<
In Jesus’ day:
The temple was the place where people could be
In the Old Testament there were three successive temples:
The Tabernacle (Exodus 35-40)
Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 5-9, 2 Chronicles 2-7)
The 2nd Temple (Ezra 1-6)
The temple was the place where people could be
But where was the temple in the creation story (Genesis 1-2)?
God’s redesign of the Old Testament temple:
Now all this [the birth of Jesus] took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is
us. —Matthew 1:22-23
Where do these temples lead us?
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is (with) humanity, and He will live (with) them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be
them and be their God.Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is humanity, and He will live (with) them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be them and be their God. —Revelation 21:3
SMALL GROUP GUIDE
Welcome
Weekly Vision Casting
Healthy small groups cultivate a relational environment, which involves transparency, accountability, and confidentiality. What happens to a group that is lacking transparency? How can we grow in that as a group?
Small Group Guidelines Click here to view guidelines
Warm Up Question
Study: Head, Heart, and Hand Questions
Personal Prayer Requests
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
WARM UP: Let’s speculate a bit. If you had been Adam or Eve, what would you have talked about with God as you bumped into Him, day after day, in the garden?
HEAD: These questions help us examine the Word.
1. Read Genesis 1:26-30. God obviously wanted people to fully experience His creation. What part of the creation story would you have liked to have experienced first-hand? Why?
What do you think would have been the most devastating long-term loss after being banned from the garden?
Read 1 Kings 9:1-3 & 2 Chronicles 7:12-16. What did God say He would do at the temple? What did He require of the people who came to the temple?
According to Ezra 6:16-17, what was the spirit of the people as they dedicated the temple? Why such a spirit?
What’s the significance of being told in Matthew 1:23 that “God is with us” in Jesus? How do John 1:14 & Hebrews 1:3 help us understand this?
HEART: These questions help us wrestle with what we believe.
4. How does the idea of God’s Kingdom as a Kingdom of peace, not chaos, resonate with you in your current season of life?
5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God’s peace in the middle of personal chaos. How did that shape your faith?
HAND: These questions help us bring truth and beliefs into our everyday life.
6. In what ways can you be an ambassador of God’s peace where you live, work, and play this week? What is one practical step you can take to cultivate peace in your life amidst the chaos?
7. Who in your life needs to hear about the Prince of Peace this week, and how can you share the message of His Kingdom with them?