Communitas Group Lesson
Grace Point Church of Northwest Arkansas
“Repent: Charting a New Course"
Mike McDaniel – November 1, 2015
Icebreaker: What is something you did growing up you were not supposed to do and you never told your
parents? Have you told them yet? Is there a statute of limitations on confessing? If you are a parent, is there a
statute of limitation on your own kids confessing their own mistakes?
Transition: Recovering and not rebounding from our mistakes is a process. We have been walking step by step
through God’s recovery process, so that we come back from regret with even greater strength.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the circle of Restoration that 2 Chronicles 7:14 walks us
through. (Use a white board or piece of paper and let different people
explain to the whole the various points along the way starting with
Regret, then Relinquish, Refresh, Realign and Repent). How does a
"rebound" (detouring from and stalling along the path) mess up a
person's recovery?
2. Why do people get off the proverbial bus at refresh and not do the hard
work of realigning and repenting?
3. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer? How does he
help in the restoration process? (Read John 16:8)
4. In your own words, what does repentance mean?
5. Mike mentioned three things we need to retreat from if we are going to repent well. What were they? Mike
said his list isn’t exhaustive; what other ways of living do we need to step back from? Pick one and talk about
what it would mean for you to step back from it? What changes would you need to make personally, financially,
in your attitude and/or worldview?
6. Mike mentioned the word repent in the Hebrew has a unique two-prong appeal. “Turning from your wicked
ways” means turning in the right direction.
7. If we use the metaphor of dieting (an attempt to lose a few pounds), how does the concept of "blazing a new
path" (a new approach to eating rather than occasionally retreating from a table of goodies) align with our
need to blaze a new path in our day-to-day spiritual lives and not just "dieting" from our sin?
8. Why is Revelation 2:5 and the call to the church to live a life of repentance so important to a church having
an influence in its community? (God will remove their lampstand (life-transforming presence) from churches/
believers who refuse to live a life of repentance)
Scriptural Background
After Solomon had completed his building projects, Yahweh appeared to him a second time as he had appeared
in the dream at Gibeon. This communication is clearly God’s response to the dedicatory prayer of
Solomon. At least thirteen years had elapsed since that great prayer. Solomon was now at the height of
his prosperity. With his building projects completed the king’s heart was puffed up with pride. His love
for the Lord was waning. He had begun that spiritual decline which eventually led to idolatry. This
divine word served to remind Solomon of that wonderful prayer and youthful devotion which he was
in danger of losing (9:1–2).
The Lord made the following points in this revelation: First, the Lord pledged himself to answer the prayers of
his penitent people. “I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Second,
Yahweh assured Solomon that he had chosen and consecrated the temple “that my name may be there
forever.” Third, he reminded Solomon of the conditional promise made to David. If his descendants
were obedient to the Lord, then David’s sons would continue to occupy the throne in Jerusalem (2 Chr
7:12–18).
The warnings against unfaithfulness are stern and uncompromising. If Solomon or any of his children turned
from following Yahweh, God would deprive the nation of the land he had given them. Furthermore, the
Lord would utterly reject the temple which he had so recently acknowledged. The condition of the
nation would become so deplorable that people would allude to Israel when they wished to use an apt
illustration of folly and unfaithfulness (9:6–7). In case of unfaithfulness, the house of God would be a
conspicuous example of the fate which befalls an unfaithful people. Those who observed the ruins on
the temple mount would hiss or whistle in astonishment. They would ask one another why Yahweh
would have treated the land of the temple in this manner. The answer would come back from those
close at hand that Israel had forsaken the God who had brought them out of Egypt (9:8–9).
(Smith, James E. The Books of History. Old Testament Survey Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1995.)