Wax poured through a keyhole, a horoscope, knocking on unpainted wood, harmless fun, or something that really shapes your spiritual life? This sermon turns to Deuteronomy 18, where God warns His people on the threshold of the promised land against a spirituality that promises glimpses of the future and control over fate. The speaker shows that not every spirituality builds a healthy life, explains how to test whether someone truly speaks in God’s name, and why we are not meant to navigate this ocean alone. Listen if you want to know what it means to be spiritual: responsible, discerning and dependent on God.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Deuteronomy 18:9-14 Moses lists the practices of the nations of Canaan. Why might these have seemed harmless or even attractive to the Israelites just before entering the promised land?
- At Mount Horeb the Israelites were so afraid of God that they asked for a mediator. What does the promise of a prophet like Moses tell us, and how is it fulfilled in Jesus?
- The sermon points to fortune telling customs, knocking on unpainted wood and horoscopes as modern versions of ancient practices. Which superstitions or customs around you might be robbing you of trust in God?
- The speaker stresses that spiritual life rests on a relationship with God, not on charms, rituals or extraordinary experiences. What practically distinguishes one from the other?
- According to the sermon, what are some ways to test the words of someone who claims to speak for God, and how do you apply this to your own conviction that something comes from God?
- Spiritual life happens in community, not outside it. Who in your church could you talk with this week about a decision or practice you have doubts about?
