The Journey Home: Psalm 84

Study Guide for Week of July 25th 

This Week Reading: Psalm 84

Crossroads Community Group Guide:
A. Welcome: Welcome everyone especially new persons and read out loud the purpose of your group
B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use The Way  (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Announcements

1. Weekly Resources on Crossroads Facebook Page    

        Monday: Listening Room Resources for the week

        Children's resource each week  

2. Daily Devotional Video: The Encouraging Word with Pastor Willie

3. Announcements and Events:  Crossroads Web Site

4. Watch the Sunday service here Sunday 11:45am

E. Review   

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

F. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): Why is walking in God's vision for your life important?

G. Read Background Information: 

Psalm 84 was a song that was used by the people of Israel during their worship services in the temple. It was probably sung with the music of a gittith which is believed to be a type of instrument about which not much is known. It is mentioned in psalms 8,81 and 84. Psalm 84 was written for the director of music at the temple. It was written by the sons of Korah who were in charge of the temple. 

The purpose of singing is for us to worship God and also to learn about God. The words teach us and guide us. The word Selah that is used in this Psalm was a musical term that indicates a pause. This makes it easy to divide the psalm into portions. The key focus of psalm 84 is the journey to God or the journey to God's presence. The world is depicted as a dry place. The valley of Baca is in the southern part of Israel and was a dry desert place. The Psalm depicts a journey toward God through a dry and broken world.

Warren Wiersbe said, "the valley of Baca is any difficult and painful place in life, where everything seems hopeless and you feel helpless 

This Psalm or song is about our journey through life to one day meet God. We can all relate to this journey and especially our desire to be with the Lord and how in this world we walk through many dry times.

It is expressing our deep desire to go home.

Verse Outline: Some key Points to discuss 

1.  Verses 1-4: The beauty and satisfaction that comes from dwelling with God

2. Verses 5-8: The journey (pilgrimage) we have to God through this dry broken world.

3. Verse 9-12: Trusting in God as we walk towards him 

      

     II.    H. Word: - Read Psalm 84 and then break it down into smaller portions to read. Read it in portions aloud together several times. (Goal is that everyone understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words - keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?
2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.
3. What are the details?
4. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

I. Discuss the following general questions together (Goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion - the leader should not speak more than 30% of the time - let the group discover what God is saying to them).
1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?
3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?
4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

 
J. Commitment - Obedience - Application  (This is the key - have everyone answer this question): 
1. What in specific will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 

K. Prayer Time:                
1. Pray for an empty chair representing new people who you want to join your group. Name names of people specifically. 

2. Pray for your group to multiply.               
3. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. It is best to divide into 2 groups one of male and the other female.

L. For Next time:                
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.