Joshua 4:1-7—Remembering God’s Acts 

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Response

Consider these questions:

• Can you recall other times when God gave people physical reminders of God’s presence and acts?
• How have you, or how might you, use physical objects in your home or sanctuary to remind people of God’s work in your life?
• In what other ways do you, or does your church, help future generations remember the work of God?
• How does telling God’s story to younger generations strengthen your own faith formation?

Psalm 103—Remembering God’s Goodness

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. . . . 

Response

Consider these questions:

• Read all of Psalm 103—a song of remembrance. What words or phrases particularly strike you? Why?
• What helps you remember the goodness of God?
• If someone asked you to tell them about “all [God’s] benefits” in your life, which benefits would you remember? What stands out in your past and in your family history?
• Recall or tell about a time when God “crown[ed] you with love and compassion” or “satisfie[d] your desires with good things.”

Luke 22:14-20—Remembering Jesus’s Sacrifice

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Response

Consider these questions:

• What do you think the disciples would have remembered most about that Passover meal?
• What might help you remember the great depths of Jesus’ sacrifice when you come to the Lord’s table? 
• What might also help you remember the great joy of the resurrection when you celebrate communion (the Lord’s Supper)?
• In what ways might you remember Jesus’ sacrifice even when you’re not gathered with other believers?

Hebrews 11—Remembering Those Who Have Gone before Us

Read Hebrews 11:1-12:2.

Response

Consider these questions:

• What do the actions of the people mentioned—such as like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses—have in common? What does it mean to act “by faith”?
• Do you have family “faith stories” that you tell about your parents or other ancestors? If so, what are they? How do you share them with younger generations?
• Who do you consider to be part of your “great cloud of witnesses,” as Hebrews 12 says? Consider making a list of all the people who have contributed to your faith formation.
• What are some of the things you have done “by faith”? Have you told those stories to anyone? How might you do that?