Connect Is there any particular area of your life in which you need to grow in holiness (with God’s help)?
Warm-Up
- What are the most common expectations of our culture when it comes to the use of our time?
- Have you ever considered the potential of your time to be holy? What does that mean in a nutshell?
Read Leviticus 23:1-14; and 25:1-12
- What are the various ways in which God has called his people to be holy so far in Leviticus?
- Who appointed the various festivals that are described in this chapter? Why are they ‘sacred’?
- As you scan across the various festivals and rhythms of time (here and in subsequent chapters), what are the various time intervals that they cover? In our culture, what shapes our calendar?
- Try naming and giving a brief description of all of the various festivals instituted by God.
- What numerical pattern repeats through these instructions? What is the point of this?
- How costly would it have been for most people in the ancient world to have a day of rest? Are we commanded in the same way to observe a Sabbath? How is a day of rest helpful as disciples?
- The festivals helped make ‘holy time’ in numerous ways. Using the Sabbath as an example, how did it help people remember who God is, recognise who we are, express the concerns of God, live in dependence on him, tell others of the way to Salvation, and look forward to our ultimate rest? (Work through each aspect.)
- Are there rhythms in your life that help you to remember any of the aspects listed above?
- Are there any rhythms in your life that you would like to add or reshape to set them apart more?
(Try to think about the ordinary and common rhythms of life that could be reshaped as holy.) - How did some of these festivals (or decrees) prepare them for what lay ahead?
- What was the ‘Year of Sabbath’ and ‘Year of Jubilee’? What role did they play in their society?
Read Mark 2:23-28
- What was the concern of the Pharisees? On what grounds does Jesus invalidate their claims?
- What is the significance of Jesus’ claim to be “Lord of the Sabbath”. If Jesus’ authority extends even over time, who then are we accountable to for how we use our time? How is that expressed in your life?
- If Jesus has authority over time, has redeemed all time, and will fulfill all time, why is it so good for us to entrust our time to him? Is there any aspect of time that you struggle to entrust to him?
Apply Is there currently any aspect of your use of your time that could be set apart (through addition, subtraction, or reshaping) for the Lord’s purposes — as holy?
