In this study, we'll continue peeling back the layers surrounding events at the Tower of Babel, including what the Bible says about "gods," the parallels between Nimrod and the coming antichrist, one-world government, and God's good plans to bless His children.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- Read Jesus’ Great High Priestly Prayer in John 17:20-26. What kind of things does Jesus want believers to be united around? What types of things should divide professing Christians?

- Does the knowledge that those who are saved are temples of God’s Spirit change the way you think about God’s presence in your life? How?

- How can patience and remembering God’s promises help us in our struggle against sin?

- Does thinking about things like the New Jerusalem—the city God has prepared for His people—cause you to “check out” in this present life, or does it make you more engaged in living for Christ? Why?

- When you look at current global unification efforts (i.e., attempts to create a “borderless world”), do you see good or bad fruit?

At the Tower of Babel, God divided humanity into languages, creating different cultures and ethnicities. But why was God's reaction to a city and a tower so weighty? What was the big deal? In this study, we'll sift through the clues in Scripture and history to discover the disturbing picture that emerges.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- Why do you think humanity was so quick to rebel against God after witnessing the devastating judgment of the Flood just a century or two earlier?

- Do you know anyone who has “deconstructed” their Christian faith? What did you notice about their process, motivations, actions, etc.?

- Do you see any parallels between our world today and the events at the Tower of Babel?

- What do you think determines the spiritual “atmosphere” in a location? How about in your own home?

- Jeff suggested that our flesh is the most dangerous false teacher we encounter. What specific areas of Scripture do you find yourself most tempted to reinterpret to accommodate your desires?

In this chapter, we see how Noah's prophetic words spoken over his 3 sons played out over the subsequent centuries. We're also given a few insights into a strange character named Nimrod, who will play a key role in events at the Tower of Babel in Chapter 11.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- Can you think of any present-day examples of how charismatic leaders can, like Nimrod, draw people away from God?

- Do you feel the natural draw of the flesh to forget and neglect because of the busyness of life? What practices and disciplines have you found helpful in fighting against this natural tendency?

- Even Christians can fall prey to false teachers. In fact, we see repeated warnings about this in the New Testament. How can Christians avoid being deceived by "Christian" false teachers?

- Read and discuss Romans 16:17-18, Galatians 1:6-9, Colossians 2:8, and Revelation 2:2.

- Read 1 John 4:1. What does it mean to "test the spirits"?

Strange behavior by Noah leads to dishonorable behavior by his son, Ham, and honorable behavior by his sons, Shem and Japheth. This bizarre incident reveals principles about the relationship between children and parents, the dangers of abusing alcohol, and the nature of generational curses.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- As an adult, what does it mean to honor your parents? What does it look like practically?

- Why do you think that in the Mosaic Law God places such severe consequences on dishonoring parents?

- Romans 14 addresses Christian freedom, honoring weaker brothers and sisters, and the heart attitude we should have toward one another in these things. Read the chapter together and share what sticks out to you.

- Have you ever had to make a conscious choice to walk in a different direction from how you were raised, in order to break a cycle of sin or brokenness in your family?

- What “seeds” have you sown in life that have borne the best fruit?

God gives Noah and his family promises, reassurances, and commands to guide them as they establish the human race on a new, post-Flood world. These include the establishment of the timeless command of capital punishment and the sign of a rainbow in the heavens.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- How should Christians reconcile God's command for capital punishment in Genesis 9 with Jesus' teachings on mercy, forgiveness, and turning the other cheek?

- What do you think a biblical perspective is on war, self-defense, and law enforcement? (Address one or all subjects individually.)

- If our society were to implement all the justice-related aspects of the Mosaic Law (e.g., the death penalty for murder, adultery, cursing one’s parents, witchcraft), do you think it would be a good or bad thing? Why?

- What does it look like for members of a church who don’t currently have young children to support marriages and families in a local church?

- When was the last time you felt overwhelmed by the grace of God?

When someone approaches you to discuss an offense or sin you've committed against them, how should you receive them? We'll talk about how to walk humbly in that kind of situation, and how gossip and slander can tear apart a church.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- Read the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35. What strikes you about this teaching by Jesus?

- Have you ever struggled with defensiveness when confronted about an offense or sin? How can we cultivate a humbler and more receptive attitude?

- If you need to be confronted about an offense, sin, or fault, what makes it easier to receive? What makes it harder to receive?

- When is sharing concerns about another person with a third party biblically acceptable?

What’s the difference between “I’m just venting” or “I just need a sounding board” and gossip?

- How can a Christian reconcile Christ’s command to forgive with civil justice also being described as good and necessary in Scripture?

When someone has offended or sinned against us and we've determined the issue needs to be addressed, what does Jesus command us to do? And how can we practically do it in a way that's pleasing to Him? In this study, we'll break down some of the most popular excuses we use to justify ignoring Christ's command in Matthew 18:5a, and how we can instead move toward reconciliation in obedience.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- How does agape love manifest practically when working through offenses and conflict?

- How might our approach to conflict resolution change if we truly viewed pursuing reconciliation as an act of worship, as Jesus suggests (Cf. Matthew 5:23-24)?

- What are some valid reasons to delay going directly to someone who has offended you?

What invalid reasons do you think are most common in the Church?

- How can we balance the need for wise counsel with Jesus' instruction to keep offenses private between individuals?

- How might our expectations and approach to reconciliation change if we truly embraced it as a two-way process of revealing truth, acknowledging sin, and extending forgiveness?

In John 17, Jesus prayed that His Church would be "one". In this study, we'll talk about one of the practical areas of church life that has to be addressed if a congregation is going to walk in unity - conflict resolution.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

- Was there an aspect of this study you felt specifically challenged by?

- How do you normally decide whether you respond to an offense or overlook it?

- How can we reconcile the biblical call to judge those within the church (1 Corinthians 5:12-13) with Jesus' command not to judge (Matthew 7:1)?

- How might our approach to conflict resolution change if we consistently asked, 'What is best for the other person?' rather than focusing on our own feelings?

- When we’re offended or sinned against, how can we be led by the Holy Spirit rather than our emotions?