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February 13, 2023
Loved | John 10:11-18
WHEN EVERYONE ELSE RUNS AWAY
Our world has certain strategies when it comes to dealing with threats: flight, fight, or freeze are the usual options. Our world views intimacy largely as a sexual thing and most often operates on the principle of “birds of a feather flock together.” Fascinatingly, Jesus has a completely different view on all three of these important matters: how to respond to intimidation, how to be intimate, and how to be inclusive. He laid down his life for the sheep to save us and show us his heart and his plan.
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John 10:11-18
- Have you ever seen a shepherd at work? What did you observe?
- In calling himself ’the Good Shepherd’ Jesus was actually claiming to be King! Comb through the verses and observe how Jesus is a king who is different from all other kings.
- What is it that drives your life? When your thoughts drift, where do they go to? Sometimes we actually have a different (or competing) king to Jesus. What or who might be that competing king in your life?
- Is God prompting you to step towards a threat for the good of your family or friend? Is God prompting you towards new intimacy either with Him or a friend? Are you moved to be more inclusive? Explain what that may look like.
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Ezra 3:10-13 - The book of Ezra tells the story of the return of God’s people from exile. The account details the extra care that was taken by the returnees in doing their best to reproduce what they once had. Very quickly, they got the old altar operational and began to rebuild the temple. Our story is about what they chose to do on the day the foundation of the new temple was in place. There was a party that didn’t feel like a party for everyone, and that’s just honest!
Daniel 6:1-24-The book of Daniel is all about the Sovereignty of God. The God of Israel proves himself sovereign even in faraway Babylon: boys receive foreign favour and are released from having to eat rich and potentially unkosher food. Young men are saved from a fiery furnace, and old man Daniel doesn’t get eaten by a den of hungry lions. God proves he’s not limited by international borders, arrogant kings or wild beasts. All of this points forward to Jesus, who demonstrated his sovereignty (he is God, after all!) in different ways.
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Isaiah 6:1-10 - Most of Isaiah’s writings don’t have a timestamp on them, but one event does. The day that he had his most profound encounter with God was shortly after King Uzziah died. King Uzziah would have been on the throne long before Isaiah was born and would have been the only king that Isaiah knew. That’s a big loss. Sometimes, God is able to meet us best when we’re tender from loss or grief.
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1 Kings 12:1-16: King Rehoboam continues the descent that has been the story of the kings since the throne was established. No one seems to be able to get it right. Leadership is tough. It requires listening to God and keen self-awareness. Rehoboam’s legacy is that he divided the people of God. May that never happen again.
