6.2.19 - Answer the Call
Standing in the Gap — Week 1 Study Guide
Answer the Call
THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 22:23-31
ADDITIONAL READING: Isaiah 6:1-13
Introduction
God works when people respond to His call. God desires to heal broken people and our broken world. When God finds a person who is willing to say, “Here I am, God, use me,” then God is able to work. As incredible as it sounds, God rarely works if no one answers the call. God gives a positive obligation to those who follow Him to be instruments of His healing grace in a broken world.
Saying an unconditional “yes” to God's call leads you on the adventure of a lifetime. It is an adventure like no other. A life lived in response to God's call is a life lived to its fullest. To not answer God's call is to miss what God would have done through you. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. The key question to ask as you go through this study is “Have I said an unqualified ‘yes’ to God?”
Just think of some of the amazing things that have happened when people said “yes” to God's call. Abraham said “yes” and was used by God to build God's people. Mary said “yes” and Jesus was born into the world. Hudson Taylor said “yes” and China was opened to the Gospel. David Wilkerson said “yes” and the ministry Teen Challenge was born. Chuck Colson said “yes” and the ministry Prison Fellowship was born. Countless people said “yes” and Sunday School classes were taught and neighbors reached and broken people made whole and sick people comforted. Nothing happens in God's world without people saying “yes” and answering the call.
Background Information
Ezekiel is a book that is fairly unknown to most followers of Jesus. Ezekiel receives visions from God while the people of Israel are in exile in Babylon. Thus God's punishment has already fallen upon Israel. Information about Ezekiel as a man is given in Ezekiel 1:2-3. He lived from approximately 640-587 BC. Ezekiel's message clearly sets forth the responsibility of followers to warn others and reach others (Ezekiel 3:16-27).
The scriptures we are studying can be divided into three basic parts:
—First is a description of the evil of the society at that time. All classes of society had become corrupt (rulers, priests, prophets, and people).
—Second, God is seeking someone to step up to rebuild the broken world.
—Third and sadly, God cannot find anyone to answer His call, and divine judgment falls on Israel as a consequence.
In the additional verses above, Isaiah in his day did answer God's call. Sadly, in Ezekiel's time no one stood in the gap. Will anyone stand in the gap in our time?
Sunday’s Message
Key #1: Universal Brokenness
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” — Genesis 6:5
The world we live in is broken. Men, women, and children are broken. People, families, and society will only change if and when hearts are turned to God.
Key #2: God’s Desire and God’s Method of Working
“When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.” — Ezekiel 3:18
A follower of Jesus has a positive obligation to God and others to let God use them as an instrument with broken people. Everyone has a part to play.
Key #3: Two Basic “Why” Questions
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” — Isaiah 6:8
The real question is not “Why?” — The real question is “Will you answer the call?”
Point of Light Groups
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Become part of what God is doing and connect with a group. More info here: Point of Light Groups
Point of Light Group Discussion Questions
Have you ever sensed that God was calling you? Describe how that happened. How did you know it was God? How did you understand the call of God? How did you respond?
Read Ezekiel 22:23-29 together. Break it down verse by verse, and discuss how this relates to us today in our current time in history.
What do we learn about God's character in verses 30 and 31? What do we learn about his justice? What do we learn about God's desire or heart for broken people?
What does it mean to stand in the gap? What does it mean to build up the wall? How can we apply these ideas and images in our lives today? What are some areas of need you see?
Discuss why you think no one answered God's call in Ezekiel's time? What was the result? Give some reasons why people do not answer God's call in our day.
What are some areas God is calling you to be involved in now in your life? What are any obstacles you have that prevent you from saying yes?
What call of God are you going to answer or continue answering in your life?
This Week’s Challenge
Discuss as a group how you can hold each other accountable to fulfill God's call on your lives personally and as a Point of Light group.