GROUP GUIDE
Leading a group through these questions? Here’s a simple guide for 1.5-2 hour GROUP meeting.
Welcome and Opening Prayer. (5 minutes)
Read the passage aloud. (5 minutes)
Guide the group through the questions. (30-60 minutes)
Take time to share prayer requests and pray for each other. (15-30 minutes)
TEACHING RECAP
Summary: Have you ever wondered why God seems to take you the long way around? Why does the journey sometimes involve so much waiting, uncertainty, and difficulty? What if God is doing something far greater than simply getting you to your destination? Discover what Israel’s journey through the wilderness reveals about God's purposes for your life.
Main Points:
God invites us to know him.
God forms us to live for him.
God sends us to represent him.
On-Ramps:
Do you know Jesus?
Are you becoming like Jesus?
Are you making Jesus known?
Discussion
What speaks to you about these passages of Scripture in Exodus 19 & 20? Is there anything that sticks out for you?
The passage in Exodus 19 says that Israel camped in the desert of Sinai and there the nation heard from God through Moses. Deserts are not hospitable places. Life is hard there. Have you ever experienced proverbial deserts in your own life? In those ‘desert’ places did you hear from God?
After declaring that he is the God who led them out of Egypt, he makes it clear that if they obey him fully they will be his “treasured possession” & “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” What do you think the Israelites were thinking when they heard these words?
How does this ‘offer’ from God to the Israelites differ compared to the gift of salvation that God offers to each person through Jesus Christ?
The people responded to God’s offer by saying “We will do everything the Lord has said.” Do you think Moses believed the people? Do you think the people themselves believed their own response?
Why do you think it is that we can often have the best of intentions and really want to follow God, and yet we often fail to do so? Check out Romans 7:14-25 to aid you in discussing this question.
The first commandment in Exodus 20 is “You shall have no other gods before me.” When you hear that commandment what comes to mind for you?
The late Tim Keller wrote this in regards to our problem of sin: “the fundamental problem in lawbreaking is always idolatry. In other words, we never break the other commandments without first breaking the first commandment—the law against idolatry.” Do you agree or dis-agree?
What does it look like practically for us as Christians to “have no other gods” in our life? How can we make God our only object of worship?
How can we as Christians be a “kingdom of priests” who reflect the One True King to those around us?
PRAYER
How can we pray for you as a group?
Next week: Exodus 32:1-14
