Overcoming the crowd

Where: Somewhere in the Alpilles, in the South of France.

When: Beginning of March 2009.

What: A sheep herd walking down toward the valley early in the morning.

Watch it on my website

Bible Talk

By: Brice Williams

Topic:

Title: Overcoming The Crowd

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Opening question:           What is a lesson you learned as a child that you had to learn “the hard way?”

           My example: sticking things in the electrical outlet

Verse #1              Exodus 23:2

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,”

Transitional concept: Although this scripture is referring to judicial process of ancient Israel, it is an applicable example within the overarching theme “don’t follow the majority if they are in sin.”

“do not follow the crowd in doing evil things”  directly translated, means the exact same thing

  • Question#1 ,            What are different ways we can follow the crowd?
  • Question#2 ,           What makes it hard to go against the grain and be different?

So this is all stuff that has to be overcome right?

Verse #2             Rev 21:6-8

“He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious [overcomes niv:84] will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.This is the second death.”

  • Question#1 ,            What specifically needs to be overcome according to this verse?
  • Question#2,            What in your life do you feel you have already been able to accomplish but through God
  • Question#3,            What is something you want to accomplish but it’s probably impossible unless God intervened. [ties into S3Q2 below]

Verse #3             1 Tim 4:16

  • Question#1 ,            What needs to be watched closely? What are these? What does that look like?
  • Question#2,            What are the benefits of this?

Closing Statement:  Varies by group results

*More likely than not, some of the people in the group will mention loved ones (family members) who they would love to see saved. Combine this thought into S2Q2 to help them see the imperative nature of saving/ maximizing themselves first.

Challenge each person to study or continue studying the Bible

….and that’s Bible talk…..