“Family” is a loaded word.
For some, it means togetherness, healing, generosity, kindness, and love.
For others, it means divorce, brokenness, selfishness, anger, and even hatred.
At the end of the day, most of us have probably experienced both blessing and wound in our families. This reality raises some difficult questions in light of Deuteronomy’s famous command to “honor your father and your mother” (5:16). Do we honor them without question or criticism? Is there a certain age when this no longer applies? What kind of respect should we expect from our own children?
To complicate things further, the corresponding laws in Deuteronomy 16:18-18:22 suggest that the way we answer these questions about our own families inevitably shapes how we view authority throughout society. How should we evaluate and respond to authority figures in our cities, churches, and country?
My hope is that Sunday the very old words of Deuteronomy will provide some new insight for us and for the sake of our nation.
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(Weekly Community Group Discussion Guide)
Date: May 22, 2016 // Title: Promised Land Living: Honor, Family, Authority
Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:12-15 // Deuteronomy 5:16 // 16:18-18:22
ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.
SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
When we have a glimpse of how things could be or should be, how do we welcome that into our lives? By honoring it! The word honor is connected to the word “weight,” so we honor something by giving it the weight/value/worth that it’s due. Honor acts as a filter, so honoring our parents or family involves discerning what is valuable and valuing it, while also filtering out what is not good. To do this, we must train our hearts and eyes to honor well. Deuteronomy 16-18 describes for us the kinds of characteristics which we should honor, as Moses talks about good judges, kings, priests, and prophets.
THE MAIN THOUGHT Keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
Honoring is about “weighing” what is weighty, valuing what is of value.
SEE IT Questions :: 10-15 minutes
Picture (what is the story saying?): What does it mean to honor? What does that look like in practical application? How do we train our hearts and eyes to honor well?
Mirror (where am I in the story?): When you hear the words “honor your father and mother,” what have you traditionally believed that to mean? How does Jon’s explanation (honor being a filter to value the valuable) change your understanding? Describe a time in your family when you saw a glimpse (no matter how small) of how things could be/should be. What does honoring look like in your relationship with your parents (if living) and other family members?
Window (How does the story change how I see the world around me?): Look at Deut. 16-18 and describe some of the valuable traits of the judges, kings, priests, and prophets. What are some of the traits that we should “filter out”?
BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Honoring 5 minutes
Spend time in quiet contemplation, honoring God—recognizing and appreciating the qualities of God that are weighty, of value, and glorious—His kindness, grace, power, justice, etc.
Change IN // Honoring Our Community 15 minutes
Give each person a blank sheet of paper and have them write their name on the top of the paper. Then have everyone take turns writing down on each other’s papers the qualities that they appreciate (honor) in them.
Change OUT // Honoring Others 5 minutes
Consider who you can honor this week. Maybe it’s your parents or someone in authority over you. You might want to write them a letter—an actual handwritten letter—telling them the qualities which you appreciate in them and how they have positively impacted your life.
CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.