The Law & The ProphetsWeek 1: The Law - Then

January 17, 2010

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• PRAYER • OFFERING

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Bible Study: Friday 7pm. Matthew 9–Home?

• Lock-In with ZOE Church

VIDEO

Introduction• What are some examples of the expectations police

have of us?

• Which of the police's expectations, if any, are unrealistic or unfair? Explain.

• If you don't understand or know the police's expectations and get caught breaking them, why are you still considered guilty?

• Do rules make you free or not?

• The Ten Commandments • 1 And God spoke all these words: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. • 3 "You shall have no other gods before [a] me. • 4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

• 7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. • 8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a

Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

• 12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. • 13 "You shall not murder. • 14 "You shall not commit adultery. • 15 "You shall not steal. • 16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. • 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox

or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." • 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with

fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

• 20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

• 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.• Idols and Altars • 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23

Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. 24 " 'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, [b] your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'

I. Be in Constant Awe of God

• What are some of the most awesome things God has done in your life or the lives of people you know?

• Think about some of the things God has done in your life. How do you know God was behind these things-what proof do you have?

II. Give God Top Priority in your Life• How would others know that God is your "top

priority"?

• Do most people treat their relationship with God as their top priority in life? Why or why not?

• Why do other priorities seem to push a relationship with God out of the top spot?

• For some people, a relationship with God is their top priority. What makes these people different from those who don't put God in the top spot?

III. Treat others with Love and Respect

• Why would God make more than half of the Ten Commandments address the way we interact with other people?

• When do you find it most difficult to love and respect other people?

IV. Keep Your Motives Pure

• Why do you sometimes look at other people's stuff and wish it were yours?

• What are some practical ways you can avoid the trap of coveting or desiring other people's material possessions?

V. Additional Discussion

• In giving the Ten Commandments, God prefaced things by saying, "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery." Why would God choose those particular words?

• Read Proverbs 1:7 together. Other than "being afraid" what are some definitions for the word "fear"?

• How do your feelings about the person who makes the rules affect your willingness to follow those rules?

• We don't see a lot of golden statue-type idols today, but what are some things people worship instead of worshiping God?

• If your actions are good or appropriate enough, do your motives really matter?

Why or why not?

PROVERBS 1:7

• 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools [a] despise wisdom and discipline.

APPLICATION

• What is a recent event that caused you to experience a deeper awe of God? What is the last thing that made you think "Wow!" about God?

READ 1 Corinthians 10:31• What does it mean to do something "for the glory

of God"? What are some everyday ways you bring glory to God in your life? What are some possible reasons we would be told to do things that bring God glory-is God insecure or egotistical or what?

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31

31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

APPLICATION

PAIR UP AND DISCUSS• Which is tougher for you: following the

commandments that define our relationship with God, or following the commandments that define our relationship with other people?

• Why do you struggle following those particular commandments? How can we help each other grow in this area?

MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 1:7

• Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Thanks!

• For Additional Information, Check Out:– Email LGoenaga@ggcfchurch.com for any of

the above documents, copies of the budget, questions, etc.–GGCFYouth.com