Download PDF.

HOW DID YOU SEE GOD THIS WEEK AS YOU FOLLOWED HIM?

WHAT DID GOD SAY IN HIS WORD?

Opening Question:

How tired are you heading into this holiday season? What things are exhausting you, and how do you recover?

God promises rest for his people through the king from David’s line in our passage from Sunday:

8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'"

Reflect Together:

What is the context for these promises? What was David trying to do? How does that shift or change your understanding of these promises? (see 2 Sam 7:1-7)

God makes a number of promises to David throughout this section. How many can you find?

There are promises to David about significance (name), home, and family. How were these initially fulfilled for David? How are they ultimately fulfilled through Jesus?

WHAT DID GOD SAY TO ME THROUGH HIS WORD?

Are their ways you are striving to establish your own significance, your own home, your own family? Do those strivings adequately account for what Jesus has done for you?

What areas are you struggling to surrender to God or to trust him with? How might these be contributing to your longing for rest?

WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT?

God may be calling you at the start of this season to pause or stop one of your activities because you are striving inappropriately to establish your own significance, home, or family. Or maybe he has some work to do in your heart so you can engage in that from a place of rest and liberty in Christ. Discuss together how you can more deeply experience rest in Jesus this week.