Election Direction: The Next President
Selected Scriptures
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are moving into a series called “Election Direction” where we are looking at Biblical teaching and principles that help to ground us as believers in a deeply fragmented nation moving into election season. This week, our focus is on “The Next President”
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflection:
Personal Experience:
What would YOU say to the next president? Discuss what you would say if you had 90 seconds to say anything to the next US President.
Group Discussion:
Read Daniel 4:29-37
Why does power corrupt?
What changed in Nebuchadnezzar? Compare before and after in this passage and identify what changed in his character, outlook, self-concept and God-concept.
The point here was that Jesus would say, “You are accountable to Me.” What difference would that make in the next President? Why would it make that kind of difference?
Read Mark 10:35-44 and Philippians 2:1-13
Why do we want power?
Talk about what actually happens when a leader, someone in a position of authority and influence, takes on the identity of a servant in relating to those they lead. How does that affect critical things like, trust, engagement, etc? Why would it have that effect?
The point here was that Jesus would say, “Leverage your power for the sake of others.” Isn’t that how America is already set up to work, as a democracy of/by/for the people? How’s that working for us, and how could this exhortation to a president make a difference?
Read Matthew 18:1-7, Psalm 138:13-16
The punishment for exploiting children is severe. Why so?
Jesus talks about children having a “lowly position” here on earth but someone with that character trait is the “greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven”! When He says, “become like little children”, what does that mean?
The point here is that Jesus would say, “Protect the children”. How does that apply to our nation today with reference to Scripture and our cultural moment?
Read Matthew 1821-35
Why is forgiveness so deeply un-natural for us?
Peter’s estimate of forbearance and Jesus’ exhortation were FAR apart from each other. How does the parable Jesus tells here help us to understand “forgiveness” from Jesus’ perspective on it?
The point here is that Jesus would say, “Never stop forgiving.” What is it about forgiveness that makes the world work better?
Response:
Scott ended the message this weekend with the challenge to model leadership within our sphere of influence after the character of Jesus Christ. Spend some time praying for those in leadership in the political sphere for God’s wisdom and guidance to be people of truth, of grace and of healing.
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