Joshua

Can you rest in the assurance of God’s past faithfulness to trust that He will fulfill His promises in your future?

We have been saved by the grace of Christ and given new life in Him. Sometimes life seems unbearably hard, yet we have an unfading hope in Christ that strengthens us in the midst of it all. Peter wrote this letter to the exiled first-century church encouraging them to remember what Christ had done for them, and reminding them of their position in Christ.

[quote]Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, keep his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.
– Joshua 22:5
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Life Group Questions

[expand title=”Be Strong and Courageous”]
05.July.2020
Joshua 1-2

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Begin with prayer. Ask God for His wisdom as you study His Word together. After you pray, have someone read Joshua 1-2 out loud.
  • What is the backstory/context for the book of Joshua? See Genesis 12, Genesis 15, and Numbers 13-14 for reference.
  • With your group, make a list of 5-10 promises of God found in the Bible. Which ones mean the most to you? Which ones are difficult to believe?
  • Describe your “SHAPE.” What are the unique spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences that you possess? Tell the other people in your Life Group some of the unique “SHAPE” elements you see them.
  • Do you filter your life (your thinking, speech, worldview, etc.) through the wisdom of God’s Word? Do you have a plan to do this? What changes can you consider this week? Be specific.

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[expand title=”Absolute Reference Point”]
12.July.2020
Joshua 3-4

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Begin with prayer. Ask God for His wisdom as you study His Word together. After you pray, read Joshua 3:1-6, Joshua 3:9-13, Joshua 4:4-7, Joshua 4:20-24 out loud.
  • Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, the ark of the Lord’s covenant went ahead of them. In what specific areas of your life does the Lord need to go ahead of you? What are some ways to put this into practice?
  • God’s faithfulness in bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land is highlighted in these two chapters of Joshua (3&4). What are some ways the Lord has been faithful to you over the past 4 months? How can we seek the moments of God’s faithfulness when our world seems to be running amuck?
  • God brings His people out of a place of spiritual wilderness and into a land of rest. Is the Lord doing that for you at the moment? How can you find spiritual rest during this season of life?
  • The memorial stones set up by the Israelites were intended to share the story of God’s faithfulness with the children of Israel. What are some of the ideologies that are competing with the hearts of the younger generation today? How can we as Christ followers share the Gospel and the Lord’s faithfulness to our “youngers” in an effective way? Note: “Youngers” here refer to youth and GenZ.
  • The “3 W’s” of building a framework to process events in life are: 1) The What 2) The Worldview and 3) The Why. How can you use these “3 W’s” to process and understand the varying hot button issues that are at the forefront of our world today?

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[expand title=”Gospel Assurance and Faithful Obedience”]
19.July.2020
Joshua 5-6

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Begin with prayer. Ask God for His wisdom as you study His Word together. After you pray, read Joshua 6:1-5, Joshua 2:8-11, Matthew 28:18-20 and Hebrews 11:30 out loud.
  • What situations in your life do you wish you had assurance of the outcome, but don’t? What does this do to your spiritual life? How can you trust in God’s sovereignty in the midst of uncertain times?
  • Who in your life was faithful in sharing the Gospel with you? Do they know that you are a follower of Jesus? Consider how you may encourage that person this week and thank them for their faithfulness to God in sharing the Gospel with you.
  • What specific passages of Scripture give you confidence as a Christian? Where do you go in the Bible to be reminded of who God is and who you are in Him? Take time to share these passages with one another during your life group.
  • What does faithful obedience to God look like for you right now? Pray for your desire to follow Jesus and obey him in faith this week.

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[expand title=”(un)faithful”]
26.July.2020
Joshua 7-8

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Begin with prayer and then read Joshua 7 out loud. Summarize the story of Achan. What can be learned about the nature and character of God from this story? What can be learned about the nature and character of humans?
  • Israel loses the battle to Ai, and Joshua is devastated. Give an example of a loss you’ve experienced that caused you to question God’s plan.
  • Have you ever done the wrong thing and then been caught red-handed? How did you respond? What is your reaction to seeing Achan punished so severely for his sin?
  • Do you have difficulty believing God’s grace overflows enough to cover your most blatant sin? Take some time to pray thankfully for God’s abundant saving grace in our lives.

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[expand title=”When the Wrong Looks Right”]
2.August.2020
Joshua 9

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Take a few moments to read and summarize the story of Joshua 9. What questions does this story raise about the character and nature of God?
  • Joshua 9:14 says that Joshua “did not seek the Lord’s decision” regarding the Gibeonites. Describe the process you use to make decisions in your life. How do you make sure God’s wisdom is primary in your decision making process?
  • Joshua and the other leaders (unknowingly) disobeyed God, yet God used their disobedient choice to save the Gibeonites from certain death. Have you had an experience like this, where God used something sinful to bring glory to Himself? Consider also the wicked and unjust process Jesus endured, and how God used that to save the world.

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[expand title=”Battle, Victory, Rest”]
9.August.2020
Joshua 10-11

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • “What is something you are really into right now?” Take some time to pray to prepare for your discussion of Joshua 10:1-14, Joshua 10:42, Joshua 11:23, John 1:12, Matthew 11:28-30, and Hebrews 4:8-11.
  • Take time to reflect on some of the miraculous things God has done through the book of Joshua. Which one most encourages you? How does knowing these truths impact our lives today as followers of Jesus?
  • In these chapters of Joshua, we see that God deals with evil, God gives generously, and God provides rest. Which of these truths of God’s character is most impactful for you right now?
  • Take time to reflect on how we see the character of God revealed in Jesus Christ and what he accomplished for us in the Gospel. Take time to give thanks to God and pray for one another in your life group.

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[expand title=”Three New Perspectives on Time”]
16.August.2020
Joshua 13-19

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • “How is your faith being stretched during this season?” Take some time to pray to prepare for your discussion of Joshua 13-19.
  • Are there parts of the Bible that seem tedious to you? How do you approach these sections? Do you have a plan that allows you to read passages in the Bible even when you’re not sure what they mean or how they apply?
  • How are older people viewed in our culture? How is this different from how the Bible talks about people who are advanced in age, as Joshua was? What are some specific ways that you can show honor and respect to people who are older than you this week?
  • What are the consequences of a culture where each person does whatever seems right to them? How should Christians think and live differently?
  • What’s your own personal vision for how you will spend your retirement years? Take some time to dream about how you can use the later years of your lives to help others hear about Jesus.

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[expand title=”Refuge and Redemption”]
23.August.2020
Joshua 20

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • What got you into the most trouble when you were a kid? Be sure to allow everyone to share, then take some time to pray to prepare for your discussion of Joshua 20. Additional scripture to read John 8:36, John 14:6, John 7:37.
  • On your worst day, how do you think God feels about you? Why?
  • How does our perception of how God views us impact our lives? Why do you think it is difficult for us to be vulnerable and admit we struggle with holding an accurate view of God and His grace?
  • What impact does the finished work of Jesus on the cross have on our sin, our guilt, and our shame?
  • My life has extreme value in the eyes of God. How can I remember that?
  • How can I go directly to God as my refuge this week?

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[expand title=”Faithful Promises Fulfilled”]
30.August.2020
Joshua 21-22

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?” “What is the 1 thing you miss most from life before the pandemic?” Take some time to pray to prepare for your discussion of Joshua 21-22. Additional scripture to read Joshua 1:2-3 & 5, Joshua 21:43-45, Hebrews 4:8, Galatians 3:7-9, Genesis 12:1-3.
  • What are the most important promises and commitments in your life right now; how have they shaped the expectations you have for others and the expectations they have for you?
  • Read Genesis 12:1-3 & Joshua 21:43-45. What did God promise to Abram/Abraham and how was this (at least partially) fulfilled in Joshua’s time?
  • Since promises are only as good as the one who makes them, what attributes of God make His promises both reliable and relevant to our lives?
  • Read Galatians 3:7-9. How is it that present day Christians are included in God’s ancient promises made to Abraham?
  • In our present cultural moment, what promises from scripture can help sustain us in the midst of these hard times? Be specific.

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[expand title=”Do or Die”]
06.September.2020
Joshua 23-24

Conversation with your Life Group:

  • Take some time in prayer to prepare for your discussion of Joshua 23-24.
  • What are a few ways the Lord has shown Himself faithful to you and your family recently?
  • What idols do your routinely run to and when does it usually happen?
  • What are some practical ways you cling closer to Christ?

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