Group leader’s guide

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Rooting Path · How to Read the Bible · Lesson 4: Reading Stories and Law

This lesson in one sentence: Being recorded is not being approved; when reading the law, look for the principle behind it—love for God and neighbor.

Timing (about 60 minutes)

Opening5 min
Read Together10 min
Practice Together15 min
Discussion20 min
This Week5 min
Pray for One Another5 min

Opening

Among the Bible stories you heard as a child, is there one you always thought was a ‘good example’?

Read Together

¹There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. ²He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May the LORD bless my son!” ³He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” ⁴When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah. ⁵The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. ⁶In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judg 17:1–6 · WEB

⁸When you build a new house, then you shall make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.
Deut 22:8 · WEB

³⁷Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Matt 22:37–40 · WEB

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Rom 15:4 · WEB

Practice Together

Read Deut 22:1–4 together as a group and do the two steps: why was it given then? What unchanging principle lies behind it? Then ask everyone to give one example from today.

Discussion

“Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg 17:6)—where do we see people ‘doing what is right in their own eyes’ today? Start with yourself.
When reading Old Testament stories, have you ever taken a ‘record’ for a ‘role model’?
“The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matt 22:40)—take a law you find strange: how might it be about loving God and loving others?

This Week

This week read Judges 17 and 18 and find the writer’s verdict—hint: watch for words like ‘In those days there was no king in Israel’.

Each person names when they will read Judges 17 and 18 this week; next time, bring the writer’s verdict you found.

Closing

Each take a minute of silence to hand over to God one place where you ‘do what is right in your own eyes’; the leader closes in prayer.

Tips for the leader

Which Old Testament laws are still kept literally today (such as food laws or festivals) is understood differently by different churches; don’t debate it in the group; as the lesson says, ask your own church.
When discussing ‘everyone did what was right in his own eyes’, talk only about yourself; don’t name any person or church.

General principles for leaders

The leader is not a teacher but someone who walks alongside everyone.
Give everyone a chance to speak; with someone who talks a lot, you can gently say, ‘Let’s also hear from friends who haven’t spoken yet.’
Don’t rush to give answers. If someone is silent, wait a few more seconds.
For a question you can’t answer, you can say, ‘I don’t know either; let’s look it up together,’ and note it down for next time.
What is said in the group stays in the group.
At the opening, the leader can give their own answer first, showing that it can be simple and honest.

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