2 Cities Church Podcast

Big Idea: Your smart watch can’t make time. I. Don’t abuse it. James 4:13-16 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.II. Don’t miss it. Psalm 39:4-5 “LORD, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will know how short-lived I am. In fact, you have made my days just inches long, and my life span is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor.III. Don’t waste it.Colossians 4:5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.Next Steps:Believe: I surrender everything to Jesus today.Become: I will give Jesus full control over my schedule this week.Be Sent: I will spend time growing his kingdom this week.Discussion Questions: When you look at your weekly schedule, what does it say about your priorities?In what ways do you see evidence that you are (or are not) honoring God with your time?What are the “non‑negotiables” on your calendar right now? Which of these clearly honors God?How do you typically decide what makes it onto your schedule?Where do you see patterns of overcommitment, hurry, or burnout in your life?In what practical ways can you build intentional space into your schedule to worship Jesus and grow his kingdom? What small change could you make this week to move in that direction?Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you prioritize building God’s kingdom this week.

Big Idea: Gratitude is the seed, attitude is the fruit.Esther 9:18-32 I. Take time to celebrate your faith. Esther 9:18-22But the Jews in Susa had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. They rested on the fifteenth day of the month, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing. This explains why the rural Jews who live in villages observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a time of rejoicing and feasting. It is a holiday when they send gifts to one another. Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all of King Ahasuerus’s provinces, both near and far. He ordered them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar every year because during those days the Jews gained relief from their enemies. That was the month when their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and their mourning into a holiday. They were to be days of feasting, rejoicing, and of sending gifts to one another and to the poor. II. Remind yourself of God’s deliverance. Esther 9:23-28So the Jews agreed to continue the practice they had begun, as Mordecai had written them to do. For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. He cast the pur—that is, the lot—to crush and destroy them. But when the matter was brought before the king, he commanded by letter that the evil plan Haman had devised against the Jews return on his own head and that he should be hanged with his sons on the gallows. For this reason these days are called Purim, from the word pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter as well as what they had witnessed and what had happened to them, the Jews bound themselves, their descendants, and all who joined with them to a commitment that they would not fail to celebrate these two days each and every year according to the written instructions and according to the time appointed. These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance in Jewish life and their memory will not fade from their descendants.III. Pass it on to the future generations.Esther 9:29-32Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote this second letter with full authority to confirm the letter about Purim. He sent letters with assurances of peace and security to all the Jews who were in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in order to confirm these days of Purim at their proper time just as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had established them and just as they had committed themselves and their descendants to the practices of fasting and lamentation. So Esther’s command confirmed these customs of Purim, which were then written into the record.Next Steps: Believe: I need to start my faith journey today.Become: I will spend time celebrating my freedom this week.Be Sent: I will share my testimony with someone this week.Discussion Questions: What are you most grateful for today? How often do you remind yourself of God’s simple gifts when life isn’t going your way?Do you have a way of celebrating your faith regularly? If so, how?Do you know your family’s journey of faith? Does your family know yours?If there were a festival to celebrate your personal faith, what would it be called?With whom did you last share your personal testimony?Ask the Holy Spirit for the opportunity to share God’s grace with someone this week.

Big Idea: There’s no going back, but God can make a better way forward.Esther 8:1-17I. Don’t forget your past. Esther 8:1-2That same day King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed her relationship to Mordecai. The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from Haman and gave it to Mordecai...II. Don’t pout over your past.Esther 8:3-8Then Esther addressed the king again. She fell at his feet, wept, and begged him to revoke the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plot he had devised against the Jews. The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, so she got up and stood before the king. She said, “If it pleases the king and I have found favor with him, if the matter seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let a royal edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. For how could I bear to see the disaster that would come on my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my relatives?” King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. Write in the king’s name whatever pleases you concerning the Jews, and...III. Let your past become the first step to a new future.Esther 8:9-14On the twenty-third day of the third month—that is, the month Sivan—the royal scribes were summoned. Everything was written exactly as Mordecai commanded for the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush. The edict was written for each province in its own script, for each ethnic group in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name and sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses bred in the royal stables. The king’s edict gave the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every ethnic and provincial army hostile to them, including women and children, and to take their possessions as spoils of war. This would take place on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so the Jews could be ready to avenge themselves against their enemies on that day. The couriers rode out in haste...IV. God WILL turn your painful past into something beautiful!Esther 8:15-17Mordecai went from the king’s presence clothed in royal blue and white, with a great gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced, and the Jews celebrated with gladness, joy, and honor. In every province and every city where the king’s command and edict reached, gladness and joy took place among the Jews. There was a celebration and a holiday. And many of ...Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to forgive me for my past sins today.Become: I trust God to turn my past into something beautiful. Be Sent: I will help someone who is haunted by their past this week.Discussion Questions: If you could wipe one thing out of your past, what would it be? Has a painful moment in your past made you a better person today? If so, explain how.How has your past shaped the way you see the world?What does it look like to get “stuck” in your past?Would you prefer for Jesus to redeem your past or Jesus to remove it? Explain your answer. Who do you know that needs to move beyond their past?Pray for the Holy Spirit to use you to minister to someone whose life is a mess this week.

Big Idea- The Father shows his heart through a mother’s love.Proverbs 31:25Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come.I. A mother’s strength isn’t measured at the gym.II. A mother’s honor isn’t measured in likes or shares.III. A mother’s hope isn’t measured on the easy days.Next Steps:Believe: I need to experience God’s love for the first time today.Become: I will bless the women in my life who have blessed me.Be Sent: I will serve a mother in my neighborhood who is struggling. Discussion Questions:Is there anyone in your life who had a bigger impact on you than your mother? In what way did your mother leave the biggest impression on you?Describe your mother’s faith.How did your mother influence your view of God?What habit did your mother have that you’d like to keep? (Or definitely won’t keep?)If your mother has passed, what’s one thing you’d like to say to her today?Pray for opportunities to serve mothers in need around you this week.

Big Idea: Living by faith is simple, but NOT easy!Esther 5:1-14I. Faith must be courageousEsther 5:1-2On the third day, Esther dressed in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing its entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.II. Faith is always patientEsther 5:3-5“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.” “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for them.” The king said, “Hurry, and get Haman so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.III. Faith makes you persistentEsther 5:6-8While drinking the wine, the king asked Esther, “Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be done.” Esther answered, “This is my petition and my request: If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and perform my request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will do what the king has asked.”IV. Faith leaves no room for prideEsther 5:9-14That day Haman left full of joy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the King’s Gate, and Mordecai didn’t rise or tremble in fear at his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. Yet Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh to join him. Then Haman described for them his glorious wealth and his many sons. He told them all how the king had honored him and promoted him in rank over the other officials and the royal staff. “What’s more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king. Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate all the time.” His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet tall. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.Next Steps: Believe: I have been living for myself; today, I surrender to Christ in faith.Become: I will trust God’s timing this week. Be Sent: I will share Jesus with someone this week.Discussion Questions: What do you use to measure how much you’re living by faith?When was the last time you measured this? How satisfied are you with the results?How can we actively prepare ourselves spiritually to demonstrate courage in our daily lives, according to Esther's example?How does humility play a role in true courage for a Christian?What intimidating situations are you currently facing that could call for boldness like Esther's?Will you pray a bold prayer like Esther for someone in need this week?Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you live out a bold faith this week.

Big Idea: When one person suffers, the whole community should feel it. Esther 4:1-3I. Who will be the first to plead for God’s mercy? Esther 4:1When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly.II. There’s always tension between society and spirituality. Esther 4:2He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate.III. God hears when the whole community prays. Esther 4:3There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict reached. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.Next Steps: Believe: I need God’s mercy for my desperate soul today.Become: I will mourn and pray for my community this week.Be Sent: I will push back darkness in my community this week.Discussion Questions: What is your neighbor’s biggest struggle today?Have you had a spiritual conversation with your neighbor yet?How comfortable are you demonstrating your faith in public? Explain.Do you believe that God expects you to pray for the sins of your community? Explain your answer.What is the best way to show your neighbor that you care about their struggles?Why is it sometimes easier to ignore your neighbor’s pain than to enter into it with them?Pray for your neighbors by name today.

Big Idea: God, where are you!?!? Esther 3:7-15I. Nothing is arbitrary for a sovereign God. Esther 3:7-9In the first month, the month of Nisan, in King Ahasuerus’s twelfth year, the pur—that is, the lot—was cast before Haman for each day in each month, and it fell on the twelfth month, the month Adar. Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If the king approves, let an order be drawn up authorizing their destruction, and I will pay 375 tons of silver to the officials for deposit in the royal treasury.”II. God’s hidden hand moves the king’s hand. Esther 3:10-11The king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. Then the king told Haman, “The money and people are given to you to do with as you see fit.”III. God’s plan might seem confusing… at the time. Esther 3:12-15The royal scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day. The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.Next Steps: Believe: I trust my future in Jesus’s hands for the first time today.Become: I will live by faith even when it’s scary this week.Be Sent: I will invite someone to hear the Gospel on Easter.Discussion Questions: How do you reconcile the presence of evil and the belief that God has a good plan for you? Is there a danger in oversimplifying this tension when people are suffering?How does God’s “silence” deepen the mystery of his plan? Where does God seem silent in your life? Can you “know” God is at work in your circumstances even if you can’t see any results at the moment?How would you respond to someone who claims the events of your life are just coincidences?Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you hold on to faith even if God seems distant this week.

Big Idea: Your biggest tool is simple, steady faithfulness in God’s hands.Esther 2:19-23I. Esther is faithful to her promise. Esther 2:19-20When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate. Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.II. Mordecai is faithful to his king. Esther 2:21-23During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.Next Steps:Believe: Today, I turn over the little and big stuff of my life to King Jesus.Become: I will make a big deal of the small things this week.Be Sent: I will ask God to show me who to invite this Easter.Discussion Questions:How have you experienced unseen acts of God's faithfulness in your life?Do you wrestle with small issues of faithfulness in a big way? If so, explain.What is one small act of faithfulness you can commit to this week that could contribute to God's overarching plan?How can we support one another in remaining vigilant and purposeful in our roles and responsibilities?How can you live vigilantly like Mordecai today?What are some ways we can act with integrity in everyday situations, knowing God is watching?Pray for God to use our simple faithfulness to touch someone far from Jesus this week.

Big Idea: Even with shaking knees, step boldly into your destiny.Esther 2:15-18I. Chosen by character Esther 2:15Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, suggested. Esther gained favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.II. Crowned by God Esther 2:16-17She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.III. Celebrated by all Esther 2:18The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.Next Steps:Believe: I believe God has chosen me for salvation today.Become: I will work on my character this week.Be Sent: I will pass on God’s blessing to someone in need this week.Discussion Questions:How can you distinguish between circumstances and the hand of God in your life?What area of your character is most like Christ?What area still needs some work?When did God last do something great in your life that might look like a coincidence? Explain.How can you embrace your God-given destiny this week?Name someone who needs to hear about Jesus this Easter.Pray for God to use you to serve someone in need this week.

Big Idea: It takes a strong center to stand tall under pressure from every side.Esther 1:10-22I. The Queen takes a stand for purityEsther 1:10-12On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine, Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—the seven eunuchs who personally served him—to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him.II. The King’s feelings get hurt Esther 1:13-15The king consulted the wise men who understood the times, for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. The most trusted ones were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom. The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?”III. The bad advice born out of selfish fear Esther 1:16-18Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces. For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.IV. The law takes center stage Esther 1:19-22“If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be revoked: Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she. The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom, so all women will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least.” The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language, that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender to the real King of my soul.Become: Today, I will trust God’s hand even when it’s scary.Be Sent: I will take a stand against evil this week.Growth Group Questions: What pressure were you under last week? How well did you stand up to it?Do you ever feel punished for doing the right thing in God’s sight?How do you respond when doing what the culture expects of you violates what God expects of you?Who in our society pressures women, like in Vashti’s day?How can you support someone who is currently under a lot of peer pressure?How can the people in this group help you find the courage to stand strong when under pressure to compromise your faith?Pray for the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to stand against evil this week.

Write this down: Experience is a powerful teacher… and preacher!Psalm 107:1-3Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim that he has redeemed them from the power of the foe and has gathered them from the lands— from the east and the west, from the north and the south.1. Name the pain2. Don’t get stuck in it 3. Where did Jesus show up4. Teach others what you’ve learned the hard way5. Make it part of your story, but don’t let it define youNext Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to give me new life today.Become: I will let Jesus use my pain for his Glory. Be Sent: I will share my story this week.Discussion Questions: How did Jesus show up in a painful moment of your past?Is God still loving, even if he doesn’t “redeem you from the power of the foe”? Explain your answer. Is God able to use your little moments of pain just as much as the big ones?What is a daily practice that helps cultivate gratitude in the middle of pain?How can sharing a painful part of your past help heal your community?What is one specific way you can encourage someone who is going through pain this week?Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you make an impact on one person’s life this week.

Write this down: Cults demand — Christians demonstrate.Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.1. You are always influencingProverbs 27:17Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.2. Be intentional about influencingColossians 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.3. Use your influence as a gift to God.1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.4. Your life gets better as your influence gets bigger.Philippians 2:14-16Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my heart for the first time today.Become: I want the Holy Spirit to influence my soul this week. Be Sent: I will use my influence for God’s glory this week. Discussion Questions: What’s the difference between influencing someone and manipulating them, and where do you personally draw the line?When is it appropriate to try to change someone’s mind, and when is it better to step back?How does trust shape your ability to influence another person?Describe a time when someone influenced you positively. What made their approach effective?Is it acceptable to use your influence at work to challenge someone’s faith?What responsibilities do you have to God when trying to influence someone’s decisions or beliefs?Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you influence one person this week.

Write this down: Every Moment Matters: God is working until your final breath.Philippians 1:6I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.1. Who is 2 Cities Church 2. Discipleship matters 3. We are not a perfect church4. We’re down but not out5. We’re going to get better before we get bigger6. We’re going to measure what truly mattersNext Steps: Believe: I need to be born again today.Become: I will surrender more of my life to Jesus this week. Be Sent: I will make a measurable impact on 2 Cities this week.Discussion Questions: Who is the church? Describe in 1 sentence?Are we still a church without a building or a music set?Why does the church exist? Can it really be called a church if it doesn’t impact earth or eternity?When you stand before God, what aspects of your life will he say were most important? (Use Scripture to explain your answer.)What would God consider the most important statistic to measure in a church? Explain your answer. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you make an impact this week.