COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME – LENT 2
05/03/2023
Connect Group Study Notes: 5 March 2023
Theme: “Come Holy Spirit Come…” Lent 2
Reading: Daniel Chapter 1
This format is a guide to you for your small group meeting. Feel free to change and adapt it according to the needs of your group. The objective is for you to build authentic relationships within the group, relationships that enable you to learn to love others who are different to you, and to discover as a reality the treasure of relationships that are built on the foundation of a relationship with Jesus, his life, and his teaching.
Fellowship
Begin with general conversation and sharing about how the past week has gone. Try not to go over time.
Worship and Prayer
Click on the link below on your smartphone, Smart TV, or computer, to select songs to sing; and then spend a few minutes in song and prayer.
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL SONG’S PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsAkwbV_S1vXdZVPkZ0_tQW5n9RqeZX0
And if you need to check on the Message for the week again, then click on:
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL (MESSAGE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1X4YYw1KLpda1yGnqKgfw/videos
This time of worship and prayer will encourage you to move your thoughts from daily worries and pressures to our time of Bible study and prayer.
Read: Daniel Chapter 1
Warm up for the discussion time:
What is your favourite food? What is your reaction to the idea of fasting?
Discussion Questions:
- What happened to the people of Jerusalem (vs1-2)?
- What category of young man was taken as a captive to the palace (vs 4)?
- What do you think the young men might have felt like to have their identities forcibly changed (vs 6-7)? Do you think this was an attempt to erase their Hebrew identity and culture (vs 7)?
- Why do you think Daniel believed the food from the Kings table would “defile” him (vs 8)? What does it mean for a Jewish person to have been defiled? What does this tell you about Daniel and his relationship with God?
- Why do you think Daniel chose a diet of vegetables and water (vs 12)?
- What was the outcome of this diet on their health (vs 15)?
- What special abilities, and example, did the Lord reveal through the lives of these young men to the Babylonians (vs 17)?
Faith building:
- Daniel was a young man when taken captive (probably 16 or 17 years old), and he lived his life in captivity in Babylon. His life is an example of faithfulness, humility, and courage despite his circumstances. Daniel lived out his faith believing that God was always in control, and that God was always at work. The Daniel Fast gives each of us the opportunity to realign ourselves, in our faith, with God as the supreme sovereign in our lives; and to present God as such to our community and our country; by the way we choose to live each day. How will you choose to live each day this week?
- Pray this simple daily prayer, as you commit the day to the Lord, and as you pray for our country; “Come Holy Spirit Come”.
Prayer: Share prayer requests and then pray together.
Closing Prayer: And now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and forever more. Amen
Have a wonderful week. God bless. Tim.