lesson 3: leviticus

LESSON 3 (Leviticus) – FLC SMALL GROUP
May 19-25

GATHER (5 min)
Thank everyone for coming.  Introduce any new people that may be joining for the first time.

CHECK-IN (10 min)
Go around the room and invite participants share a high and/or low this week in their family. 
  
READ SCRIPTURE (5 min)
Ask two volunteers to read aloud the following scriptures:

Have Volunteer 1 read the following:
Pr. Craig says: Here's where our reading and preaching through the Bible gets difficult...Leviticus.  Leviticus is full of rules and laws, some outdated and antiquated such as what length to cut your beard and how high to build your fence.  Other sections still speak to us today such as the holiness code which is meant to help people in all arenas of life: economic, social, sexual, and familial. 

Leviticus 19:1-4, 32-37
19 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.  3 “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.  4 “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.
32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. 33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.  35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
37 “‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Have Volunteer 2 read the following:

Pr. Craig says: The Bible is full of both law and gospel.  The law not only is helpful in helping us set up a civil society where we look after one another's needs out of care and love, but the law also is held up to our lives as a mirror to see where we all spiritually fall short and our need of God's love, forgiveness, and restoration that God ultimately gives us in the gospel of Christ.  We hear the gospel in the blessing from Numbers all too familiar to First Lutheran: The Lord The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
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Numbers 6:22-27
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’
27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
 
OPTIONAL: WATCH SERMON ON YOUTUBE OR LISTEN TO SERMON PODCAST (12 min)
You may want to watch the previous week’s sermon together on the YouTube app of your TV or listen to the brand new audio podcast on your phone available on FLC’s website.

REFLECT ON THE PREVIOUS WEEK (30-45 min)
Have a conversation with your group about what you just read, anything from the past week’s sermon that grabbed any group members’ attention, or about anything from the week’s reading.  Questions to consider…

1. What was new or compelling to you?
2. What questions do you have?
3. Was there anything that bothered you?
4. What did you learn about loving God?
5. What did you learn about loving others?
   
   

OPTIONAL: WATCH DVD previewing next week “Numbers” (12 min)
To get the most out of next week’s sermon and discussion, and for those who chose to do the nightly reading for the coming week, you may watch the video of Bible teacher John Walton explaining the themes and relevance of Numbers.

CLOSE (5 min)
Thank your participants for coming.  Remind them of the next meeting time and discuss any details that need planning.