Kettlebrook West Bend

1. Can you remember a time when you were called on to be brave or courageous? What was the situation? How did you do?

2. Do you think courage is the absence of fear? Why or why not? Where does courage come from?

3. Read Daniel chapter 5. What do you notice about King Belshazzar (vs.6,9)? Why do you think that is? What do you notice about Daniel (vs.22-23). Where did he get the courage to say those things?

4. As Daniel confronted the King, notice two things: 1) He was invited to this opportunity and 2) This was an obvious God-moment (the writing on the wall). Are Christ-followers sometimes called to likewise appropriately confront evil in our world? What might this look like?

5. 2 Timothy 1:7-8 says: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord." How might this verse apply to your life?

6. What is one area you need to have courage in. Ask your group or family to pray for you.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. In what ways might you be wearing dribbling goggles with respect to your life?

2. Read chapter 4, verse 19. Why do you think Daniel is fearful? In what ways does Daniel respond and why? Can you identify at all with Daniel’s position in these verses?

3. Read Daniel 4, verse 27. What is Daniel’s unsolicited advice to the king? How might you feel giving advice like this to a king? Have you ever given this kind of advice someone else? What was that like? Have you ever received this kind of advice? What was that like?

4. Read Daniel 4:30. In what ways might you talk like this in your own life? What can you learn and apply from Nebuchadnezzar’s account with respect to this?

5. Four times in this account (vv. 17, 25, 26 and 32) it is mentioned that Nebuchadnezzar needed to “acknowledge that the Most High is Sovereign.” Are there areas in your own life where you need to do this too? If so, what are they?

6. How might you apply both verse 27 and verse 37 in your own life today? How might Jesus help you when it comes to applying these verses?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. In what ways might there be different versions of you? Maybe a Friday night “you” and a Sunday morning “you”? A work “you” and a home “you”? Why is this the case?

2. Share a time when you have seen someone demonstrate courageous consistency of character.

3. Have you been in a situation where you failed to demonstrate courageous consistency of character? What was that like for you?

4. Of the three pressures that referenced above, which one can you relate to most? Least? Why is this?

5. Read Daniel chapter 3, verses 16-18. What about the response of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is most convicting for you and why? Inspiring?

6. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego trust boldly in and surrender completely to God. Do you? If so, how is this demonstrated in the day to day things of your life? If not, what is keeping you bound?

7. Jesus told his disciples that the Scriptures pointed to Him (Luke 24:25-27). How might this be the case in Daniel 3 and how might you then respond?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. Describe a time when you have felt betrayed. What was that like for you? How did you respond?

2. Share a time when you were publicly disgraced or exposed. What was that like for you?

3. Read Matthew 1:18-25. What sticks out to you? What do you think it would have been like to be in Joseph’s shoes? Mary’s?

4. In what circumstances at work, school, and home could you better demonstrate graciousness? What is keeping you from doing so?

5. In what circumstances might you not have the full story, which is preventing you from responding in graciousness?

6. Who do you need to show graciousness towards today? This week? What is one way that you can specifically demonstrate graciousness in the context of your family/extended family this Christmas?

7. Like Mary, we all have things that would expose and publicly disgrace us. How is the Jesus good news to us with respect to these things?