By Leigh Mackenzie
1. Who are you thankful for in your life?
2. What challenges did you face last week?
• With whom did you share the message of God’s love for us last week? How did that go?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to each read Joshua 1 (preferably from different Bible versions). Then ask the third person to retell the story from this chapter as if telling it to a small group at a middle school camp.
3. How would you describe the general mood of this passage? Why?
• What is the attitude of each speaker in this passage: God, Joshua, and the people?
4. Let’s dig deeper into some of the specifics.
• What promises from God do you see?
• What commands from God do you see?
• How would you characterize Joshua’s leadership?
5. What do you learn about God in this passage?
6. What do you learn about people when they are at their best?
• What do people most need when facing great challenges?
7. What does this passage teach you about biblical lines of authority?
• In what specific way will you seek to obey God and the leaders he has put in place this week?
8. Who will you seek to encourage this week?
9. Based on this passage and our discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What do you need strength and courage to face this week?
For next week: Sometime over the next week, read and reflect on Joshua 3:7-17, 21:43-45, and 23:1-5 as we continue studying Joshua and the theme, “Strong and Courageous.” You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
