January 12, 2025
The Story | Who Are You Following? | Chapter 15
The Unraveling: The Kings Drop The Ball
Elijah lived at odds with his culture. An evil king (and queen!) wanted him dead, so he went into hiding. After 3 years, God prompted him to set up a showdown: Yahweh vs. Ba’al, good vs. evil, a battle to the death. Sadly, good’s triumph barely left a mark on the life of his country. Thankfully, there was another good vs evil showdown years later, and its impact is still being felt around the world.
Songs for this week: Spotify
Chapter 15: 1 Kings 18:16-39
- Was God saying something that day on Mount Carmel? If so, what?
- Have you ever tried to bargain with God: “If you do this, then I’ll… (believe in you, join the ministry, marry that guy.)”? How is what Elijah did different from making a bargain with God?
- Fire from heaven must have been unforgettable. Have you had an unforgettable experience with God? Has that memory kept you strong in your faith? Explain why or why not.
- How is the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel similar to Jesus on Golgotha? How is it different?
- In what way(s) has God commanded you to stand apart from your culture? How is that going?
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Recent Sermons
Romans 12:1-2 - Jesus’ invitation is to follow him: to be with him, become like him, and do what he did. We surrender control to Jesus, resist the pattern of the world that shapes us, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit for transformation.
Mark 1:16-18 -We begin our series on Practicing the Way—exploring how Jesus’ rhythms of prayer, fasting, solitude, and Sabbath invite ordinary people to grow in grace and intimacy with God
Acts 17:16-34 -Paul shares the hope of Jesus in everyday language, guiding seekers toward truth and showing where their search for God had gone astray.
Acts 13:1-5 -The first Christians had small groups! They knew, because Jesus modelled it, that we’re much better in groups than we are as individuals. The group that gathered in Antioch was diverse, zoned in on Jesus and figuring out how to be outward-facing. Your own group will want all that and more!
Acts 8:9-25 - Simon put on a good show (literally!), but his heart was full of bitterness. He wasn’t healthy and wasn’t taking the steps to be healthy. What about us today?
Acts 2:40-47 - As a church, we’re taking some time to talk about our vision and strategy. We’re hoping to add clarity to why and how we do what we do in this season.
