Sermon Questions

Joshua 11: Fearful / Faithful

  • Check-In Question (1–2 min):
    • Name a time recently when the odds felt “300,000 to 1.” What was your one-word prayer in that moment?
  • Big Idea
    • When opposition swells and fear whispers “no way,” God says, “Do not be afraid—I will hand them over.” Joshua faces the largest coalition yet, obeys fully (“he left nothing undone”), and God gives victory. The call for us: trust God’s power over the odds, practice gritty obedience (not just Bible knowledge), wrestle humbly with God’s sovereignty, and face our “giants” in the light.
  • Scripture Focus
    • Joshua 11:1–23; Joshua 1:8; Joshua 12:7–24 (summary list of kings)
    • Cross-refs: Exodus 4:21; Romans 9:14–23; Ephesians 1:3–6; Ephesians 2:1–9; Romans 8:31
  • DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
    • When the Odds Are Overwhelming
      • God tells Joshua, “Do not be afraid…by this time tomorrow I will hand them over” (Josh 11:6).
      • Where do you need to hear “by this time tomorrow” hope? What would trusting God today look like?
      • Joshua moves “suddenly” in faith (11:7–9).
      • What’s one decisive, faithful step you could take this week instead of waiting for perfect conditions?
    • Obedience: “Left Nothing Undone”
      • “Joshua…left nothing undone of all the Lord commanded” (11:15).
      • What’s one clear command you know but keep delaying? What tiny, tangible action closes the gap?
      • We often confuse learning with obeying.
      • How can your group help each other convert Sunday insights into Monday practices?
    • Hard Texts, Holy God
      • “The Lord hardened their hearts” (11:20; cf. Ex 4:21; Rom 9:14–23).
      • How do you hold together God’s love, justice, wrath, and mercy without trimming any attribute?
      • What posture (humility, worship, mission) helps when your mind hits mystery?
      • Paradox: God chooses (Eph 1), and we must believe/receive (John 1:12; Rom 10:9).
      • Instead of debating, how will you both share the gospel boldly and sleep restfully in God’s sovereignty?
    • Giants & the Light
      • The Anakites—“unbeatable” giants—are defeated (11:21–22).
      • What giant (habit, fear, past wound, hidden sin) looms large for you?
      • What would “naming it” and bringing it into safe, biblical community look like this week?
      • Romans 8:31—“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
      • Share a story where God’s presence outweighed the problem.
    • From Bench to Battlefield
      • God establishes His purposes; we get to participate (Matt 28:18–20).
      • Where are you sitting on the bench spiritually? What’s your next disciple-making step (name, time, invitation)?
      • “Faithful followers are not flawless.”
      • Where have you stumbled recently, and how did (or will) you turn back to obedience like Joshua?
    • Practice Together (5–7 min in group)
      • Two-Sentence Prayers: Each person names one “giant” and prays a two-sentence prayer:
      • “Lord, I trust You more than ___,” 2) “Today I will obey by ___.”
      • Accountability Pair: Choose a partner; text each other mid-week one obedience update.
    • Challenge for the Week
      • “Nothing Undone” List:
      • Read Joshua 1:8 and Joshua 11:15.
      • Write one small but specific act of obedience you’ve delayed.
      • Do it within 48 hours.
      • Tell your group/partner what happened.
      • Bonus: Identify one person to invest in (pray, meet, read a chapter, share your story). Move from “follower” to “multiplier.”
    • Closing Prayer Prompt
      • “Father, when the odds are many and my strength is small, make me faithful. Teach me to obey what I know, rest in what I don’t, and face my giants in Your light. Finish what You’ve begun in me. Amen.”

Joshua 10 : Fearful / Faithful

  • Check-In Question (1–2 min):
    • Share a recent “boat, not car” moment—when life felt choppy and you had to keep adjusting. How did you try to keep your eyes on the horizon (on God)?
  • Big Idea
    • God meets imperfect people in messy, non-linear journeys. After Joshua’s misstep with the Gibeonites, he walks in integrity, keeps covenant, and God fights for him—hail from heaven, the sun standing still. The call for us: seek God, keep our word, pray boldly, and live faithfully after failure.
  • Scripture Focus
    • Joshua 10:1–43; Joshua 9:14 (context); Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 3:5–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 2:1–9; Matthew 7:7–11
  • DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
    • Faithful After Failure
      • Joshua’s treaty mistake (ch. 9) creates consequences in ch. 10—yet he responds with integrity and action.
      • Where do you need to practice faithfulness even while living with past consequences?
      • “Life with God is more like driving a boat than a car.”
      • How does that image help you reframe expectations about sanctification and setbacks?
      • 1 Thessalonians 5:23—God sanctifies us “through and through.”
      • What recent failure has God used to grow you?
    • Integrity & Covenant
      • Joshua keeps his oath to the Gibeonites despite their deception.
      • What does this teach us about integrity in gray, costly, or complicated situations?
      • When emotions say “they don’t deserve it,” what helps you choose faithfulness over feelings?
      • Where might you need to repair trust (clarify a commitment, make amends, or set a new wise boundary)?
    • Seek God, Not Just Senses
      • Israel previously “sampled the provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.”
      • What practical rhythms (time, counsel, Scripture) help you pause and pray before deciding?
      • Share a decision in front of you now. What would “inquiring of the Lord” concretely look like this week?
    • God Fights for His People
      • Hailstones and a prolonged day underscore that the Lord is the hero (Josh. 10:11–14).
      • Where do you need to remember that victory belongs to God, not your strategy?
      • Ephesians 2:1–9: enemies become family by grace.
      • How have you seen God “fight for” you after He brought you into His family?
    • Pray Bold, Specific Prayers
      • Joshua asks big: “Sun, stand still.” Jesus invites: “Ask…seek…knock.”
      • What keeps you from praying bold, specific prayers?
      • Share one “sun-stand-still” request (name the person/situation). How can we pray now with faith and submission?
    • Challenge for the Week
      • Horizon Habit (5 minutes/day):
      • Fix Eyes: Read Proverbs 3:5–6 slowly.
      • Name It: One concrete decision or battle you’re facing.
      • Ask Boldly: Pray a specific request + “Your will be done.”
      • Act Faithfully: Take one integrity step (keep a promise, make a call, set a boundary, or make amends).
      • Bonus: Share your “sun-stand-still” prayer with the group chat and celebrate any “hailstone help” God sends this week.