Pew2U
Life Lessons from the Desert Wanderings
Aaron Schlueter
March 19, 2017
Highlights:
1. God instituted sacrifices, offerings and festivals to remind Israel, in every aspect of life, that they are connected to God.
2. Observations from Deuteronomy 4
God is Near
God is Speaking
God is Working
God is Merciful
3. The miraculous heart changing power of God does not need a process to change us, but His connection to our humanity gently molds us into His image.
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you practice in your life that acts as a reminder of your constant connectedness to God like the sacrifices, offerings and festivals that Israel practiced?
2. Phillip Brooks said “Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.” What about your character is God revealing to you through what you are going through now?
3. Aaron asked four reflective questions to close his message. Discuss these together.
God is near, are you near to Him?
God is speaking, are you listening?
God is working, are you cooperating?
God is merciful, are you receiving?
Key Scriptures and Quotes:
“The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed and the Old Testament is in the New Tetament revealed.”
-What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:7 NIV
-Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
Deuteronomy 4:12 NIV
-But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
Deuteronomy 4:20 NIV
-When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:30-31 NIV
Near: H7138 means nearnin place, kindred or time