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Group Guide 3 - the Enemy’S Noose (For the Week of Apr

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Group Guide 3 - the Enemy’S Noose (For the Week of Apr Group Guide 3 - The Enemy’s Noose (for the week of Apr. 26, 2020) Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) - 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own ​ understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Esther 5:9-14 (ESV) - 9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when ​ Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made. Esther 7:6-10 (ESV) - 6 And Esther said, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman ​ was terrified before the king and the queen. 7 And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. 8 And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Discussion: How are you doing? In the video, Ben mentioned that all of us are moving between ok and not ok. So where are you now? How does control of a situation tend to make you feel ok? Read Proverbs 3:5-6. Many of us have heard these verses for a long time. 1. When was a time you leaned or relied on your own understanding and it came back to bite you? 2. With the human track record of “less than best” decisions (which we only see in hindsight), why do you think so many people continue to lean on their own understanding rather than trusting in the Lord? Read Esther 5:9-14. One of the things Ben noted from this passage is that nothing reveals our nature like difficulty. How have you seen this to be true (for you or for someone else)? Recall these questions Ben asked in the video: 3. What has your response to COVID-19 revealed about you? 4. What might God be trying to show you through your response? Ben also noted that we must be careful of the influence of the ignorant. 5. What does this mean? 6. How are we subjected to the influence of the ignorant in our time? 7. What problems can come from following the thinking of ignorant people? Read Esther 7:6-10. 8. Has there been a time when you discovered God was working in your difficult situation even though you couldn’t see it until later? Ben emphasized that in our lives there is a time for fear and there is a time for faith, and as Jesus Followers it's our responsibility to discern the difference. 9. How easy is it for you discern the difference? 10. What would you say to help someone else know how to know whether it’s time for fear or for faith? 11. How can we be more like Esther and less like Haman, regardless of what we face in life? For weeks we’ve all been living in period of uncertainty and difficulty. It seems that things may be looking up for us. 12. What have you learned about yourself during this global pandemic? What else have you learned during this time? How could this make a difference in the way you live your life in the future? These may be too personal to discuss, but they are good questions for us to wrestle with (and perhaps talk with a spouse, friend, etc. about): 13. How will you be remembered after this crisis has passed? What will your actions over these next few weeks say about you to those around you? How can we pray for and encourage each other this week? .
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