Category: Fearless Generosity

Matthew 25:31-46 // Do Good, Be Generous

Lean In // 5 minutes

Leader note: This week a simple question and image has polarized people into two camps.  Click the link below and have group members answer the question.  Make sure to watch your time as the question is simply intended to be fun and create energy.  Don’t spend more than 5 minutes on the question.

Click here: White/Gold or Black/Blue?

What color is the dress?

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Matthew 25:31-46

What separates sheep from goats?

Sample answers may include…

  • Sheep respond with:
    • Action- food for the hungry & water for the thirsty
    • Engaging the stranger
    • Compassion- visiting the prisoner
    • Care for the sick
    • Obedience- Serving others is the same as serving Jesus
    • Seeing and identifying with the “least of these”
  • Goats respond with:
    • In-action
    • Indifference
    • Complacency
    • Rationalization- “why” help is not needed
    • Self-centeredness
    • Belief that the least are unimportant

What’s the surprise in the story?

Commentary: The surprise is found in how the people responded to the poor, needy, marginalized, and broken. 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Who are the “least of these” in our world today? 

Sample answers could include…

  • Hungry/Thirsty – Physically hungry/thirsty, seeking fulfillment & life
  • Stranger – Outsider, the immigrant, marginalized,
  • Without clothes – Homeless, vulnerable, human trafficking
  • Sick – Mentally ill, shut-in, physically handicap
  • Prisoner – Addicts, broken, indebted, broken relationships, depressed

Leader note: Go through each of the categories Jesus highlights in the passage and put together a full list of who would be included in each one before moving on to the next question.  Consider the emotional, physical, spiritual, geographical, financial, and relational factors.

An experiment: Integrating Love, Truth, Justice, & Peace

Leader note: We tend to lean toward one characteristic more than the others.  So, when we see a person described as “the least of these” we tend to react with love, truth, justice, or peace. 

As a Look Out experiment, choose a category from the “least of these” question (listed above) and divide your group into four groups.  Depending on their category, group members will only give voice for either love, truth, justice, or peace.  So, group members in the love category will speak up for the “least of these” through only a perspective of love while group members in the truth category will give voice for their perspective through a lens of truth, and so on and so forth. 

*Please remind everyone that it is only an experiment!

Sample Story: Mike pulls up to a traffic light and discovers a person standing on the side of the road holding a sign.  The Love Group responds by finding a way to help the person by rolling down the window and giving them something.  The Truth Group responds by thinking, “They made decisions that have led to this circumstance and I know that helping can only further the hurt.”  The Justice Group responds by advocating for the poor and needy and how they never received the same opportunities as others.  And, the Peace Group responds by trying to harmonize the different ways to help the person in need.

Look In // 15 minutes

Leader note: With the definitions of the “least of these” listed above and in mind, lead group members through these questions.  Don’t let the group settle for just the usual talking points like homelessness or immigration.  Rather, encourage group members to go deeper.

Where have you recently seen someone in need?  How did you respond?

What could it look like to integrate love, truth, justice, & peace for those in need?

Leader note: As the leader, pay attention to group member’s stories and themes so that you can possibly respond to helping those in need as a group.

How could your group respond to the needs in your community?

Live It Out // 5 minutes

What would happen in our community and world if we unleashed good deeds and generosity?

Leader Note: This weekend is our Be Fearless campaign where we are unleashing good deeds and generosity.  If you are looking for opportunities to serve, please click this link: Be Fearless.  There are five events to serve with one goal in mind: To fearlessly change the world for Jesus Christ.  Here are the events:

Saturday, March 7-

  • Boys and Girls Club Work Project Irvine – 8:30a-12n
  • Kids Around The World – 10:30a-1p

Saturday, March 14-

  • Boys and Girls Club Work Project Costa Mesa – 8:30a-12n

Saturday, March 21-

  • Lighthouse Community Centers Work Project – 8:30a- 12:30p
  • Medical Clinic at Christian Arabic Church – 8a- 3p

Key Verse(s): For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:21

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. – 1 Timothy 6:18

Key Thought: Do good for those who can’t and won’t do anything for you.

Click here for Life Group Serve Opportunities

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

John 15:4-9, 15 // Fearless Generosity Wk 6

Date:  March 23-24, 2013
Series:  Fearless Generosity
Message:  The Palm Before the Storm
Passage:  John 15:4-9, 15

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES


What are some Easter traditions you have in your family?

Leader note:  Easter could be that one day (or one of two days) your family attended church when you were young.  Maybe you got special Easter clothes, baskets, color and hunt for eggs, tell stories of sacrifice, have special meals, end fasts, etc.  Have your group recall similar and different traditions from each other.

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES


Read John 15:4-8. What does Jesus say about faith?

 

How does what Jesus say about faith differ from the idea of religion?

Leader note:  As your group highlights each characteristic of faith Jesus spoke of, ask them how that differs from previously held opinions, or other expressions of religions.

 

Commentary:
Jesus says-

It’s about relationship

  • Living connection, organic
  • Vine and branches
  • Produces something – fruit, dependent relationship
    • Vine – produces through
    • Branch – expresses it
  • Bring glory to God
  • If we aren’t connected, we are useless
  • Remain –
    • abide,
    • to dwell,
    • To become like
    • In Christ
    • Stay with
  • Be led by the Spirit, submitted to, surrendered to
    • Walk in the Spirit, in step with, same pace as

Leader note:  Have your group put these concepts in non-“Christianese” words.

 

Examples:

“It’s like a parental relationship, I don’t need to think about if my needs will be met, if they will provide, care for and love me.  I gain life from parents – gain life from God, connected, don’t have to think about it or work at making them a parent or becoming a child, you just are.”

 “You have a choice to remain in relationship – it’s a decision you make to walk with, abide in, etc or pull away, disconnect – It’s a decision to enjoy it, live in it, depend on it.”

 

What Religion says:

  • Do it – fail – result is guilt and shame
  • If I’m able to then I feel like “I did it”, pride – leads to looking down on people, or judge non-Christians because they are having fun without guilt
  • I produce it – being good, moral, going to church, giving, serving, being better, knowing God’s Word, bumper sticker, Bible study, kind to the poor or marginalized, act like Jesus vs. become like Jesus
  • Earning

 

UNDERSTANDING – 15 MINUTES

 

What makes religion attractive?

  • It’s measurable
  • Gives me a checklist so I can control it
  • Gives impression it will make you good
  • If you have a mentality of earning, being a super achiever, this gives you the way to make you better at religion than the next guy


APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

 

As we move toward Easter, what are things that drive you to religion?  To relationship? 

How does religion lead to failing?

 

Religion:

  • Tradition
  • Rules – don’t eat meat on Fridays, etc.
  • Pick up your cross – need to do better, be nicer,
  • Sacrifice something – do something I don’t want to do
  • Obligatory part – requires something of me
  • Peter and denial, how many times have I done that?  I  need more self-control
  • Need to feel bad
  • Religion is our go to fastball

Religion is “me-centric”  – “God what do you notice about me?  Don’t you see what I’m doing?”
Don’t have to be concerned about what God is doing, do what I want to do instead – come along with me God.
Religion gives illusion of control, but in abiding you have to rest, produces feeling of rest, surrender
For doers – control when the fruit comes, measure it, my time is well spent – but otherwise he determines it, and I feel out of control.
Religion says I’m going to pick the part to play and then be the architect of it

 

Relationship:

  • Freedom is fruit
  • It’s not your timetable, or the fruit, can’t be selective – I’m not there, but God is producing it.
  • Some will reap and some will harvest
  • Finding what God is doing and joining Him
  • Healthy sense of frustration –
  • No control
  • Not measurable
  • Requires surrender

 

Leader note:  After the discussion of moving toward relationship, lead them with “How are you going to do that???”  This is a set –up because the answer is “they can’t do anything!”  It’s not about doing.  It requires a different way of thinking.  Keep working within the group until they get a clear sense of a different way of thinking.

 

LIVE IT OUT

If we all lived in relationship, and not religion, how would it impact those watching us?

 

Pray:  As you end your time together give your group quiet time to personally respond to Jesus with confession of the laws they’ve constructed to achieve God’s favor – recognizing how that separates them from the fullness of Jesus’ sacrifice for them.  Let them sit with the full weight of grace for a moment and then pray for each person to rest in remaining in Jesus this Holy Week. 

 

Good Friday Service Times

Irvine:
Friday, March 29:  12, 3, 4:30, 6, 7:30p
Childcare thru age 5 at all but 7:30p                         

 

Mission Viejo:
Friday, March 29: 4 & 6p
Childcare thru age 4 at all services

 

Huntington Beach:
Friday, March 29: 11a-2p and 4-7p
2124 Main Street, HB (near offices)

 

Easter Service Times

Irvine:
Saturday, March 30, 4&6p
Sunday, March 31, 8:30, 10 & 11:30a
Port Mariners children’s program for
Infant – 5th grade at each service

 

Mission Viejo:
Saturday, March 30, 5p
Sunday, March 31, 9 & 11a
Port Mariners children’s program for
Infant – 5th grade at each service

 

Huntington Beach:
Sunday, March 31, 8:30, 10 & 11:30a
Port Mariners children’s program for
Infant – 5th grade at each service

 

Other Easter Events

Easter Egg Scramble – Irvine Campus
Saturday, March 30, 3:15 & 7:15p
For toddlers – 5th grade

 

Peep Roast
Saturday, March 30
After the 5p service

 

Easter Egg Hunt and Family Fun Day
Saturday, March 30, 9a-3p
Parking $2 in HB Sports Complex lot

 

 

 

Mark 14:32-36 // Fearless Generosity Wk 5

Date:  March 16-17, 2013
Series:  Fearless Generosity
Message: Give Up, Give In
Passage:  Mark 14:32-36

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 

What’s the most dangerous place in the world? 

Leader note:  Spend a few minutes letting people conjure up places they consider dangerous – what makes them dangerous? You could also ask what is the most dangerous place you’ve been?

Commentary:  Some sample answers you may get would be:  inner city neighborhoods, remote villages, prison, regret, isolation, war, junior high

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

 

Read Mark 14:32-36. What is most dangerous place in the Bible/in this text? Why is it so dangerous place for Jesus?

Leader note:  Look at all that Jesus faced – physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, etc.

Commentary:  The Garden of Gethsemane, where God’s will is confronted, where God clearly calls and instructs us to move towards something

  • Greatly troubled, horrified, in agony. 
  • Emotions are so overwhelming that he feels death coming.
  • His humanity is on full display.
  • A hard passage to accept, when else would a God show weakness?
  • Fell to the ground
  • Abba, father, intimate as if a child would call out to parent in distress. (Everything is possible for you, he had great faith, 100% faith, he knew fully what his father could do he walked closer with him than anyone ever can/could. 
  • Take this Cup.. Cup of God’s Wrath which our sins had filled. 
  • Perfect love must also react in wrath when acting against. 
  • Wrath, and suffering expresses in the absence of God’s presence, abandonment 3 times he asks God to take this cup from me! 
  • His fear is not just death but separation
  • Your will not mine. 

What do we do when our will/desire doesn’t match God’s?  What did Jesus do?

That’s the most dangerous place in the world. 

  • Pray
  • We can be honest, we can pray for change and not just tell him what we think he wants to hear.
  • His response is honest intimate prayer that ultimate leads to surrender, costly generosity.

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES
Where have you seen costly/powerful surrender?  

Leader note:  Consider those who have faced incredible challenges and ultimately prayed for God’s will and surrendered their utmost desires and believed that what God wanted, had for them, was best, or at least came to the recognition that their will was short-sighted, based on limited knowledge of current situations and lack of knowledge of eternal meaning.

 

When have you surrendered something big to God? How have you heard God speak in those moments of surrender?

Leader note:  Consider times you have wanted something so badly but instead of praying or asking specifically for the desires of your heart you opened up your heart to accept His will, even if different from your own.  How did you hear affirmation of your surrender?  Some ways people have cited are His Word, community, the Holy Spirit, a sense of more, hearts stirred, not everyone will agree, face up to your fears, confront what cause you to hold back

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

 

What are the places/things in your life God is you to surrender? What’s your dangerous moment/place of surrender?  

Commentary:  Surrender is absolutely necessary to experience all of Him and all that He has for you.  The call to surrender your will for God’s will in costly/generous surrender is the most dangerous plea in the world.  Your decision to ether go with him and surrender or your own way is the biggest one you’ll ever make, it’s every human’s defining moment.  The human will/heart is the most negated thing.  God calls for all we are, to gain his life we must lose ours.

 

LIVE IT OUT

 

What would change in your life if you were to completely surrender your desires and embrace God’s will?  What would happen in our community if we all lived this way?

 

PRAY:  AS YOU END YOUR TIME TOGETHER PRAY THE PRAYER OF YOUR GETHSEMANE.  ASK GOT TO HELP YOU BREAK THE ATTACHMENT TO THOSE THINGS, RELATIONSHIPS, EXPECTATIONS, ETC., THAT GET IN THE WAY OF SURRENDERING COMPLETELY TO HIS WILL.  PRAISE HIM FOR HIS ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE, ASK HIM TO REVEAL SOME OF ETERNITY TO YOU TO HELP YOU SURRENDER, AND PRAY FOR THE DESIRE TO LIVE FULFILLED AND GRATEFUL FOR A GOD WHO HAS GOOD AND PERFECT WILL FOR EVERY SITUATION YOU FACE.

 

John 4:1-42 // Fearless Generosity Wk 4

Date:  March 3/9-10/13
Series:  Fearless Generosity
Message: Philoxenia
Passage:  John 4:1-30, 39-42

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 


When did you visit someone and were made to feel “at home”?

 

Leader note:  Think of visiting a friend, maybe staying with someone while you were remodeling your house, welcomed in on a mission trip, while you were in college, etc.  How did they make you feel welcome?  What was the experience like?  It doesn’t have to be for an extended visit – maybe just someone who welcomed you in and prepared for you, or took care of you, in a way that made you feel welcome.


OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES


Read John 4:1-30, 39-42.  What do you learn about fearless hospitality from the story?

Leader note:  You may want to start with defining hospitality.  What does it encompass?  You may want to look at some of these other passages as you form your definition:  Matt 22:36-40, Matthew 5:43-47, Hebrews 13:2)

  • Jesus was first to speak – to a Samaritan woman (would have been despised by Jews)
  • Jesus knew her story, she had been married many times, was an adulteress, he told her “everything” she ever did
  • The disciples saw Jesus talking to her and didn’t question it – were they used to the fact that Jesus talked to those on the “outside”?
  • Jesus offered the woman a way to not thirst again
  • The Samaritans who came to see Jesus they offered for Him to stay with them – even though He wasn’t one of them.
  • The disciples would have stayed as well.
  • They welcomed Jesus and the 12, provided for them until they were ready to leave.
  • Hospitality is extended to strangers, those on the outside, and reciprocal – Jesus began the conversation – was a stranger to them, they ended up welcoming Him in.

 


Who are the Samaritans of our day?

 

Leader note:  Make a list of those considered outsiders from church goers, those people normally avoided or kept at a distance.

  • Immigration
  • Muslims
  • homosexuals
  • abortion doctors
  • abortion recipients
  • rapists, addicts
  • homeless
  • mentally disabled
  • criminals

 

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES


What does it look like extend fearless hospitality to those on considered to be “on the outside”?

Leader tip:  Consider people who would be like the woman at the well (and the rest of the Samaritans), and Jesus and the disciples in a strange land?

 

  • Help the most offensive
  • Stopping to help people broken down on the side of the road
  • Helping at the medical clinic – dirty mouths, contagious,
  • People caring for HIV patients, especially before it was really clear on how you got infected
  • Foster families/safe families/adoption of special need kids, troubled kids
  • Tutoring undocumented immigrants


What are the obstacles to practicing fearless hospitality to those who are different from us?

 

  • Time
  • Fear
  • Money
  • It’s uncomfortable
  • Not sure what could help

 


What does it look like to receive fearless hospitality from those on the outside?

 

Leader note:  One major point of hospitality as highlighted in the verses above is that it is reciprocal.  What would it look like to be offered something that serves a need from someone on the list you made?

Commentary:  One woman in a life group is helping her friend walk the journey of cancer and cancer treatments.  The friend is Hispanic, understands very little English, yet welcomes the group member into her home.  The group members helps round up furniture, rides to chemo, fill out insurance forms, prays in English for the friend, and the friend’s mom cooks for all the helpers.  It’s a beautiful story of fearless hospitality. 

 


APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES


What would it look like for you to practice fearless hospitality?

 

Leader note:  Look at hospitality from all the descriptions you’ve identified, including the reciprocity of it.  Have your group consider what they could move at this and who they might already have in mind.

 

What obstacles get in your way?

Leader note:  At this point, have your group help work around the obstacles they face.  Can you help each other?  Do it as a group? 

 

LIVE IT OUT

 


What would be different in our community if we all lived with fearless hospitality?

 

PRAY:  As you end your time together, pray for the people who have shown you hospitality in the past.  Pray to be given opportunities this week to extend and receive fearless hospitality, and to be open to all that means for you, your family, and your home.  Pray if there are attitudes and biases that get in the ways of extending hospitality, that God will reveal them, and speak the truth to you, abolishing and tearing down obstacles from living out all He has asked you to do.

 

 

 

 

Luke 18:18-30 // Fearless Generosity Wk 3

Date:  March 2-3, 2013
Series:  Fearless Generosity
Message:  Don’t Bank On It
Passage:  Luke 18:18-30

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

What would change someone’s belief about a Christian?  Knowing their doctrine or seeing them be generous?

Leader note:  There are people who believe both sides of this – is it just one or the other?  Both?  How much of each one?

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Observation:  Read Luke 18:18-30.  What do you learn about the heart of the rich young ruler?

Leader note:  You may want to look at the parallel passage in Mark 10:17-27 as well as there are some additional descriptions.

Commentary:

  • Fixed on earthly things
  • Sacrifice to a point – there is a boundary
  • His version of what gives him eternal life was – keep money and have eternal life by being obedient
  • Is it working for him?  Yes and no – He thinks so, “I’ve kept these things since I was a little boy”  (Kept the relationship with others commandments) but didn’t keep the relationship to God commandment.  (God gets first place, etc)
  • Coming to Jesus and asking because he’s not super self-confident that it’s working. He’s hoping Jesus would affirm what he’s doing.  He thinks he’s good – that’s why Jesus stings him with that.

 

What is the rich young ruler’s god?

  • Money
  • Jesus asks him to walk away from the rival god and he can’t.
  • He thinks it brings happiness but separates him for God – makes him sad

What do you learn about money?

  • Rival God – because Jesus says so.
  • Gives satisfaction
  • Status
  • Safety
  • Somebody, (if you have a lot of money you’re not just smart you’re everything)
  • Money can create distance from God
  • True treasure is in heaven
  • The people around him needed to hear this also, because people believe if you’re young, good looking, and wealthy (by our definition this is a blessed)
  • They need to believe that, it makes sense

 

What makes someone generous?

  • When you’re generous it’s because you understand the treasure in heaven
  • Hands open vs. clenching
  • Difference between commandments- heart issue
  • Fully integrated into your life
  • Everything – all in

UNDERSTAND – 20 MINUTES

 

Where do we see where money controls people and they’re blind to it?

Leader note:  Remember to consider those who both have a lot of money and those who are struggling to make ends meet.  Either way – they are most likely looking to money as what will save them, help them, get them through, provide safety and security, is the answer, is worth a sacrifice to get, etc.

  • First answer to any problem is money – money is the solution
  • Pressure put on kids, education
  • Rich people problems – people wanting the money, storage units, boats, garages
  • Problems in relationships
  • Politics
  • Influence
  • Power
  • Those in financial need – looking to money to solve all problems, “if only I had their money, more money, enough money”

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

Where do you feel you are generous in your life?  What principle do you struggle with?

Leader note:  Ask the questions in this order as so many people run to the negative.  Help them find answers to both questions.  A good follow up question is, what is something in your life you couldn’t give up if you were asked to?  Or, if everything you owned today was gone tomorrow, including savings for retirement, for kids’ college what would you miss most? 

What would it look like to give that up freely?  What holds you back?

Leader note:  Your group may answer this question as part of what they struggle with.  If not, this is another way to try to help them answer what is holding them back from fearless generosity.

 

LIVE IT OUT

What would change in our community if we were able to live a fearlessly generous, “all in” lifestyle?

 

 

Luke 17:1-10 // Fearless Generosity Wk 2


Date:  February 23-24, 2013
Series:  Fearless Generosity
Message:  A Scandalous Generosity
Passage:  Luke 17:1-10

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 

When was a time you received some unexpected money (or generous gift) “just in the nick of time”?

Leader note:  The objective here is to get your group to start identifying what it means to either be forgiven a debt, have a debt paid – but in a surprising way, or to receive an extravagant gift (like a vacation, or retreat, or even material gift that saved them from having to buy it themselves). 

 

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

 

Read Luke 17:1-10.  What do you learn about fearless forgiver?

Leader note:  Have your group talk about who is asking the question, the response, the parable Jesus tells, the whole situation, not just the parable as it will give insight to a bigger picture than just forgiving a certain number of times.

 

Commentary:

  •  
  • It’s something we’re supposed to do (in the parable we are compared to the servant)
  • Something we should do out of gratitude
  • Forgiveness no matter how many times
    •                7 times a day
    •                7 x 70
  • The stakes get bigger each time they come back for forgiveness, it gets harder, and we forgive less
  • Requires faith  – big faith for forgiving big offense
  • Great forgiveness requires great faith
  • Forgiveness is for me
  • If we don’t forgive we cause others to stumble – Watch out!
  • We can rebuke them
    •                Calling out the truth, the offense, the hurt, the pain (don’t dismiss, but don’t take them out and shoot them.) 

 

There is a scale of rebuking that goes from severe (taking them out and shooting them) and pretending it never happened, or dismissing it all together.                                               

  • Rebuke, have to have both truth and grace
  •                Basis is love – isn’t to be right, find justice, not “we need to agree on the facts”– want loving relationship, heart of reconciliation

 

What are things people do that requires us to forgive?

  • Lie, deceive, steal
  • Abuse – take away innocence, dignity, name, value
  • Take away relationships
  • Disappoint

 

Why should we forgive?

  • Ends the cycle of retribution – change the world
  • Intimacy with God
  • Radically different way of doing things
  • If you don’t you die, bitter root that grows, becomes a cancer

                                   

  • Doesn’t take fearless generosity to be on either side of the scale
  • Releasing the person from the hurt that they’ve caused you
  • I relieve my hurt and can release the person from the hurt they’ve caused

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

 

What obstacles keep people from forgiving?

  • Been burned before
  • Want to be right, vindication, proved right, what’s fair
  • Want justice
  • There’s pain, sometimes it’s hard to let it go, if I was understood
  • Holding forgiveness as a protection
  • Sense of power by holding onto forgiveness, lose power when you forgive
  • Have to own up to something if you forgive, have to admit your part, be vulnerable,
  • Before you forgive you get to be “right”, better than all others,
  • already feel small, I have to “admit” they are bigger than me, I will cease to be

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

 

Which one of the obstacles do you struggle with?

Leader note:  Look at the list you created in the previous question and talk about one or more than stand between you and forgiving someone who wronged you.  The previous question may actually have been a tip off to you on people’s obstacles – they may talk about them in the third person when they are really struggling with it themselves. 

 

What would it look like for you to let go of it?

Leader note:  One way to think about this would be to consider both parties in the situation.  What would the relief to the offender look like?  Does it matter?  What do you carry around because you can’t, or won’t forgive?

 

LIVE IT OUT

What would it look like if we said the cycle of not forgiving stops here?

Exodus 3:1-4:17 // Fearless Generosity Wk 1

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.