Communitas Group Lesson
Grace Point Church of Northwest Arkansas
“Restoration: When God Moves In"
Mike McDaniel – November 8, 2015
Icebreaker: What is the most beautiful thing that you have seen restored ( a home, piece of art, family
heirloom, a car)? Was there a story behind the need for restoration? For example, fire, neglect, theft, etc.?
Transition: Mike started his message talking about a 1970 Chevy Chevelle that someone had restored. In
some places the vintage car was held together by Bondo and cardboard. It had been in multiple wrecks, to the
point that it needed a complete overhaul. The car was bought new for $2,800; the value after restoration is
over $35,000.
How is the restoration of a vintage car similar to that of the restoration God does in our lives? Here are few
starters; finish out your own list:
1. It takes a real car lover to take the time and labor to restore a car. It takes a God of tremendous love and
labor to restore us.
2. It takes great time and patience to restore a car. It took this particular owner two-and-a-half years due to a
number of setbacks. God’s restoration of us isn’t much different. Lots of time and patience are required.
Sometimes we have setbacks, too.
3. The car is worth more restored than new. Once God touches our lives, we are worth more than when we
were first born into this world in all our "innocence.”
Read 2 Chronicles 7:14
Discussion Questions:
1. Group everyone in twos or threes: Give them five minutes (set a timer) to identify two promises in the Bible
as well as any condition tied to the promise. (Example: in John 3:16 the promise is eternal life; the condition is
that you must believe in Christ. )
Review 2 Chronicles 7:14, what is the condition vs the promise?
2. The first promise is that God will "hear from heaven." Contrast this with Isaiah 59:2 when God doesn’t hear.
What is the hinderance in our lives that keeps us living in strong and sweet communication with God?
3. The second promise is that he would "forgive their sins." How does forgiveness heal our relationship with
God? When there is true and genuine forgiveness within your most valuable relationships, how does it change
the dynamics of the relationship? How are the effects of the two relationships (with God and with others)
similar when forgiveness enters a relationship?
4. The third promise is that he will "heal their land." Can you look back in your own life and see when you have
fallen into sin and Christ redeemed you from it and healed you? How are you today even better, stronger, wiser,
and more focused than before you fell?
5. Take time for the group to reflect on the entire series. Read II Chronicles 7:14 slowly and ask them to give
their thoughts on the verse in relation to their own lives. How has our study of this passage helped bring about
healing within our church?
Scriptural Background
That God accepted Solomon’s prayer appeared by the fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted and yet
not answered in the letter of it; and therefore God appeared to him in the night, as he did once before
(ch. 1:7), and after a day of sacrifice too, as then, and gave him a peculiar answer to his prayer. We had
the substance of it before, 1 Ki. 9:2–9.
I. He promised to own this house for a house of sacrifice to Israel and a house of prayer for all people (Isa.
56:7): My name shall be there for ever (v. 12, 16), that is, “There will I make myself known, and there
will I be called upon.”
II. He promised to answer the prayers of his people that should at any time be made in that place, v. 13–15.
National judgments are here supposed (v. 13), famine, and pestilence, and perhaps war, for by the
locusts devouring the land meant enemies as greedy as locusts, and laying all waste. 2. National
repentance, prayer, and reformation, are required, v. 14. God expects that his people who are called by
his name, if they have dishonoured his name by their iniquity, should honour it by accepting the
punishment of their iniquity. They must be humble themselves under his hand, must pray for the
removal of the judgment, must seek the face and favour of God; and yet all this will not do unless they
turn from their wicked ways, and return to the God from whom they have revolted. 3. National mercy
is then promised, that God will forgive their sin, which brought the judgment upon them, and then heal
their land, redress all their grievances. Pardoning mercy makes ways for healing mercy, Ps. 103:3; Mt.
9:2.
(Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume.
Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.)