Breaking Ground
What is the most positive thing that was passed down to you by your parental figures? Why? Consider skills, character attributes, worldview, attitudes, beliefs, examples, etc.
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Good King/Bad King where we’re exploring several key stories from the Book of Kings to reflect upon how God calls us to understand & exercise our influence in the world.
Begin by reflecting on how family of origin can impact our understanding of power & influence (positively & negatively).
How was power or influence wielded by your parents or key authority/parental figures during your childhood? How did this impact you? How has it shaped the way that you wield power, influence, or authority today?
In the sermon, Pastor Scott explored the stories of Kings Solomon, Rehoboam, & Jeroboam. Solomon (who followed King David) began as an exceptional King of God’s People. However, by the end of his reign, Solomon had become just like the Pharaoh from Israel’s own story by embracing greed (hoarding more wealth than any of Israel’s Kings), oppression (using slave labor to build God’s Temple), & idolatry (introducing idol worship to Israel’s religious life). Worse, his poor kingship shaped how his son (Rehoboam) led God’s People; which had dramatic, irreversible effects on Israel.
With this in mind, read 1 Kings 12:1-30.
How did King Solomon’s failure to rule well shape the way Rehoboam sought to exercise power & influence? What impact did this ultimately have on him & those he ruled?
How did Jeroboam respond to Rehoboam’s failures? What were his motivations for ruling as he did? How did this ultimately lead him to fail as a King too?
Reflect on how these stories might speak to us in this season.
Where have you learned to exercise power or influence in better, healthier ways than were modeled for you as a child? How has this positively impacted you & those around you?
Where do you still exercise power or influence in the unhealthy ways that were modeled to you as a child? How has this negatively impacted you & those around you?
What would it look like for you to let God transform these remaining unhealthy understandings & practices of influence or power? How would this produce greater health, faithfulness, & justice in your personal life, friendships, family, workplace, & broader relational world?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time each week to reflect upon the Sunday sermon.
- Read 1 Kings 1-12. Make note of key decisions, successes, & failures made by the characters. Look for how each impacts both them & those around them.
- Where did Solomon succeed as a King? Where did he fail? How did this impact himself, his son, & his Kingdom?
- What lessons can we take from these stories about how we’re called to wield power & influence in our relational worlds? What challenges does it offer us in terms of the cost of failing to do this well?
- Where do you need to change the way you understand & exercise your influence? How can you seek help in making this change over this next season?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, October 18th: Join us next week as we continue answering YOUR questions in our Why series!
* Please see mye3.org for details.