SMALL GROUPS GUIDE

FROM SIDELINE TO FRONTLINE
Week of November 17, 2008
So the officials took Jeremiah . . . and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard . . . Jeremiah 38:6 (NLT)

It's safe to say that this was a trial, even for a man like Jeremiah who always seemed to be on the receiving end of man's wrath. God had given this prophet a very difficult message to deliver. Instead of proclaiming peace and prosperity, Jeremiah was given the task of announcing that God was about to punish His people. They heard enough, and so they tried to silence Jeremiah by leaving him to rot in an abandoned cistern, or pit.

The story would have ended there if it weren't for a man named Ebed-melech, who had the privilege of serving in the king's court. When he heard what had happened to Jeremiah, he stepped up and spoke out on his behalf to the king, who gave Ebed-melech permission to rescue Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:8-13).

Ebed-melech could have silently stood by on the sidelines playing it safe. After all, a lot of people hated Jeremiah, and helping him in any way could have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including the king, his boss. But he knew the difference between right and wrong, and this was so wrong that he had to run to the frontline of courageous action.

From Jeremiah's perspective, this trial must have seemed senseless at the time. But when we pull back and look at the bigger picture, we see that it actually opened up the opportunity for Ebed-melech to take his character and courage to another level.

We would do well to remember that sometimes our trials are there in order to allow others to step-up and show their spiritual substance.

Discuss, Dig, Decide:

Discuss this topic of courageous intervention. Share about a time when you or someone you know stepped up and spoke out on behalf of someone who needed an advocate. What happened, and what the result of the intervention?

Dig into Jeremiah 38:1-11. How was Jeremiah's circumstance an opportunity for courageous action? Dig deeper in Philemon 1. What is the circumstance here? How was Paul's appeal courageous? What is God asking you to do in light of this lesson?

Decide how you and your group could become an advocate for a victim with no voice. Do you know someone who needs you to speak up and out on his or her behalf? Decide as a group the appropriate way to express your love and concern for this individual, and take action.