I wanted to share some thoughts from an article I read recently in Bible Study magazine (May/June 2021). Ryan J. Pemberton, in his article “Where Are You?” writes about how some days his quiet times with the Lord are sweet, as he takes his time considering the Scriptures and talking to the Lord in prayer. Other days, however, busyness hijacks that quiet, reflective time. He considers God’s question to Adam in Genesis 3:9: “Where are you?” Pemberton ponders whether God might ask the same question of him on those busy days. That thought has stuck with me!
A few more ideas to reflect upon…
Old Testament:
- I Chronicles 1-9 contain genealogies with a few little stories mixed in. What significance do the genealogies have? Why do you think the stories were included?
- What implications do you see in I Chronicles 19 for how we can support one another?
- Does it surprise you when Satan appears on the scene in I Chronicles 21? What is Satan’s role? What is the result? How could David have escaped the temptation?
- Why do you think David wanted to perform a census? What heart issues may have been at work?
- As you think about the kings of Israel and Judah that we have read about in I & 2 Kings and I & 2 Chronicles, what generalizations can you make? What traits did the “good” kings of Judah have in common? In what respects did the “good” kings fall short?
- In 2 Chronicles 32:25 Hezekiah falls into the sin of pride. What preceded this fall into sin? When you are most vulnerable to the sin of pride?
New Testament:
- In John 12 some Jewish leaders believed; however, they failed to act on their belief. Why?
- As you reflect on Jesus’ example of service in John 13, consider John’s purpose in showing that Jesus is God’s Son. If you had been one of the disciples, how do you think you would have viewed Jesus’ actions?
- It’s hard not to catch the excitement of the early church as you begin the book of Acts, isn’t it? In some ways, it seems hard to believe that we are reading about the same disciples that we read about in the gospels! What differences do you notice in the disciples from the gospels to the opening of Acts? What accounts for the differences? What relevance might this have for us as believers today?
- How do the early believers treat one another? What traits characterize the believers of the early church?
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