Maadi Women's Bible Study

1. Ecclesiastes Life Under the Son (Introduction and Background)

Welcome back to a new series studying in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Here are a few discussion questions to consider as we begin.

Ecclesiastes asks several very direct and probing questions about the meaning of life. How much thought have you given to questions like: “What is the purpose of life?” and “Why have faith in God when so much in life seems empty and futile?” What conclusions have you come to?

Apart from the personal benefit that might come from gaining a deeper understanding of God and the world in which we live, how might grappling with this issue help us engage with others?

Prayerfully ask God to bring someone into your life over the next few months so that you can share this biblical philosophy of life and satisfaction.

4. Participating in the Mystery of Prayer (Lamenting Prayers)

Psalm 13 to yourself and answer these questions then share as a group.

1. When in your life have you felt forgotten by God or others? How do you identify with David?
2. Can you think of a time you have cried out “Why” to God? Do you think you would really want him to answer? Why or why not?

3. Protest—lay out your complaints and your griefs before God. Don’t hold back.

   Petition God for what you want. Be bold!              

   Praise God for listening, for caring, and for considering your prayer.         

   1. Share a pivotal time of God’s hesed in your past? How has or does this experience  encourage you in your future?
   2. Share a point of real gratitude from this past week.
   3. Can you think of a time that unanswered prayer was a blessing?
   4. Pray for one another

3. Participating in the Mystery of Prayer (Prayer and the Cosmic Realm)

1. Did you practice reciting a liturgical prayer (The Lord’s Prayer or another one) this week? Any observations or thoughts? Do you think there is a value in continuing?

2. Are there particular strongholds in your thinking that need to be addressed?

3. As you consider your prayer life do you view it more as personal self improvement or engaging in a battle?

4. What actions might you need to take in order to be more attentive to the command to pray “in the Spirit”?

 

2. Participating in the Mystery of Prayer (Prayer as Partnership with God)

Take a few minutes alone to think through these questions. Then as a group Answer these questions

1. Did you practice that Breathing Prayer this week? Any observations to share?
2. Pray the Lord’s Prayer together. After you pray each line take a pause and breathe in before starting next line.
3. What are some things (share 2-3) that happen in the world that you personally wish that God would fix and put right.

    

   After the Lesson

   1. What are your thoughts and feelings about Liturgical prayers? If you have prayed these prayers for a while how do you think they have grown or hindered your prayer life.
   2. How do you think the daily incorporation of the phrase “May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” might change how you view the world around you and its problems and your role as God’s partner?
   3. This week continue to practice your Breath Prayer and add in a Liturgical Prayer.A Liturgical Prayer is a written or memorized prayer that serves as a framework for your individual prayer. For example practice reciting “The Lord’s Prayer” at least 1x a day ideally even 2x.

1. Participating in the Mystery of Prayer (Introduction)

1. How would you describe your experiences with prayer? Have you had conflicted feelings about prayers?
2. Do you think you expect too much from prayer or too little?
3. What do you understand the purpose of prayer to be?
4. What is a question or challenge you face on the topic of prayer?
5. Corrie Ten Boom famously asked “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” What did she mean by this and how would you answer it?
6. What do you hope to experience in your prayer life?
7. Take a few minutes to write a “Breath Prayer” to use through out the week. Pick a name of God or an attribute that is meaningful to you and then follow it with deep God given desire. Example: “Son of David, have mercy on me a sinner.” Breath in and say “Son of David” and breath out and say “Have mercy upon me a sinner.” Practice through out the day saying it in quiet moments as you drive, standing and cooking. Take note of if/how it affects you and share next week.

11. Journey out of Egypt:Exodus (ch. 32-33)

Read Ex. 32-33

1. What observation do you make? What questions stand out to you? Any patterns?
2. Ex 32:14 uses an interesting word to describe God’s action. He relented from the disaster he had spoken of bringing on his people. How do you reconcile both God’s unchanging nature and the use of this word relenting?
3. In Ex. 33:12 Moses says to God “You have not let me know whom you will send with me.” What do you think Moses is asking for?
4. Why do you think Aaron and many of the Levites were allowed to live through the slaughter of 32:26?
5. What stands out to you about God’s character in ch. 32-33. What does 34:5- 6 add to this picture of God?

10. Journey out of Egypt:Exodus (ch. 28-31 For Beauty and Glory)

Before the Lesson read Ex. 28-29
What role did/does ritual and formalities  play in your worship (corporate and private) experience? How can rituals enhance your worship experience? What dangers can accompany them.
Twice in ch. 28 it says that the garments were made “for glory and for beauty.” How important is aesthetics to worship? Thoughts about beautiful cathedrals that cost lots of money? Money well spent?

After the Lesson
What thoughts do you have about God choosing Aaron and his sons for such a sacred and privileged position and role knowing that they will quickly and spectacularly fail?

Why do you think Aaron caved so quickly to the people’s demands to create an idol?

Do you have any little calfs that you bring alongside your worship of God?

 

 

9. Journey out of Egypt:Exodus (ch. 23:20-ch.24)

Before the Lesson

1. What are your preconceived feelings and thoughts when you hear or think about the slavery laws or instruction about Israel conquering the land?
2. Read Exodus 23:20-33. What reasons are given for the conquest? What specifically are the Israelites asked to do? Does what the text actually say differ much from what your preconceived ideas were? In what ways?
3. If someone said to you, “Whatever God’s law is, I am going to follow it perfectly!” what would you say to them?
4. Do you think the people's response in verse 7 was foolish? Why or why not?

After the Lesson Questions

1. Share about a time that you acted in obedience to God without understanding why? What did you learn from the experience?
2. After this intense ritual meal with God, Aaron and his sons descend the mountain back to the people. In Moses absence Aaron commits a heinous sin (Ex 32) and later his son’s are killed for improper worship.  (Lev 10) What thoughts do you have about this?
3. Have you had times of deep intimacy and then failure? How do you process this? In what ways have grown through these cycles?
4. What attribute of God did you see in this week’s passage that particularly struck you? How should it change the way you pray, think, speak or act this week?

8. Journey out of Egypt:Exodus (ch.20:22-23:9)

Before the Lesson

Individually Read Ex 20:22-ch.23:9 and write down any questions and observations that you note. Look for repeated words, and phrases or situations that sound familiar.

Before Lesson

Exodus 20:22-23:33 is commonly known as the “Book of the Covenant.”

1. What patterns do you see in these laws?
2. Whom do they protect? What do they celebrate?
3. How do they honor God? Where do you see God’s transcendence (majesty and authority) reflected in His commands?
4. Where do you see God’s immanence (intimate involvement in our lives) reflected in His commands?

After Lesson

1. Look at 24:6-8 again. Imagine what it would look, smell and feel like for all that blood to be thrown against the altar of God and upon yourself. How does that action put your personal and our collective sin and transgression of the law in perspective?
2. Have a group member read Matthew 26:26-29. How does Matthew help you understand Exodus 24, especially verses 9-11? How does it give you a hope for the future?
3. What is one take away from this week that you can chew on further?

7. Journey out of Egypt:Exodus (ch.17-19 "At the Foot of the Mountain")

Individually Read Exodus ch.17-19 write down any questions and observations that you note. Look for repeated words, and phrases or situations that sound familiar.

1. Did anything new stand out to you?
2. At the Red Sea, God fought Egypt FOR Israel (14:4). At Rephidim God fights Amalek THROUGH Israel (17:8-16) What can you derive from this as it applies in your own struggles and battles today?
3. 1 Cor 10:1-13 Adds a much fuller picture and meaning to Ex. 17 the “water from a rock rebellion” what insight can you  extract for life application?
4. Ex. 19:3-6 In these verses what do we learn about God and the gospel?
5. What is the expected response to such grace according to Exodus 19:5a? What does it mean to you to be God’s treasured possession?
6. What’s the difference between obeying from freedom rather than for freedom?
7. What is one take away from this week that you can chew on further?