Key Thought: To be faithful in one’s own culture and land is a big challenge, but more so when facing the pressure of a foreign land, culture, and religion.

January 11, 2020

1. Have a volunteer read 2 Kings 24:18-20.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why does God give Judah and Jerusalem into the hands of the Babylonians?
3. Personal Application: What are some of the challenges your faith faces: from outside, within the church, or from your own personal defects? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “I don’t understand why God would allow a heathen nation to defeat and conquer His people, even if they had done wrong. Why allow those that don’t believe in God to be in charge of those who do, even if defectively.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Daniel 1:15-20

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What pressures are put on these young men to conform to Babylonian culture and lifestyle?
3. Personal Application: Can we draw any lessons from this about the importance of our choices? Does our faith and trust have any impact on our choices? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why would Daniel risk the anger and displeasure of the king by refusing to eat the meat and delicacies of Babylon? Is what we eat really that important in our spiritual life? Most people eat some kind of meat from time to time.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Daniel 1:17-21.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What was the key to success for these four young men?
3. Personal Application: How can we learn to put all our efforts into whatever we are asked to do for whatever reason? How does a strong faith in God give us the desire and ability to do our best? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “What are some of the cultural and social influences that interfere with people knowing and living the Christian life and mentality that may not agree or be in sync with the cultural and social beliefs?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Daniel Galatians 2:19,20.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What does it mean to be crucified with Christ and dead to the law?
3. Personal Application: How do we live with Christ in us? How is it different to live by faith rather than in the flesh? Share your thoughts.
4.  Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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