Warsaw Community Church

Small Group Questions - Weekend of September 13
 
 

 

 

 


 

 

Group Opener: 

 

What’s the craziest vacation you’ve ever been on?

 

Group Questions:

 

  1. Share some of the points from this week’s message that have stuck with you. (What challenged you? What truth did you need to be reminded of?)

 

  1. What part(s) of repentance do you think people struggle with most?

 

  1. Read Joel 2:12. What does God call us to do? What might “rending your heart” look like?

 

  1. Read Ezra 9:1-5. How does Ezra’s response to this news demonstrate both his “rending his garment” and “rending his heart”?

 

  1. Read Ezra’s prayer in its entirety (verses 6-15). Then focus on the following verses below:
    1. Verse 6 – How does Ezra describe their sin? What emotions does he express?
    2. Verse 9 – How has God responded to the nation of Israel, despite their sins?
    3. Verses 13 & 15 – How does Ezra end his prayer?

 

  1. Read Ezra 10:1-3. How did the rest of the Israelites respond when they saw/heard Ezra praying?

 

  1. For the leaders in the group (this includes teachers, parents, managers, etc.) – How does Ezra’s leadership in confession and repentance, even though he wasn’t part of the group of men who sinned, set the example for us? What can we learn from him?

 

  1. The Israelites who were guilty of marrying foreign individuals had their names listed… in the Bible! (See Ezra 10:18-44.) They were serious about confessing their sin and making a change in their lives, and Ezra led them in that process. How can we follow their example?

 

Prayer Time:

 

What are some specific ways we can be praying for each other?  Take a few minutes to share your prayer requests with each other.

 

As we spend some time in prayer, let’s also ask God to continue teaching us the true meaning of forgiveness and repentance.

 

Notes for your prayer time:

 

There is nothing wrong with praying for each other’s requests and you can continue to do so.  It is easy however to pray for all kinds of things that aren’t related to applying God’s truth to our lives. My desire is to make sure we have some of our prayers focused around the life-change God desires to take place in each of us.  –Scott Nieveen

 

Thanks for the role you play in providing a place for people to experience community while pursuing God!