Breaking Ground
What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought or spent money on?
The Dig
This Sunday, we concluded our series In Excess by exploring the topic of excess in pursuing & using power through a story from King David’s life.
How would you define power? Is having power inherently good or bad? In your opinion, what differentiates between good & evil uses of power?
In our world today, what makes a person powerful? How does this impact the pursuit of power & impact those with or without it?
Next, read 1 Chronicles 21:1-7. This story appears late in King David’s reign where, after a brief conflict with the Philistines, David has once again led Israel into a period of peace. At this point, David largely regained Israel’s lost territory, accrued a great amount of wealth/trade, & established relative stability throughout the nation. That is, until David unilaterally calls for a census, which God deems a sin. To understand why, it’s important to note that, at this time, kings would call a census to count specifically the men of fighting age in their Kingdom. Thus, it was a prelude to either launching a military conquest or a taxation drive to increase royal revenues.
With this in mind, why do you think David call this census? What does this reveal about David’s understanding of power & its purpose? Consider, in particular, who David seeks to benefit in using his royal power in this story.
Why does God view this use of power as sinful? What does this reveal about how God understands the nature & purpose of power? Who does God believe should benefit from the use of power in the world?
Consider your own life & relationship with power.
Where do you currently hold power? In that area, where can you see yourself adopting both healthy & unhealthy understandings of power? How does this impact how you wield your power in that area of life? Does this positively or negatively impact those around you?
How might this story help you reorient your understanding of & relationship to power in order to better align its use to God’s redemptive purposes in the world? What might this tangibly look like in your life & relational world?
Coming Out of the Hole
Take time to reflect on the Sunday sermon & how this week’s teaching might speak into your daily life.
- Read 1 Chronicles 21:1-7. Consider this scene & the role that power plays within it. What’s the role & purpose of power in David’s mind? How does this differ from the servanthood that Jesus models & God calls His People to?
- Where in your life do you tend to misuse power or influence for your own benefit? How does this impact the people around you?
- How might Jesus’ example help you reorient your understanding of power in order to take part in God’s redemptive work in the world?
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*
New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, March 24th: Join us next Sunday to celebrate E3’s 20th Birthday!
* Please see mye3.org for details.