God Forms in the Wilderness

Use this curriculum to help you further engage with the sermon, the scriptures, and each other. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring things up to encourage and guide you so that you are always growing in your faith. If the Spirit leads you away from these questions and into conversation and prayer that encourages and points you to Jesus, go for it.

scripture

Read the following scriptures together: Exodus 20.

overview

A wilderness season is not just about a physical journey from point A to point B, but a spiritual journey of formation for each person to mature in Christ. God gave his people commands, not to burden them, but to form them for relationship with himself and one another – the commands are given out of God’s love and grace for us. Before one command is spoken, he reminds the people that he is the Lord who freed them from slavery and he is the same Lord for us today, the one who has freed us from slavery through the grace, death, and redemption offered us through Jesus Christ. 

question 1

God has never required any of us to get it all together and be perfect prior to accepting us. Have any of you ever felt the pressure to perform before others to be accepted? Do you feel this way about God? Discuss the freedom you could experience when you walk away from performance.

discussion

Isaiah 44:15. The Lord wants our devotion to be only for him and states this in verse 3: “you shall have no other gods before me”. He alone is our creator, the one who provides the ultimate power, wisdom, comfort, joy, and grace to us. Nothing else will fully and forever fill the empty spaces we have, yet Isaiah 44:15 shows how people take God’s natural provision and foolishly elevate a part of it to a place of worship, showcasing spiritual blindness. In our country, our work is often elevated and used as an idol as some feel it’s where their identity lies. We can rely on our career to bring us joy or provide for us, yet God is saying to us “Give me your devotion, don’t put anything before me, rest in me.” Rest is a word that can bring refreshing thoughts to a person but is incredibly hard to do because the fear of missing a task or slowing down might hinder getting ahead. God established the Sabbath as a full day of rest and those who practice this realize they feel more equipped in their jobs and life tasks. 

question 2

Discuss how rejuvenated you feel when you take a day of rest. Are there still areas of doubt you carry in thinking that you can’t or shouldn’t rest?

Read Proverbs 21:2. The commands in Exodus 20:12-17 teach us that the worship of God is also offered through everyday relationships. These guidelines promote a community characterized by respect, honor, stability, and integrity, moving from direct harm like murder to internal motivations like coveting – they expose what’s in our hearts. We can easily look or act well on the surface, but it’s the deeper issues that end up driving us away from God and people. These instructions from God can lead us to inward purity and healing. When we do the internal work, we will show up healthier for each other and our community – we will love and serve others well and reflect God’s heart to those around us.   

question 3

Is God’s heart reflected in how you speak, think about, and treat other people? Since none of us are perfect this side of heaven, we can all mature in our relationships with others. What’s one thing that the Holy Spirit is bringing to your mind?

weekly application

Consider reading and praying through one commandment a day for the next 10 days, asking the Holy Spirit to mature you in each one.