Session 8: Exodus 3

Session 8: Exodus 3

Summarize:

1. Moses is tending his father-in-law’s flocks when God reveals Himself to Moses(1-6)

(See Theophany)

1. Moses is faithfully attending to His responsibilities(1)
2. God reveals something extraordinary in the ordinary(2)
3. Moses stops and takes the time to pursue God’s revelation(3)
4. God calls to Moses and reveals who He is(4-6)

2. God appoints Moses as His prophet(7-12)

1. God tells Moses He has seen and heard the suffering of His people and will rescue them(7-9)
2. God commissions Moses to speak on His behalf and promises His presence to Moses(10-12)

3. God reveals His plan to Moses(13-22)

1. Moses expresses his fear about his authority(13)
2. God confers His authority by giving Moses His name(14-15)
3. God tells Moses exactly what to do and what will happen(16-22)

Analyze:

1. What was Moses doing when God revealed Himself to Moses? (1-6)

Read Deuteronomy 5:32-33, 11:13, 1 Samuel 12:24

1. People often ask, “What is God’s will for me?” But while asking that question are immobilized and miss out on living out what God has already commanded them to do.  What do these passages tell us about how we are to live while seeking God’s will? How do these passages affect your understanding of who makes the decisions in your life?
2. How does the way you “seek God’s will” clash with these passages?

People often forget that God is our master and when we “seek God’s will” we aren’t so much seeking God’s will as much as we are seeking God’s approval and confirmation for what we want to do.

3. What extraordinary sight caused Moses to turn aside and investigate?

Read Psalms 139:1-7, Hebrews 12:1-3

4. When God reveals Himself to you what busyness or distractions keep you from turning aside to investigate?
5. How did Moses respond to God calling out to Him? What are some things in your life that would keep you from responding to God calling to you? (Ezra 9:6, 1 Jn 1:9, 2 Cor 10:4-5, Heb 10:22)

God tells Moses he is standing on holy ground, however, it’s not the ground itself that was holy.  The presence of God is what made the ground Moses was standing on holy. In the presence of God His holiness exposes our sin and we may be tempted to run in shame like Adam  and Eve in the garden.  But when we come before God with humility we receive the same grace God showed in the garden as He covers and removes our guilt and shame with the blood of His Son Jesus.

2. Why does God say He is going to rescue His people?(7-12) (Genesis 15:13-16)

1. How does Exodus 3 and Gen 15 help you understand the Sovereignty of God? (sovereignty=absolute power and authority)
2. What reason did God give for placing the Israelites in Egypt?(Gen 15)  What does this teach you about God’s patience and grace? (2 Peter 3:9, Rom 9:22-24)
3. What do you learn about prayer and God hearing the cries of His people?(Ps 66:17-20, Pr 15:29, 1 Pet 5:7)
4. Why has God called Moses?(10)  How does Moses respond to God’s call? How does God reply? (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
5. What do the above passages tell us about what God has called us to do? What are some of the excuses or fears we express about obeying God? How do Matt 28 and Acts 1 tell you how God responds to our fears?

God calls Moses to be His prophet. A prophet is simply a messenger or the way God says it in Exodus 4, a mouthpiece.  Just like Moses, Christ followers are the mouthpieces of God and called to speak the words God has given us in Jesus Christ.  The good news of rescue and salvation that come to all that call on the name of the Lord.  This gives us a new understanding of what Joel, the mouthpiece of God says, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions”(Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17)

3. Why was it important to Moses to know the name of God? (13-22)

The Israelites have been living in Egypt, a land with many gods, for over 400 years! In many ways parts of their cultural identity had become diminished and even lost as they integrated into Egyptian society.  The Israelites needed to be reminded of who THE GOD of their fathers was and the covenant He’d made to the Patriarchs. All knowledge of God is knowledge that God has chosen to disclose so revealing His Name is a personal revelation of who God is.

1. How does God’s response qualify or add to a person’s understanding of knowing God as the God of their fathers? How does God’s personal disclosure to Moses affect how you understand what You know about God?
2. How has God revealed Himself to You in His Word and how does that add to the testimonies you hear about other’s experience/relationship with God?  Are you dependent on other’s experience of God that you miss out on the opportunity to know God personally and intimately?
3. What does God tell Moses to say to the elders? (16-17)

Milk and honey were expensive and rare items.  In ancient cultures milk and honey were considered the food of the god’s.  When God tells the Israelites He will lead them into a land flowing with milk and honey God is communicating that He is leading them to a land fit for the gods.  However God prefaces this statement by telling the Israelites that the land He is leading them  to is filled with many great and hostile nations.

4. Why does God say he will perform many miracles in Egypt? God tells Moses how difficult things will be before they get to leave and plunder the Egyptians without raising a finger. However it doesn’t make walking through those hard times any easier, Moses still needed to walk in faith.

Read Matt 28:20, Jn 14:1-4,27; 2 Cor 4:17, 1 Pet 4:12-13, Lk 6:40

5. What are some hard things God tells us to prepare for and what are some of His promises?

Contextualize

1. God reveals Himself in ordinary things
2. God equips and empowers those He calls
3. God goes before His children and leads them on His path

Actualize:

Write down all the fears, doubts, and excuses you have for not being an intentional witness for Christ. Make another list of all the people you know that don’t know Christ.  Surrender both lists to God.  (Exercise suggestion: burn the list of excuses and keep the list of lost people somewhere you will see it everyday)

From Messed to Blessed: Genesis 27

From Messed to Blessed: Genesis 27

Summary:

1. Isaac wants to bless Esau before he dies
2. Rebekah plots with Jacob how to steal the blessing from Esau
3. Jacob tricks Isaac into giving the blessing to him instead of Esau
4. Isaac’s blessing to Jacob reiterates God’s covenant with Abraham
5. Esau is crushed by his brother’s betrayal and causes Jacob to flee for his life

Analyze:

1. Who did Isaac intend to bless?

1. Why does Rebekah plot with Jacob to steal Esau’s blessing? (Gen 25:22-28)

Read 1 Peter 3:15, Acts 24:16, Ephesians 4:14-15

2. Is it ok for Rebekah and Jacob to lie to Isaac if they are accomplishing God’s will?
3. What are some examples of ways people may justify sin to accomplish God’s will? What are some things you have said or done to justify sin you’ve committed?

2. How many times did Jacob have the opportunity to come clean with Isaac about not being Esau?(18-27)

1. Is Jacob absolved of wrong because he honored his mother by obeying her?

Read Jeremiah 31:30, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 14:12, Galatians 6:5-8

2. What do these passages tell us about accepting responsibility for our actions? What causes us to want to shift blame to others? How has this theme of shifting responsibility been shown in previous redemptive stories?

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13, James 1:12-15, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Hebrews 6:10-12

3. What do the above passages tell us about the purpose of the testing of our faith?  What is the key to passing the test?

Read 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24

4. What habits can we develop to help us persevere in the testing of our faith?  What are some preparations and resources God has given us to endure in faith?  
5. What does perseverance in faith look like in your life? How does 1 Thessalonians give you confidence that you will persevere in faith?

3. What similarities do you find between Isaac’s blessing to Jacob and God’s covenant with Abraham?(Gen 12:1-3)

A common theme in the story of redemption is that God blesses and uses evil people that don’t deserve His blessing. Jacob is pictured as both a thief and a liar, yet God chooses to bestow blessing on Him. (Read Romans 9:10-15)

1. How does the display of God’s compassion on undeserving people shape your understanding of grace?

The covenant God makes with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob contains both a blessing and a responsibility.  This paradox of grace is a common theme found throughout scripture including in the garden.  God made man in His image and likeness but also gave him responsibility to steward over everything God made.

2. What is the blessing and the responsibility in the covenant God makes with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

Read Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 8:28-29, 2 Timothy 1:8-11

3. What do these passages teach us about the blessing and responsibility Christ followers have been given?
4. How do these passages challenge your understanding of the purpose of your salvation? How does it challenge church people’s perception of the purpose of salvation?
5. How do these passages functionally change the way you live? How does this affect decision making? (i.e. Career, education, time management, money management)

The end of Genesis 27 paints a bleak picture for Jacob, driven from home and family, fleeing in fear of his life, and without any resources. Jacob is heading into uncertain waters, yet time and again we see God revealing Himself in the murky waters of change. God chooses to reveal Himself to Jacob in the midst of these life altering changes and extends the same promise that He did to Jacob’s fore-bearers, trust Me and I will bless you.”

Contextualize

1. We are responsible for our actions and will experience the consequences of our choices
2. God’s blessings can’t be separated from the responsibility He also gives us
3. God calls and saves His children to accomplish His purposes

Actualize

Set aside 1 hour this week to evaluate your life.  Have an honest chat with God about how you are spending your time time.  Ask God to give you wisdom on how to step into the responsibility of being His child. Write down your thoughts.

Session 7: Genesis 37-46

Session 7: Genesis 37-46

Summary

I.  Joseph sent ahead (Gen 37)

a. God gives Joseph visions of the future(1-11)

b. Joseph's brothers are annoyed with him and get rid of him(12-36)

bi. Ruben preserves Joseph’s life(22)

bii. Judah convinces the brothers to sell Joseph(26-27)

biii. Joseph is sold to Midianites that sell him in Egypt(28, 36)

biv. Jacob is told Joseph is dead(29-35)

II.  God prepares Judah (Gen 38)

a. Judah leaves his brothers and starts a family(38-1-5)

b. Judah finds a wife for his oldest son(6)

c. God kills Judah’s first two sons because of their wickedness(10)

d. Judah makes and breaks his promise to his daughter in law(11-14)

e. Tamar holds Judah to his promise(15-26)

III. God prepares Joseph (Gen 39-40)

a. Joseph finds favor with Potiphar(39:1-6)

b. Joseph resists temptation but is unjustly imprisoned(6-20)

c. God positions Joseph to have influence(21-40-23)

d. God elevates Joseph(41:1-49)

IV.  God uses Joseph (Gen 41-42:13)

a. God uses Joseph to interpret Pharaoh's dream and save Egypt from famine (41)

b. God uses famine to reunite Israel’s family(42:1-7)

c. Joseph tests his brothers(8-43:34)

V.  Judah proves himself worthy(Gen 42:14-44)

a. Joseph makes his brother’s promise to bring Benjamin to Egypt

b. Judah pledges to protect Benjamin and takes responsibility for the welfare of the family(43:8-44:34)

VI. Israel's family made whole(Gen 45-46)

a. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers(45:1-15)

b. Joseph sends his brothers to move their families to Egypt(45:16-27)

c. Israel is reunited with Joseph(28-30)

d. Pharoah shows favor to Joseph’s family(31-34)

Analyze

1. What caused Joseph’s brothers to dislike him? (Gen 37)

1. If Joseph’s dreams were from God and true then why would his brothers and father be upset against him?
2. What does Joseph lording his position with his father reveal about his character?

Read 1 Peter 3:15, Proverbs 15:1, Ephesians 4:15

3. How do these passages and Joseph’s example influence how you might present true but hard truths to people?
4. Which of Israel/Jacob’s sons influences his brothers to sell Joseph?

Judah is the fourth oldest son of Jacob, his older brothers have disqualified themselves from receiving the birthright and family authority from Jacob. However, Judah isn’t pictured as a righteous leader worthy succeeding Jacob as inheritor of the covenant. This story chronicles God developing and preparing Judah’s character to be the next leader of the family.

2. Why were Judah’s two oldest sons killed?(38-6-10)

1. Why does Judah send Tamar away?(11)
2. Why does Tamar go to Timnah?  What does Tamar observe when she gets to Timnah?(13)

Judah asks Tamar to have sex with him so he can participate in a pagan form of worship that venerates the gods appealing to them to bless their flocks and crops.

3. Why does Judah save Tamar from being stoned?

Judah and Tamar are both people that do sinful things.  Their stories aren’t examples meant to be models for us to follow.  What is instructive about their story is that although they are sinful people God chooses to use them turning good out of their sinful actions.

3. Why did Joseph find favor with Potiphar? (39:2-3)

Read 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 10:13; Jas 4:7-10

1. How did Joseph respond to the opportunity to have a discreet affair with Potiphar’s wife?(8-18)
2. What obstacles do you face in that keep you from fleeing when faced with temptation?
3. How does pride or self sufficiency get in the way of depending on Christ?(2 Cor 3:5, Jn 15:5)

Read Psalm 139, 1 John 1:9

4. When you face temptation and fail to resist, what keeps you from turning back to God and seeking to restore your relationship with Him?

4. How do we see God’s providence in the way Potiphar responds to the accusation against Joseph?(providence=protective care and hand of the Lord in the affairs of men)(39:19-40:3)

1. How did God use the placement of Joseph in prison to set up the deliverance of his family from famine?(40-42)
2. How have you seen the providence of God in your life?  How does reflecting on God’s providence change your perspective on your life story?
3. How does knowing that God is actively at work in the world change the way you approach life decisions?

Read Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28-29

4. How does God reunite Joseph with His brothers and ultimately his entire family?
5. How does this and the above passages change your perspective on the seemingly bad things that happen in your life? What do these passages tell you about God?

Read James 1:2-8, Matt 11:27-29

6. How can these passages help you to identify with Joseph in the midst of suffering and uncertainty?

5. How does Joseph’s testing of his brothers give Judah the opportunity to prove his character?

1. How has Judah changed in Genesis 44-45 from Genesis 37-38? How has Joseph changed from Genesis 37?
2. When you look back on your life, how have you changed? How have you grown in character, trust, and obedience to God? If you haven’t changed, why not?

6. How many people were in Jacob’s family when he moved to Egypt?

1. What were some of the benefits Jacob’s(Israel) family received from moving to Egypt? How did Joseph’s position affect the treatment of of Jacob’s family?
2. How do the events of Genesis 46 display the providence of God in fulfilling His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Contextualize

1. God orchestrates the circumstances of our lives to accomplish His purposes
2. God desires His people to grow in godly character
3. God uses and redeems broken sinful people

Actualize

Create a brief timeline of your life over the past year and write down things that you have learned.  Ask God to give you clarity on how he’s shaping your character and equipping you.  Share how God is preparing and shaping you with 2 other people.