Faithful in Exile: Who Is God Calling Us to Be?
This week’s texts from Scripture are:
Sermon Outline:
As we journey through Lent, we ask a deeper question than what we are giving up: Who is God calling us to be in this season?
The people of God once asked that same question while living in exile in Babylon. Their temple was destroyed. Their identity shaken. Their future uncertain. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God gave them six anchors for faithful living in a disorienting world.
We discover that we are shaped by:
Scripture – “Thus says the LORD…”
Presence – Build houses. Plant gardens. Be rooted.
Community – Think in generations, not moments.
Hospitality – Seek the welfare of the city.
Prayer – Pray to the Lord on its behalf.
Formation – In its welfare you will find your welfare.
As we seek the good of our city, God forms us into the people He has called us to be.
Application Questions…
Comprehension Questions
(These will help you open the scriptures and understand the text.)
What was happening historically to God’s people in Jeremiah 29?
What was the false prophet’s message, and how did it differ from Jeremiah’s?
What specific commands does God give in Jeremiah 29:4–7?
What does “seek the welfare of the city” mean?
How does verse 7 connect to the promise of verse 11?
Life Application
In this season of your life, who might God be calling you to become?
What currently shapes your identity more than Scripture?
Where has God planted you that you may be tempted to “mentally check out”?
How can you be more present in your neighborhood this month?
Are you thinking in terms of generations or just immediate outcomes?
What would it look like for you to “seek the welfare” of Lake Norman?
Is prayer your first instinct or your last resort?
Where could serving reshape your heart this year?
How is God using your current circumstances—even uncomfortable ones—to form you?
If Good Shepherd fully lived out these six anchors, what impact would it have on our community?