Discussion questions:

1. The elders and the “youngsters” gave Rehoboam two different approaches to leadership. Why is servant leadership more powerful and effective than “top of the pyramid” leadership? Where are some places where God is calling you to lead through humility and service?

2. Listen to Jeroboam’s internal chatter. What is your inner monologue? How is it telling you to doubt God’s promises, power, and presence? Where is your chatter untrue and not leading you into the communion that God wants for you?

3. Jeroboam is famous for leading the people into idolatry. Yet Jeroboam’s idolatry arose from another sin: fearful failure to trust. Examine fear in your own life. Where is fear creating idolatry instead of trust and worship?

4. There is another king in this story: one who is in control of history, who uses even human failures and sins to bring about his purposes, and who becomes incarnate and goes to the cross to unite what is divided. Name some concrete ways that our king is calling and empowering us as a community to love and serve each other. How can we respond to his prayer that his people be one?