Zephaniah 1:1–6 — “You want the good news or the bad news first?”
Ice Breaker

If someone asks you “good news or bad news first,” which do you usually pick — and why?

Scripture

Read together:

• Zephaniah 1:1–6 (ESV)

• Colossians 2:13–14 (ESV)

• Romans 3:25 (ESV)

• John 19:30 (ESV)

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you most from today’s message, something new you learned or something that challenged you?

2. How does understanding the timeline (division of the kingdom, fall of Israel, warning to Judah) help you see the seriousness of Zephaniah’s message?

3. Read Zephaniah 1:1–3. What does the imagery of creation unraveling tell us about God’s authority and holiness?

4. Why do you think God’s judgment begins with His own people (vv. 4–6)? What does that reveal about His character?

5. Baal, Milcom, and syncretism represented trusting God plus something else. Where do you see that temptation showing up in our culture today?

6. Fill in the blank personally (no pressure to overshare, just reflect honestly):
   “If I can’t have peace without ________, it might be functioning like a god in my life.”
   What helps you identify those things?

7. Fear rather than trust leads to misplaced hope. Where do you most feel the pull toward fear right now?

8. Read Colossians 2:13–14. How does the gospel transform the way we read hard passages about judgment?

9. Why is it important that God’s judgment is not ignored but fulfilled at the cross?

10. What is one practical step this week to move from fear-driven trust in something else to deeper trust in Christ?

Prayer Prompts

• Thank God for His holiness, justice, and sovereignty over creation

• Confess areas where you’ve trusted something alongside or instead of Him

• Praise Jesus for exhausting judgment on the cross

• Pray for deeper trust instead of fear

• Pray for freedom from idols in your group, families, and church

• Ask God to give you peace rooted in Him alone this week