Sunday, May 17

Week 2 • 2 Kings 2 • Persistent Disciple

The text

2 Kings 2

Scripture

Exodus 15:25b-26 • I am the Lord who heals There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Quote

There is a call to be persistent in being discipled Discipled: Intentionally moving toward Jesus and becoming more like Him through teaching, example, practice, and relationship.

Dialogue

There are some things in life that provide a degree of immediate gratification. How strongly do you experience that immediate gratification with each of the following? 0 • It really doesn’t give me any immediate gratification 7 • It gives me immediate gratification to the MAX

Dialogue

What stands out to you as you gave these things a score?

Dialogue

What are some factors that increase or decrease the appeal of immediate gratification for you?

Scripture

Luke 11:1-13 • Bring Your Needs To God With Persistence

Scripture

We see a few of these time in Luke Jesus prays at His baptism • Luke 3:21–22 Jesus withdraws to lonely places to pray • Luke 5:16 Jesus prays before choosing the twelve apostles • Luke 6:12–13 Jesus prays privately before asking, “Who do you say I am?” • Luke 9:18 Jesus prays on the mountain at the Transfiguration • Luke 9:28–29 Jesus rejoices and prays in the Holy Spirit • Luke 10:21

Scripture

Luke 11:2-4 • The Lord’s Prayer “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Scripture

Luke 11:9-10 • Everyone who asks receives 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Scripture

Luke 11:9-10 • Everyone who asks receives 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Scripture

Luke 11:1-13 • Bring Your Needs To God With Persistence 1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Dialogue

How does it affect you when someone is persistent with you?

Dialogue

What fuels persistence in you? What changes in you as you practice remarkable persistence?

Scripture

2 Kings 2:9-10 • Double portion of your spirit 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

Quote

This was a family inheritance phrase (Deuteronomy 21, Genesis 48) Elisha is asking to be recognized as Elijah’s true successor It means: “Let me carry your prophetic authority and responsibility fully” It also expresses a desire for extra strength and God’s Spirit to fulfill that calling

Quote

Discipled: Intentionally moving toward Jesus and becoming more like Him through teaching, example, practice, and relationship.

Scripture

What are some of the obstacles to bringing intentionality to a relationship in order to move towards Jesus? What is the value of bringing intentionality to a relationship in order to move toward Jesus?

Scripture

​​Exodus 15:22-26 • The water was made pure in Mara

Scripture

2 Kings 2:19-22 • Healing of the Water 19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” 20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Dialogue

Describe a healthy balance between short-term and long-term gratification when staying persistent in discipleship. Investing in others and having others invest in us.

Take it deeper

Carry the message through your week

Additional reading

  • Luke 11:1-13
  • 2 Kings 3 • God’s relentless provision
  • Psalm 63 • Hungry for God in prayer
  • 1 Kings 18 • Elijah’s persistent prayer for rain
  • Daniel 9 • Confession and intercessory prayer
  • Matthew 6 • Jesus teaching on prayer
  • Luke 18 • Persistent widow and prayer faith
  • Acts 1 • Waiting and praying for the Spirit
  • James 5 • Powerful, effective prayer of the righteous

Questions to sit with

  1. Question 1

    What is something you have persisted in in life in spite of strong resistance?

  2. Question 2

    What is something you can’t seem to persist at no matter the presence or absence of resistance?

  3. Question 3

    What does persistence in prayer look like when it is practiced?

  4. Question 4

    What promises does Jesus lay out in this text that are valuable to you today?

  5. Question 5

    How are you challenged, focused, encouraged and/or confused by this text?

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