Horror and Hope
Sermon Questions for Judges 19-21
If you have feedback, please let David Fuquay know at dfuquay@jacksonvillechapel.org.
SPECIFIC PRAYER (suggestions)
Please pray for the upcoming Habitat For Humanity project which begins in September.
The house is located in Pompton Plains and the family has already been chosen. Please pray for
the witness we will have in the community, the laborers who do the work, and the way God will
work in our hearts as we work for Him.
SCRIPTURE AND SHARING
Crawl:
What was the last story (book, movie, etc…) that you participated in that did not end on a happy
note? How did it make you feel? When an author writes a story with a negative ending, what is
his goal?i
What have you learned from the book of Judges?
Walk:
Read Judges 19:1-4, 11-30
What is your initial reaction to this story? What emotions does it bring up?
There seems to be a sound argument made by some philosophers knowing what is right and
wrong is actually written into our genes (on our heart so to speak). In what ways does this story
violate just normal decency? In what ways does it violate God’s rule of life? If right and wrong
are innate, why is evil so rampant?
What are you capable of? I mean if left without consequences, do you think you would always
do the right thing? Why or why not?
Are we sometimes so concerned about our image and our reputation that we’re willing to
compromise other things so we’ll look good to others? How does this manifest itself in your life
around you? In our culture?
What are you willing to do to not go through pain? Is this necessarily a bad thing? In what ways
is self preservation a good thing? In what ways can it be a negative?
How is refusing to get involved or indifference, just as bad as doing the sinful act yourself? In
what ways are you tempted to be indifferent? Has the Lord laid upon your heart recently an area
He wants you to take action in? What is holding you back?
Read Judges 20:1-2, 8-11, 21:25
What will you remember from the book of Judges? What will stick with you?
In what ways has the book of Judges prepared you (and the Israelites) for a better kingdom? For
a king?
The following questions come from —LifeGuide Bible Studies:
Which is worse, to do the wrong thing for the right reasons, or to do the right thing for the wrong
reasons? Explain.
What is right and what is wrong about the Israelites' actions in Judges 21?
What did you learn from this story about the importance of and the process for reconciliation?
With whom might God be calling you to reconcile? How can you do this?
Why were the judges never able to establish a lasting salvation like that of Jesus Christ?
What has your study of Judges taught you about the dangers of living as you see fit?
Run:
Have you ever felt like it would be better to be surrounded by pagans than church goers? Why is
that? In what areas do the religious seem to make things worse?
Do you ever treat people as sexual objects? In what ways do you need to change in how you treat
others, even those you may not know or ever meet?
SERVICE (fodder for ideas)
Jacksonville Chapel is teaming up with Morris Habitat for Humanity and building a
house in Pompton Plains in September. This is a great opportunity to live our faith and have an
impact in our community. If you are interested in volunteering as an individual or with your
small group, email us at serve@jacksonvillechapel.org. Find out more:
www.chapelnj.org/buildhope
Chapel Café: Every Sunday hundreds of people come to the Café to enjoy a cup of
coffee, a warm welcome, and time with family and friends. It serves an important ministry at
Jacksonville Chapel and in order to make it a success, we need a new Café coordinator. This
person will help with scheduling volunteers, creating a welcoming environment, and
communicating Café needs to the Chapel office. This is a vital role, and we are convinced there
will is a faithful volunteer who will step forward so that we can continue to provide the highest
quality service possible. Contact Louise at Jeff@jacksonvillechapel.org
There are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in history. Come and
view the documentary, “At the End of Slavery,” to hear how the Christian organization,
International Justice Mission, is doing the amazing work of freeing people out of slavery around
the world. Miguel and Janelle (Milazzo) Lau will speak about their opportunity to do missions
work with this organization in India for one year starting this October. Join us in the Nxt-Gen
Building on Monday, August 29 at 7:30 PM.
Water Station Volunteers still needed. Sign-up in Lobby today or e-mail
serve@jacksonvillechapel.org for the date and shift your team (2 people) wants to serve.
Loaves and Fishes Ministry urgent need: Pasta, spaghetti, macaroni, rice
i
Seems to me authors write negative endings because they want you to think about the issues the medium brought to
light.