The Prophets

Connect

It’s hard to believe that this is the end of our Connect Group meetings this go-round.  I think these groups have had great success, and I’m grateful for all of your leadership.  As your group gathers together, I encourage you to talk about who they might invite to join Connect Groups when they resume in January.  Also, if anyone in your groups would be interested in serving as facilitators and multiplying the groups, it would be great to know!

In the meantime, encourage your groups to be a part of the churchwide Advent study of Faithful, which is about the story of Joseph.  I’ll be leading it on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am starting the first Sunday of December. 

As your group gathers, consider the word “prophetic” as it is can be used today. 

What is difficult about hearing a prophetic message? 

Do churches really want pastors who deliver a prophetic word?

Pray

Your groups have been using the Measures all fall.  As your groups share together, encourage them to think about the measure that they have grown most in.  Also, what measure do they need the most work in? 

Pray for one another and give thanks for the measure that you each have grown the most in and pray for the measure where you each need to grow. 

Reflect

Think back to David Vess’ sermon on Sunday about the prophets.  What questions or reflections do you have about prophets? 

Here are a few reflections about the work of the prophets in the Old Testament:
1. Prophets experience a unique call from God.

2. Prophets spend more time forthtelling than foretelling. 

-The greater responsibility of the prophets is to explain why things are happening from God’s point of view.  It is not as much about “seeing into the future.”

3. Prophets speak truth to power.

-Prophets call out the kings and ruling party and call them back into covenant relationship with God. 

You are welcome to look at the call of Jeremiah again that was read on Sunday.  Jeremiah’s calling is similar to many of the prophets’ callings.  Read it in Jeremiah 1:4-10.

-What excuses did Jeremiah have for not wanting to be a prophet?

-What did it look like for Jeremiah to have “success” as a prophet?

-Why was Jeremiah’s calling particularly difficult?

I found this piece on the Bible Project’s website about Prophets during the time of Kings.  It is simply entitled “Kings vs. Prophets.”  You might share this article link with your group ahead of time, or read part of it together: https://thebibleproject.com/blog/kings-vs-prophets/

Prophets also called for justice.  Another option for your group is to watch this video about justice throughout the Old Testament.