This series is taken from Burning Heart who are an organisation who are passionate about equipping churches with high quality, professionally produced and theologically rich teaching films and series.  The Director is David Ingall who was the Rector of Holy Sepulchre London, an HTB Network church plant in the City of London.  For more information visit their website https://www.burningheart.org

In this session we’ll look at the details of Deuteronomy, with individual laws from chapters 12-26. We’ll explore how we as Christians should understand and apply them to our lives. Start the session by opening in prayer and/or worship.

Watch the Video

David visits the statue of an ancient king, samples some classic British food and reflects on his schooldays, as he looks at the details of Deuteronomy and tries to work out how we can apply them today.

From the Bible

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. ² This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for cancelling debts has been proclaimed. ³ You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. ⁴ However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, ⁵ if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. ⁶ For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

⁷ If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land

Deuteronomy 15: 1-11

Discussion Points

• Has today’s film helped you to understand the Old Testament Law any better? Do you feel more confident about reading it?
• Read Deuteronomy 15v1-11.
  • Why are these laws here? What is their purpose?
  • What do they show us about God, and what it means to be his people?
  • In light of that, how do these laws apply to you?
  • Has working through this passage made you any more confident about reading passages in the Old Testament Law?
• If you have time, read Deuteronomy 19v1-14, asking the same questions.
• If you still have time, read Deuteronomy 24v6-7, asking the same questions.

Prayer Points

• Pray together as a group, asking God to meet with each of you when you read the Old Testament law and reveal himself and his ways to you.
• Take some time in silence to meditate and reflect on the things you have looked at in this session. Ask that God would meet and speak to you in the silence.
• Pray into the specific things you discussed about your lives as you studied the passages in Deuteronomy in the discussion time.
• Pray for each other as you would normally at the end of a session.