Read Psalm 100
What was the happiest day of your life?
While in the country of Israel, our Jewish guide, Sholomo
(Hebrew for Solomon), explained to us
that in the Jewish wedding ceremony, the groom steps on a wine glass and
smashes it with his right foot. The
reason this is done at this time is to remember, that on the happiest day of
your life – to remember the mourning the Jewish person has in their heart for
the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The point is that there is a tradition carried
out for the purpose of remembering. A
study of the Bible reveals that we, as human beings, tend to forget – even the
most important things.
1.
Read
Deuteronomy 8:1-5. What were the children of Israel to remember
and for what purpose?
2.
Read Deuteronomy 8:6-18. What cautions are we given and what does this
passage reveal about human nature? What
does this passage reveal about the character of God?
3.
Re-read Psalm 100. Why do we need to remember to do these
things?
4.
What does it feel like when you are “taken for
granted”? How do you think God feels
when we take Him for granted?
5.
What causes you to sing with Joy to the
Lord?
6.
What is the correlation between a thankful heart
and joy?
7.
In what
tangible ways do you acknowledge that the Lord is God in your life? How does acting in obedience to God’s Word
acknowledge that the Lord is God? What
does disobedience (knowing the right thing to do, yet consistently ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudges)
acknowledge?
8.
What does it mean to you to read in this Psalm
that “He made us, and we are His?”
9.
We are exhorted here, not only to be thankful
but to enter His courts with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Commentator Matthew Henry tells us, “In all
acts of religious worship, whether in secret or in our families, we come into
God’s presence, and serve Him; but it is
in public worship especially, that we enter into His gates and into His
courts”. What is the difference, in
your opinion, in private worship, and worship together with other believers in
church?
10.
What does Psalm 100:5 proclaim about God? What are some ways that you can help remind
yourself or remind each other in this group about God’s goodness and
faithfulness?
11.
What are some ways to communicate God’s goodness
and faithfulness to the next generation?
