Sermon Guide

October 5: Daniel 8

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why?

Key Takeaway:

1. God's past performance guarantees His future faithfulness.
2. Prophecy provides perspective for our present circumstances.
3. God is in control of history, using even pagan rulers to accomplish His purposes.
4. The story of Antiochus Epiphanes foreshadows future events and ultimate victory in Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does understanding God's faithfulness in past prophecies strengthen your faith today?
2. Throughout history God used many empires including the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires and used them for His purposes. How do you see God working through current world events or leaders?
3. Discuss the parallels between Antiochus Epiphanes and the future "man of lawlessness" mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2. How does this help us understand biblical prophecy?
4. How does the certainty of Christ's return impact your daily life and decisions?
5. God kept His word before and will keep it again. Share a time when God's faithfulness in your past gave you confidence for your future.
6. What does it mean practically to "love God most and love others best by getting just one more into the presence of Jesus"?

Practical Applications:

1. This week, identify one area of uncertainty in your life. Reflect on how God's past faithfulness can give you confidence in that situation.
2. Choose a prophecy from the Old Testament that was fulfilled in the New Testament. Study it and share your insights with the group next time.
3. Pray for persecuted believers around the world who may be experiencing challenges similar to those faced during Antiochus Epiphanes' time.
4. Make a plan to share the hope of Christ with someone in your life, remembering that we are called to bring others into Jesus' presence.

 Sermon Guide

October 12: Daniel 9

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why?

Key Takeaway:

1. Being known by God can be both comforting and terrifying.
2. God sees us completely and still loves us completely.
3. Confession and repentance are crucial in our relationship with God.
4. God's answer to our prayers may be bigger than what we initially ask for.
5. We are treasured by God not because of our actions, but because of who He is.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the idea of being fully known by God make you feel? Why?
2. In this chapter Daniel records his passionate prayer of confession. How can we cultivate a similar honesty in our prayers?
3. Discuss the statement: "When you realize the God who knows you best is also the one who loves you most, that's when real change can occur in your life." How have you experienced this in your own life?
4. How does understanding God's love for us impact the way we approach Him in prayer?
5. How does the knowledge that you are "treasured by God" affect your daily life and decision-making?

Practical Applications:

1. This week, spend time in honest confession and repentance before God, acknowledging that He already knows everything.
2. Practice praying boldly, asking God for what you need while remaining open to His potentially bigger plans.
3. Write down three ways you can remind yourself daily that you are treasured by God.
4. Choose a prayer request you've been making and consider how God might be working in ways beyond your initial request.

 Sermon Guide

October 19: Daniel 10

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why?

What was your initial reaction to the discussion of angels and spiritual warfare?

Key Takeaway:

1. There is an unseen spiritual realm where battles are fought.
2. Angels are created beings who serve God and minister to believers.
3. Satan and demons are real, but their power is limited and ultimately defeated by Christ.
4. Our protection in spiritual warfare comes from God, not our own strength.
5. The victory over evil has already been won by Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the reality of spiritual warfare affect your daily life and faith?
2. The sermon mentions that angels long to understand our salvation. How does this impact your view of your own relationship with God?
3. Discuss the difference between attributing all difficulties to spiritual warfare versus recognizing when something might just be a normal life challenge.
4. How can we balance being aware of spiritual warfare without becoming overly focused on demons or Satan?
5. Reflect on the image of putting on "Daddy's armor." How does this metaphor help you understand our relationship with God in spiritual battles?
6. The sermon states, "Defeating evil is not yours to do." How does this statement challenge or comfort you?
7. In what ways have you tried to fight spiritual battles in your own strength? What was the result?

Practical Applications:

1. This week, practice "putting on the armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-18) each morning through prayer and meditation on Scripture.
2. When facing challenges or temptations, consciously remind yourself of Christ's victory and your position in Him.
3. Identify an area where you've been trying to fight in your own strength. Surrender it to God and ask for His protection and victory.
4. Memorize a key verse about God's victory, such as 1 John 4:4 or Colossians 2:15.
5. Thank God for His victory over evil through Jesus Christ. Ask for His protection and the strength to stand firm in faith, resting in His completed work.

 Sermon Guide

October 26: Daniel 11-12

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? Was there a particular historical detail or prophecy that caught your attention?

Key Takeaway:

1. God is in control of history - Every detail prophesied in Daniel 11 came true exactly as predicted
2. Evil has an expiration date - Suffering is real, but it's not forever
3. Hope is found in the Book of Life - Our rescue is secured by Jesus, not our good works
4. We don't need all the answers - We need to know the Author and keep walking in faith

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think God gave Daniel such specific details about the next 350 years? What purpose does this level of detail serve for Daniel's original audience and for us today?
2. Evil has an expiration date (Daniel 11:35). How does this truth change the way we view current world events or personal struggles?
3. What are the things you struggle to believe that God is still in control of? How does Daniel 11-12 speak to those specific areas?
4. Daniel 12:1 mentions those "found written in the book.” How would you explain to someone what it means to have your name written in the Book of Life? Is your confidence in this based on your performance or on Jesus' finished work?
5. What's the difference between nostalgia and biblical hope? Where are you tempted to rely on nostalgia instead of hope?
6. Daniel 12:4 says people will be "roaming about" searching for knowledge. How do you see this playing out in our current culture?How can we be "people of the word" in an age of information overload?
7. God's answer to Daniel in 12:9 was essentially "go on your way—keep living.” Why is this frustrating for us? What does it look like practically to "keep walking" when we don't have all the answers?

Practical Applications:

1. Write down 2-3 areas where you're struggling to trust God's control and next to each, write a truth from Daniel 11-12 that speaks to that struggle. Pray over these daily, asking God to replace anxiety with hope.
2. Journal about what it means that your name is written in the Book of Life Who in your life needs to hear about this hope? Pray for one specific opportunity to share the gospel this week
3. Commit to reading one chapter of Scripture before checking your phone/social media each morning. Keep a simple log of what you read and share one insight with the group next week.