Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Ezekiel 34:1-6 NIV
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What happened to the Prophet Ezekiel, in this passage? (v.1)
2) What did the Lord tell the prophet to do? (v.2a)
3) What was the prophet to say to, and ask, the shepherds of Israel? (v.2b)
4) What were the shepherds doing to the Lord's people? (v.3)
5) What were the shepherds refusing to do for the Lord's people and how did they rule over them? (v.4)
6) What happened to God's people, as a result? (v.5-6)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) If you are a leader in your local church, what are you doing to strengthen the members of the body of Christ?
LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord expects His leaders to help those who are weak in the faith so that they will not be taken captive by "wolves in sheep's clothing"!
9) The people of God are strengthened by the Word of God and by His indwelling Spirit.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Luke 2:8-20 KJV
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen [it], they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard [it] wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Where were the shepherds and what were they doing? (v.8)
2) What miraculous thing happened to them and how did they respond? (v.9)
3) How did the angels greet them? (v.10)
4) What did the angels announce to them? (v.11-12)
5) What happened before the angels departed? (v.13-14)
6) How did the shepherds respond to what they had been told and what did they find? (v.15-16)
7) What did the shepherds do after confirming what the angels said? (v..17)
8) How did those who heard and saw what was told them respond? (v.18-20)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) How are you celebrating the miracle of Christ's birth, this year?
10) Whom have you shared the gift of Christ with, this season?
LIFE LESSONS
11) The miracle of our Savior's birth is not only to be celebrated on one specific day, but every day of every year.
12) We were saved to share the gift of salvation, through Jesus Christ, with everyone we meet.
