Broken Kingdoms: WK 4 - GROUP GUIDE

INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN: Share with the group something interesting about your family history, ancestors, etc…. Is there something from your family history that carries on to this day? Something that has changed?

SCRIPTURE READING
Read together: 2 Kings 18:1-7, 2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 2 Kings 19:10-19, 20:1-6, 16-19

Hezekiah was one of the good guys in a line of plenty of bad ones. Pay close attention to the decisions he made that kept him humble and seeking God, first.

HEAD: Explore the Text

Share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts you received just from listening to the text, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
Do you think it was easy for Hezekiah to reform Judah, or do you think he would have gotten pushback for making so many changes to “the way things were”?
What do you think your response would have been to the letter from the King of Assyria? Hezekiah prayed, but do you think the response from the prophet Isaiah, verse 20-28, came quickly? How do you practice waiting on the Lord when your circumstances are difficult?
What are some ways Hezekiah could have responded to the news of his impending death other than to turn to God in prayer?
What do you make of God seemingly changing his mind about what would happen to Hezekiah? What happens when we pray for healing and healing doesn’t come?
In 2 Kings 20:16-19, Hezekiah receives word that the future for Judah is not great, Babylon would conquer them and take them away from Jerusalem. But he seems to accept that news because at least there will be peace in his times. Do you think Hezekiah could have done something to help prepare for the future, or to make a way for future generations? Why not turn to prayer as in previous situations? Is considering future generations a responsibility of a good leader, or is it just about making sure the people you serve now are cared for?

HEART: Personal Reflection

Many churches in North America are on the decline, and much of that comes from an unwillingness to change. Why is change/reform so hard for us and how do we overcome that fear?
Why do you think many of us have a hard time turning to God FIRST in prayer? Why does it seem like we try everything we know to do first, THEN, we pray?
Hezekiah seemed to break some family cycles of bad behavior. How do you and I work to do some of those same things in our lives?
What are you doing in your church, in your life, to help care for future generations?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Spiritual Practice: Seeking Reformation

Spend the next seven days praying over areas in your life, and in your church, that God may want to bring about change/reform.
After those seven days, write down your thoughts/insights.
Begin sharing your experience with some close friends and confidants; see if any of them share or can confirm your same feelings.
Choose a path to at least address one change in your life or in your church.

Invite the group to check in next week about their experience.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home

Hezekiah was a man of prayer. What is one practice you could begin this week to help you turn to prayer more often as a source of strength, guidance, and growth?
Who is someone in your circle of influence that could use prayer for healing (mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually)? Can you pray over them and trust in God for the outcome?

Scripture to Memorize
1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” (Luke 18:1, NLT)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)