Journey Group Discussion Guide. My Imperfect Family Acts 16:11-15; Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Week 4

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1 Main Point Journey Group Discussion Guide My Imperfect Family Acts 16:11-15; Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Week 4 Spiritual leaders in the home are in a position to make a significant impact on those closest to them. Introduction As your group time begins, use this section to introduce the topic of discussion. What were some of your favorite Bible stories as a kid? Why were these so special to you? What Bible stories do you recall not hearing about until you were older? Who was the primary teacher of Bible truths in your life? When you became a Christian, was there anyone whose example you sought to follow? For many Christians, it s teachers at church, friends, or a pastor who taught them spiritual truths from God s Word. However, God has called parents to be the primary disciplers of children, raising them to love and honor God. In this study, we will discover how we might cultivate a love for God in our own hearts and model the importance of loving God and His church. We have an important calling to lead our families and be an example for them to follow. Understanding Unpack the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic. Ask a volunteer to read acts 16: What qualities and characteristics do you notice about Lydia from these verses? Lydia came from Thyatira in the Roman province of Asia. Thyatira was located in a region of Asia called Lydia. Quite possibly, Lydia was not the woman s given name but the name by which she was known in 1 of 5

2 Philippi. Thyatira was noted for cloth dyed purple with a dye manufactured from the root of the madder plant, which was native to the Lydian region. This royal purple was reserved for finery, and Lydia was probably a businesswoman of some means. How did Lydia express her desire to know the one true God? What does verse 14 reveal about our role in sharing the gospel with our families? How does this truth influence the way you think about your role as a spiritual leader in your family or home? What are your responsibilities, and what are God s? As Paul preached to the women about Jesus, Lydia responded to his message. The wording of verse 14 is important for our understanding of Christian witnessing. We are not responsible for the faith of our children or others in our families. We are responsible only for giving a faithful witness to the gospel. According to verse 15, what influence did Lydia s faith have on her family? Think about your own family. Are you in a position to influence others by setting an example of faith? If so, who? What kind of an example are you setting? When the head of the household makes a commitment to put their confidence in Jesus and follow Him, the repercussions are felt throughout the entire household. Moses also understood the important role parents play in the faith of their children, and he encouraged the Israelite parents to be spiritual leaders of their families. Let s see what we can learn from his instructions to them. Ask someone to read deuteronomy 6:1-9. What does it look like for us to love God with the different dimensions of our being (heart, soul, and strength)? What did Moses challenge the Israelites parents to do? What does this reveal about a parent s role in the faith of his or her children? The command to love God was so important that the people were told to teach their children this command, write it on doorposts, and make signs. The worship of God permeated their lives and homes. Moses also told the Israelites to write God s commands on their doorposts and wear them on their heads. These refer to specific Old Testament practices of worship. What are some practices your family has, or could have, that show the important value you place on the Word of God? HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ DEUTERONOMY 6: of 5

3 According to this passage, when is the best time to teach a child about God? How can parents and grandparents use a child s natural curiosity to teach about God? In addition to Bible stories, what other kinds of stories can we teach children about God? Children are more tuned in to learning when they raise a question about a subject. Moses anticipated that a child might ask the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws God had given His people. The parent should respond by telling the story of God s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Stories are much easier to remember than more abstract intellectual materials. Jesus often taught in parables, and much of the Bible is in the form of a narrative or story. Parents can instruct their children about God by telling them Bible stories. Children also can learn from the stories that parents tell about their own spiritual journeys. A Christian parent can share personal testimonies about going to church, becoming a Christian, and other key spiritual events. Application Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. What aspects of your daily life might need to change in order for you to truly lead your family to love the Lord in all areas of life? How have you seen your faith passed down to your children and family? How can we as a church better encourage parents to be active in teaching the Word of God to their kids and setting godly examples? Pray In your prayer time this week, pray specifically for families. Ask God to give each of us the grace we need to lead our families to love and serve Him and His church. Pray that we would see our need to cultivate our own relationship with God, and that His work in our personal lives would overflow into the way we lead our families. Commentary Acts 16: : The first stop on the voyage was Samothrace, an Island on a direct line between Troas and Neapolis. Paul s party landed at Neapolis, the port city of Philippi. Philippi was about 10 miles inland on the Egnatian Way, a major Roman highway. It was a Roman colony. Thus it had a nucleus of Roman citizens, had a Roman style of city government, and was ruled by Roman law. Paul would find that his Roman citizenship would be significant during his stay there (Acts 16:35-40). 3 of 5

4 16: When Paul began work in a new city, his usual procedure was to seek out the Jewish synagogue for his first witness. Evidently Philippi did not have a sizable Jewish community, for it had no synagogue. Paul was able to locate a place of prayer beside a river outside the city gate where a group of women met on the Sabbath. One of them was named Lydia. She is described as a worshiper of God. In Acts the term worshiper of God (as well as God-fearing, 10:22) was used of Gentiles who attended the Jewish synagogue and believed in the one true God. They were not full converts to Judaism. Converts were called proselytes and lived by the letter of the Jewish law. Worshipers of God generally did not observe the full Jewish law, especially its ceremonial aspects. They did not undergo circumcision or keep the strict dietary regulations of Judaism. Nevertheless, they were often devout supporters of the Jewish synagogues. A number of them, such as Cornelius, became Christian believers (Acts 10). Unlike Philippi, which had no Jewish community, Thyatira had an extensive settlement of Jews. Lydia probably came to her faith in God under the influence of the Jews back home and brought her faith with her to Philippi. The other women who had gathered with her for Sabbath prayer were likely Gentile worshipers of God like herself. Indeed, she may have been the one who led them to their faith. 16:15. Lydia shared her Lord as well as her home. Both she and the members of her household believed in Christ and were baptized. Her household included her servants as well as her family, all those of sufficient maturity to make a responsible decision for Christ. The text does not specify whether her household members responded to Paul s witness or to Lydia s testimony. Deuteronomy 6:1-9, :1-3. A young generation of Israelites had come of age in the wilderness during 40 years of wandering. They were anxious to enter the land of promise and to enjoy the fruits of the land said to be flowing with milk and honey. Moses sought to prepare this new generation of Israelites for the challenging spiritual adventure ahead of them. Success would depend on their knowledge of and obedience to God s laws. Having reminded the present generation of God s revelation of His law at Mount Sinai, Moses urged the people to keep God s laws and to pass them on to future generations. 6:4. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is arguably the best-known passage of Scripture in ancient and modern Judaism. Deuteronomy 6:4 begins with the Hebrew verb rendered listen (shema), and these verses are commonly referred to as the Shema [SHEE mah]. These verses make two important declarations about God and His people s obligation to Him. The first declaration is a statement about the uniqueness of Israel s God. The assertion is that the Lord... is one. The word rendered the Lord is, of course, God s personal name, Yahweh. Declaring that Yahweh is one denotes there is no other existing Deity. People might worship other so-called gods, but those gods are not real. They are worthless fabrications of human minds (see Isa. 44:10-11). 4 of 5

5 6:5. The second declaration is that God s people are commanded to love the Lord. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment in the law, He responded by quoting this verse (see Mark 12:30). The first thing to analyze in this command is the verb rendered love. The measure of our love for God is to be greater than all other affections. We are to love Him wholeheartedly (all your heart). The biblical conception and use of the term heart differs at points from modern usage. The term does not refer primarily to the fleshly organ but rather to the core of our inner, spiritual being. Heart refers to the power of the mind to think and remember (see Deut. 4:9). Heart also refers to our volition in making decisions (see Ex. 7:13). Thus, to love God with all our heart means to choose Him above all other desires and to make Him our highest priority life. Likewise, we re to love God with all our soul. The Hebrew term rendered soul can refer to physical appetites (see Job 33:20), emotions (see Job 30:25), and the spiritual nature (see Ps. 19:7). A supreme love for God results in submitting every human appetite and desire to His will. Finally, we are to love God with all our strength. This term refers to every talent and resource we possess. We are to give our best efforts in serving and worshiping the Lord. 6:6-7. Families are instructed to bequeath the ways of God to the next generations. However, parents and grandparents cannot teach what they themselves do not know and practice. A passionate devotion to the Lord must first be in the parents and grandparents hearts. Only then are they equipped to help instill a genuine love for God in younger lives. Primary responsibility for teaching children spiritual truth cannot be delegated by parents to others. Parents have a unique relationship with their children and a responsibility to teach them about God in daily life (when you sit in your house... walk along the road,... lie down and... get up). Church attendance is vitally important for children s overall spiritual development, but participation in church activities can never substitute for the daily spiritual instruction children need from godly parents. 6:8-9. The need for individuals and families to focus daily on the ways of God is emphasized with the commands to bind God s commands on one s hand and forehead. In addition they were to be written on the doorposts of their houses and gates. In New Testament-era Judaism, these commands were observed literally by attaching small boxes containing various Scriptures to the hand and forehead. 6: With the passing of time it is difficult to keep fresh the ideas and principles that give birth to movements and institutions. Moses was keenly aware that Israel must never forget its history. He anticipated that a child might ask the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws God had given His people. The parent should respond by telling the story of God s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. 6:24. The reason for remembering the history of God s dealings with His people was so that future generations might understand them (v. 20) and fear the Lord. This would ensure prosperity from the Lord as well as their preservation. 5 of 5