** OUR APOLOGIES THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO RECORD VIDEO WITH TODAY'S MESSAGE. PASTOR TRACY'S SLIDES WILL BE SHOWN AS YOU LISTEN TO THE AUDIO RECORDING.**
In II Samuel 24, God makes David take a census of the country and then punishes him for it. What?! This is a story that should make every believer in a loving and just God sit up straight and ask some tough questions. As per usual in Old Testament history, there is far more going on here as we see God preparing people for the good news of Jesus. In today's message, we will experience the creativity of how God was once again pointing ahead to Jesus as we explore “Jesus in the Plague,” part of our Good News Everywhere Series.
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MESSAGE STUDY NOTES (also as PDF download above)
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WARM UP
If you could, would you go to Jerusalem and, if so, what would you like to see there?
READ
II Samuel 24
TAKEAWAYS
1. Obedience should not require agreement
2. Dependence on God is strength
3. Conformity will never bring fulfillment
4. Evil is not defeated with power, but with sacrifice
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What questions or concerns does this passage raise for you?
2. In your own words, why do you think God included this story in his book to us?
APPLICATION
Where are you feeling pressure to conform to other people’s standards these days and what is God saying to you about that through this story?
FOR MENTORING
What do you disagree with God about lately and how are you working through that?
