Who, Me?

Theme: God executed His plan

Objectives

Know: God called Moses to free the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

Think: Live with an awareness that my purpose is to accomplish God's mission.

Do: Follow God's direction as He executes His plan for your life.

Scriptures; Exodus 3:3-22

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• The burning bush Exodus 3:1-3
• God's instructions Exodus 3:4-22

B2 What is God's plan for humanity?

• God does not need anything.
• God does not need fellowship with humanity.
• God wants all to be saved.
• God wants us to be saved.

B3 Exodus 3:1

• The setting.
• Do you think God would directed Moses to be at this tree/bush?

B4 Exodus 3:2-3

• Was this an ordinary bush?
• Was this ordinary fire or a divine fire?
• What does the fire signify?
• Why did God choose this method to reveal Himself? ("See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape, having refused Him who warned them, how much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who warns from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." Now the phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removal of the things being shaken, as having been made, so that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. " (Hebrews 12:25-29, EMTV). Fire refers to holiness and judgment).

B5 Exodus 3:4

• How did God get Moses attention?
• How does God get our attention?

B6 Exodus 3:5, why was Moses commanded to remove his sandals?

B7 Exodus 3:6,

• How did God describe Himself?
• What does this mean?
• What was Moses response?
• What is our response about God?

B8 Exodus 3:7-8

• Often God in the Old Testament is described as cruel. Do these words from God reflect that cruelness?
• How can God hear and know the suffering of His people? Does He still have this compassion?
• How many years passed from here until there was deliverance? (~1 year).

B9 Exodus 3:9-10

• What did God ask Moses to do?
• Was Moses willing? Why not?
• What did it take for Moses to be willing? (Exodus 4:14-17)
• What does it take for us to be willing and go?
• Why didn't God go Himself?
• Does this reflect a style of leadership? (Delegation)

B10 Exodus 3:11

• What attitudes are displayed by Moses? (Making excuses, hesitation, indecision, doubt).
• How can we deal with these in ourselves?

B11 Exodus 3:12,

• If God commissions us, who will give us the ability to do it?
• Is there any excuse for us to not serve?
• When the Lord Jesus called the Apostles, He knew some were "sons of thunder" (hot-tempered), doubters, impulsive, etc. Did He still use them? He knows us, as well. Can He still use us? Are there any legitimate excuses?

B12 Moses was ready to be the deliverer of Israel when he killed the Egyptian. Now, he wishes to not be a deliverer. What changed in him?

B13 Exodus 3:14, what does "I Am" signify to us?  (“I Am” shows 2 things (at least): that He is the eternal now and self-existing). How then should we live?

B14 Exodus 3:18, what message was Moses and the elders of Israel to give to Pharaoh? Was this a reasonable request?

B15 Exodus 3:19, did God decree Pharaoh to resist or does the words of this verse show the Pharaoh chose to resist? The word know means know, not decree. See "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses." (Exodus 9:34-35, NKJV)

B16 Exodus 3:20, what was God's response to Pharaoh's resistance and disobedience?

B17 Exodus 3:21,

• Who gave the Egyptians the desire to give money, jewels, gold, expensive clothes to Israel? The word make is God sovereignly willed what certainly would happen.

• What did the Israelites have to do to receive all this?

B18 Does God work in us to do His will? (God initiates the impulse, the desire, showing us the need, conviction, etc., to do something. It is up to us to do it).

B19 The Bible teaches us God's will that we are to do.

Next week:

Judgment passes over

Theme: God delivered His people

Scriptures: Exodus 12:1-42

In Training

Theme: God raised up a deliverer

Objectives

Know: From birth, God was training Moses to be the deliverer of the Israelites from Egypt.

Think: Be conscious of God's intentional leading and presence in my life.

Do: Use what you have learned and experienced to serve the Lord as He leads you.

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-25

Notes and questions

B1 Outline

• Moses' birth Exodus 2:1-10
• Moses flees from Pharaoh Exodus 2:11-17
• Moses gets married Exodus 2:18-25

B2 This chapter deals with some of the background of Moses.

B3 God trains His servants (compare Hebrews 12:8). After educating, God tests (Genesis 22:1, Psalm 66:10, John 6:6). All good teachers test. How have you been tested?

B4 What are some ways that God trains His people today?

B5 Think of some examples of God's training in your life.

B6 Consider the timing of the incidences in Moses' birth, Pharaoh's daughter, Moses' sister being there, etc. Can you look back in your life and see how God worked in your life? Please share.

B7 Exodus 2:1-4

• Is there any significance to the fact that Moses' parents are of the tribe of Levi?
• What does the description of Moses by his mother mean? "And the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw him, that he was beautiful, she hid him three months." (Exodus 2:2, mkjv1962). It is believed that his mother saw not only a beautiful, perfectly born child, she also understood that God had a plan for him. Compare Hebrews 11:23 and Acts 7:20.

B8 Exodus 2:5-6, did God cause baby Moses to cry and move the Pharaoh's daughter with compassion? Was the timing of this an accident? Any application for our lives?

B9 Exodus 2:7-10, what would Moses remember about this time? Were prayers answered?

B10 Exodus 2:11-14

• Why did Moses go out to the Israelites?
• What did Moses see?
• What was his reaction? Was it correct for him to kill the Egyptian?
• Why did the Israelites ask Moses this question?

B11 Exodus 2:15-22

• Why was Pharaoh angry?
• What did Moses do?
• Why did Moses go to Median? (They were near relatives and still worshiped the true God. Exodus 2:16)
• Was Reuel, the father of the daughters that Moses helped, surprised that an Egyptian helped them?
• In what ways was Moses life changed?

B12 How would these incidents in Moses life prepare him for being used by God?

B13 What training has God been doing in your life?

B14 How can we serve God?

Just a little patience

Theme: Godly attitudes

Objectives:

Know: We are to patiently endure suffering, waiting for God's deliverance.

Think: View suffering as a temporary condition that will one day be done away with.

Do: Patiently live for Christ, praying in all circumstances.

Scriptures: James 5:7-20

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• Money James 5:1-6
• Patience James 5:7-12
• Sickness James 5:13-18
• Brother's keeper James 5:19-20

B2 Give some examples of patience.

B3 Give some examples of perseverance.

B4 Why is patience important for a Christian especially?

B5 Why is perseverance important for a Christian?

B6 The word for patience in our lesson is more of a perseverance. The saints are under pressure and suffering. James urges them to continue faithfully. Suffering may be in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. It may be spiritual, emotional, or physical.

B7 James 5:7,

• What the reason for the word therefore?
• What are the saints told to wait for?
• What is the importance of the coming of the Lord?
• Why is the farmer mentioned here?
• The word for wait is an expectant wait, an anticipating wait.
• The early rain is in October to November and latter rain is in March to April.
• The Lord's coming is the Rapture for living and dead saints.
• We wait patiently. Why is it important to wait for the Rapture?

B7 James 5:8

• The word for patience is the same as above. The word for establish means to stabilize, strengthen, set firm. We have to make up our minds that we will be true to God and His word. We need to pray for each other as well.
• What is reason given for staying patient and stabilizing our hearts?

B8 James 5:9

• The word grudge or murmur is not a loud in-your-face type of complaining. It is more of a mumbling quietly complaining. Often it would reflect our impatience at waiting for something.
• Why is this wrong?
• What does God think of this type of complaining?
• Is there a proper, acceptable, type of complaining? Give some examples.
• Standing before the doors (doors is plural) is a Hebrew term referring to something near or happening soon. The Judge is ready to enter the courtroom. Compare "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7, NKJV)

B9 James 5:10-11

• Why are these two examples given for us?
• How did the prophets suffer?
• How did Job suffer?
• What can we learn about patience in suffering?

B10 James 5:12

• Should we really need to take an oath to show we are telling the truth?
• Shouldn't our reputation be such that people would understand that we are telling the truth?
• Why is truth important?
• What should you say if your wife asks if you like her dress but you don't?
• Is having a reputation of being honest and trustworthy important? Is it more important for the Christian?

B11 James 5:13-20

• The word afflicted means someone is going through a hardship of any type.
• If we are afflicted, what are we to do? How long are we to pray? Does God always do what we ask? "Now this is the confidence that we have toward Him: if we should ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (1 John 5:14, WPNT)
• If we are happy, what are we to do? Do we have to do this?
• What else are we to do, when we are sick? Do we still anoint with oil? Why the phrase "... in the name of the Lord?"
• Is every sickness healed? If not, does it mean that we do not have faith? What might be some reasons God would not heal?
• What is the purpose of this type of confession?
• Why is it good to pray for each other?
• Did Elijah have a special connection with God for answered prayer? If he did, should we ask the saints or the virgin to intercede for us?
• How can we follow the instructions of James 5:19-20 if we do not know Christian doctrine?

B12 Next week

• In training
• Theme: God raised up a deliverer.
• Scripture: Exodus 2:1-25