SERMON OUTLINE:
1: Gabriel announces John’s birth, Zechariah responds (Luke 1:5-25).
2: Gabriel announces Jesus’ birth, Mary responds (Luke 1:26-38).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Do you ever feel that God owes you? When are you most tempted to doubt His Word? How does Zechariah’s example warn or encourage you?
• What about Mary’s response is most interesting to you? How are you impacted by her example?
• How can we cultivate humility in our hearts (similar to Mary)? How can we avoid having a callous heart (as opposed to Zechariah)?

SERMON OUTLINE:
Call to Continued Obedience.
The Things We Do.
The Heart We Have.
The One Who Gives.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• What are the things that keep you from being obedient in Christ, and how can you step into further obedience?
• How can you submit to the work of God in you to sustain the works He has for you?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: Ezra is confronted with the problem (Ezra 9:1-2).
2: Ezra laments and leads in prayer and confession (Ezra 9:3-15).  
3: The people respond and a tragic plan is set in motion (Ezra 10:1-44).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• It is extremely rare to experience lament over sin and repentance as intense as Ezra’s. Why is that? What does that say about Ezra’s view of sin compared with ours? How can we cultivate a heart like Ezra’s (answer practically/realistically)? 
• Why is genuine repentance so difficult? How can you tell if your repentance is genuine or contrived/surface level?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: Ezra is positioned as God’s Reformer (Ezra 7:1-10).
2: Behind the actions of the king is the hand of God (Ezra 7:11-28).
3: Rebuilding God’s people is always a group project (Ezra 8:1-36).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why is Ezra’s order of first study of the Bible, then personal action, and lastly teaching others important? What happens if we mix up that order? How are you doing with those 3 steps?
Where have you seen God’s good hand on you (Red Sea Moments)? How do those moments produce courage to act and a posture of worship?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: The work we are called to will bring opposition (Ezra 5:1-4).
2: Our work should continue because God is sovereign (Ezra 5:5-17).
3: God’s sovereignty means we will sometimes see surprising results (Ezra 6:1-12).
4: Those surprising results should fuel our joy (Ezra 6:13-22). 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Has there ever been a time you felt you were working for God but didn’t see the results (the glory/fire) you hoped for? What did that feel like? How did you respond? How does this passage speak to that moment? 
• How would you answer the question, “What are you working for?” (i.e. What is your life’s purpose?) Where do you need to repent? Where are you feeling encouraged?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1. The Unity of God.
2-5. Our Call to Unity and Humility.
6-8. Christ's Strength in Unity and Humility.
9-11. Christ’s Exaltation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• How do you need to repent of a lack of unity and humility?
• In what ways have you seen and in what ways do you want to see Christ exalted more in your life?

SERMON OUTLINE:
The Question:  If God calls someone to something, shouldn't that thing go smoothly? 
1.  The Presence of Trouble is not the Absence of God.
2.  God is doing a Work In Us as well as Through Us. 
3.  Things that don't go away when God calls us to something. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Is there a time in your life where God has called you to a new ministry, family decision, job, etc... and you faced hardship in following Him?  
• Which one of these things is the most common challenge you face in following Jesus:  1)  Discouragement from other people   2)  Physical limitations  3) Sin in your life or from others? How do you stay close to Jesus in the midst of those challenges? 
• Pray for anyone at your table facing trouble or obstacles in following Jesus today. 

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: Worship is always the first step (Ezra 3:1-5).
2: Worship is sometimes work (Ezra 3:6-9).  
3: Worship always needs the right foundation (Ezra 3:10-13). 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Which part of the definition of worship we used today (The regular, corporate gathering where we run towards God remembering our salvation) are you most in need of hearing? Why? 
• Why does worship sometimes feel like work to you? How does Jesus meet you in those places?
• If fear drove Israel to the altar, where does fear drive you?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: Your story matters (Ezra 2:1).
2: Your name matters (Ezra 2:2a).
3: Your household matters (Ezra 2:2b-20). 
4: Your place matters (Ezra 2:21-35). 
5: Your role matters (Ezra 2:36-58). 
6: Your purity matters (Ezra 2:59-63). 
7: Your belonging matters (Ezra 2:64-67). 
8: Your sacrifice matters (Ezra 2:68-70).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• What does our world say it takes to have a life that matters? How does Ezra 2 contradict that?
• Which of these 8 reasons discussed today stands out the most to you? Why?
• What would it feel like to belong to a church that valued these 8 things? How is that different from the rest of society?

SERMON OUTLINE:
1: The historical context of Ezra-Nehemiah.
2: God stirs the heart of King Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4).
3: God stirs the hearts of His people (Ezra 1:5-11).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• When your loves become dis-ordered, what is it that typically takes the place of God as your primary love?
• If God really is sovereign and faithful, as Ezra says He is, how does that impact your day to day living?
• In light of these themes, what do you hope the Spirit stirs in your heart as we study Ezra-Nehemiah over the next few months?