Icebreaker: This week was our five year anniversary celebration.  Perhaps you could begin the discussion by asking how long each person has been at the Vineyard, and what has been the most memorable worship experience they’ve had in our church.

===================

God repeatedly tells his people to look back, remember the mighty works of God, and to celebrate what he has done.

1. Share a story from your past when you know God did a great work in your life.
2. How does looking back change the way things look as you move forward?

Read and discuss Joshua 4:1-9
When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

1. Do you suppose that if you saw something as incredible as the parting of the Jordan river, that you would ever forget or doubt God’s power to save?
2. Why did God lead the people of Israel to set up this “altar of remembrance?”
3. Do you have any “altars of remembrance” (i.e., a visible reminder of what God has done) in your life?  If so, tell us about it.  If not, think back to the story you shared earlier: how might you set up a visible reminder of God’s grace to you? Discuss.

At our church we take time to remember every week, by partaking in communion. We look back to the cross as we move forward with Jesus.  The cross is the ultimate “altar of remembrance.”

1. Take some time to pray together and thank God for all of the testimonies that have been shared in the meeting.
2. Spend time in prayer looking back to the cross and worshiping God for making the ultimate sacrifice, and rescuing us.