Arrival – An Advent Series on Waiting and Believing: When Walls Come Down (12.06.21)
Processing and responding to the Sunday sermon
Opening Prayer
After the group welcomes one another, have one person open in prayer and then take 2-3 minutes of silence. As you sit in silence, ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart in love toward God and your group mates.
Rahab the Prostitute’s Example of Faith
During this second Sunday of Advent, Jessica explored the story of Rahab in the book of Joshua as the Israelites inhabited the Promised Land.
Rahab is a woman, prostitute, and Canaanite—occupying three social statuses that would have disadvantaged her or even barred her from worship. This is the person God chooses to work through name as an example of faith in Hebrews 11.
In Rahab’s life, we see faith most looks like letting down walls (like hostility, bitterness, and fear) and actively waiting for God’s promises to come to pass.
Reflection and Discussion
Read Joshua 2 & 6 and then prayerfully and silently reflect on the passage and these questions.
- Thinking of Rahab’s story, how do you see her as an example of faith for you to learn from?
- On the idea of “walls” that protect and guard keeping us from living faithfully, what might be some walls of hostility, bitterness, or fear that you might experience?
- As you await some of God’s promises in your life, what do you believe God might be doing in your active waiting?
After silently reflecting, take these thoughts into a time of group discussion.
- What are the most compelling ways you see faith exemplified in Rahab’s life?
- What does active waiting look like in your life? What promises are you waiting for God to come through on, and how is He at work in the waiting?
Closing Intercession
Pray for your group, our church, our city, and our world.