TLCC CARE Sheet "When the King Forgets God" 7 of 8

ICE BREAKER Can you recall something you did as a child that you knew was wrong but for which you thought no one would call you to account?   What ended up happening?

Title: “The Lord Sees and Calls to Account”   (a.k.a. Pulpits & Politics)

Text: 2 Chr. 26 (Uzziah); 2 Kings 15:1-7 (a.k.a. Azariah)

CONNECTING TO THE TEXT:

  1. How old was Uzziah (Azariah) when he became King?  2 Chr. 26:1
  2. How is Uzziah described and what seemed to be his best influences? 2 Chr. 26:4,5
  3. What led to Uzziah’s downfall? 2 Chr. 26:16,17
  4. How does Ezra the priest describe the priests that confronted Uzziah? 2 Chr. 26:18
  5. How did priests, prophets, and apostles handle confronting those in authority over them in regards to what is right and wrong? 2 Sam. 12:1-14; Dan. 4; Jn. 19:10,11; Lk. 12:11-12; 1 Pet. 4:12-16;  Acts 4:19; 5:29. (Take note of the topic they were confronting the authority over, e.g. Jesus or paying taxes?)
  6. How does the Bible regard a difference between standing up for our own rights and standing up for the rights of others?  Mt. 5:38-48; Zech. 7:8-12

CONNECTING TO OUR LIVES:

1.  What are the current laws of the U.S. regulating what a Preacher/Church can         and can’t say?

  • 1st Amendment Constitutional rights and limitations for religious organizations.
  • Current IRS laws for religious organizations.
  • Candidate/Political party support by religious organizations.

2. What are two extremes of Christian opinion regarding the Church’s                                         involvement in Politics?

3. List some topics  that might be regarded as political, but are rooted in biblical                  teachings? (Scriptural - Political Issues)

4.  How might a sense of entitlement lead a person to assume more authority                           than appropriate?

5.   What are the 45 goals of the Communist Party established in 1958 in effort to                    weaken the American society?

6.  Good resources regarding a Christian Worldview and politics.

CONNECTING TO THE CHURCH:

1.   What might a “Preacher’s Core Values of My Preaching/Teaching Ministry”            look like? (Core Values of My Preaching 2) Proposed Guidelines for Balancing        a Political Presence in the Pulpit

2. What would you classify as indicators that a church has gotten too political?

3.  What would you classify as indicators that a church has forsaken it’s role to                          hold the government accountable to Scriptural principles?

NEXT SUNDAY:

Title: “The Lord’s Jealousy & Pity”

Text: Joel - (especially Joel 2:18)

  1. What had the nation of Israel done?
  2. What had God done?  What was He going to do?
  3. What would you have done?
  4. What will you do?
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