Study Guide for

“Three Chairs”

April 19, 2009

Open Up

Tell your group a “game of musical chairs” experience: hyper-competitive, knocking people down, laughing so hard at silly songs, awkward, wanting to get out early, etc. TRANSITION: Our relationship with God can be described as sitting in a chair. “Chair one” is a living, dynamic, faithful relationship with God summarized as commitment. “Chair two” is on wheels, symbolizing compromise that moves between religious ritual and the expectations of contemporary culture. “Chair three” is someone, even a nice person, whose life is spiritual complacency.

Dig In

(1) Read Joshua 24:14-18 and Judges 2:7-11. To what “chair” is Joshua calling the Israelites? Based on the situation in Judges 2, which “chairs” did Israel choose in the coming generations? From this story, what can we learn about the difficulty of raising a “chair one” next generation? ADVANCED STUDY: Read Judges 2:16-19. Describe the spiritual “game of musical chairs” the Israelites tragically played. Talk with your group about some examples from your own life of “playing musical chairs” instead of being committed to God.

(2) Read Matthew 13:3-8 and Matthew 13:18-23. Compare the four soils in Jesus’ story with the three chairs. What actions show the kind of soil you are (“your chair”)?

(3) Read Revelation 3:14-19. Though Jesus is speaking to a church, his words can also apply to compromising or complacent individuals. How might a contemporary church or individual Christian think they are visionary or rich, when God judges them as blind and poor? BACKGROUND Revelation records Jesus’ words to churches in seven cities in the Roman Empire. Two churches get “good news”, three get “mixed news”, and two get “bad news.” Some of the figures of speech in these verses could refer to characteristics of the city of Laodicea. Its water supply was lukewarm (a city seven miles to the north was known for its hot springs, a city ten miles to the south had cold springs) and unpleasant. Laodicea was a wealthy city, producing a powder used for treating eye problems.

Work On

Your attitudes to the Bible, church, marriage, and parenting, can tell you about your chair. Discuss with your group a time when you may have sat in a different chair than you do now. What moved you from one chair to another?

Lift Up

Prepare for prayer by reading Psalms 1:1-3, and then ask the Spirit to help you become a “chair one” man or woman.

Another Step – Advanced Study

Read Matthew 7:16-27. What kind of religious actions did some people claim to do for Jesus? What might be some modern examples of religious actions that are “nice” but not necessarily meaningful? What kinds of actions are “doing the will of the heavenly Father”?