8: Covenant at Sinai — Teaching Plan
Key Thought : By leading Israel out of Egypt, God desired to bring them to Himself. God then gavce them the Decalogue to teach them to fear Him. There are different functions to God’s law.
August 23, 2025
1. Have a volunteer read Exodus 19:1-8.
- Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
- What did God promise them at the base of Mt Sinai?
- Personal Application: Imagine being God’s special treasure. What privileges would that encompass? What responsibilities would you have? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How does God’s word here apply to the Jews today? Is this still relevant, or does it apply to Christians today? Is there anything in the New Testament that refers to Christians as priests and a holy nation? How are we supposed to be holy and priests?” How would you respond to your relative?
(Note: I Peter 2:9, 10. The priests entered the Holy Place daily to minister. There was the Table of Shewbread, the altar of incense, and the golden candlestick. The bread is the word. (John 6) Bible study. The incense was prayer. And the candlestick is the Holy Spirit given to us to witness and shed God’s light through us. So, Bible study, prayer, and witness are our duties as priests of God.)
2. Have a volunteer read Exodus 20:1-17.
- Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- How did God prepare Israel to receive the Ten Commandments?
- Personal Application: How successful have you been in your efforts to keep God’s law? What does this tell us about our need for the gospel? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your friends states, “How come you say the ten commandments are a transcript of God’s character? What does it mean that they are an expression of God’s love? I thought the law was against us.” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read James 1:23-25.
- Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- What is James saying here? How do these words help us realise the foundation and importance of the law, even though it can’t save us?
- Personal Application: Where is a sense of reverence and awe in our church life before God? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your neighbours states: “How do we respond to those who say that after Jesus died on the cross, the law was done away with? What are they saying has been done away with?” How would you respond to your neighbour?
4. Have a volunteer read Romans 3:20-24.
- Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- Since we can’t be saved by keeping the commandments, how should the commandments function in our lives?
- Personal Application: What God commands me to do, He enables us to do. He works in us to will and to do His good pleasure. I delight to do you will, Oh my God, your law is within my heart, How do we put these two into practice?? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared. ”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
