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Page 1: BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE 19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW MAYNE ...gatewaybaptist.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/19-02-2017-AM... · BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE 19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW

BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW MAYNE

Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the

Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, “What do

these stones mean?” tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the

covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These

stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4: 5-7

The Power of Remembrance:

• We are reminded of our place in a larger story. ° It is so easy to be consumed by this moment, and not see the bigger

picture of what God is doing and has already done. ° By looking backwards, we are reminded of the larger narrative of

God’s redemptive work of which we are the beneficiaries.

• We are reminded of who deserves the glory. ° Human nature seems to be quick to take credit and quick to attribute

blame. ° It’s easy to inherit a sense of entitlement when we haven’t experienced

the grace of seeing God bring something from nothing. ° When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers,

to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 6: 10-12

• Faith is built on God’s past faithfulness ° As Israel stepped into their future, they were reminded of their past

where God had already proved faithful in parting seas (Exodus 14), providing for their needs (Exodus 16) and defeating the enemies (Exodus 17).

What are your ‘stones’ and how do they remind you of God’s faithfulness?

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS

1. Remembrance is a powerful discipline! When you think of important events in our community (e.g ANZAC DAY), why are they important for us today to still observe?

2. What is one significant event in your past that has positively shaped the person you are today?

3. Read Deuteronomy 6: 10-12. What is the danger for the Israelites as they inherit the promised land? Why is it so easy for us to forget our need for God when times are good? What does this say about the nature of our relationship with Him (i.e. is it based on our needs being met, or is it based on who He is?)

4. How can reflecting on God’s faithfulness in the past help us in the midst of our current circumstances?

5. The pile of rocks the Israelistes set up spoke to the way God moved powerfully not just in them individually but in them as a community. What are some ways you have seen God move in your community (life group, church etc.)

6. In your life, what are some of the piles of rocks you need to return to regularly to remind you of God’s power and faithfulness?

Page 2: BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE 19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW MAYNE ...gatewaybaptist.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/19-02-2017-AM... · BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE 19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW

BE BOLD - BOLD REMEMBRANCE19 FEBRUARY 2017 -ANDREW MAYNE

Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the

Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, “What do

these stones mean?” tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the

covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These

stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4: 5-7

The Power of Remembrance:

• We are reminded of our place in a larger story. ° It is so easy to be consumed by this moment, and not see the bigger

picture of what God is doing and has already done. ° By looking backwards, we are reminded of the larger narrative of

God’s redemptive work of which we are the beneficiaries.

• We are reminded of who deserves the glory. ° Human nature seems to be quick to take credit and quick to attribute

blame. ° It’s easy to inherit a sense of entitlement when we haven’t experienced

the grace of seeing God bring something from nothing. ° When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers,

to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 6: 10-12

• Faith is built on God’s past faithfulness ° As Israel stepped into their future, they were reminded of their past

where God had already proved faithful in parting seas (Exodus 14), providing for their needs (Exodus 16) and defeating the enemies (Exodus 17).

What are your ‘stones’ and how do they remind you of God’s faithfulness?

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS

1. Remembrance is a powerful discipline! When you think of important events in our community (e.g ANZAC DAY), why are they important for us today to still observe?

2. What is one significant event in your past that has positively shaped the person you are today?

3. Read Deuteronomy 6: 10-12. What is the danger for the Israelites as they inherit the promised land? Why is it so easy for us to forget our need for God when times are good? What does this say about the nature of our relationship with Him (i.e. is it based on our needs being met, or is it based on who He is?)

4. How can reflecting on God’s faithfulness in the past help us in the midst of our current circumstances?

5. The pile of rocks the Israelistes set up spoke to the way God moved powerfully not just in them individually but in them as a community. What are some ways you have seen God move in your community (life group, church etc.)

6. In your life, what are some of the piles of rocks you need to return to regularly to remind you of God’s power and faithfulness?