Maadi Women's Bible Study

8. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch. 1:6-22)

Questions

1. “I shall look at the world through tears.Perhaps I shall see things that dry- eyed I could not see.” Share about something you have been able to see through tears that you couldn’t or didn’t see dry-eyed.
2. Describe a time in your life where you shared Naomi’s view of God?
3. Did you feel encouraged or discouraged by those around you when you were wrestling with God’s goodness or apparent lack there of?
4. As a friend of a struggler, what is your worry or fear when being engaged in these hard conversations? What can we consider and do to be better support to the strugglers?

7. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch. 1:1-5 The Pain of Patriarchy)

Questions

1. In what ways has patriarchy touched and influenced your life and your thinking?
2. How does viewing the book of Ruth as the story of Naomi, a female Job, contrast with how you previously viewed the story or heard it taught?
3. Why do you think the subject of God inevitably come up when we are going through difficult circumstances or experiencing loss?
4. How do your own struggles and losses shape your view of God? 

6. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth

List All the Feasts in the Book

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Peripety: a sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances 

Questions:

How has studying the book of Esther challenged your understanding of God and how he works in the world?  Can you point to where in your life he has worked for your good through his providence?

 

 

 

5. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth

Questions

Briefly share with your group the first time you were called to identify with the people of God. How are you called on daily or a weekly basis to identify with the people of God?

Where does your idea of what it means to be a godly woman come from? Is that consistent with the qualities you see displayed by woman in the Bible? How might their story challenge your own thinking?

4. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth

Questions:

Are you in a time of calm or turbulence?  What things are you doing in the calm to be ready for what is ahead?  How has past preparation served you well?

How do you handle injustice (in the world largely and in your own personal life)?  Are you willing to let God right wrongs in his own time and way, or do you fight for resolution yourself?  How can we fight injustice while still trusting God to fight for us?

3. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch. )

Questions

Do you find yourself identifying closely with Vashti? How about Esther?  How do your modern sensibilities influence the way you interpret their actions?

Esther is a book that highlights the providence of God.  How should knowledge of the providence of God impact the way you live your life? Does it change the way you view your own decision making? Are there things you need to “trust to the Lord” and move on from?

 

2. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch.1)

Questions:

Can you identify any areas in your own life where you blindly follow the ways of Empire? What does this reveal about your heart and how does your acknowledgment of those help motivate behavior change?

When viewed against the allure of Empire, is our church body offering an attractive alternative to our generation and the next? How can we do this better?

1. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (Introduction)

Taught by Amanda Risseuwe

Questions

Of the three approaches to the “Problem of Persia” which one resonates with you the most? [Return Restore Rebuild, Do what you want - but you better obey, or Stay and Resist]

Can you recall a time when God has intervened on your behalf, and how do you know it was Him?

 

13. Join Us at the Table a Study in Romans (ch. 6 Ya Gotta Serve Somebody)

Notes

Old Life

Master:

Actions:

Pattern:

Fruit:

New Life

Master:

Actions:

Pattern:

Fruit:

Questions

 

1. What value is there in examining your old life if you are now a new creation?

 

2. In what ways in your life have you seen sin become a trap that leads to even more sin?

 

 3. In what ways in your life have you seen righteousness lead to even more righteousness?

11. Join Us at the Table a Study in Romans (ch. 2-3 Saved by Faith, Sustained by Faith)

1. When and where do you see works based religion slipping into your thinking? How do you combat this tendency we all have?
2. What do you think is the difference between a work based theology and evidence of fruit theology. Both require action why is one right and the other wrong?
3.  Paul quotes, about Israel, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”  It’s easy for us to look back 2,000 years and say how bad those Jews were, but what about us?  Can you think of things Christians do that may cause non-Christians to curse Jesus?