The Bible 20/20 - Week 15: "Under Siege"

This week we take a look at a difficult yet important story found in 2 Kings chapters 6-7 about a really brutal time in Israel’s history. The northern kingdom of Israel is in trouble, their capital city Samaria is under siege, and things are getting incredibly desperate. What can we do when we are stuck, surrounded by an enemy and we can’t seem to escape? In today’s sermon, we discuss how the Lord wants to speak truth, inspire hope, and fill us with courage so we can find freedom. Discussion Questions: 1. Can you think of a time in your life when you felt under siege? What was that like for you? 2. In the sermon, there were 3 keys discussed to help us break free - honest assessment, hopeful outlook, and a bold move to face the problem. 3. How can we make an honest assessment when we are stuck? What role do others close to us play in helping us see the truth of a situation? (Remember: A turning point for the king to really understand how bad things were was when someone else who was in it with him pointed out what was really going on). Have you ever had to speak up in someone else’s life like that? Has anyone ever done that for you? 4. The King struggled with feeling helpless and defeated, he blamed God for the problem, and when hope was offered he couldn’t believe that God would help. Have you ever struggled with any of those feelings? How can we find a hopeful outlook when we are stuck in a bad situation? What is our hope based upon? 5. The 4 lepers show up in the story and reach a big decision. They are willing to go face the real enemy, the real problem. They are tired of sitting around in the same situation waiting for the inevitable. Why does it take courage to make a bold move to seek change? What are some ways we can do that when we are in need? (remember: the lepers weren’t alone, they went together, and God was helping them - even when they didn’t realize it!) 6. How can we find comfort in how Jesus treated the leper found in Mark 1:40-42. How does Jesus treat us when we are stuck, in trouble, and in need of help? In this story, Jesus is filled with compassion and unafraid of touching the leper's uncleanness. Do you ever struggle with seeing Jesus this way? Do you think He is lovingly ready and willing to help you? 7. The story closes with the lepers realizing they should be sharing this good news with others. How can we share our victories with others in need? What does that look like? How can we bring hope to people who are feeling hopeless?