Lenten Study 2022 - Session 3

Session 1 (March 9) - Introduction (Chapter 1) Session 2 (March 16) - Chapters 2 and 3 Session 3 (March 23) - Chapter 4 Session 4 (March 30) - Chapters 5 and 6 Session 5 (April 6) - Chapters 7, 8 and 9 Session 6 (April 13) - Chapters 10 and 11 Outline of book Chapter 1: Introduction Act 1: Confusion: Faith In A Faithless World Chapter 2: Don't Get Cozy In Persia (1:1-20) Chapter 3: The Girl With Two Names (2:1-18) Act 2: Crisis: Courage In A Hostile Land Chapter 4: He Refused To Bow (2:19-3:15) Chapter 5: Relief Will Come (4:1-17) Chapter 6: Two Throne Rooms (4:1-17) Act 3: Conquest: The Hand of God in the Details of History Chapter 7: God Is Loudest When He Whispers (5:1-6:13) Chapter 8: The Wicked Will Not Win (7:1-8:17) Chapter 9: The God of Great Turnarounds (9:1-19) Chapter 10: A Purim People (9:20-10:3) Chapter 11: You Were Made For This Moment CHAPTER 4: HE REFUSED TO BOW (ESTHER 2:19-3:15) Esther 3:2b - Begins with Mordecai and Esther in _________________ Esther 2:19-23 - 1. 2. 3. Genesis 19:1 - (see also Ruth 4 and 2 Samuel 15:2-6) Esther 3:1-2a - Haman - the villain Genesis 36:12 - Exodus 17:8-16 - 1 Samuel 15:1-9 - 1 Samuel 15:10 - 1 Samuel 15:22-23 - 1 Samuel 15:26-28 - 1 Samuel 15:35 - Mordecai was a ____________ Esther 3:1-4 - Esther 3:3-15 - What would cause Mordecai to move from compromise to conviction? How can we develop this in our spiritual lives? "Crisis tends to develop character...In the most mundane moments, He will forge our character so that we too can become people of courage in all circumstances." - Alistair Begg. Romans 5:1-5 - 1. 2. 3. A Disciple of Christ - from Truth For Life by Alistair Begg "There was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.'" Acts 9:10 Every day, you are shaping your reputation. And as a Christian, every day you are shaping Christ's reputation too. What do our lives say about Christ as we walk around as His disciples? Ananias may be a lesser-known Bible character, but he had a profound influence on Paul's life and therefore on all of church history. This resulted from his daily devoted faithfulness as a disciple of Christ. Three traits of his discipleship can help to shape our own character and commitment to Christ as we seek to be used in God's kingdom. First, Ananias was, as the KJV puts it, "a certain disciple" (emphasis added): one who was specifically chosen. Even before bringing Paul (then known as Saul) to Damascus or calling upon Ananias, God sovereignly orchestrated the spread of the church after the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem to reach at least 200 miles north to Damascus, where a group of believers, including Ananias, were then established. Then, out of this group, God specifically chose Ananias to reach out to Paul after his conversion. This profound display of God's sovereignty should inspire and encourage us to trust that God may be working in ways yet unseen to prepare and use us to accomplish His will. Next, Ananias was a bold disciple. He identified himself as a follower of the Lord-part of the very group in Damascus that Paul was on his way to persecute before his conversion (Acts 9:1). Ananias's loyalty wasn't simply to a local church, a denomination, or a theological view but to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Similarly, if Jesus has taken hold of our lives and changed us then we cannot keep this life-altering fact to ourselves either. Just as we say no to sin when we receive Christ's salvation, we must also say no to secrecy about our faith. Either our discipleship will destroy our secrecy, or our secrecy will destroy our discipleship. Finally, Ananias was a committed disciple. Later, Paul would remember Ananias as a "devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived" in Damascus (Acts 22:12). A reputation like this is not gained in five minutes, or even five days, but slowly, in the steady ebb and flow of life. Ananias developed such a reputation by committing his whole life to following God and His word-a commitment that he surely displayed through his daily business and interactions with others. Ananias's life challenges us to be faithful in seemingly small ways on apparently ordinary days. Perhaps one day we will be called to do something extraordinary for the Lord-but we are not to wait until then before we live wholeheartedly for Him. This is what disciples do: boldly, devotedly, and humbly they pursue God and trust Him completely. Whether you are in the midst of studies, raising children, pursuing a career, or facing retirement and old age, seek to do it all faithfully to the glory of God. Make it your aim to be known simply as Ananias was: as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Begg, Alistair. Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions (p. 53). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition. 2 Peter 1:3-8 - 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS MOMENT LENTEN STUDY 2022 SESSON 3: MARCH 23, 2022 2 | Page