greece and Macedonia before docking in Miletus. There he summoned the Ephesian elders for a tearful and final farewell. He charged them with shepherding the church of God. After a brief stay with Philip in Caesarea, Paul headed for Jerusalem, knowing that chains awaited him there.

Paul seemed to always be able to stir up a controversy. Just walking into the temple court stirred up trouble. The Jews tried to kill him in Jerusalem so the Roman authorities stepped in to arrest him. While being taken into custody, Paul gave his testimony before an angry crowd. The Roman commander brought him before the Sanhedrin to get some answers, but that only made the problem worse. Paul remained in protective custody and was transferred to Caesarea’s higher court where he remained for two years before appealing to Caesar.

When Paul wrote to the church in Rome while still on his missionary journeys, he told them that he planned to visit them. He probably did not anticipate his "fourth missionary journey" to be under these circumstances. Luke joined him on this cruise to Rome with Julius, a kind Imperial centurion, as Paul’s personal escort. Paul warned the crew that sailing on in bad weather would be disastrous, but they continued anyway. Conditions worsened to hurricane force winds off the coast of Crete driving their ship every which way. Weeks later the storm had not weakened, but all thoughts of survival surely had. Food was low; gear was gone; hope was gone. What seemed like a bad episode of Gilligan’s Island became unlikely opportunities for Paul to talk about God. The next morning they arrived safely ashore on Malta where the islanders showed exceptional hospitality. When Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake without incident, the people thought he was either a criminal or a god. Paul healed many of the locals during their winter stay there. Three months later they were finally able to set sail for Rome.

Paul was greeted by believers at the port of Puteoli, modern day Pozzuoli, about 150 miles south of Rome. They encouraged him, and he spent a week there before traveling on. When the Roman Christians heard he was coming, they joined him for the final forty miles of his trek to Rome where Paul was confined to house arrest under the supervision of a soldier. Paul invited the Jewish leaders to come to his house. There he told them about his conflict with the Jerusalem Jews and the fulfillment of the Scriptures by Jesus. Some believed, but others rejected his message. So once again Paul pronounced his mission to the Gentiles. He spent the next two years boldly teaching anyone about Jesus who would stop by (60-62 A.D). In his spare time, Paul corresponded with some old friends.

Paul had a special place in his heart for the church in Ephesus. He had spent three years there developing the new church (Acts 20:31). He wrote to remind them of the high calling in Christ that is the basis of God’s plan to unite all believers—Jews and Gentiles alike—in one body, the Church. Therefore, those who are called are to conduct themselves in the highest of ethical standards. Although the world is hostile, believers are to preserve unity in the Spirit. During his final Roman imprisonment (67-68 A.D.), Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him to be faithful in preserving the gospel in the midst of persecution and false teachers. Timothy faced hardship in Ephesus. So knowing he was probably facing execution soon, Paul penned a heartfelt letter to strengthen this son even from a damp, cold dungeon in Rome.

Has there been a more mature Christian who has helped guide you in your spiritual growth? What did they do that most helpful for you?

1. From his farewell speech, describe Paul’s ministry in Ephesus (p. 363-364). Look up 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. What did he teach about the responsibility of elders from his personal life, his farewell address and his letters?

2. In 1 Corinthians 4:16 and 11:1, and 1 Thessalonians 1:6, how was Paul an imitator of Christ throughout his ordeals and what are the implications for believers today?

3. Paul was a Jewish Pharisee and a Roman citizen (p. 366) who exercised his rights as either at various times in his life. Discuss as a group the appropriate exercise of our civil rights in the light of our "heavenly citizenship".

4. What evidence of God’s grace and sovereignty can you find in Paul’s arrests, trials and travels?

5. Look up Acts 28:30-31, Eph. 6:20, Phil. 1:7, Col. 4:10, 4:18 and Philemon 1. How did Paul spend his two years while under house arrest in Rome (p. 373). What lessons can you learn about dealing with disagreeable and difficult circumstances?

6. Ephesians 1:1-10 (p. 373-374) teaches that as Christians we are "in Christ." What benefits and blessings does this status bring us?

7. Paul urged the believers in Ephesus to "live a life worthy of the calling" that they had received (Ephesians 4:1, p. 375). According to Paul’s letter, what does that mean?

8. What makes the marriage relationship a good metaphor for the church’s relationship to Christ? What does Christ do for the church (p. 376, Ephesians 5:21-33)?

9. Look up Romans 5:3-5 and 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (p. 378). What has Paul’s life taught you about perseverance? What might perseverance look like for us today?

10. Paul reminded Timothy of his need to persevere in the work of preparing a future generation of Christian servants using the three illustrations of a soldier, athlete and farmer (2 Timothy 2:1-7, p. 377). How does each one help Timothy fulfill his call while facing hardships? Which of these traits do all believers need to fulfill their service to the Lord, even today?

Session 29 - Paul's Mission

The gospel spreads to the civilized world.

Saul began his career as a radical Jewish scholar who was so convinced the Christians were wrong that he had them imprisoned and stoned. After an encounter with the resurrected Jesus he became a Christ-follower. Saul became Paul (his Greek name) who proclaimed Christ to the Jews first and also to the Gentiles. Led by the Holy Spirit, the believers in their home base of Antioch in Syria commissioned Paul and Barnabas and sent them out as missionaries to spread the news that Jesus the Messiah is raised from the dead. Their first missionary journey took them to the island of Cyprus where they encountered a Jewish sorcerer who opposed them, and a Roman proconsul who embraced the gospel. They set sail for the region of Galatia (present south-central Turkey). They were invited to preach in the synagogue in Antioch, and after an initial favorable reception, they faced persecution so they turned their sights toward the Gentiles.

Paul was joined by Timothy, Silas, and eventually Luke for his second missionary journey. They visited many cities in Macedonia, including Philippi where a church was begun in Lydia’s home. The evangelists were beaten and thrown in jail where their faith convicted not only their jailer, but apparently the other prisoners as well. Many Jews and Greeks from Thessalonica believed before Paul and Silas were sent away for their own protection. Paul then met Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth where he was again opposed by the Jews. But Gentiles believed, so Paul stayed and ministered there for about a year and a half. He also wrote letters to these churches to teach and encourage them. He wrote the Thessalonians to encourage them to continue to be the model of Christianity that they had become in expectation of the Lord’s return.

After returning to his base of operations in Antioch, Paul set out on his third journey. As he strengthened the churches in the Galatian region, Apollos showed up in Ephesus where he met Priscilla and Aquila. He was a powerful speaker and strong disciple, but needed further teaching. Paul arrived in Ephesus, a hotbed of pagan idolatry, and as he began teaching in the synagogue, most Jews rejected his message. He stayed more than two years teaching both Jews and Greeks. Many people from the region came to hear him as the word spread. Some of the Ephesians believed and left their idols and witchcraft in exchange for a new life in Christ. This did not set well with the idol artisans who staged a riot to drive Paul out of town. While in Ephesus, he penned letters to churches in Corinth, Galatia and Rome, though he had not yet visited there.

The Corinthian church had enjoyed a who’s who of early church leaders. This privilege should have prodded them onto Christian maturity but instead they chose sides like children on a playground. Paul chastised them for their divisiveness, corrected their immorality and answered questions that they had about spiritual gifts. They needed to practice sacrificial love for one another. Some were even denying the resurrection so Paul gave them a remedial lesson on the essentials of the gospel and the hope of a future resurrection. The Galatian churches were confused by Jewish Christians who insisted they practice the Jewish ceremonial rites. Paul’s letter is a masterpiece on Christian liberty as he defended justification by faith alone. Paul’s pastoral desire to minister to the believers in Rome prompted him to write a letter to convey the foundations of the Christian faith. In spite of every form of opposition, the word of God could not be contained. God sovereignly saw to it that obstacles became opportunities for Paul and others to take the gospel "even to the ends of the earth."

What do you like best about the church you attend?

1. God set apart Saul (Paul) and Barnabas for foreign mission work (p. 337) to help fulfill the mandate to be witnesses "to the ends of the earth," (Acts 1:8). Review the list of missionaries supported by our church. Read about each and pray for the needs that are listed for each one. (Bring photos and ministry descriptions of missionaries supported by your church.)

2. What differences do you find in Paul’s message to the Jews in the synagogue (p. 338, 339) as compared to his message to the Gentiles (p. 340, 342)? Discuss applications we might make today for reaching different people groups with the same gospel.

3. Compare the conversions of Lydia and the jailer at Philippi (p. 341-342). What differences do you find? What similarities?

4. What makes the Church in Thessalonica "a model to all the believers," (p. 344-345; 1 Thess. 1:1-2:8) and what application can we make for our church if we want to be known as a model church?

5. What problem seems to be at the root of the divisions and quarrels in the Church at Corinth? (p. 351, 1 Cor. 1:10-13, 3:1-11) Do you see any lessons here for our church?

6. Read 1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12:3-8, and Eph. 4:1-7, 11-16. Why is the human body a good metaphor for the church and how does it relate to spiritual gifts?

7. According to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, does freedom from the law grant freedom to sin (p. 355-357, Gal. 5:13-26)? What are some results of living by the Spirit?

8. What is the relationship between righteousness and faith and why do you suppose Paul used Abraham to prove his point? (Hint: The Jews placed their trust in keeping the Law and the fact that they had been circumcised.)

9. Of all the books in the Bible, Paul’s letter to the Romans most clearly outlines a pattern we can follow to lead a person to Christ. It shows man’s lost condition and makes clear what we must do to receive what God has done to correct our sad condition. This collection of verses has often been called "the Romans Road to salvation." Trace the following verses, perhaps even marking them in your Bible. Romans 3:23 3:10-11 6:23  5:8  10:9-13  5:1, 8:1, 8:38-39. In 25 words or less, what are the essentials of the gospel? (Hint: Review 1 Cor. 15:3-4) How do you think the Romans Road could help you share your faith in the future?

Session 28 - New Beginnings

Timeless Truth: He is risen—spread the news!
What could turn a group of gutless deserters into courageous, outspoken evangelists willing to be imprisoned and even die for their cause? They had witnessed the resurrected Christ. He had proved Himself alive for forty days to various people in a variety of circumstances and places. Just before His ascension, Jesus told the disciples to wait for the promised power of the Holy Spirit so that they could be witnesses to His resurrection in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Ten days later on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit stormed in like tongues of fire. He empowered each disciple to declare the gospel. Peter became the first mega-church preacher and that day three thousand new believers were baptized. This new community of believers embraced teaching and fellowship and enjoyed the favor of nearly all the people. All but the powerful Jewish rulers, that is.

The new church continued to grow rapidly. The apostles were even able to perform miracles similar to those Jesus had done! As the apostles spread the word of the resurrection in Jerusalem, they incited outrage and opposition from the Jewish rulers. Peter refused to be silenced and continued to speak in spite of orders to stop. Even a severe flogging could not curb his zealous proclamation that Jesus was the Messiah. Stephen’s scathing sermon before the Sanhedrin showed how the Jews had repeatedly rejected God’s prophets and resisted God’s Spirit. The Sanhedrin dragged him outside of Jerusalem to stone him. He saw a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God and entrusted himself to the Lord.

Sparked by the martyring of Stephen, persecution drove Christians like Philip out of Jerusalem and into outlying areas like Samaria. While the opposition grew, so did the spread of the gospel message. A Pharisee named Saul made it his personal mission to defeat this movement once and for all, but his blinding come-to-Jesus moment on the road to Damascus really "opened his eyes." Meanwhile, God prepared Ananias to deliver God’s marching orders to Saul: he had a mission to be God’s witness to the Gentiles. As Ananias laid his hands upon him, Saul’s sight was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Within a few short days, this persecutor of Christ became a preacher of Christ. Needless to say, his turnaround was met with suspicion and doubt, but trusted Barnabas vouched for him to the apostles in Jerusalem. Saul soon found himself on the receiving end of death threats, so he too was sent away from Jerusalem. The church spread throughout Judea and Samaria as God used even persecution to achieve His Upper Story purpose of spreading the news that Jesus is the risen Messiah.

God’s next move was so radical that He had to prepare both Peter and Cornelius for this new revelation. While an angel told Roman centurion Cornelius to send for Peter, Peter was given a vision of unclean animals on a sheet. A heavenly voice instructed him to eat this meat that was definitely not kosher. What Peter called impure, God now called clean. As Peter was trying to interpret the meaning of this vision, Cornelius’ servants arrived and summoned him to their master’s home. When he explained the gospel to a full house, the Holy Spirit was poured out on these Gentiles too! The Holy Spirit was now available to all who believed! Peter now knew his vision was not about food but about God’s plan to declare all people "kosher" who would believe in Christ. Peter’s ministry continued in Jerusalem where Herod Agrippa’s persecution grew deadly. Peter was imprisoned but even prison bars could not stop God’s plan. As his friends earnestly prayed for him, an angel miraculously freed him. Kings, rulers and prison guards all found themselves fighting against God and helpless to stop His plan. While the Lower Story of persecution drove believers away from Jerusalem, the Upper Story of resurrection drove many to God. He alone can redeem even the worst of circumstances. After all, He alone is the God who raised the dead!

Share about a time when you had to begin a new job or project.

1. Look up Ex. 3:2, 3:21, and 19:18. Why do you suppose the Holy Spirit was portrayed as tongues of fire that came to rest on each believer at Pentecost and how does His relationship to believers change after this event?

2. According to Peter’s Pentecost sermon (p. 325 or Acts 2:22-24, 36), who was responsible for Jesus death? As a group, discuss the tension we experience between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.

3. What marked the community life of the believers (p. 326, 328)? Discuss ways your church and small group help foster a similar community. Share what is most meaningful to you personally.

4. The church grew rapidly from the beginning even in spite of growing opposition and persecution. What factors might account for such growth then?

5. God the Father was the most visible person of the Trinity in the Old Testament. Jesus, God the Son, was most visible in the gospels and now God the Holy Spirit becomes prominent in Acts. For most Christians, the Holy Spirit is the least understood person of the Trinity. List all you learned about the Holy Spirit from this chapter. What did you learn about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for your own life?

6. How did Stephen’s martyrdom help fulfill God’s mandate of Acts 1:8 (p. 323) beginning with Philip? If you are comfortable, share an example from your own life of God fulfilling an Upper Story work out of a Lower Story tragedy.

7. What accounts for the dramatic change in Saul of Tarsus from persecutor to preacher? Do you know anyone personally who has gone from being a Christ-hater to a Christ-follower? (Please be sensitive to privacy by refraining from mentioning names.)

8. God intended to teach Peter something even more profound than a lesson about foods through the vision of unclean animals (p. 333-334). What was it and why was Cornelius’ conversion such a big turning point in the life of the early church? (See Acts 11:1-3, Acts 11:15-18, Rom. 10:12-13 and Eph. 2:11-13 for further insight.)

9. What did you learn about suffering from Peter’s flogging (p. 329-330) and imprisonment (p. 334-336), and Stephen’s martyrdom (p. 330-331) that you could apply personally?

Session 27 - The Resurrection

Timeless Truth: He is risen!

Ashamed. Afraid. Absent. Mere hours after they pledged never to leave Jesus—even to die with Jesus—the Eleven were nowhere near the cross as the sun began to set. The Roman soldiers were still there though and pierced his side to prove Jesus was very, very dead. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, an unlikely duo, show up at the cross. These two members of the Sanhedrin shed their secret discipleship and took responsibility for burying Jesus’ body. Wrapping Him in enough spices for a king, they laid him in a nearby tomb. Remembering Jesus’ words, the Jewish authorities and Pilate secured the tomb and posted a guard there to keep the three-day resurrection story from gaining any traction.

Early Sunday morning, a small band of faithful women approached His tomb wondering who could remove the rock that sealed the entrance. Imagine their shock as an angel announced to them that Jesus was not there, "He is risen, just as He said!" Hearing the news, Peter and John sprinted to the tomb. They, too, found it empty. As Mary Magdalene remained weeping, Jesus appeared to her. Later the same day, an unrecognized Jesus approached two downcast disciples on the road to Emmaus. Evidently all of Jerusalem was abuzz with the events of the last three days. The One whom they had trusted to redeem all of Israel had been crucified, and they were disappointed. Some silly women even had an unbelievable angelic vision, and the tomb was empty. But what’s a guy to do except head home to Emmaus? Jesus admonished the two for their unbelief. Then He used Moses and the Prophets to teach them about the Messiah. Jesus dined with them that evening. When their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, He disappeared from their sight, but they finally got it! So they headed back to Jerusalem at full speed and full of joy to report their experience to the Eleven. They were interrupted there by yet another Jesus appearance. An empty tomb and two appearance reports later, the disciples still cowered and mistook Jesus for a ghost when He spoke to them. "Touch me and see," He said as He showed them His hands and feet. When Jesus re-explained the Old Testament in light of all that had happened, He opened their minds so they too finally understood.

Thomas was not about to believe these second-hand stories. He wouldn’t believe it until he saw the nail marks for himself. A week later, Jesus graciously appeared to Thomas and the others just so he could touch the scars for himself. Thomas confessed, "My Lord and My God!" Yes, now he believed that Jesus was the God-man and that He was risen indeed.

Sometime later, Jesus appeared to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee. Having caught nothing all night, Jesus told these fishermen to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. The miraculous catch was so great that they could hardly get the fish into the boat. It prompted Peter to bail out and head to the Lord. Over a beach breakfast, Jesus three times asked Peter if he loved Him. Then He told Peter three times to care for His sheep. The Eleven met Jesus on a Galilean mountain where He commissioned them to continue to carry out His mission by saying, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." , "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

As God, Jesus had all authority to now commission His disciples to carry out the building up of His new community of believers who would be identified with the Triune God. They in turn could accomplish their mission because, as Emmanuel (Matt. 1:23), He would be with them to do so. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ vindicated Him as the Son of God. It is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and the climax of God’s great story of redemption. The redemptive work was finished, but now there was more work to do to spread the good news, and this ragtag group of disciples were just the ones to do it, armed with the supernatural power headed their way.

 How did you celebrate Easter when you were a child?

1. People have always had difficulty believing that Jesus was God in the flesh. (Read 1 John 1:1, 2:22 and 4:2-3) What details did John include in the crucifixion story for his readers to know for certain that Jesus, fully human, had truly died? How does knowing that God came to live among us affect your daily life?

2. For whose sake did the angel roll away the stone (p. 316)? What other major events have been announced by angels?

3. List everything you have learned about Jesus’ resurrection body from this chapter. Why is Jesus’ literal, physical resurrection a non-negotiable teaching of the Christian faith? (See Romans 1:4, 4:25 and 1 Corinthians 15:17 )

4. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, 42-49. What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you personally and for all believers?

5. Thomas is frequently referred to as "doubting Thomas" because he refused to believe his fellow disciples’ testimony. Then, a week after the resurrection, he confessed, "My Lord and My God!" Do you think Thomas’ reputation is justified or do you think he has been labeled unjustly? Why or why not?

6. What parallels can you find between Peter’s denial story (John 18:17-27) and His restoration story (p. 320, John 21:15-23)? What does Peter’s restoration reveal about Jesus’ heart and how does it apply to you personally?

7. What does Jesus’ Great Commission on the mountain in Galilee require of all His disciples (p. 320)? Discuss what is involved in "making disciples."

Session 26 - The Hour of Darkness

Timeless Truth: It is finished!

Knowing that His time had come, Jesus spent His last few hours with His disciples. The Passover was approaching so they prepared a customary feast. But this was no ordinary Passover meal; Jesus was about to change history. At His "last supper," He taught the disciples a significant lesson by washing their feet. He even washed Judas’ feet, although He knew Judas would betray Him. Then Jesus took the unleavened bread and cup of wine from the Passover meal and instituted the New Covenant, the Covenant that Jeremiah and Ezekiel had promised centuries ago. Aware of His God-ordained destiny, Jesus clarified His relationship to the Father so that His disciples might understand what lay ahead. He promised them that an advocate, the Spirit, would come and help after His own departure. After a lengthy prayer to the Father for His glorification, Jesus led this rag-tag group through the night to the Garden of Gethsemane.

What Peter lacked in judgment, he made up for in zeal. Peter pledged to even die with his Lord rather than abandon Him. But Jesus knew that He would go through His ordeal alone. He told Peter that he would disown Him three times before dawn. Jesus’ anguish for what was to come drove Him to agonizing prayer. Peter and his companions quickly exchanged fidelity for forty winks while Jesus prayed, searching to see if there was any way to avoid what was awaiting Him. He answered His own prayer when He acknowledged that He would do God’s will and not His own. Then Jesus’ betrayer and conspirators arrived to arrest Him. They escorted Him to Caiaphas’ kangaroo court. No one could find legitimate charges against Jesus until He affirmed His identity—Messiah, the Son of God. The Sanhedrin charged Him with blasphemy and sentenced Him to death. The religious henchmen beat and belittled their legitimate King. Watching from a safe distance, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Stunned and ashamed, he left in bitter humiliation. Judas, in a sudden moment of remorse, returned the blood money and opted for a rope.

Meanwhile, Pilate was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Jews wanted Jesus crucified, and he wanted Caesar’s sustained support. What’s a governor of a no-name, backwater region of Rome to do? Interrogating Jesus himself, he found no legitimate charge to pin on this man. Yet the pressure was escalating from the crowd as they threatened to turn him in to Caesar as a rebel sympathizer. Pilate’s thug soldiers clothed, beat and crowned Jesus with contempt before they marched Him to the cross.

Crucifixion was an exceptionally cruel way to die. The public execution drew hordes of scornful onlookers. Their jeers challenged Jesus to save Himself. They failed to grasp that Jesus was there to save them. One of the two criminals crucified with Jesus, however, got the picture. His faith secured his place in paradise. Even the creation itself testified to the enormity of this event. As sin overcame Jesus, darkness eclipsed the whole land. For the first time in eternity, Jesus was forsaken by His Father.

"It is finished," He proclaimed. At that very moment, the temple curtain was torn, an earthquake split rocks and tombs were opened. It was finished. What could compel the Son of God to endure such torture? Finishing. Finishing the work that the Father sent Him to do. The debt of all sinners was put on Jesus who alone could pay it in full. God is holy, loving and just. His love compels Him to pursue His people, but His holiness requires justice for sin. The mob of mockers witnessed a Lower Story drama. A few faithful disciples witnessed a Lower Story injustice. But God witnessed the Upper Story culmination of a plan prepared before the foundation of the world. It was no surprise. It was justice. And it was finished.

Which of the unusual events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus do you find most compelling, and why?

1. In what ways does Jesus’ preparation and celebration of his final Passover meal parallel the original Passover? What does this teach us about the purpose of Jesus’ death? (Review Exodus. 12:1-13, 21-27, John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 )

2. What was Jesus trying to teach the disciples when he washed their feet? What are some ways you can wash each others’ feet as a small group?

3. Review Jeremiah 31:34 and Ezekiel 36:26-28, where the prophets describe the new covenant. What are some of the characteristics of the new covenant listed in these verses? How does Jesus fulfill these promises?

4. Look back at pages 305- 306. How would you describe Jesus’ special relationship to the Father?

5. How is the Spirit described on p. 306? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?

6. What can we learn about Jesus and about prayer from the Garden of Gethsemane? (p. 307-308)?

7. Compare Judas with Peter after each betrayed Jesus (p. 310). How can you tell the difference between remorse and repentance?

8. The Sanhedrin could find no evidence to charge Jesus (p. 309). (Jewish Law, Deut. 17:6, required two witnesses.) Three times Pilate declared, "I find no basis for a charge against him," (p. 311). Why is this important? Why was Jesus crucified?
9. Discuss the irony of the statement, "He saved others but He can’t save himself." How do you feel that such a price was paid for you?

10. Compare Jesus as King to Israel’s and Judah’s former kings, and the religious leaders of Jesus’ day to Israel’s religious leaders in the past. Why did Israel need King Jesus?

Session 25 - Jesus, the Son of God

Timeless Truth: He is I AM.

Who do you say I am? It was the most important question Peter was ever asked. People did not know what to make of this Jesus. He was like no other rabbi. His claims about Himself were outrageous and way out of line if He were merely human. Two thousand years had passed since God promised Abraham that through his seed all nations would be blessed. A thousand years had passed since God promised David that his descendant would reign forever. Now, in Jesus, God’s marathon plan of redemption was sprinting toward its climax. Peter’s answer to the question would change his life forever.
"You are the Messiah," Peter confessed. Then Jesus began to teach His disciples that this messianic mission included suffering, death and a resurrection from the dead. They objected to this idea of a Messiah, but Jesus rebuked them. His mission was set, and no one could come between Him and the cross. In fact, He taught His disciples that they too would need to lose their lives to save them.

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain and gave them a glimpse of His future glorification. When He was transfigured before their very eyes, they fell face down in fear. Jesus had often made "I Am" statements connecting Himself to the name YHWH or "I Am." Then a voice from heaven stated that Jesus was the Son of God, thereby confirming His assertions. (Have someone in your group read the summary section.)

I AM the light of the world. I AM the bread of life. Jesus declared that failure to believe in Him would have eternal consequences—you would die in your sins. But the Pharisees knew full well the weight of the "I AM" statements – and Jesus’ claims to be God were, to them, nothing short of blasphemy. From then on, their hatred of Him ripened into an assassination plot. Jesus declared that failure to believe in Him would have eternal consequences—you would die in your sins. But the Pharisees knew full well the weight of the "I AM" statements – and Jesus’ claims to be God were, to them, nothing short of blasphemy. From then on, their hatred of Him ripened into an assassination plot.

I AM the resurrection and the life. Despite getting word that His friend Lazarus was on his deathbed, Jesus delayed His journey. By the time He arrived, Lazarus had been entombed for four long days. Sisters Mary and Martha mourned their brother’s death, disappointed that Jesus had not arrived in time to heal him, but Jesus assured the women that His delay was for divine glory. At His command, Lazarus walked out of his tomb, vindicating Jesus’ assertion that He alone is the Source of life.

The march toward Jerusalem continued. His time was fast approaching, and He had to prepare the disciples for what lay ahead. He told them that the kingdom of God is accessible to those with childlike trust and humility, not through performance. Along the way, Jesus met a rich young man, who had performed well since childhood. Jesus told him that discipleship, for him, would mean giving away his riches. Unable to part with earthly wealth, the young man walked away from Jesus’ offer. So strong is the lure of riches that, as far as the gospels record, this is the only time Jesus’ offer was refused.

For the third time, Jesus told them that His work included suffering, death and a resurrection after three days. Now, it was time for Jesus’ grand entrance. He sent His disciples to fetch appropriate transportation, and a colt was just where Jesus said it would be. He mounted the donkey and triumphantly rode into Jerusalem as people laid down their coats and branches on the road and hailed Him as the long awaited King, son of David!Despite getting word that His friend Lazarus was on his deathbed, Jesus delayed His journey. By the time He arrived, Lazarus had been entombed for four long days. Sisters Mary and Martha mourned their brother’s death, disappointed that Jesus had not arrived in time to heal him, but Jesus assured the women that His delay was for divine glory. At His command, Lazarus walked out of his tomb, vindicating Jesus’ assertion that He alone is the Source of life.
Jesus was preparing to glorify the Father’s name. He continued to offer eternal life to all who would believe. The incensed Pharisees instilled fear in many; some who did believe kept quiet. But Jesus’ claims were non-negotiable; He was the only Source of eternal life, the climax and culmination of God’s redemptive plan. Who do you say I am? It is the single most important question that everyone must answer. Who do you say I am? It is the single most important question that everyone must answer.

What event in this chapter in the life of Jesus would you like to have witnessed? Why?

1. Jesus said we must "deny ourselves" and "take up our cross;" and if we seek to save our lives we will lose them. (p. 291-292). What are the implications of these commands for your life, such as marriage, parenting, and career ambition?

2. Jesus was transfigured on the mountain (p. 292). The Greek word translated transfigured is the root of the English word metamorphosis which refers to a radical change. This same word is used in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. What do these verses teach us about the transformation of every believer?

4. Look up 1 John 1:5-7 and 2:8-11. What did Jesus mean when He said that "whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (p. 294)? What does this look like for the Christian living a typical daily life?

5. Look up Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 43:11-13, and John 5:18. Why did Jesus’ opponents try to stone Him (p. 295)? How might you answer the skeptic who says that Jesus never claimed to be God?

6. Up to this point, Jesus had claimed to be the bread of life, the water of life and the light of life. And here with Mary, Martha, the disciples and a crowd of mourners, He claimed to be the resurrection and the life with another I AM statement (p. 296). What is the relationship between belief and life? Between belief and resurrection?

7. Why do you suppose Jesus was "deeply moved in spirit," "troubled," and wept? Consider Genesis 2:17, Romans. 6:23, 1 Corinthians. 15:26, Hebrews. 2:14-15 and I Thessalonians 4:13-17. How has your faith helped you deal with death?

8. Three times Jesus predicted His death and resurrection (p. 291, 292, and 299; Mark 8:31, 9:30-31, 10:32-34) and followed each with a lesson on discipleship (p. 291 [Mark 8:34-38], Mark 9:33-37, Mark 10:35-45). What principles of discipleship did Jesus teach and why would He relate them to His Passion?

9. After Jesus entered Jerusalem as the rightful King of Israel, He cleansed the temple because some had turned it from a house of prayer into a place of corruption (p. 300). Suppose Jesus walked into our own church. With what would He be most pleased? What corrections might He make?

10. At what points was Jesus’ humanity most evident to you? His deity?

Session 24 - No Ordinary Man

Timeless Truth: Neutrality is not an option – Jesus demands a response.

One thing about this Jesus: He never invited neutrality. His followers called Him the Christ. His contenders called Him a blasphemer. Some were drawn to Him, while others could muster nothing in His presence but contempt. His teachings were revolutionary and His miracles undeniable. He claimed nothing less than equality with God and proclaimed Himself as the long expected Messiah. Jesus never left sitting on the proverbial fence as an option.

He attracted criticism in spades, but He also drew crowds. He often taught the people in parables, pithy stories that drew spiritual lessons from everyday life to reveal the "secrets" of God’s kingdom. With simple illustrations, Jesus taught that in Him, God’s kingdom had come, while exposing the religious leaders’ misguided view of religion. Jesus’ trilogy on lostness told of a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son and demonstrated the value God places on a repentant heart. In the story of the lost son, Jesus exposed the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees as the older brother’s indignity, angered by his father’s compassion. Like this father, Jesus’ concern for sinners created an ever-widening rift with the Pharisees. His popularity increased and so did His opposition. Yet Jesus’ teaching ministry to the masses continued, and in the Sermon on the Mount, He taught them how to live by faith in close relationship with God.

Jesus was a great teacher, but even His closest disciples struggled to grasp His true identity and purpose. He authenticated His words with miracles that made His authority irrefutable. The disciples were awestruck when Jesus calmed a raging storm at sea. The people were confounded when he expelled demons from a possessed man into a herd of pigs, who promptly drowned themselves. Who was this man? He certainly wasn’t looking or sounding like a Messiah should. The desperate came to Him for healing, and weren’t found wanting. Jesus healed a woman with a bleeding disorder, while pausing to restore her dignity and commend her faith. Meanwhile, the daughter of a synagogue leader named Jairus died. Jesus established His authority over death by raising her back to life. He healed two blind men, and the Pharisees exposed their own desperate lack of vision by crediting such miracles to the prince of demons.

News about Jesus spread through villages and cities, homes and institutions. Even King Herod grew interested. He was haunted by the fear that John the Baptist might have returned from the dead, for he had ordered John’s execution. Wherever He went, people gathered around Jesus. After one especially long day, Jesus fed more than 5,000 with five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. The miracle was meant for more than filling empty stomachs. He had come to fill empty lives; the real point was that He is the "bread" of eternal life. As a result of his teachings, the people were divided. Many turned away, but those who truly believed remained. In one of His finest moments, Peter announced, "You have the words of eternal life…you are the Holy One of God."
Many came to Jesus with Lower Story needs, but Jesus’ mission was greater than any had imagined. He’d come to offer an Upper Story life, to fulfill the promises that began centuries ago with Abraham and David. He’d come to offer a life of faith – faith in unseen realities, faith in who He is, and what He could do for them eternally. The offer still stands.

What’s the hardest class you had to take in school? What made it so hard for you?

1. You might think that Jesus spoke in parables so everyone could understand, but the disciples as well as the crowds had a hard time understanding his meaning. Why did Jesus say he spoke in parables? (p. 277) Why was this so?

2. Who was Jesus referring to when he said "those who have will be given more; as for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them." What will be given or taken?

3. How are genuine believers differentiated from unbelievers in the parable of the soils? What does each of the soil types represent? Can a "soil type" be changed?

4. Note the setting and the target audience of the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son (p. 279-280). From the parable of the prodigal son, what do we learn about what the Father values? Do you share his values?

5. Review pages 277, 278. Based on the parables, what is the Kingdom of God? Look up Mark 1:15. What should be our response to the Kingdom of God?

6. The Sermon on the Mount opens with nine statements called "the Beatitudes," from the Latin word for "blessings." How does someone gain these blessed qualities? (Hint: See Rom. 3:21-23)

7. Christians believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man. How do you see this in the episode of calming the storm (p. 283-284)? What encouragement can believers today draw from this story?

8. John the Baptist languished in prison until he was finally executed. Faithful believers are persecuted around the world in greater numbers today than ever before. Discuss practical ways that your group could support the persecuted church around the world. (Check out www.persecution.org . This website provides accurate details about the persecution of Christians throughout the world.)

9. What lessons of faith and courage can be gleaned from the account of Peter walking on water (p. 288)?

10. Identify two or three ways the crowds misunderstood Jesus’ description of their need for eternal life (p. 288-290). How is Jesus’ message (Jn. 6:29, 35, 47) different from most people’s idea of salvation?

Session 23 - Jesus’ Ministry Begins

Timeless Truth: Jesus: The Messiah you’d never expect.

If God’s prophets were meant to be peculiar, John the Baptist did not disappoint. Eccentric is too mild a description for this wilderness dwelling preacher who wore odd clothes and lacked both a sense of tact and a balanced diet. His message, though, was right in step with a long line of prophetic predecessors. He called for Israel’s repentance and baptized the penitent in the Jordan River.

John was awestruck when Jesus came to be baptized by him. Then he watched in amazement as heaven opened wide and the Spirit of God came to rest on Jesus. John and those with him were astonished to hear the voice of the Father Himself broadcasting His divine approval. The community of God had gathered to bear witness to their incarnation. The Spirit then led Jesus to a lonely wilderness, where he spent the next 40 days in one-on-one combat with Satan, the enemy of God. He confronted Satan’s evil allurements and proved Himself obedient to the Father and triumphant over sin.

John the Baptist denied claims that he was Messiah, pointing to Jesus and announcing, "Look, the Lamb of God." Andrew heard John’s message and rushed to tell his brother, Simon Peter, and others that Messiah had come. Jesus gathered His band of followers and began training them with marvelous words and miraculous ways. His first miracle took place when He went to a wedding in Cana with his mother, Mary, and his disciples. The wine ran out, so Mary turned to Jesus to remedy the embarrassing state of affairs. Jesus simply instructed the servants to fill six jars with water and serve the guests. When they did, the guests marveled that finest wine had been kept such a secret until now, and Jesus’ disciples caught their earliest glimpse of the One who shared creative power with His Father.

The disciples became increasingly aware that Jesus was indeed their long-expected Messiah, but others were not so sure. A religious leader called Nicodemus had a clandestine encounter with Jesus to find some answers. Jesus’ simple reply was, "You must be ‘born again’….of the Spirit. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jesus had a similar conversation with a Samaritan woman who had come to draw water from a well. With her, he spoke of ‘living water,’ but the message was the same: accept His gift and be saved. When she mentioned the Messiah, Jesus confirmed His identity. She believed and shared the news with her entire village, as the second missionary of the new Messiah.

Jesus traveled the area, taught in the synagogues and healed the people. He ousted demons and cleansed socially exiled lepers. The crowds grew and so did His critics. On one occasion, four men dug through the roof of a house so they could bring their paralytic friend to Him. Before he healed him, Jesus forgave the man, while the religious teachers grew indignant over such claims. But Jesus validated His authority by commanding the paralytic to get up and walk. The Pharisees missed the miracle and were incensed that Jesus had violated tradition by healing on the Sabbath.

This Sabbath infringement, coupled with his absurd claim to be the Messiah Himself, on top of his questionable social circles, quickly turned the establishment against Him. And so the conspiracy to kill Jesus began. While many debated, questioned and wondered about Jesus’ identity, one thing was certain: Jesus was controversial. Some saw hope, but others hated Him and wanted only to be rid of Him John the Baptist had loved Him from the beginning but now, languishing in prison, he began to doubt as well, demonstrating that even the best of us have our faith tested under difficult circumstances. But throughout this chapter, His baptism, His triumph over temptation, His miracles and His message confirm Him as the long expected One who confounds expectations, is drawn to the least and the lost, and whose message is indeed for all, from the graduate professor to the immoral woman to the leper – the Anointed One indeed.

When did you first began to understand the message of Jesus as your Savior and Lord? Who helped you understand?

1. Identify the ways in which the God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit appear at Jesus’ baptism (p. 266). Look up Isa. 11:1-2, 42:1 and Ps. 2:1-7.

2. What does Jesus’ example teach us about how to resist temptation?(p. 266)? (See Eph. 6:10-17 for further insight.)

3. Upon what did the original disciples base their belief in Jesus (p. 268)?

4. Nicodemus and the woman at the well both had conversations with Jesus (p. 269-272). Why do they represent such a contrast?

5. How do the biblical Satan and other evil spirits compare to popular depictions of demons in films, television, literature or art?

6. Jesus was constantly interacting with different types of people: curious Jews, antagonistic Pharisees, tax collectors, and society’s castoffs. What can you learn about how to respond to different types of people from observing Jesus?

7. The faithful friends of the paralytic carried him to Jesus (p. 273). If you are comfortable, share with your group a time in your own life that you had to totally depend of the faith of a Christian friend to get you through.

8. Jesus clashed with the Pharisees who hoped to catch Him violating the Sabbath (p. 274). Doing work was punishable by death according to the Law (Ex. 31:14, Isa. 56:1-2). Who is actually guilty of violating the Sabbath in this encounter?

9. John the Baptist who had earlier proclaimed, "Look, the Lamb of God," was now languishing in prison where he began to wonder about this Jesus (p. 275-276). Look up Isaiah 35:5-6 and 61:1. Why did Jesus answer John the way He did?

10. John has his moment of doubt. Can doubts and faith co-exist? Do our circumstances today affect our view of Jesus’ credibility, as it did with John?

Session 22 - The Birth of the King

Timeless Truth: The Word became flesh.

Heaven had been very quiet for 400 years. No burning bushes. No splitting seas. No visions. No dreams. No prophets. No message from God…just silence.

Then, in a magnificent yet inauspicious way, a word – but not just a word, The Word came. At the time, the event seemed inconsequential to all but a blue collar carpenter and his teenage bride. But in fact, the Word of God had taken on flesh and blood and was first heard in a baby’s cry. His birth was unspectacular, yet His presence dispelled darkness and cast an inescapable ray of light across history, past, present and still unwritten. God’s promises to Abraham and David had found fulfillment at long last. Jesus would bless all nations and would take His rightful place on David’s throne. It is this event to which everything thus far in The Story has pointed.

Mary was the first to hear the news. In the midst of wedding plans and setting up house, the angel Gabriel pronounced that she had been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. Nothing could have been further from her mind…or her to do list. Mary was engaged and a virgin. The power of the Most High would take care of everything, he said. So Mary rejoiced. She accepted her position as God’s servant and praised Him with purest trust in His plan. Joseph was the next to know. He considered pursuing a legal dissolution of their relationship to save them both from the humiliation of an illegitimate pregnancy. But he received his own angelic visitor, who confirmed Mary’s innocence and gave his blessing on their marriage. Joseph married Mary and soon after made the journey to Bethlehem to pay his taxes as required by law. The town was bustling, and the inn was full – so the Son of God was born in a stable.

Angels delivered the birth announcement, and shepherds became the welcoming committee for the King of Kings. They hurried to see for themselves, and found a surprisingly unassuming setting for a king: a baby in a feeding trough, accompanied by his mother, earthly father, and the local livestock. God also sent signs in the stars, and faraway wise men charted their course with gifts in hand. King Herod felt threatened by the birth of another monarch, so he ordered the massacre of all the baby boys in the surrounding areas. God sent angels again so His redemptive plan would stay its course. They warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt until it was safe to return.

Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to Israel only after Herod’s death, and they made their home in Nazareth. Jesus grew up there as the precocious son of pious Jews. He and His family traveled to Jerusalem every year to celebrate Passover. When Jesus was 12, He stayed behind in the temple unbeknownst to his frantic parents. They found Him sitting with the teachers who were amazed at His words. Jesus grew up as all boys do, and Scripture tells us that He increased in wisdom and favor with God and with people.

God’s Upper Story intersects with His Lower Story at the birth of Jesus Christ, the God-man. God’s redemptive story approaches its climax as the Son of God from eternity past becomes the Son of Man for eternity future. Messiah has finally come.


What is your favorite part of the Christmas story and why? If you were in a Christmas pageant as a child, what part did you play?

1. These verses in the Gospel of John reveal one of the most important beliefs. How does page 255, or John 1:1-14, 18, help clarify the relationship between God and Jesus? Why is this so important?

2. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people," (p. 255, Jn. 1:4). Look up Jn. 5:21-29, 6:47-58, 10:10, 11:25, 14:6, 17:3, and 20:31. What does it mean, that in Him was life?

3. List some of the names of Jesus and their meaning or significance (see also Isa. 9:6-7.)

4. What things did Mary know about her child even before she conceived (p. 256)? Why was this important?

5. In response to her situation, Mary offers a song of praise. (p.256) Compare Hannah’s praise song in 1 Sam. 2:1-10. How these songs are similar? Did Mary see herself as part of God’s Lower Story or part of His Upper Story?

6. What do you suppose Joseph thought and felt about Mary’s pregnancy before and after the angelic visitation (p. 257)? What is the difference between having faith in people and having faith in God?

7. Joseph was as a "righteous man," (p. 257, Lu. 1:19) who was not necessarily considered to be so by others (Jn. 8:41). What examples can you find of his righteousness?

8. Herod was not the first evil ruler to commit, or attempt, infanticide against Hebrew babies. What other examples can you recall? What does this teach you about God’s Upper Story plan of redemption?

9. The text tells us "all who heard [Jesus] were amazed" (pg. 258). What do you suppose it was that surprised them?

Session 21 - Rebuilding of the Walls

God always preserves a faithful remnant.
It’s no surprise that the Hebrew people were homesick after 70 years of foreign captivity. At this point, it had been 80 years since King Cyrus first gave the green light for the exiles to return to their beloved Jerusalem. Zerubbabel was among the first to go. Fifty thousand former slaves packed their bags and joined him on the trek back to the holy city in 537 B.C. But many remained beyond the borders of God’s promise.

Ezra had earned the favor of Persia’s King Artaxerxes during his time in Babylon. The king authorized Ezra to take a second contingent of Israelites back home. Ezra was a faithful scribe and teacher, and he was given permission not only to teach God’s law but also a mandate to appoint judges and a bottomless expense account to finance his journey.

Nehemiah remained in the palace of Susa as the favored cupbearer of the Persian king. He was dismayed to hear that the walls of Jerusalem remained in disrepair, for without walls, no city would be secure. The king gave Nehemiah a leave-of-absence so he could lead 42,000 exiles back to Jerusalem. His first order of business was to assess the condition of the walls and the people. He quickly rallied the city leaders to rebuild.

Sanballat and Tobiah were none too pleased. As leaders of nearby nations, they were threatened by the prospect of Jerusalem’s comeback. They retaliated with intimidation and made repeated attempts to out-maneuver Nehemiah and his rebuilding project, but Nehemiah was undeterred. He encouraged his leaders and armed his people. Some worked while others stood guard. Some carried supplies with one hand and a weapon in the other, but the threats continued. Even when Israel’s enemies enlisted an Israelite as a false prophet to undermine the progress, Nehemiah was not shaken. He refused to entertain empty lies, and the wall was rebuilt in record time—only 52 days!

As Nehemiah rebuilt the walls, Ezra set out to rebuild God’s people. He began by teaching them the Scriptures for the next 13 years. The people gathered to hear Ezra read, and other priests joined in to teach as well. At last, they got it! They grasped the reality of God’s great story and celebrated the Feasts of Booths as Moses had written of so long before. The people and the priests hungered to worship God, and God’s people were restored in the Land of Promise.

Yet old habits die hard, and the people’s fervor soon dwindled. The priests and the people became apathetic, so God commissioned the prophet, Malachi, to speak His words of divine warning. The priests had begun to dishonor God with sacrifices that were less than the best. They treated their wives poorly and wondered why God was not pleased with their worship. They withheld their offerings, and the whole community began to again turn away from God.

Malachi prophesied the return of the prophet Elijah as sign of things to come. God had restored His people and protected His faithful remnant. He had protected Judah’s royal line in keeping with his promise to David. He spoke His final words of warning and promise through Malachi, and then God was silent. God’s people would not hear from Him again until the promised Elijah would step forth as God’s new messenger. God’s redemptive story, for now, was quietly marching toward history’s climactic event.


What’s the most extensive remodeling or construction project you have been involved in?

1. List the three things that Ezra devoted himself to (p. 239). What is significant about this order that also applies to the successful Christian life of every believer?

2. Why is it important for teachers like to be like Ezra – "well versed" and "learned" (p. 239) in God’s word? Share with your group who has been your most influential Bible teacher and why.

3. Compare the "first exodus," Exodus 11:1-3 and 12:35-36, with this second exodus. How can you tell that this was clearly God’s response to Ezra’s prayer (p. 242)?

4. Why do you suppose Nehemiah did not reveal to anyone the plan that God had put in his heart (p. 243)?

5. Nehemiah prayed for protection, but he also posted guards. Does this show a lack of faith on Nehemiah’s part? How should we "follow-up" after we pray for something?

6. Nehemiah’s enemies tried to use the false prophet Shemaiah to distract him from the rebuilding project. How do you determine if a message from God or another source?

7. What can you learn from Nehemiah about leadership?

8. What does Nehemiah teach us about prayer? Do you notice any patterns in his prayer life?

9. Years after the walls had been rebuilt, the prophet Malachi was sent to correct the priests and the people (p. 248). What were they doing that dishonored God?

10. According to the prophet Malachi, what is the correlation between one’s relationship with God and one’s treatment of their spouse?

Session 20 - The Queen of Beauty and Courage

Timeless Truth: God’s providence includes both justice and love.

King Xerxes of Persia had reason to party. His vast empire was powerful and prosperous. His queen was lovely. His palace was ideal for a celebration befitting such a monarch. His merrymaking continued for six months when Xerxes summoned Queen Vashti so he could put her on display for the inebriated revelers. She refused. Kings do not like to be refused. With his advisers’ support, he stripped Vashti of her crown and banished her from his presence.

Kings also do not like to be queenless. The king commissioned a kingdom-wide beauty pageant, and young women from every province were whisked into the king’s harem for a year-long visit at the royal spa. One such woman was a Jewish girl named Esther who had been raised by her cousin, Mordecai. Esther won everyone’s heart, including the king’s. He made her queen but did not know she was a Jew. Soon after, Mordecai learned of a plot kill the king. He passed the news to Esther; the king was rescued and the conspirators hanged. Xerxes’ scribe recorded Mordecai’s service in the annals of the king.

Haman was King Xerxes’ right-hand man. Haman reveled in his high standing and enjoyed having all the royal officials kneel at his feet. Mordecai refused to pay such homage. Haman was enraged. To exact his revenge, Haman deceived the king into issuing a decree to exterminate Mordecai and his people, the entire Jewish population of Persia. He cast a lot, or pur, and chose a single day of unfettered violence against the Jews.

Mordecai sent word to Esther asking her to beg the king for mercy. Queen Esther feared for her life because no one could legally go before the king without prior permission. Mordecai’s immortal words persuaded her: "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Her courageous response was, "If I perish, I perish."

She and the Jews in Susa fasted, and Esther approached the king. Xerxes welcomed her and offered to grant her heart’s desire. She invited the king and Haman to a private banquet. Haman was delighted. Esther invited them both to another fancy but ultimately fatal feast. Haman was elated to be the exclusive royal guest but still enraged over Mordecai’s insolence. With all the satisfaction of a Cheshire cat, he erected a pole on which Mordecai could be impaled.

Kings with full stomachs must not sleep well, so Xerxes spent the midnight hours reading the royal records. He discovered the account of Mordecai’s report that saved his own life and wondered how he might honor such a man. The king asked Haman for advice on how he might honor one of his favorites. Assuming that he was the king’s favored, Haman dreamed up an elaborate ceremony. Within moments, a mortified Haman was giving his nemesis the king’s robes, leading him through the streets and singing his praises. Haman later enjoyed the queen’s second banquet until Esther exposed his plot to destroy her people. The king left the room in a fury only to return and discover Haman appearing to assault his queen. He ordered that Haman be impaled on the very pole intended for Mordecai.

The king could not repeal his original edict declaring the destruction of the Jews. But he enabled Mordecai to issue a counter-edict providing for the Jews to take up their own defense. The day planned for destruction became a day of deliverance. Though the lot was cast, God remains the author of the story. Even in exile, God protected His people, and in Esther, we see God’s heart for saving us all.

What’s the biggest, most lavish party you have attended?

1. Analyze the positives and negatives of King Xerxes as a leader.

2. The book of Esther has been called the "godless book" because God’s name is never mentioned. Prayer, the Law, sacrifices and temple worship are also conspicuously absent. Where can you find God’s supernatural blessings in the story anyway?

3. Look up Isa. 48:20, Jer. 29:10, 50:8, 51:6. What do these verses say about the Jews like Mordecai and Esther who stayed behind? What do you learn about God through His providential care of the Jews outside of the Promised Land?

4. The book of Esther is full of irony, such as Queen Vashti who would not come before the king when requested and Queen Esther who came before the king when not requested. What other examples of irony can you find in this chapter?

5. What life lessons does Haman teach us about pride, self-centeredness and hatred?

6. Review the correspondence between Mordecai and Esther concerning an appeal to the king (p. 232-233). What is the relationship between God’s providence and our responsibility?

7. What risk was Queen Esther taking by approaching the king and how did she prepare for it (p. 232-233)? What factors do you suppose could account for Esther finding favor in the eyes of the king?

8. Queen Esther was willing to risk her life to save her people. Can you share a time when you took a risk to do what was right?

9. Esther is not the first Hebrew that God positioned in a place of influence to be a source of deliverance for His people. Who are the other deliverers we have studied in The Story and what common threads connect Queen Esther’s story to theirs?

10. How does the Lower Story of Esther fit into the covenant that God made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3)? How does it fit with God’s Upper Story of redemption?

Session 19 - The Return Home

God’s grace provides a fresh start.

After generations of idolatry, God’s people had been defeated by the empires that controlled the ancient world. The Assyrians had conquered the Northern kingdom, deported the people, and re-populated the land with exiles from other countries. Their practice was to redistribute people from conquered nations throughout their vast empire. The foreigners who were resettled in northern Israel intermarried with the few remaining Jews and became the mixed-race Samaritans.

The Babylonians were next on the world scene. After each of their three conquests of the Southern Kingdom, the Babylonians deported Jewish captives to enclaves in Babylon and sought to assimilate them into their culture. Now, 70 years of captivity had elapsed. Kings and kingdoms rise and fall; world empires come and go.

The next world power, Persia, was more benevolent. They preferred the benefits of high taxation and the favor of the various gods. So King Cyrus issued a decree to repatriate all aliens to their homelands while allowing them some degree of self-rule. And thus the people of Israel began their journey home.

Under the guidance of the Hebrew leader, Zerubbabel, nearly 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem. They were intent on rebuilding, and the temple was the first priority. They rebuilt the altar and prepared sacrifices in accordance with the Law of Moses. Fifty years had passed since the temple had been torn down by the Babylonians, and at last God’s people were again able to worship as God had instructed. The foundation of this humble temple could not compare to the magnificence of its predecessor, but the process had begun, and God was leading the way.

The locals didn’t necessarily roll out the welcome wagon for the repatriated Judeans. They made a backhanded offer of help as an attempt to sabotage the temple rebuilding project. Zerubbabel didn’t fall for their scheme, but the Jews were intimidated and construction halted.

Sixteen years later the prophet, Haggai, spoke on God’s behalf. He twice urged his people, "Give careful thought to your ways." He reminded them that the temple had to be built as a place of honor and glory for God. The LORD encouraged His people and they returned to their work. Though the new temple would not have the splendor of the old one, God promised that His unsurpassed glory would return. Zechariah agreed; Jerusalem would again teem with life and prosperity because the people would live righteously. God promised to shower Jerusalem and Judah with His goodness and make Israel a blessing to the world.

When the building resumed, a new antagonist, Tattenai, wrote to King Darius hoping to obstruct progress. Darius searched the royal archives and discovered that his predecessor, King Cyrus, had given his royal thumbs up to the rebuilding of God’s temple. In a fitting twist of events, Darius penned a letter back to Tattenai charging him with responsibility for funding the temple reconstruction. The plot backfired, and in 516 B.C., the temple was completed.

It had been 70 years since the people were first taken captive. This long and painful season of discipline brought much needed change to the hearts of God’s people. In the Lower Story, God brought them out of captivity again. He returned them to the Land of Promise where they rebuilt His temple and their lives.

But the Upper Story once again rings with echoes of delivery from bondage. The LORD had redeemed His people from foreign captivity as God’s great, over-arching plan continued unabated. This story of liberation and restoration is a poignant reminder that this world is not our home. Like Israel, we wait in joyful anticipation of our journey to a land of eternal promise (Heb. 11:16) where all things are new and home will be forever.


What’s the farthest you have moved? How was the adjustment?

1. How did the LORD fulfill His word spoken by Jeremiah? Look up Jer. 25:12 and 29:10. What happened to the king of Babylon? (See p. 211 for further insight.)

2. Look up Isa. 44:28 - 45:1. About how many years had passed between Isaiah’s prophecy and Cyrus’ edict? What does this teach you about God?

3. Why do you think many of the exiles chose to stay in Babylon instead of returning home to the Promised Land? How do you suppose God viewed that choice?

4. How did the temple builders and worshipers regard their covenant, the Law of Moses (p. 218)? Compare their view of the Law to the Israelites’ attitude before the exile.

5. When the temple was re-established, some were overjoyed, and some were heart-broken. Many churches go through periods of growth, reconstruction and challenge. How should we respond when mixed feelings pull us in opposite directions?

6. What difficulties did the Jews experience in their rebuilding efforts? How did they respond to adversity? How can you use this story when facing adversity?

7. Zechariah’s message claimed that people from other nations would be attracted to the religion and the God of the Jews. (p. 222). What was to be the basis for this attraction? In what ways should our church be attractive to outsiders?

8. Once they resumed work on the temple, opposition resumed from Tattenai and others (p. 223-225). What examples of irony can you find in the correspondence between Tattenai and King Darius? What support do you find that "the eye of their God was watching over" them?

9. With Zechariah’s encouragement, the people completed the task God gave them. Who in your group needs encouragement? Make a list of specific needs to pray for, and check on them next week.

Session Eighteen - Daniel in Exile

The faithful prosper while the faithless fall.

Judah’s best and brightest were deported to Babylon when Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. Daniel and his trio of friends were among their ranks. King Nebuchadnezzar introduced them to their new homeland by enrolling the four young men in his exclusive three-year "How to Live Like a Babylonian" Training Academy. Students were lavished with food and wine from the king’s table and invited to enjoy the cosmopolitan pleasures of the world’s most sophisticated city. Daniel and his companions graciously resisted. They asked for vegetarian meals so they could stay faithful to Jewish dietary laws. The king’s official worried that their meager diet might leave them pallid and weakened, but God blessed their choice with academic success and physical stamina. They flourished and the ruler of the world’s greatest empire took notice.

The king awoke one morning having been greatly troubled by a dream. He demanded an explanation of its meaning from his wise men and also expected them to tell the dream itself as a guarantee of accuracy. Failure was no big deal except for the accompanying death sentence. The request was impossible, of course, except that God revealed both the events of the dream and their meaning to his servant, Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of a four-layered statue. Its head of gold represented Babylon’s might. The remaining layers of silver, bronze and iron symbolized world empires that had not yet risen to power. Daniel’s interpretation satisfied the king and saved his life and the lives of all the magicians and wise men in the kingdom. King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel to ruler over Babylon, made high-level officials of his three friends, and worshipped Daniel’s God.

This devotion, however, was only temporary, as the king’s advisors played to his pride. He built a gold statue in his own honor, and all were commanded to bow down and worship at its feet. Daniel’s three friends, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, were faced with a grim choice: idolatry or death. They refused to bow. The king was enraged and ordered them to be thrown into a fiery furnace. They defied the king’s last chance order and chose to remain faithful even in the face of death. The fire was stoked, the young men were bound and thrown into the inferno. An astonished king watched a fourth man join them as they walked unbound and unharmed through the fire. And once again the king praised their God.

Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by Belshazzar. King Belshazzar threw a grand party using the holy goblets they had stolen in the raid of Jerusalem’s temple. The LORD sent him a mysteriously written message that appeared on the wall of the banquet hall. The king was terrified…for good reason. Daniel explained that the message said the king would soon meet his Maker. That same night the Persian army invaded Babylon. Belshazzar was killed, and Persia became the silver layer in the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of years before.

The new king, Darius of Persia, gave Daniel a promotion. Daniel’s rivals were jealous and plotted his death. They deceived Darius into signing an irrevocable decree forbidding prayer to anyone except the king. The penalty was a single night stay in a cave of hungry lions. Daniel responded by doing as he had always done; he knelt and prayed. Of course, the king’s officials felt "duty bound" to bring such dangerous activity to the king’s attention, and Darius was forced to throw his trusted servant to the lions. So the king spent a restless night and rose in the morning to find that Daniel was safe and sound in the lions’ den. And the great King of Persia worshipped Daniel’s God.

While Daniel, his friends and the other exiles were kept in Babylon during the seventy years of captivity, the prophet Jeremiah carried out his duties in the ravaged city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah sent a letter of hope to the captives reminding them that God would one day bring them back to Jerusalem and encouraging them to prosper even as exiles in a foreign land. Daniel had done just that. He watched the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms and remained faithful. In the great Upper Story of God, Babylon had been a detour rather than a destination.


Icebreaker Question: What’s one of the strangest dreams you can recall?

1. Daniel stands out among the prophets. How is he like other Old Testament prophets, and how is he different?

2. Jerusalem and God’s Temple were in ruins, and most of the Jews were living in exile. It is easy to see how one could lose faith. What helped them hold on to faith? What helps you hold on to faith when you experience difficulties?

3. Look back at God’s covenant with Abraham (p. 11 or Gen. 12:1-3.) How was it fulfilled through Daniel and his three friends?

4. Compare the story of Daniel with the story of Joseph. Do you view difficulties the way they did? Why or why not?

5. List the various ways that God revealed His supernatural power in this chapter. What message did God’s actions send to the exiles? What impression did He make on the gentile leaders?

6. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden idol, they did not know whether God would save them or not. How do you stand up for God, when you know the results could be disastrous?

7. How did Daniel regard the various governmental authorities? Look up Rom. 13:1-7, 1 Tim. 2:1-2 and Titus 3:1. How should Christians regard governments?

8. How did God show Himself to be sovereign over human kingdoms and rulers? How does this help you view our world today?

9. Jeremiah’s message (p. 214-215) was sent in a letter from Jerusalem to the exiles in Babylon. What was God’s Lower Story and Upper Story promises to them?

Session Seventeen - The Kingdom’s Fall

Listen and live.

Legacies are fragile things. Hezekiah had been King of Judah for nearly three decades. His reforms were sweeping, his achievements notable, his accolades many. He is listed among the few who "did was…right before the LORD His God." After his death, his son Manasseh ascended to the throne and unraveled his father’s spiritual heritage. Manasseh’s reign marked a spiritual relapse from which the kingdom of Judah would not recover. He made a mockery of Hezekiah’s faithful reign and did more evil than any of his predecessors.

King Manasseh set up altars in the LORD’s temple where worshipping the stars accompanied worship of Jehovah. He filled Jerusalem with the blood of innocents and turned his own heart and his people’s hearts away from God. Manasseh was eventually captured by the Assyrian king and led off to Babylon in utter humiliation. At last, he turned to the LORD who had compassion on him and eventually allowed him to return to Jerusalem. God re-enters the story to give ultimate forgiveness even to the worst of kings.

But God’s people would not return to Him. They ignored the prophet’s warnings. So God did what He said He would do—He sent foreign armies to raid Judah. Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar laid three sieges against Judah and Jerusalem. The first came against King Jehoiakim and the second against King Jehoiachin. Nearly 10,000 Judeans were captured and taken away to Babylon. The king, and the prophet, Ezekiel, were among their prisoners.

Ezekiel’s visions are some of the most colorful in all ancient literature and foretold of Jerusalem’s certain doom. God commissioned Ezekiel to speak truth to the exiles who disregarded their guilt, even when faced with such stern judgment. He refused to give up. He called Jeremiah to alert the adulterous people that they must own up to their reckless sin. And God also sent word that the worst was yet to come.

Zedekiah was Judah’s last and most pitiful king. His government was controlled by Babylon, and he and the people rejected God, broke His Law and defiled His temple. The time for judgment had come, so God arranged the final battle: King Nebuchadnezzar vs. King Zedekiah. The outcome was certain. An 18-month blockade left Jerusalem’s inhabitants weakened by famine. Zedekiah made a last ditch plea for help from the prophet Jeremiah, but no one much cared for Jeremiah’s response. He reported that Jerusalem would not be saved, and he urged surrender as their only hope of survival. Most regarded his claims as treasonous.

In 586 BC, the Babylonian army broke through the walls of Jerusalem. They demolished the city, looted the temple and led the people away to Babylon. Jeremiah was among the few who were left behind. He grieved the loss of his beloved city and mourned the sin of God’s people. He knew that Judah could have been saved, but even in his sorrow, this weeping prophet stood firm on the sure promises of God. He trusted that He would have compassion on the remnant who remained in Jerusalem.(Have someone in your group read the summary section.)

It had been eight centuries since God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Now they were exiles in Babylon. Hope vanished. But God told Ezekiel that all was not lost. He reminded His people that He would one day cleanse and restore them. He assured their return to the homeland. And He promised that He would be their God.

To illustrate His point, God showed Ezekiel a valley of dry bones and asked, "Can these bones live?" When Ezekiel spoke God’s message to the bones, they came to life and stood like a vast army. This astonishing demonstration confirmed that even exile in Babylon would not hinder God’s great Upper Story, and portended a future resurrection for the faithful. Life would return to Israel’s dried up bones. God would make them a nation again. He would bring them back to their land. Only He could.

What is the most memorable destruction or disaster that you have seen firsthand?

1. List the evil things that King Manasseh did to arouse the anger of the LORD (p. 191-192). How did Judah compare to the pagan nations that the LORD had driven out of the Promised Land? (See the final paragraph on p. 69 for insight.)

2. What are the "starry hosts" (p.191)? What are the implications for astrology, horoscopes and other "harmless and fun" fortune tellers?

3. Who is most culpable for the sins of Judah—the people or their king? How can believers today avoid being led astray?

4. What happened to King Manasseh? What do you think led him to change his ways?

5. Review Isaiah’s prophecy made over one hundred years before Nebuchadnezzar’s attacks (p. 186-187). Compare the Isaiah’s predictions with the events during the reigns of Kings Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.

6. During the exile, God gave Ezekiel the mission of sharing his word with the Jews living in a foreign land. How does the Christian mission today resemble this situation?

7. Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem after the first two sieges. According to his prophecy (p. 197-199), what single condition must be met for God to forgive the city? Are you as forgiving as God? Why or why not?

8. Nebuchadnezzar’s final siege lasted eighteen months ending in 586 BC. How did King Zedekiah regard the LORD? What was God’s final word to him?

9. After the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah grieved for his beloved city (p. 201-203). What did Jeremiah believe about the Upper Story of God? What specifically can we apply to our own lives from Jeremiah’s lament and praise?

10. What did God promise He would do for Israel in spite of their great sin, their Babylonian exile and their stone hearts (p. 203)? What does this teach you about God’s heart for His chosen nation?

Session Sixteen - God deals with disobedience, but His compassion never ends.

For 209 years, the northern kingdom of Israel had endured one evil king after another. Their failure to keep God’s covenant meant they would be expelled from the covenant. They had been chosen to be a blessing to all other nations, but now they would be delivered over to those very nations.

Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, set up a puppet government for the northern tribes of Israel and appointed Hoshea as king. Hoshea was as defiant of Shalmaneser as he was of God, the true King of Israel. He stopped paying tribute and as a result, the Assyrian army destroyed the capital city of Samaria and captured Hoshea. The king, along with many of his fellow Israelites, was deported by Shalmeneser’s successor, Sargon II. By resettling them throughout Assyria, God was settling His own accounts. Idolatry, disobedience and stubbornness provoked God’s anger, and led him to expel the northern kingdom from His land.

Meanwhile, just to the south in the kingdom of Judah, godly King Hezekiah was nervously watching these world-shaking events on his northern border. Hezekiah stands out from all of the other kings of Judah for his efforts to remove every vestige of idolatry in the land. He rebelled against the new Assyrian king Sennacherib. The Assyrians sent envoys, claiming that they wanted to negotiate a peaceful surrender with Hezekiah in Jerusalem. Their reasoning was faultless: What other nation had been able to stand against the Assyrian might? Had not God Himself commissioned them for this task? Sennacherib’s commander appealed directly to the populace of Jerusalem, speaking to them in Hebrew.

King Hezekiah trusted in the LORD and prayed for deliverance. The prophet Isaiah promised that God would deliver them. What faith it must have taken to trust the prophet’s prediction! The angel of the LORD swept through the Assyrians army as they slept. The next morning Sennacherib’s camp was littered with 185,000 dead Assyrian soldiers. The army retreated, and Judah was saved.

Isaiah had been called to be a prophet during the last year of King Uzziah’s life. In a majestic vision of the LORD, he was commissioned to speak for God to turn the people of Judah away from sin and toward their God. He warned that Judah was walking in her sister Israel’s footsteps, and therefore would reap similar judgment. Unfortunately, he seldom found a listening audience.

The threat of foreign exile failed to curb the widespread social injustice, moral decay and religious apostasy. Judah’s pride would be her downfall; God loved His people too much to allow their sin to go unchecked. And although He warned of judgment, He also promised a future restoration. When Israel perceived herself as forsaken and forgotten, her compassionate God would fully restore her. The whole world would know that the LORD is their Savior and Redeemer.

What a comfort Isaiah’s prophecies must have been to the faithful remnant of Judah: God’s Upper Story of redemption would triumph over the sin of His people. Even the godliest of kings could not overcome the sin nature of mankind. In his most memorable passage, Isaiah described a Suffering Servant, who took on was "pierced for our transgressions." Looking down from the Upper Story, we can see that this was a description of the true King, who would suffer for all mankind.

Can you think of a time when you suffered an unjust punishment or consequence? What about a time when you deserved a consequence for your actions but were "let off the hook"?

1. Why did God send the northern kingdom into captivity? (See 2 Kings. 17:7-17 for more details.) Compare God’s actions against Israel to Moses’ warning in Deut. 28:45-50 and 30:1-5. What do you discover?

2. God frequently reminded Israel of examples of his faithfulness, such as their deliverance from Egypt (p.181). What past experiences have you had that remind you of God’s faithfulness? (See Rom. 8:31)

3. How have you seen people respond when they receive just consequences for sinful actions? How should a Christian respond to the consequences of sin and the discipline of God?

4. King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his envoy to Jerusalem to persuade King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem to surrender peacefully, claiming he came on the LORD’s orders (p. 183). Isaiah’s message to Hezekiah said otherwise. How do you evaluate people who claim to have a word from the LORD?

5. What is King Hezekiah’s view of YHWH the God of Israel (p. 184)? What is the result of a correct understanding of God?

6. What about the vision of God in the temple made Isaiah realize that he was a sinner? Compare Isaiah’s response with Peter in Luke 5:8 and John in Rev. 1:17. What are the implications?

7. According to Isaiah’s prophecy (p. 186-187), what was the southern kingdom of Judah like? What did he say that God would do as a result?

8. Isaiah’s prophecy predicted punishment and captivity for Judah as well as return and restoration. (p. 188,189) How did Zion (Jerusalem and Judah) react to this message?

9. List the qualities of the Suffering Servant (pp. 189,190). (See Matt. 8:16-17, 26:63-67; 1 Pet. 2:22-25; Rom. 5:19; Lk. 22:37 for further insights.) What does this teach us about God’s Upper Story?

Session 15 - God’s Messengers

God speaks through His people. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it does. Israel sunk deeper and deeper into the cesspool of idolatry under the royal wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel. They led the people further into idolatry and disregarded the God who had made them a nation. The people of promise had broken their promises. But YHWH is a jealous God who would not sit idly on His heavenly throne and allow worthless non-gods and their followers to go unchecked. So He called prophets who would speak on His behalf and demonstrate that there is no God but Himself. Sounding the alarm, these prophets warned faithless Israel that her unbelief would march her right into captivity.

Elijah warned Ahab that Israel would experience a 3-year drought because of their worship of the pagan god, Baal. The shriveled up land seemed a fitting picture of Israel’s desiccated hearts and shrunken worship. Ahab had gone so far as to build a temple for Baal in the capital city of Samaria. Then, atop Mount Carmel, the supposed sacred dwelling place of Baal, Elijah challenged the idolaters to the ultimate smackdown—YHWH vs. Baal. Baal failed to show up but the LORD made a dramatic statement when He consumed the water-logged sacrifice with fire. Elijah then put to death the 450 prophets of Baal. Ahab' wife Jezebel, the Queen of Mean, threatened to kill him so Elijah fled into the desert. Fatalistic, fearful and not without some Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Mount Horeb. God revealed Himself there to Elijah, much like He had done nearly 600 years earlier to Moses at Sinai. He told Elijah that he had kings and prophets to anoint – one of whom was his successor, Elisha. Once again, as with Moses and Joshua, God was passing the baton to the next generation of leaders who would speak for Him.

While the two prophets were traveling together, Elijah parted the Jordan by striking the water with his cloak – another throwback to Moses. As they continued on, a whirlwind took Elijah up to heaven in a chariot of fire. The cloak fell to Elisha whose authority was confirmed when he too divided the Jordan. Similar to Elijah before him, Elisha performed many miraculous feats for the benefit of the faithful remnant in Israel. He promised a barren Shunammite woman a son. When the boy suddenly died years later, Elisha brought him back to life. When the Aramean king sent his troops to capture the man of God, Elisha prayed. He asked God to open his servant’s eyes so he could see the angels who were standing guard around them, and to blind the Arameans. The prophet then led his captives to Samaria where he asked the king of Israel to prepare a feast of friendship in lieu of execution. This unconventional act of grace established peace between Israel and Aram.

Even with the powerful ministries of Elijah and Elisha, the deeply embedded idolaters remained powerful, numerous and unrepentant in Israel. God sent Amos, a herdsman from the southern kingdom of Judah, to warn the northern kingdom of Israel that her prosperity, injustice and sinful ways would soon be judged. He promised them that if Israel did not repent, they would be taken captive. God also sent Hosea to Israel as a living object lesson of His faithfulness and Israel’s unfaithfulness. Israel refused to hear the pleas of God to return to Him.

God’s holiness demands judgment against rebellious men, but His redemptive love always provides a way of escape. Whether it’s a mountaintop showdown, a boy raised from the dead, a vision of guardian angels, or a prophet commanded to marry a woman who would become unfaithful, God is always telling His Upper Story of redemption and compassion through His messengers.


Icebreaker Question: When you were growing up how did your parents warn you that you were in trouble? Was there a special word or phrase that they used?

1. What is it about Ahab and Jezebel that provoked unprecedented anger from the LORD? How does this relate to the first two commandments?

2. Look up Deut. 13:1-5. Was Elijah correct or too brutal in slaughtering all the prophets of Baal? Why does God take idolatry so seriously?

3. Baal worshipers believed their god made rain and storms, and during the dry season he needed to be brought back to life. Mount Carmel was his supposed sacred dwelling place. What was the point in God taking the battle to enemy territory?

4. Despite a recent, dramatic victory, Elijah was scared and depressed when he ran from Jezebel. Why do the deepest doubts often come on the heels of great triumphs or strong spiritual advancement?

5. Elijah ended up at Mount Horeb, the same mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God (p. 170). What other parallels do you discover between Elijah and Moses?

6. Elisha’s spiritual insight allowed him to know the plans of the king of Aram, and to see God’s angelic armies. Are there forces at work in our world today that we cannot see? (p. 174-175). What did this episode teach you about spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:12)?

7. What is the role of the prophets in this chapter? Was their role predicting the future or calling the people to repentance? Does God still send prophets today?

8. Do you see any similarities between the prophecies of Amos and Hosea and our world today? What do you think they would say to America? Our church?

9. Evaluate the prophets’ ministries. On what basis would you judge whether or not they were successful? How should we evaluate success in our work for God? How should we evaluate our own success for the kingdom?