Sermons

Leaving a Legacy 2 Kings 13:14-21

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Small Group Guide:

Open with prayer.

Go around and give everyone a chance to share about how the past week has been. What’s one highlight? What’s one lowlight?

If your small group has talked about it before, feel free to use this time to hold people accountable to what they’ve asked to be held accountable for previously, and go through the “missional” part of this discussion guide.

14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord‘s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped.19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

  1. Live everyday with an eternal mindset

(2 Kings 13:14-17, Col. 3:1-2, Phil. 1:21-25, 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 2 Cor. 5:1-10, Rev. 21:1-27)

  1. Go all out for God

(2 Kings 13:18-19, 2 Tim. 2:15, Luke 9:23, 14:33, Eph. 5:15-17, Col. 4:5, Phil. 1:27)

  1. Realize that you will leave an impact

(2 Kings 13:20-21, Ps. 78:4, 145:4, Deut. 6:5-7, Matt. 6:20-21, Josh. 4:21-22)

 

Reflection Questions:

    1. Have you ever heard this passage of Scripture or topic taught on before? What stood out to you?
    1. Read 2 Kings 13:14-18. If it weren’t for verse 14, this would seem like any other situation that Elisha finds himself in; he doesn’t act any different just because he is about to die. Many people wait to get in right standing before God until the very end of their life, even though today could be anyone’s last day. Are you in right standing before God? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? If so, is there any sin that you find yourself wrestling with during this season of your life? 
    1. Read Philippians 1:21-25, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. What is Paul wrestling with in these passages? 
    1. Looking at your answers from question #3, do you feel like you are wrestling with a longing for Heaven? If so, what does that look like in your life? 
    1. For Paul in Philippians 1:21-25, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, it seems as though his longing for Heaven is met with a recognition of the work that God has for him to do on earth. Looking at your answers from questions #3 and #4, read Ephesians 2:10, and list off the works that God has put before you to accomplish. 
    1. Looking at your answers from question #5, how can you best accomplish the jobs that God has given you to do? 
    1. Elisha clearly lived with an eternal mindset. How can you also live with an eternal mindset in your day-to-day life?
    1. Keeping in mind your answers from question #7, how would it change your life if you lived with an eternal mindset? 
    1. How can you better help those around you to have an eternal mindset?  
    1. Read 2 Kings 13:18-19. When Joash was commanded by Elisha to do something, he did it half-heartedly. Many Christians today live half-heartedly for God. When you think about your faith and relationship with God, would you say you are living all out for God? If not, what are you holding back, and how can you live your life all out for God? 
    1. Read 2 Kings 13:20-21. Even after Elisha died he still had a lasting impact. Good, bad, or indifferent, we will all leave an impact. If your funeral was today, what would be said about you? What impact would you leave? What would your legacy be? What is the impact that you want to leave? Does the impact you want to leave line up with the one that you would leave if you died today? If not, what do you need to change? 
    1. What is your biggest take away about how this passage affects your life? What do you need to work on? Who can you share this with and ask you to keep you accountable to accomplishing this?





     

Prayer Time:

Pray for each other in your small group to be faithful take the step(s) that you shared above. Pray for each other and the interactions that they have with those who don’t know Jesus. Pray that God would soften the people’s hearts to what He has for them. Pray that God would give everyone opportunities to share the Gospel.

Staying Missional:

Share spiritual/missional conversations you’ve had where you live, work, and play:

Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
Who in your life do you think could be discipleable or open to spiritual/missional conversations?

What’s next?

Discuss the next step for your small group. When will we gather again and what purpose will it fulfill?