08/02 Journey to the Promised Land: Faith and Purpose (Copy)

·         What is your best experience of a set of rules? What is your worst experience?

·         Do you find ‘law’ helpful in your own walk with God? Explain why you say this.

Read Exodus 20:1-17

The Ten Commandments form a covenant framework: God rescues Israel, then shows them how to live as His people. They’re not random rules but relational commitments.

Below you will find an explanation and one application question for each commandment. Choose a selection of the commandments to ask about – there is not time to cover them all. Then leave the final 15 minutes for the general questions at the end.

Commandments 1–4: Loving God

1)      No other gods — A call to exclusive loyalty. What competes for first place in people’s lives today?

2)      No idols — Not just statues; anything that reduces God to something manageable. Where do groups tend to “shrink” God?

3)      God’s name — About representing God well, not just avoiding certain phrases. How does a community carry God’s name in daily life?

4)      Sabbath — Rest as resistance: trusting God enough to stop. What makes rest difficult in modern life?

Commandments 5–10: Loving People

5)      Honour parents — About honouring the sources of life and wisdom. How does honour differ from blind obedience?

6)      No murder — Protecting the dignity of every person. What does valuing life look like beyond avoiding violence?

7)      No adultery — Faithfulness in relationships. How does a culture of commitment shape a community?

8)      No stealing — Respecting boundaries and flourishing. What forms of “stealing” show up in everyday life?

9)      No false witness — Truth-telling that protects others. How does speech build or break trust?

10) No coveting — The only commandment aimed at the inner life. How does desire shape behaviour?

General questions

•             God saves Israel before giving commands. How does that order change how we read them?

·                Which commandment feels easiest to keep? Which feels hardest?

·                How do these commands shape a community’s identity?

•             What happens when a society ignores one of these commands?

•             How do these commandments relate to Jesus’ summary: love God and love neighbour?

·                What should we pray for, in response to this passage? Pray into those things.