If I Could Tell You One Thing...Family (Deuteronomy 6)

These were group-time lessons used for Cornerstone's Family Camp. The room was split into three groups. The speaker introduced the topic (Key Idea) the led the groups through a series of questions and then had them brainstorm actions. Each topic took 20 minutes.

Key Idea
The family is God’s means of producing servants.

Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. – Deut. 6:3

God wants serving families more than he wants successful families. Well-educated but spiritually bankrupt describes much of our generation. Why? Because we have become convinced that families should produce superstars rather than servants. We have become convinced that a career is more important that character.

But we do not have the ability to make our children successful. We do not have the ability to make our children joyful. Those are in God’s control, not ours. And in these verses. In Deuteronomy 6, we see how intimately God tie together our spiritual walk with our family’s walk. Verses 4 and 5 are famous (and rightly so) as the Great Commandment. But verse 6 says: “Impress them on your children”

Questions
Why was this experience different for Israel from what happened in the past?

What is it about seasons of hardship (such as Israel’s slavery) that makes it hard to remember God? What is it about seasons of blessing (such as the promised land) that makes it hard to remember God? Write out 3 reasons each. Why is the transition between hardship and blessing critical?

Application
Find God’s advice for families in this chapter and paraphrase them as actions for today’s family.