Tuesday, September 22, 2020

September 27: God Reigns

History is riddled with nations, empires, and cities that were once heralded as the greatest of all. Leaders throughout history have risen up who, at the time, seemed invincible – Alexander the Great, Nero, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Stalin just to name a few - yet now they and their kingdoms are no more. In Isaiah’s day, Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and were representative of the vast and financially powerful Phoenician civilization. To the human eye, they seemed invincible, but we will discover in our session this week that they were no match for God.

Countless movies and TV series have been made that depict the destruction or partial destruction of our country or major cities. For example, the 2015 ABC series, Designated Survivor, dramatized what could happen if most of our key leaders were taken out. Then there are the movies whose plots were based upon an invasion from other countries such as Red Dawn which dramatized what the western states would look like after being invaded by Russia. These are just a few of the “what if” situations used to capture our viewing attention and question how we might respond if one of the scenarios were to really take place in real life.

Most Americans can’t imagine this taking place because we tout ourselves as being one of the greatest countries in the world. This week's session takes a hard look at the reality that God is entirely in control of all nations. There is nothing that catches Him by surprise and He has a plan that is continually in play and that never changes. 

This session will prompt questions regarding God's love and the issue of God's judgement. The teaching helps provide guidance on the discussion. Challenge your group to consider these questions:

  • What are some things that may cause a person to question if God is really in control?
  • What actions would indicate that someone trusts in a nation, government, or some other form of security more than they do God? How can we avoid shifting our trust away from God?
  • Can you imagine what it would be like if the United States ceased to exist? How would you respond? How would the loss of our country as we know it today impact your trust in God?
  • Do you truly believe that God is sovereign over every nation? How would believing this shape your response to the current issues we are facing in our country?

DOWNLOADABLE STUDY HELPS

As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, some groups are beginning to meet in person as well as online.  The Bible study helps have been modified in order to provide opportunities for both venues. There will still be more verbal based learning; however, ideas in boxes will be provided for engaging groups more when meeting in person. The boxed items could also be modified and used for online discussion as well. 

This week's session also provides a video clip you might want to use as a part of your opening introduction to the session.

Download Word Version                   Download PDF Version

VIDEO SESSION