Together for Good

1 Kings 18:17-26, 36-39

Connecting Questions

· What is a memorable sporting match or competition you remember? What made it memorable?

· Who is someone who always seems to be able to get under your skin?

Prayer for Illumination

Let us pray, Loving God, we pause today grateful for this next breath. We are grateful for the chance to connect with others today for we all carry such hurts and hope. Open your Word to us. Open our hearts to let your word speak to us and change our lives. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Context

We are “Together for Good”; God is good! Our fall season we are exploring the way God builds relationships through the stories found in scripture. Come explore the many opportunities to grow in faith and carry on the work of Jesus Christ at Easter. So glad you are here!

Sermons can be found at Easter.org/worship.

From Pastor Mark Throntveit at EntertheBible.org:

First Kings uses the history of the kings of Judah and Israel to explain the destruction of Jerusalem to those experiencing exile in Babylon in the hope that they might gain a new self-understanding. It is a story of the monarchy’s failure and deserved judgment. But it is also a story of God’s unrelenting commitment to God’s people through divine words of hope, judgment, summons, and warning, as God seeks to maintain the covenantal relationship with God’s people. We, too, need to hear that a patient and merciful God awaits our response and listens to our prayers.

Look at the Book

Open 1 Kings. The first two chapters open with the end of King David’s story. Did King David’s story end well? Why or why not?
In 1 Kings, we meet the prophet Elijah. Read Matthew 17:1-13, what do you learn about Elijah there?
Elijah is called a prophet. What does that mean to you?
Who has been a prophet in your life? How?
What does Ahab accuse Elijah of in verse 18? How does Elijah respond?
Google Baal. Who are God’s people worshipping in 1 Kings?
What is idolatry? What might that look like today? What can make idols of in our lives?
Elijah is setting the stage for a showdown. Who does he invite? Why?
In the following verses, what is the challenge that Elijah presents?
Luther made the claim, that “whatever our heart relies on, that is our god.” What do you think that means?
Sin according to Luther is “being turned in on oneself.” What do you think of that definition? An “outward” turned life includes the neighbor; what does that look like?
In verse 36, Elijah calls on God. What does that look like? Who is named?
In verse 37, Elijah prays! What does he ask for?
Who won the “showdown” in this story? And what happened next? How does that sit with you?
"Semper reformanda” means “always reforming.” This was a watchword for the Protestant Reformation that included Martin Luther. What might that mean for us today?
What do you want to talk about that has not been brought up yet?

Taking it Home

What have been events or people in your life that have “called you back to God?” When have you felt nudged to do that for someone else? What did that look like? What did you learn?

Grow Guide | Oct 29, 2023