Exodus 19-20: God's Commands for our good

Storyteller: Katherine Bare

Key Points to Know 1.  God is faithful to keep His Word 2.  God’s people should behave in a way that glorifies God 3.  God’s commands are guidelines to live life to the fullest

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Exodus 19:1-20:21 Key Themes: God brings Israel to the place He promised Moses they would come to worship Him( Ex 3:12) God speaks to the people through Moses, Moses speaks for the Lord(indirect) God reminds the people of what He’s done and makes a new covenant w/the people of Israel Israel is supposed to be a nation set apart from the rest of the nations  to glorify God The people must prepare themselves before entering the covenant w/God Only Moses can come into the presence of the Lord, everyone else dies God gives commands that help man live in full and right fellowship with God Himself God gives commands that help man live in full and right fellowship with each other The people respect God’s authority by fearing Him

Reflective Discussion Questions: What was the covenant that God made with Moses and the Israelites? How is it the same as or different from the covenant God made with Abraham? What do you think about God’s command that anyone who touched the mountain before the proper time should be killed? Why do you think such a harsh punishment was necessary? Unlike the Israelites, we can approach God directly at any time. Why is it different now than it was back then? What does it mean to have access to such a holy God that merely approaching his presence without preparation meant death? We said that the ten commandments are not merely rules, but principles for living correctly. Think about why each of the ten commandments is important for a good life and what the practical consequences for breaking them are. What does it mean to fear the Lord? What does that look like in your own life?

Application

Individual Challenge 1. We learned that God is holy and his people are his representatives on earth. Think about what your behavior communicates about God to others. 2. Think about all the preparations the Israelites had to make just to be near God. How would your prayer life change if you made a point of preparing your heart beforehand?

Community Challenge As a community we are called to be set apart from the world just like the Israelites. Our behavior should reflect kingdom goals rather than the worldly goals of success or pleasure. What kind of impact would we have if we were visibly different from everyone else?