Introduction
- Name the greatest scene you have ever seen from a movie.
- What is the greatest line in a movie that you have seen
Lesson
- Review- Where are we? What has just happened
- Read Esther 4:1-3. Look at the genuine reaction of grief and pain in Mordecai’s face. Imagine a Jew knowing about the Holocaust before it happened. This is what Mordecai is facing.
- Read Esther 4:4-11. Esther wonders what she can do about it. She knows that if she goes to the king and says something without an appointment, and if he does not extend his scepter, that person dies. She hasn’t seen him in 30 days. It doesn’t look like he would reach out to her does it?
- Read Esther 4:12-14. Think of the best actor you know of. Picture Sean Connery from “The Rock” or another older actor reciting these lines.
- Read Esther 4:15-17. She knew that she could not do it on her own. She knew that she had to have God on her side, and the prayers of his people. When you enter hard times, or something that you are scared of, do you take the chance to get other people to pray for you?
- Read Esther 5:1-2. Whew.
- Read Esther 5:3-8. Why hasn’t she already asked the king to save her people?
- Read Esther 5:9-14. Haman is on a power trip. Things don’t look good for Mordecai
- Read Esther 6:1-9. Oh Haman, you arrogant punk…
- Read Esther 6:10-14. Why didn’t Mordecai go back home? He knew that it was still going to be a bad day for the Jews. Haman is solely motivated by revenge at this point.
Application
- Do you think that God has put you in a certain situation, economic status, workplace, or school for a certain purpose? Have you asked?
- How did God show up today?
Introduction
- Is there a situation that you look back on and said that something or someone that was considered to be “at the right place, at the right time”?
Lesson
- Review last week
- Do you have a relative that you look up to?
- Read Esther 2:19-23. Who was Mordecai? We will find out later that this is very, very important.
- Read Esther 3:1-4. Why did Mordecai refuse to bow down before Haman? What does this tell you about Haman?
- Read Esther 3:5-7. Just remember this
- Read Esther 3:8-15. Did Mordecai’s actions cause this to happen? No, it just sent it over the top.
Application
- Do you think we have enough Mordecai’s in our Church today?
- What does a Mordecai look like? It is not someone who stands up against taxes. Mordecai wouldn’t be going to tea parties. He wouldn’t stand up on the side of the road and hold signs calling people who have had abortions murderers. Mordecai would be the man who simply did what he was supposed to do, and remembered who his God was.
- Do you think we need more people protesting, or living an exemplary life?
- How did God show up in the story today?
Introduction
- What does the word anonymous mean?
- Should a book be put in the Bible if God’s name is never used?
Lesson
- Background of Esther: Written approx 470 BC, One of only two books in the Bible named for a woman. The original language no proper name or pronoun for God appears in it. Why would this be put in the Bible? Our series, “Anonymous” is going to show us that even when God is not mentioned, even when he is not named, He still shows up, and He is still to be praised
- Read Esther 1:1-8, This was their way of preparing for battle. They get battle strategies, and also, if they are going to lose, at least they had fun getting ready for it.
- Read Esther 1:9-12, Big time insult. Xerxes wants to show off his lady and she says no. You do not say no to the king!
- Read Esther 1:13-2:4, Answer to their problem: A beauty pageant!
- Read Esther 2:5-7, What does this tell us about Esther?
- Read Esther 2:8-11, Why doesn’t Esther say where she is from?
- Read Esther 2:12-18, Esther’s beauty and charm wins over Xerxes. She is now queen. Why is this significant?
Application
- How did God show up in this story today?
Lesson
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. What is the Gospel? Is that what you are spreading?
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. What does this say to those who believe that there is nothing after this death?
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:29-34. The final statement is a quotation from the Greek poet Menander. He notes that instead of maturing in the faith, the Corinthians are instead still letting pagans influence their beliefs and lifestyles.
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-49. The contrast is actually between a body animated by one type of life, and a body animated by another type. Our current body is run by the ordinary energy that keeps us breathing and blood circulating. Future body will be run by God’s own spirit.
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-57. Ultimate victory
Blurred Lines:
- What types of myths and theories of Heaven can be debunked by reading through 1 Corinthians?
Side notes:
- 1 Corinthians 16 talks about the collection for the Jerusalem church that needs to be taken up from the Corinthians. He finishes with personal requests.
- Any overall questions about 1 Corinthians?
- What have you learned? What stuck out the most?
Closing Prayer:
Introduction:
- List all the different types of churches that you know of.
- How did we get to this point?
Lesson:
- Read 1 Corinthians 12. Verses 1-11: What is your spiritual gift? Verses 12-31: Does our church work this way? Do you think that the body of Christ is like this today? Can it be fixed?
- Read 1 Corinthians 13. While this is often used for a relationship (as it should), it is actually talking about the glue that holds the body together. Is there a love like this in our world today between churches? Let us see if The Movement fits the description by putting our name in where it says love.
- Read 1 Corinthians 14:1-25. Why is prophecy greater than tongues? Why would the Corinthians prefer tongues to prophecy? Flashier, etc. How much of our worship today is for show, and how much is real?
- Read 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. Verses 26-28: Basically this is reiterating what was stated earlier in the chapter. If it is not good for everyone, keep it to yourself. Verses 29-33a: It seems in the early church that if the Spirit moved, you followed. Do we allow for the Spirit to move in our services today? Verses 33b-35: Chances are in this time, women and men were segregated during worship. Also, women were not as educated as men, and would not understand everything the (most likely) Greek orator would say. This would cause them to talk amongst themselves, as well as try to talk across the isle to their husbands. This would cause a disruptance and would hinder worship. Verses 36-41: Does this mean that we have to have a set bulletin and be very serious?
Blurred Lines
- Some churches have taken order to an extreme and made Christianity seem boring. They should be punished. We have the greatest news in the world, it should never be boring. We live in an age where the church doesn’t quite know what it’s identity is. Truly, it’s one big blurred line. But reading from Paul today, if you could redefine church as it was supposed to be, both over all and the local church, what would you say?
Introduction- What does it mean to have a successful life?
- Who are considered by the media and pop culture as living a successful and happy life?
Lesson
- Read 1 Corinthians 9:1-23. Paul digs deeper into the issue of food sacrificed to idols, which we talked about last week. What was the big deal about that? He notes that he too is a strong minded Christian, he has been there and done that. Yet, he has given up some of his rights in order to win some for the sake of the Gospel. Are there things that you have sacrificed in order to advance the Gospel? Maybe it is giving up an activity in order to spend more time in the Word? Maybe it’s getting out of your comfort zone or your homes and putting yourself out there in the community and in schools were you need to be a light. Has anyone had to do this?
- Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Paul notes that the life of a Christian looks like this. Sacrificing your rights, living a hard life is what the Christian life is all about. We are in it to win it. Winning a prize not of this world, but something far greater. Do you see worship as strict training?
Tug O’ War
- From a worldly point of view, it would seem that those who have the biggest homes, the most money, they define success and happiness. The ‘American Dream’ has been set in front of us and it is our job to get there and do it. But as a Christian, we know that this stands in sharp opposition to what we are supposed to do.
- Youtube Video- "American Dream" by Casting Crowns
- Where is the church’s attitude and current situation on our tug o’ war? Create two sides for the Tug O’ War. What the world sees as a successful life, and what the Bible does. Ask where on that line they would find themselves, and where they would place the Church
- Where are you? Are you trying to fit in the American Dream, or living someone else’s life, or are you sacrificing and doing all that you can to live a Christ-filled life?
Introduction
- "The Friendship Game”- Get with whomever your best friend is. You will fill out a questionnaire and then your friend will have to answer those questions.
Lesson
1 Corinthians 8
- The issue is food sacrificed to idols. They would sacrifice food to these false gods, and then sell what was left on the market. Paul says there’s nothing wrong with the meat itself, as long as you are not placing any value on that meat. However, there are some who have come from that background and are new Christians. They might not be able to blow it off as not a big deal and have an issue with it. Paul states that we must watch our actions to make sure that we are not causing others to stumble.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
- Why do you think that it is important that he mentions the past? He shows that purity and righteousness is a communal effort.
1 Corinthians 10:14-22
- This is a further explanation on food sacrificed to idols. What was the big deal about this?
Read 1 Corinthians 10:-11:1
- Verses 23-24: Do we have a mindset like this? Do we seek our own good or the good of others?
- Verses 10.31-11.1: What is the limit on being a people pleaser?
Tug O’ War
- The world sees friendship how? (You do for me, I do for you, etc). However the Bible has a different view of friendship. Friendship is all about going all out for other people. It is expecting nothing in return, but striving to be always giving and lending a helping hand.
- Do you think that any of your actions cause your friends to stumble?
- Do you think that any of your actions or words cause non-Christian friends to stay away from the faith?
- In our tug o’ war, where does the church fall? Where do you?
Introduction
- Write down your ideal husband/wife. What will they do, what will they look like.
Lesson
- Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-3. Paul just tells everyone that you shouldn’t get married. Actually, Paul starts a new stage in his letter to the Corinthians, and it is focusing on answering some questions that the Corinthians had asked him. This question is obviously about marriage. He notes that there is nothing wrong with marriage, but to be very careful about it.
- 1 Corinthians 7:4-9. Some of the Corinthians had messed up views of what marriage was supposed to be. They knew how they acted before Christ entered their life, but now they don’t know what to do. They were abstaining from some things that married people do, and Paul was telling them that this was bad. Why? Because other temptations are sure to creep in.
- Read 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. Like today, Corinth was a place that was steeped in divorce and remarriage. Now all of a sudden a new Gospel is being preached and they are faced with the question of whether they should do what is acceptable in culture or commanded by God. What was acceptable grounds for divorce for Paul?
- 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. Paul uses slavery and circumcision to illustrate the fact that when you become a Christian you stay in the state you are in; when you are converted you do not leave your unconverted wife or husband. You try to bring them along with you in your spiritual journey.
- 1 Corinthians 7:25-31. Paul notes that he would prefer if the Corinthians would remain in their present state due to a crisis. There was a great food shortage in this time.
- Read 1 Corinthians 7:32-40. Does Paul say that you cannot be married and serve God? No, in the present case, he is simply giving advice to the people as they are faced with this food shortage and with being a Christian. The underlying theme in this passage is that God comes first! Paul’s advice is good here when talking about rushing into marriage. Do not rush into it, simply allow it to happen and make sure that you are the right fit.
Tug O’ War
- What is the worldly view of marriage?
- What does Paul say here about marriage?
- Where do you think the church as a whole is in the tug o’ war? Where are you?
