Discussion Questions: Light It Up – Week Three
To further the conversation started by the weekend message, use these discussion questions in a group study or for personal reflection.
Our message this week – Let it start with us.
1. Pastor Zach shared that we “need to know who you are”. By changing their names the chief official of Nebuchadnezzar was trying to start to change Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He was starting to change things about them so that they would forget who they were and they would take on the identities given to them by someone other than their creator.
- In what ways does the enemy try to give us a new identity?
- Who does the enemy want us to believe we are – a failure, unlikable, ugly, weak, unintelligent, etc?
- How do we go about remembering who we are in God?
2. Daniel was “determined” not to defile himself. He did not give in to the instructions regarding what he was to eat and to drink. He sought and was given permission to remain clean in what he ate and drank. Daniel was “sold out” for God. Christ call us to “deny ourselves and to take up our cross daily”. Pastor Zach shared that a cross is not a decoration, it is a tool used to kill people. Christ is calling His followers to be so “determined” that we would die to the things that we want so that He may change others around us.
- What things do we do, or should we do, that demonstrate that we are sold out for God?
- What are the things that we should die to daily?
3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the idol, or the golden image, that Nebuchadnezzar had built. When challenged by Nebuchadnezzar and told that they would be killed for not worshipping the idol they said basically that their God would rescue them, and that in the event that He did not rescue them they would still worship and honor only Him. The three young men were being pulled away from God. They were being tempted to serve idols.
- In what ways are you pulled away from God?
- Are there certain environments where you are more susceptible t0 these temptations?
- How do you resist these temptations? How do you avoid them? Is there a difference between resisting and avoiding temptation? Which is a better plan?
4. Pastor Zach challenged us to ask the question ‘what if”. What if 5,000 people in East Tennessee all proclaimed Christ in a manner so clearly, so boldly, that our nation took note? What if this was what it took to turn our nation to God? He was basically saying “it starts with us”.
- Is there something you will do differently with this mind? Will you approach your walk with God differently? Will you live differently with your family, in your neighborhood, at work, or at school?
Scripture verses:
Faith Promises’ scripture verse for 2013:
