The Story Chapter 7 Reflection Questions

Here is another picture of courage.

It takes guts to follow God’s call, it takes guts to follow God’s lead even when the “world” says it cannot be done.

Here are some questions to think about for Joshua’s leadership into the promised land.  These are taken from The Story study guide.

1. In the original languages both “Joshua” and “Jesus” mean “Jehovah saves.” How is Joshua’s relationship to Israel similar to Jesus’ relationship to the Church?
2. What basis did Joshua have for being “strong and courageous” (p. 73)?  Which assurances that God gives Joshua most strengthen and encourage you?
3. What concerns might Joshua have had as he accepted the reigns of leadership from Moses?  What can we learn from the people’s response to Joshua that can apply to changes of leadership at our church?
4. What character traits of Joshua most impress you?  Which of those would you like to be known for?

Joshua is known for his statement “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (p.83)  How can you lead your household to serve the Lord?

The Story Chapter 2-Post Sermon Thoughts

What brings peace and calmness into your life? For me, the mighty rivers bring a sense of God’s greatness and sense of peace into my chaos.

While we see God’s spoken word bring order to the chaotic waters during creation, we also see God bringing change and chaos into the life of one faithful man, Abram.  Ok, he didn’t have any kids yet, but he was wealthy with livestock and servants.  Yet God called him and said, “Come with me, you will have offspring and  a place to live and you will be blessed if you follow me, and by the way, while I am blessing you, this blessing is so that you will be a blessing to others.”

What does Abram do? He goes! He does not stand still, he does not resist, but rather he says, “Ok, God, I am your man.”

Sometimes we would rather sit still than allow change to cross our paths. Sometimes we would rather stay “stuck” than allow God to shape and mold us into the new Creation God wants us to be. Yet Abram, who would become Abraham was faithful. (If you missed the sermon, click on sermons from our home web page.)

Change is not easy. Yet God is continually asking us to change. What are some changes you have had in your life? How is God walking with you in that time of change?

The Story Chapter 2-Introduction

Chapter 2 / When the Last in Line Gets Chosen for the Team

The casting agent enters the room with her top picks for the show’s leading man and lady.  The new series will follow the spellbinding story of a clan that builds a powerful, world-impacting family tree.  This is the pilot, and it is crucial to make the right call on the individuals who will fall in love and launch this Kennedy-like family of influence and fame.

Producers and writers alike have waited breathlessly for this moment, the moment when who they have envisioned as the leading characters will be finally realized in an actor and actress.  But when they turn to see who has been tapped for these most special of roles, the thud of their collective jaws hitting the majestic mahogany conference table muffles their mutual groans.

There before their wide eyes, instead of the expected vibrant, young couple with gleaming white teeth and tanned and toned bodies, stand a 75-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman.  Not what they had pictured for their production.

And yet, this is whom God has chosen.  His screenplay called for a couple to launch a new nation, one that would impact the entire world.  As he would say, a nation through whom “all the nations of the earth would be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

Abram and Sarai stand there, adorned perhaps by dusty old robes and crowned with wispy white hair and loosely fitting skin and as befuddled as anyone else.  God chose them to begin a nation.  An unlikely pair, especially after factoring in the fact that Sarai was barren.  How could God expect to start a nation with a woman who could not bear children?

To complicate the story line, it will be 25 more years before they actually have their child of promise.  By that time Abram and Sarai will be 100 years old and 90 years old, respectively (and their names will be changed to Abraham and Sarah).  And the rest, as they say, is history.  His story.

God picks people you and I wouldn’t necessarily select to take part in his story. In fact sometimes we are shocked who plays the starring roles in his stories.  Unlike the way we do business, he taps people, not merely because of their abilities, but for their availability.  God searches for people who are open to be used by him.  Since he uses only those who are willing to be used for his purposes, there is no doubt that it is he who is doing the the wonder- working.  Let there be no doubt, throughout history he is the one making things happen.

That’s good news, isn’t it?  In the business world, you may not have a great pedigree.  In academics, you may not be a Rhodes Scholar.  You may not have a lot of money and you may have average looks.  But you may be sitting in a pretty good position to be a top pick for God’s work.

Questions for Chapter two will be posted each week on Thursdays. Check back tomorrow;)