Date: February 16-17, 2013
Series: Fearless Generosity
Message: Afraid to Let Go
Passage: Exodus 3:1-4:17
INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES
When was a time you had to do something and didn’t feel qualified?
Or
How did you feel on the first day of your first job?
Leader note: We’ve all had those times. Whether it was your first day on the job, or as a kid doing a science project for your class, or a job someone pushed you towards, or maybe giving a presentation and you didn’t feel like you were the right one to give it. Maybe it was babysitting a baby that couldn’t be consoled, or being picked to be on a sports team that you hadn’t practiced up for.
OBSERVATION – 15 MINUTES
Read Exodus 3:1-4:17. What do you learn about God’s call and Moses’ response?
Brief summary of Moses’ life up to this point: The Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses ordered the death of all Hebrew children, Moses’ mother places the baby Moses into a basket up river from Pharaoh’s daughter who rescues Moses, takes him to Pharaoh who orders a Hebrew woman (happens to be Moses’ mother) to care for the child in his courts – help raise the boy. In his youth, Moses kills an Egyptian while protecting his brother Aaron and must flee Pharaoh’s courts. He runs to Midian, works for Jethro, marries Jethro’s daughter Zipporah. Zipporah had Moses’ son, Gershom. All this time the Israelites remained in slavery in Egypt, the king of Egypt had died, God remembered his covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (to bring them out of slavery and make them a great nation and decided it was time to act. That brings us to this passage.
Leader note: Pay extra attention to the part of the passage that deals with God’s calling Moses and Moses’ response to that call as that is what the next couple of questions deal with. There are a lot of answers in this long passage, so be sure to allow enough time to go through it.
Commentary: Some of the things that your group should see in the passage are:
- Moses was a shepherd for his father-in law
- God came to him in the form of a burning bush (vs. 4)
- God called Moses by name
- Moses responded “Here I am!”
- God identifies himself as the God of Moses’ ancestors.
- Moses was afraid to look at God
- God tells Moses about the “Promised Land”
- God says “YOU must lead my people”
- Moses protested “Who am I?” (He says it twice in vs. 11)
- God says “I will be with you”
- God told him of the first sign he would give Moses after he led the people out of Egypt
- Moses protests again asking who he should say sent him when they ask.
- God replies to Moses “I AM WHO I AM” “Yahweh (eternal name), the God of your ancestors has sent me to you.”
- God told Moses to gather the elders of Israel and tell them of the plan to escape the oppression of Egypt and go to the Promised Land.
- God tells Moses the elders will accept the message.
- God tells Moses he must appear before the king of Egypt and tell him they need to leave to offer sacrifices, God lets Moses know that he will use miracles to prove to the king that they need to go and he will finally let them.
- God says he will “cause” the Egyptians to look favorably on Moses and the Israelites and they will even give them gifts when they leave. They will strip the Egyptians of their wealth.
- Moses protested again by saying “they won’t believe me”
- God turned Moses’ shepherd’s staff into a snake and back again and told Moses to perform that sign for the people.
- God turned Moses’ hand into one inflicted with leprosy and then restored it and told Moses to perform that sign for the people.
- God told Moses for a third sign he should poor water from the Nile River and that the water will turn to blood.
- Moses protested again saying he wasn’t good with words and would get tongue-tied.
- God reminded Moses it was He that made his mouth.
- Moses protested again and pleaded that God send someone else.
- God finally agrees to let Moses’ brother Aaron speak to the people for Moses, but reminded Moses that the words he used would come from God to Moses and then Moses to Aaron.
- God told Moses “you will stand in the place of God for him” meaning Moses would tell Aaron what to say as God was telling him.
What made Moses think he wasn’t up for what God called him to?
Leader note: For this particular question review the history of Moses’ life up until this passage as well. It was as much based on his history, how he felt he failed in Egypt, he was a murderer, had to run, as it did with what he told God in this passage.
UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES
Where have you seen people hindered because of their past or perceived inadequacies?
Leader note: Think of people who experienced divorce and avoid commitment, or feel as though a past sin renders them useless to God – or anyone else for that matter. Maybe they dropped out of school, or suffered an injury, or feel inferior for any reason. It could be someone in your family, or circle of influence, if that’s the case, don’t use names.
How can the promises God gives Moses encourage them?
Leader note: God reminds Moses that He created Him exactly as He wanted for him to be able to accept this call. God reveals the power Moses would take with Him. God reminds Moses that it is Him that will equip and accompany him, Moses wouldn’t be doing it in his power, or in his name. God reminds Moses that he is the right person.
What kind of people does God use?
Leader note: Consider people you have come in contact with who have either ministered to you, or you see them engaging others. What are the qualities they have? Do you know their history? What from their history might have held them back, but didn’t God uses all kinds of people – and pretty much everyone is broken or damaged by something in their past. It is how they view God that determines if it hinders or compels them to engage.
APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES
What is the dream God has given you? What keeps you from engaging?
Leader note: You can rephrase the first question to, “What has God put on your heart, or what’s your passion? Or what is God calling you to?”
Help each person identify a sort of nudging, or even loud call from God to something in their life. Mentoring. Working with couples. Ministering to the marginalized. Community reconciliation. Global interests. Personal relationships that need restoring, forgiving, reconciling. New opportunities. Commitments.
Leader note: Then have them look into their past, where they see failures, inadequacies, limitations, and have them own that reason, say it out loud like Moses did.
How can God’s promises to Moses encourage you to engage?
Leader note: You may want to remind your group of those you highlighted in the previous question who moved past their inadequacies, or perceived limitations to engage in their calling, job, marriage, opportunities. Remind them to not let past failures or fear of the future render them useless to the Lord. God doesn’t see it that way. He created them perfectly to embrace whatever He calls them to.
Pray: Take the final moments of your group’s time together to pray. Ask God to make his prompting clear to each of your members. Pray that they will know that as with Moses, God will be with them, God has designed them for the task at hand, and as they undertake the purpose He has given. Thank God for his faithfulness, the resources He equips us with, and the support of your group as you take on new responsibilities and challenges.
Live it Out
In the next year, what would change in our community if we were all to embrace the dream God has given us?
Leader note: Mariners Church will be hosting a “Dream Event” April 21. This is a great opportunity for those wanting to dig deeper into finding their dream or living it out. Consider attending this event as a group.