Nehemiah 9:38-10:39

1. Read Nehemiah 9:38-10:27. The covenant renewal is sealed by 84 people, in four different groups. According to the text, what are those four groups of people? Why do you think it was important to have representatives from those four groups publicly recommit to God?
2. The people renew their covenant with God as an active act of obedience and repentance. What do you think it means to repent of sin? For help, read Luke 15:1-32 or Acts 3:17-26.
3. Even if it wasn't a formal public recommitment, has there ever been a time in your life when you recommitted to obeying God and His Word? Maybe this came after a season of sin or faithlessness. If this hasn't been a part of your story, what has it looked like to regularly contess and repent of sin in your life?
4. Read Nehemiah 10:28-39 and Nehemiah 9:26 and 29. From these verses, what do you see the people recommitting to in Nehemiah 10:28-29? What is the connection between returning to God's Word and returning to God Himself? Discuss. What would it look like if churches and individuals regularly recommitted to this today?
5. Notice the communal language throughout this passage. We. Us. Our. This was a communal commitment, not an individual one. What about us? What do you think about the idea of belonging to and participating in covenant community? What does that mean? What does that look like in your life to be a covenant member of a church?
6. In closing, are there any areas of your life right now where you may be living contrary to God's Word? Be honest. If you haven't already, are there any people from your church you can or should confess that to? What would it look like to pursue obedience to God's Word with other people, not just by yourself? Consider reaching out to some of those people this week.