Adaptable Meeting Guide: Ezra - A Leader who loved Scripture | Blog

THIS WEEK ’S PASSAGE Ezra 7:8-10

BACKGROUND PREPARATION Read Ezra 7:1-28 to get a feel for the broader context of the passage and then read the whole of Psalm 119, which some scholars think was written by Ezra. Reflect on your own relationship with scripture. If it is an area you struggle to make time for, think about why that is and decide whether you’ll be prepared to share with your young people.

Follow the leader

10 mins

Tell the young people to sit in a circle and then nominate one of them to leave the room. They are ‘it’. Of the remaining young people, decide on who will be the leader. Bring the young person back into the room from outside and get them to stand in the centre of the circle. The nominated leader must then perform an action such as clapping, hopping or clicking their fingers - they can be subtle or obvious. All the young people in the circle must then mimic the leader as they continue to change the actions. The young person in the centre of the circle has three guesses to work out who the leader is. If they guess correctly, the leader then becomes ‘it’. If the young person in the centre does not guess, they remain ‘it’ and leave the room again.

Discuss

5 mins

Say: leaders have influence and therefore leaders have to be aware that people are going to mimic their actions and habits - a good leader needs to be modelling good actions and habits. Ask:

• What does a good leader look like?

• Can you think of a leader you respect?

• What is it about them that you respect?

The passage

10 mins

Read Ezra 7:8-10 to the group, emphasising verse 10. Explain that Ezra was coming into a position of leadership, was really ‘on fire’ for God and was studying the law of God and God’s teaching. Ask the young people what they think studying the law of God looks like. Is it like reading a textbook on the law? Is it like going to bed at night studying your school rules? Then ask the young people if there are times when it’s been really important that they follow the rules - has there been a time where the rules have been helpful or do they just find them a pain? What was so important about them? Ask the group to think about why God gave us the rules in the Bible.

Digging deeper

15 mins

Read Psalm 119:1-16 as a group from The Message, taking a few verses each. Explain that some people believe that this Psalm was written by Ezra.

Ask:

• What do you think it tells us about loving the Word of God?

• How do you see the Bible? As a list of rules? As a story?

• How does your perception of the Bible affect the way you read it?

• What does the Psalm tell us about what Ezra might have thought of the Word of God?

• Do you think Ezra’s love of the Word of God had a direct effect on his ministry?

Explain that the Bible isn’t just a list of rules like we may get at school but it’s the story of God’s relationship with his people. It has rules so that we can live our lives in the best way.

Application

15 mins

If you feel comfortable, chat about your own relationship with the Bible. Explain why it helps you, or the troubles you have with it. Ask them to think about ways they can use the Bible in their everyday lives.

Split the young people into small groups or pairs and ask them to chat about how they feel about the Bible and how (if) they feel reading it affects their lives.

Close

10 mins

Bring the group back together and ask them to share together about how they see and feel about the Bible. Think together how you might make a change to include the Bible more in everyday life. Perhaps suggesting that they read a short passage with their breakfast, or before they go to bed at night. Suggest some Bible reading notes if your young people would find them helpful.

Explain how the Bible is a gift from God and that it can help us get closer to him because it tells us more about his character. It’s not just another thing that you need to check off your tick list to be a good Christian, but it’s a really exciting thing that we have a way to get to know the king of heaven. Pray together, thanking God for the Bible and asking God to help you find the time to read and understand his Word.

KEY POINT #1

Everyone in positions of leadership has their leadership marked by something, whether that is a scandal or a saving grace. Ezra’s leadership was marked and shaped by his love for the Bible and his commitment to reading and learning from God’s Word.