Exodus 7:14-24 The Beginnings of Hard 11-2-14

©2003-2014
Fellowship @ Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 13: the Beginnings of Hard
Ex 7:14-24
Orig. 2/23/3; Ed. 11/2/14)

Introduction…How hard is hard? I mean how hard is hard? Really? Just go around the room and touch and feel a few things. What is hard, and not so hard? Why? What makes something more hard or less hard? Doesn’t it have something to do with molecular structure—a seemingly big word for order. How tight can you pack the molecules? The tighter the packing, the harder the substance. The looser the packing, the softer the substance, all the way to air. Try out water. Compare to a piece of wood, stone or metal. Now consider air. Pretty soft…

What about people? What about you? Would people say you are a hard person? Why? Been burnt by life or were you just raised or born that way? What about people that are too wiggly…and you can’t really depend upon them for anything?

So what kind of hard and soft are you talking about, Joe? Is there really a spiritual soft and hard? Oh, I think so, but not to man’s will and jive, but to God’s will and truth. So what does it mean to be soft or hard to God? What does this look like? I mean, really, deep down. Is it scary to be soft to God and his will? Is it scary NOT to be soft to God’s presence, truth and will?

Bottom line…just because someone is Pharaoh-like hard, really means nothing. Our job is to be obedient. God will do the breaking in his time. In the end, as I often say, you can bend, break or distort the truth. Oh you may think you can for a moment…or Satan’s great lie…but in the end, the truth always, always, always breaks you. So you can submit to it early and live, or submit late and be crushed. The choice is yours…pay God now or pay him later, but make no mistake about it, everyone pays. Why? Because you can’t change the truth. The truth is the truth, is the truth. Submit and live or submit and die, but the truth never ever changes.

Continue reading →

Exodus 6:28-7:13 A Divine Purpose, Resistance & Deliverance 10-26-14

©2003
Fellowship @ Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 12: A Divine Purpose, Resistance and Deliverance…
Ex 6:28-7:13
(Orig. 2.12.03; Ed. 10.26.14)

Introduction…How do you handle obstacles? Had one recently? Experienced a seemingly hard heart about something? What about your own heart? Can obstacles have a purpose? If so, what could that be? What’s the natural Spiritual solution to overcoming obstacles? Can or does the God of the Universe want to help you overcome the obstacles you might be facing in your life at this very moment. Of course, one needs to ponder the purpose one is trying to achieve in the first place? Is it or could it be of God? Or is it, your own? Secondly, even if it is of God, do you expect not only resistance or obstacles in accomplishing that purpose, but God’s deliverance as well? So if God calls you to a purpose, allows obstacles to seemingly block your way in accomplishing that good purpose and then finally, seeks to give you the deliverance over that obstacle, what might God be trying to teach you or all of us?

Continue reading →

Exodus 5:22-6:12 Now You Shall See! 10-19-14

©2003-2014
Fellowship @ Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 11
Now You Shall See!
Exodus 5:22-6:12
(Orig. 2.9.3; ed. 10.19.14)

Introduction…Have you ever tried helping someone and when things didn’t go right just at first, the person you were trying to help turned on you and questioned your help in the first place? How does it make you feel? You want to quit, don’t you? If you don’t want my help, then forget it. But wait! Don’t things take some time to turn back around. You just can’t enter into a situation and think things are going to go well, day one. Sometimes they do, but you are taking your approach and trying to integrate it with a broken approach. It’s going to be a mess until you get the situation cleaned up a bit. So don’t be discouraged if your help is initially frowned upon, and don’t be so sensitive to criticism. Stick with the bigger picture. Be patient, and if you need God’s help, then ask him. That’s exactly what Moses must do in his divinely-inspired stewardship to intervene on behalf of God’s people. He will have to endure some initial setbacks, but God has his purposes. And he has his purposes in your efforts to help others as well. Be patient. Seek God. Continue reading →

Exodus 5:10-21Seeing the Momentary Inch Vs. the Divine Yardstick! 10-12-14

Fellowship

Life of Moses

Lesson 10

Seeing the Momentary Inch Versus the Divine Yardstick!

Ex 5:10-21

10/12/14

Intro…Often times when we try to do something right, it is not as quickly rewarded as we might have hoped, especially when we have been doing a lot of bad things. It’s as if, we hoped that just because we decided to go straight in the moment, that God would stand up and applaud after years and years of sin and Spiritual neglect. I am not saying that God or heaven doesn’t applaud a genuine turning back to God and the truth, but, as I have stated previously, it seems that heaven has built in a delay between deed and consequence, both good and bad, and the reason for this might just be to flush out how genuine our repentance truly is. Is it for a moment or is it genuine, sustainable and lasting?

In this case, Moses and Aaron will do what God tells them to do, but in life’s momentary inch, it will appear things are going backward in God’s deliverance of Israel. Pharaoh refuses Israel’s appeal for either more straw or less bricks to make, with the result being that the Israelite foremen turning upon the effective cause of Pharaoh’s harsh response, Aaron and Moses and their request to Pharaoh to allow the Children of Israel to go out into the desert to enjoy a festival with their God, Yahweh.

With all this in mind, have you ever had an experience in which your attempt to do what was right or good seemed to initially backfire? Be willing to share this with your classmates? Why did it backfire, do you think? Did things ever turn back around? Or did you give up on attempting to do good?

A major, major life lesson is to learn to sustainably remain committed to doing the good versus succumbing to Evil’s pleasure and ridicule.

Series Introduction: You make a mistake…perhaps even a huge mistake; you think your life has changed forever–that there is no going back. In exile, you pasture your flock of sheep in an out-of-the-way desert valley. You see something strange in the distance. It’s a fire with an inextinguishable flame.

As you venture forth for a closer look, you experience something that changes your entire existence—you encounter God!

Out of all the people on the planet, God has chosen YOU to free and lead an exodus of a divinely-emancipated nation of over two million strong through a vast desert wasteland, with little food or water resources, to a land that is flowing with milk and honey and that was once given by God to your ancestors.

Impossible, you say? Ridiculous? Unless the God of Creation is the one doing the calling, as well as, the work of liberating and deliverance. Do you have the crazy faith to be obedient to this divine calling… to trust and to put one foot in front of the other no matter the costs?

I write all this to encourage all of you NOT to minimize what is about to take place in this, one of the great stories of human history. It is one of gargantuan proportions. And yet, our faith…your faith, born in heaven itself, is a faith of gargantuan implications. If God could do this with Moses, what might he still have planned for you? For us?

Pray

Read the Passage three times…

Ask questions…

10 Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: `I will not give you any more straw.

Now I am sure that was received with great joy!

11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'”

Instead of rejoicing over Moses and Aaron’s prophetic message of divine deliverance, the Israelites will be forced to choose between their faith in what God is about to do or minimizing their losses.

12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.

13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.”

These are hard days…

14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh’s slave drivers were beaten and were asked, “Why didn’t you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”

What does Pharaoh think is going to happen? Is this a move to discredit Moses and Aaron?

15 Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way?

16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, `Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are –lazy! That is why you keep saying, `Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”

So, on royal reprieve. Beware, Pharaoh, of pushing things too far.

19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”

20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,

21 and they said, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Was this Pharaoh’s objective? Regardless, it is the result.

Who’s?

Where’s?

When’s?

What’s?

• The Israelites are told that they must keep up their daily quota of brick making despite not being the necessary straw to give substance to or hold the wet mud required to make the bricks.

• So the people, being both perhaps frightened and resourceful, scatter out to scrounge for more straw to make their quota of bricks with.

• When the people fail to meet their daily brick making quotas, they appeal to Pharaoh for relief, but instead Pharaoh describes their wanting to go into the desert to worship their God as laziness and refuses their appeal for relief.

• Having received no relief from their harsh taskmaster, Pharaoh, the Israelite foreman now turn on the only logical source of their frustration, Moses and Aaron.

Summary…Perhaps and shrewdly, Pharaoh’s unmerciful response to the Israelites request to go out in the desert to offer sacrifices to their God, Yahweh, now causes the once receptive Israelites to turn on God’s messengers for having been the effective cause of Pharaoh’s harsh treatment of them.

Summary…At the moment, Israel’s plan to celebrate at feast in the desert to their God has seemed to backfire.

Bottom Line…The Children of Israel’s desire to worship God has precipitated not only persecution, but seemingly, in the moment, a step backwards in God’s plan for their deliverance.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• We are so naïve, at least I am. I think one thing, or this is all that is involved in fixing a problem, but like an unforeseen money pit, one problem typically exposes many more underlying, but neglected flaws. It should be simple, right? God is on my side. Tell Pharaoh to let God’s people go out into the desert to worship, and of course Pharaoh says yes, and the world is wonderful. God exists. All is right with the world. God called me to worship. I worship, and therefore God is real, and my worship was rewarded or not in vain, not in question. But that’s not what happens at all. God calls me to do a task, and I do it—tell Pharaoh what God has told me to tell him—and then matters only become worse, not better. So is God still God? Does he really exist? Did he really talk to me? Was what I experienced in the desert real? If not, then why am I experiencing obstacles to his expressed will? Why is Pharaoh NOT cooperating? Doesn’t Pharaoh realize who he is dealing with? Does Pharaoh NOT realize the consequences of fighting God? Or why doesn’t God change Pharaoh’s heart? Why the obstacles? Fair question, but the answer is, our viewpoint is so limited. We see only the NOW…the brief. We see about an inch ahead of us on God or life’s ruler, when the ruler is much much longer, bigger and grander, perhaps NOT even twelve inches or a yard stick of life, but hundreds or billions of yardsticks. Bottom line, we cannot measure God only in the brief limited moment. While normal and human, it is utterly, from a longer-term Spiritual viewpoint… insane. And thus, the necessity of faith or trust in God’s decrees for the long term. Trust to last through not only the next inch or yard of life, but in the case of the Children of Israel and dating all the way back to their father Abraham, seven hundred years previous, thousands of yardsticks, looking both backward and forward…no doubt a tough thing to do…to, by faith, pull back and view yardsticks of life versus the inch or two that I am currently staring down–in this case, Pharaoh’s refusal to supply the Children of Israel straw to make bricks and yet require the same amount of bricks to be made as before when they were supplied straw for brick making. Fortunately, in this case, it will NOT be long, or in just a few, short divine inches, before Israel will see both the glory of God, as well as, his deliverance.

• As Pharaoh clearly demonstrates, some people are just jerks. Some people, for whatever reason are just hard and unmerciful.

• Man’s temptation to control perceived disorder…in this case…Israel’s request to take some time off from brick making to worship God as opposed to making more bricks…is to control more. By god, I will show you who is in charge because, to you, I am god. I will show you to challenge my will and authority.

• Man is so insecure. So frightened. So godless. All this seems so paradoxical. One approach to life is look inside insecure, threatened self for your own flawed godness, salvation and deliverance, and the other is, by faith, to seek or trust a divine, higher creative, original designing, and ever-present, loving and just power…God…to save me. Well, we all know how this story turns out. The man and kingdom which depends upon its own self or man-made gods is utterly wiped out, while the people, leadership and nation that thrusts itself on the mercy of God is born.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

2014 Application…

Thanksgiving…Much to be thankful for. Cards playing for the National League Championship…again…for the fourth time in four years. Rain is coming. Thanks, God. The fall rains have been gradually making their return, after a dry late summer and early fall. The weather is nice, although the storms are coming, and I have gotten do to some serendipitous, but provocative and powerful counseling this past week that involves drug abuse, boundaries, love and prodigals. It doesn’t get any better than this. Trial by fire. Life lived in the moment. Dependence upon God on what to do in the very next second, which makes for a very exhilarating and electric experience or dependence upon God in what to do next. Thank you, thank you, thank you, God.

Struggle…Trust…trust for finances, trust that as I am out there on the front lines dealing with sin…and seeking and obedience…God will take care of my rear…my supply lines. I am taking the fight to the enemy, will God protect my rear? Will he keep me supplied? It is a walk of faith. And if not, I choose no other battle, no other war, no other fight. My fight is against evil, do or die, sink or swim. There is no other life, no other calling, no other purpose. I will fight until I die. God, protect those I love and those around me that trust and follow my leadership. Honor their courage, their obedience, their faith, not in me, but in you. Make them strong, true and steady warriors in YOUR fight against evil. Amen.

Truth…that just because God calls you to do something big or small, heroic or not, requiring sacrifice or not, does not mean, that in the immediate future, or the next inch of life, that all will go positive. And that is okay. I can struggle. I can accept Pharaoh’s not only rejection, but his hardening and persecution. I don’t expect good to immediately come from good or confronting evil. The battle is not just about the now, but the long term. Obedience, confidence, hope, faith, love, joy, perseverance in the now… until my role is complete within this divine drama or the good is sustainably achieved.

Application…Fight on. Fight on. If God chooses to protect my supplies line, so be it, and if not, for his glory, so be it. I will fight on. Hopefully, unlike Patton, who often was fully willing to advance so far and so fast that he risked his supply lines being cut, or as Sherman who lived off the land in his total war approach to war and his March to the Sea during the Civil War, I will NOT outrun my divinely-inspired supply lines, but I will fight. I must fight. God, supply your servant, as he wages war in your honor and for your glory.

Your struggle?

Principle/Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

How could God prayerfully apply these truths to their lives? (Just try a few in your preparation…then try leading the application in that direction. It may go another direction. Be sensitive to God’s leading among the group.)

Scripture quotations, unless noted otherwise, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version‚ NIV‚ Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

Exodus 5:1-9 Let My People Go, Diablo! 10-5-14

Intro…Let my people go! What a message! One that is still being proclaimed over 3400 years later! It is still being echoed in prayers and pulpits throughout the world, even as I write. Maybe not in those exact terms, but there are prayer warriors who daily intercede on behalf of God’s oppressed children, be that oppression economic or political; spiritual or physical; mental or emotional; marital, family, children or parents; job or employment-related; obvious injustice, drug-addiction, deception and denial, and a thousand other ways.

Let my people go! Let my people go, Diablo! They have been bought with a heavy price—the precious and powerful blood of God’s eternal lamb, the Son of God. Let my people go!

And yet the war drags on…the war between good and evil…God and Diablo…light and dark…It never ceases…It never goes to sleep…It never rests…Every second of every day in every corner of the planet.

And for whatever reason, God uses his saints to save other saints. He uses intercessions to intercede on behalf of those who need intercession. Perhaps to remind us that we do not fight this fight alone. We need each other. This is not a solo war.

If so…WHO are you fighting for? If people count…if lives matter…if you souls are important…who are you interceding for? Who are you bravely standing up to king of Egypt on behalf of, even if the king refuses to listen to your courageous intercession–Let my people go! Let my friend go! Let my family go! Let God’s saints go! Let my husband, wife, child, parent go! In the name of Jesus, let my loved one go, Diablo? Continue reading →

Exodus 4:18-31 Redemption… 9-28-14

Fellowship at Cross Creek

Life of Moses

Lesson 8: Redemption…

Ex 4:18-31

(1.12.03; 9.28.14)

Intro…Can God both give you an assignment to do and it be hard? Yes. Why? Why would God do this? Why would a parent, teacher, coach or employer do this? To see the mettle of his student? To expose their strengths and liabilities. If we come to the table already fit, what’s the point? What do we have to learn? How will we grow? Sometimes we are given a difficult, challenging assignment that we may or may not be able to accomplish, particularly in our own wisdom and strength, as Moses sought to do when he intervened on behalf of the Hebrew slave that was being beaten by the Egyptian steward. Moses in his own strength and wisdom ends up killing and burying the harsh steward. When he finds out that others know what he has done, he panics and flees Egypt, and then spends forty years in a self-imposed exile. Moses had talent, no doubt about it, but he needed what only God could do through him, if he was to pull off the impossible. This is true of all of us. Pretty good, on our own, perhaps, but not good enough…not God enough. God is our only hope and salvation. With God, always greater than.

How might you demonstrate or expose this truth to your students. Good, bad or indifferent without God; invincible, called and empowered with God.

Series Introduction: You make a mistake…perhaps even a huge mistake; you think your life has changed forever–that there is no going back. In exile, you take your flock of sheep, which you have been pasturing for these past forty years to an out-of-the-way desert valley that seems to symbolize your exiled existence. You see something strange in the distance—it’s a fire…an inextinguishable flame.

You bravely venture forth for a closer inspection of the undying flame. As you draw closer, something happens–you begin to experience something that will change your entire understanding of your human existence—you encounter God of the Universe.

Out of all the people on the planet, the Creator of the Universe has chosen YOU–a wandering, lonely, exiled, imperfect shepherd–to free and lead an exodus of what will become an emancipated people group of over two million strong from the oppressive grip of a much stronger nation that enslaves them—a nation that does intend to just allow you to walk in and then walk out with all its slaves. And even after you pull off this miraculous emancipation, you must now lead or shepherd this massive new nation across a vast desert with little food or water resources to a land that, while flowing with milk and honey, only somewhat briefly belonged to your forefathers over four centuries ago and is now currently occupied by many wicked or evil tribes that just don’t intend to hand you back your ancestors’ tribal lands.

Impossible, you say? Ridiculous? Utterly insane, if you ask me. Unless the God of Creation is the one doing the calling AND the work of liberation and deliverance. Do you have the guts or crazy faith to be obedient, to trust, to put one foot in front of the other no matter the costs?

Pray

Read the Passage three times…

Ask questions…

18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”

Was it respectful to ask the father-in-law to leave or cultural? Jethro seemed very trusting of Moses. But after 40 years, this kind of trust makes sense. Now Moses knew that his brother was coming to him because of the previous passage, but did he think he was coming to tell him that his family was dead? Why did Moses not tell Jethro what God had told him? Was his father-in-law not a believer? Was this the reason? He was a Midianite priest? Who and what did the Midianites worship?

19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.”

A new wrinkle that we were not told of earlier in the LORD’s conversation with Moses, so we don’t know everything that might have been said. Does this mean that the nation has forgotten Moses? He is a non-issue?

20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

Now it has become the staff of God; no longer is it the staff of Moses. How long a journey was it across the Sinai to Egypt? Was it a difficult journey? Would this journey be difficult on his family? Would it be safe? How old were his sons?

21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

Was this a second conversation or from the previous conversation? If from the previous conversation, why did the writer, presumably Moses, choose to use this approach to tell us more of what was said? Why is God going through all this—the miracles and the hardening? What is the purpose to defeat your purpose? To cause a greater miracle? To severely discipline the Egyptians? Did he have a reason? Was it for enslaving Israel? Was it due to their polytheism?

22 Then say to Pharaoh, `This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son,

How is a nation his first-born son? I thought Jesus was? Was this because of Abraham? First-born, usually means eldest and by which the family land, name and authority were handed down? Is this a metaphor? Does this mean that Israel is special?

23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'”

Here is the discipline? Intervention to allow them to go? Why so severe? Makes God sound vindictive? Is this literal—Pharaoh’s son or the entire nation’s firstborn sons?

24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met [Moses] and was about to kill him.

Where did this come from? This sounds extreme? Why is Moses in brackets? How was he going to kill him? It would seem that the same God that is sending Moses to Pharaoh to tell him that he is about to lose his first born son—no small act…to take the life of a prince of Egypt—certainly means business and is NOT afraid to take the life of the servant he is sending…

25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched [Moses’] feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

Why did Moses’ wife act so fast? How did she know what to do? Why now had the LORD chosen to do this? Is this something that Moses had been instructed to do, but had failed to follow through on? Why does this event come so out-of-the-blue? Why did she touch Moses’ feet? Why had Moses failed to circumcise his son? Why was it important now? Because they were getting closer to the nation once again? Would the LORD actually have killed Moses? What would he have done to find a leader to lead the nation out of Egypt? Did Israel’s redemption hang so narrowly in the balance? What does this say about God? That he will not be disrespected? That he does not play favorites? Did Zipporah resent having to circumcise her child? What was the custom of circumcision all about in the first place? Was this the symbol or sign of God’s covenant or contract with Abraham? All his male descendants would have the foreskin of their penis removed? Why this painful symbol? At one time we thought it was hygienic? Easier to clean? This does not seem to be the case today? Was it a symbol of the flesh that needs to be removed in our lives? A symbol that says that our biggest struggle with sin will be through the male’s reproductive organ? It allows us to have children, but at the same time because it is a source of great pleasure, mankind finds it difficult to stay within godly, healthy limits? (Okay enough. Just some wild thoughts.)

26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

27 The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.

Is this Mount Sinai or Horeb where Moses was first called to the burning bush and later where he will receive God’s covenant with Israel or the Law, the code of ethics of how Israel was to live and worship God in the new land they were traveling to—their constitution so to speak?

What was running through Aaron’s mind? Did Aaron know what was going on? Did God speak to people often then since they did not have many or any Scriptures?

28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.

29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites,

The story jumps immediately forward to their being in Egypt? Did people remember or know who Moses was? That he was raised in the house of the Pharaoh when other infant boys were put to death? That he traded all that for the role of an exiled shepherd via his coming to the defense of a fellow Israelite that was being beaten and the murder of an Egyptian who was beating him? How many elders?

30 and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people,

So Aaron becomes Moses’ mouthpiece. All the people or just the elders?

31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Who’s? Moses, Jethro, his father-in-law, my own people, any of them, all the men who wanted to kill you, his wife and sons, Pharaoh, the people, Israel is my firstborn son, your firstborn son, Zipporah, her son’s foreskin, Aaron, elders of the Israelites, the people, LORD

Where’s? went back to Jethro, to my own people in Egypt, in Midian, to Egypt, in his hand, before Pharaoh, at a lodging place on the way, into the desert, at the mountain of God

When’s? then Moses went back, still, when you return, then say to, then Moses told, and when they heard

What’s?

• Moses asks his father-in-law if he can go back to his people.

• Jethro has no problems with this and wishes him well.

• The LORD reassures Moses that all those seeking his life have passed on—kind of like King Herod with Jesus, just in reverse. Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt.

• Moses loads up the family and heads back to Egypt with the staff of God in hand.

• The LORD reminds Moses that his task will not be easy. Despite the miracles, God will harden Pharaoh’s heart and refuse to let Israel go.

• At this point, God will severely discipline Egypt, taking their first-born sons, because Pharaoh refused to allow God’s first-born son, Israel, to leave Egypt and worship him.

• On his way to Egypt a strange episode occurs. The LORD almost takes Moses’ life when his wife intervenes and circumcises Moses’ son.

• The LORD instructs Moses’ brother Aaron to meet Moses in the desert.

• They meet at the previous mountain where God had called Moses.

• Moses tells Aaron God’s plan for the both of them to lead Israel out of Egypt.

• They meet with the elders of Israel, and after performing the miracles before the people, the people fall down in worship because God has seen their plight is about to deliver them.

Summary…

• Moses must return to Egypt.

• God reminds Moses that Pharaoh’s heart will be hard, but that God will take care of this—he will take his firstborn son.

• Zipporah spares Moses’ life by circumcising his son.

• Aaron is directed to meet Moses in the desert where he learns of God’s plan to liberate the Israelites.

• The Israelite elders, back in Egypt, respond worshipfully to Moses and Aaron’s message of God’s intended redemption.

Bottom line…

Despite a serious bump in the road, Moses, equipped with a seemingly impossible mandate from God—to lead Israel out of slavery, now makes it back to Egypt.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• Despite his great call, Moses is still respectful of his father-in-law.

• Eventually, our enemies…God’s enemies… will be destroyed.

• God can be and is multi-purposed. He allows Moses to perform the miracles, but at the same time, he hardens Pharaoh’s heart–two seemingly contradictory objectives. And yet in the long term this will all make sense. In the short run, Pharaoh’s lack of a positive response, despite the miracles, could seem discouraging. But don’t be discouraged that things don’t always go the way we would like them to, even if God has called us to the task. Both the task and the resistance are allowed by God. God has something bigger up his sleeve.

• Despite Moses’ call, God was still not going to bend the rules for his especially-chosen leader. Moses had failed to circumcise his son—something all the children of Abraham were supposed to have experienced (Gen. 17:9ff). Moses’ failure to recognize God’s covenant had almost cost him his life. God must make it clear to his servant—if you work for me as my holy instrument, you will be holy…no exceptions. I am not afraid to take the life of Pharaoh’s son, and I am certainly not afraid to take your life. Get holy. Do the basics. Do what you have failed to do. Circumcise your son.

• Zipporah’s shrewd and quick acting spared her husband’s life, though it cost her as mother to inflict pain upon her son. But she did it anyway because she knew it was the right thing to do, albeit painful and costly, as she admits. (Why Moses did not do this or why she took it upon herself to circumcise her son is not clear.)

• God can work in two different peoples lives at the same time. in very separate ways He did this with me and Rhonda in order to bring us together and he still does this in people’s lives today.

• The proper response to the news of God’s merciful intervention, such as his sending of his Son to Spiritually intervene on our behalf, is always worship.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

2003 Application…

This week’s struggle: Just a lot to do, the chief of which is to prepare to present to the Body the elders’ ministry/financial goals for the upcoming year. There is also a renewed emphasis of work going on the church this week to finish up left over construction projects, as well as my message to prepare, etc. Just feeling a little nervous about getting it all done or managing it.

Principle/Application: Just because God may have called us to do something doesn’t mean that it will be easy, or there won’t be divine resistance involved. In fact, there probably will be. But this is what builds up our Spiritual muscles.

Just because he may have called us to build a church facility or to strengthen our ministry via an increase in staff, does not mean it will be easy. But you step up to the plate, honestly present your case and allow the Body to respond how they are going to respond. So far they have always come through very solidly, particularly, in these last seven years. My part is just be obedient. God is responsible for the results.

2014 Application…

Thanksgiving…It was an amazing Sunday, especially my teaching, lunch and a picnic afterwards and a baptism and walk. I was actually better prepared than I had been in awhile. I had taken the previous week off, which no doubt helped, but I was still late in the process. And yet, even late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, the passage, illustrations and application all came together. It felt truly of the Lord–As we experience, trust and walk or live in the divine Light of the Son’s atonement for our sin and the Spirit’s words, truth and power, we are becoming children of Light to those who are lost in a ever-darkening world. We become light. We are light in a dark world. We give out hope and truth to those lost in the dark. It’s an amazing Spiritual process and journey—one not to be taken lightly or for granted. Amen! (John 12:33ff).

In addition, one of the Spiritual grandparents of one of the children I had the honor of baptizing into Christ, it turns out, attended my church over a quarter of a century ago…as a college student! In addition, they want to get together. They are from out of town and our meeting for reasons I can’t elaborate right now is absolutely crucial. I am telling you, you can’t make this stuff up…modern-day hints of God’s miraculous working in the life of Moses and the Children of Israel so long ago…

Struggle…A lot to get done seemingly. A lot of study, reading and writing…this revised lesson, this Sunday’s teaching and filling in some gaps in SLove. And yet there are still lots of sheep to shepherd, check on or look after, including wayward sheep, as well as, administrative, facility and grounds and personal tasks to get done. God give me the grace to pace myself. Grace, Lord. Grace. In your strength…your tasks…your time…your leading…your power…your truth…

Truths…God’s multi-tasking purposes within our lives; God’s call does not exempt the called from even the very basics of the Covenant’s demands. In other words, the messenger is NOT above the message he is to deliver; Zipporah quickly and shrewdly moves to save her husband’s…the messenger’s…life; the message of deliverance validated by God’s power ought to inspire worship of the Deliverer.

Application…Because I am seeing evidence of God’s eventual deliverance and power, I will worship Him. I must thank Him. I must look forward to the battle…the struggle…the war…understanding that he is constantly weaving individual destines and plot lines together to accomplish his greater will…even plot lines that seem resistant or contrarian to the task he has given us. So therefore, even if something is difficult, that really means very little. Expect it. As the writer of Hebrews, quoting the Proverbs, reminds us: “As a father disciplines his son for his own good, so God disciplines those he loves for our own good.” We can be called to a Spiritual task, and yet, there may be divinely allowed obstacles strewn within our path. It has certainly been true of my life. Both are critical for our growth…the call…and its acceptance, and the resistance that must be overcome in order to fulfill the call. For me, this week, it is balance, patience, insight, trust, perseverance.

Your struggle?

Principle/Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

Special Note on the “LORD”: Notice that I AM WHO I AM as well as LORD are in all caps in the NIV. Why is this?

The reason for this is that both phrases or words are one in the same. LORD in all caps becomes a substitute for I AM (or Yahweh, pronounced Yah-way in Hebrew) for God’s personal name. That is why we call him LORD. When “Lord” is not in all caps, it is the Hebrew word for “master” (adonai).

Why LORD for I AM? Good question. Because God’s personal name, I AM or Yahweh, was consider sacred and not to be taken in vain (Ex 20, one of the ten commandments), scribes substituted the vowels for “Lord or master” (adonai) underneath the consonants for the Yahweh (I AM) within the biblical text since there were no vowels to begin with (Jews did not need them; we did). Rabbi’s knew they were to substitute “adonai,” Lord, for “Yahweh,” I AM, thus not profaning the LORD’s name. But what we, later readers did was to come up with an entirely new word, one that did not really exist, one that combines the consonants of Yahweh with the vowels of adonai–Jehovah.

In fact, for the most part, I will seldom use it. It does not really exist. We have made it up. Either use LORD (Yahweh, I AM ) or Lord (adonai, master or Lord).

So now you know why LORD is in all caps. Remember it stand for I AM or Yahweh, God’s personal name, just like my personal name is Joe or Joseph.

Exodus 4:1-17 Overcoming the Excuses 9-21-14

Fellowship at Cross Creek

Life of Moses

Lesson 7: Overcoming the Excuses…

Ex 4:1-17

(1.12.03; 9.21.14)

Introduction…Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to anyone’s Spiritual growth is the insecurity to risk the attempt or responsibility to lead others… be it one’s marriage, family, Sunday School class, Bible study or just about anything in life that involves others. I have seen it over and over again. Sheep without a shepherd. Great sheep. Talented sheep, and yet none of the sheep takes it upon themselves to risk shepherding or leading the other sheep in the very real need that needs to be met or the assignment that needs to be carried out. Someone take charge. Someone risk leadership, even imperfect leadership…even the complaints and grips of others. Seen a family or marriage without a leader? … Tragic. Seen a Bible study, small group or ministry project without a leader? … No direction.

Now you can’t be a jerk…I mean… all the time…and be a good leader as well. Sometimes the kids think mom or dad are jerks, we all understand this, but good leaders are teachable…trainable. They want to become better leaders, not so much for their own personal glory in leading, but to get the task done and done right, and this involves people…it involves a wise, expedient expenditure or allocation of time, manpower and resources.

What can I say? People need leadership. Not necessarily dictators, but definitely leadership…leadership and responsibility. Good leaders are willing to face their insecurities to become a better leader in order to meet the need or get the assigned task done.

And bottom line…no leadership risked, Spiritual growth and maturity, I promise you is arrested. NO WAY around it. Even servants must eventually risk leadership.

©iStockphoto.com/JLBarranco

So how does this relate to kids or students? I think a good teacher or leader seeks to identify, encourage and equip others, including students, to own the process of meeting the need or accomplishing the assigned task, as well as, constantly meeting the need or accomplishing the assigned task better. In other words, a leader seeks to build leaders. It is this easy? Heck, no. There are lots of pitfalls and nuances that must be navigated, but are we just teaching children for the sake of teaching or are we equipping students to think, lead and make difficult, complex and morally courageous decisions? What is our ultimate goal?

If I was exposing this study to children, I would probably attempt to get them to recognize a moment in time in which the kids interpreted a moment when a situation needed leadership and NO ONE stood up to the plate? Or perhaps, I would get them to talk about moments in which they felt someone was being too bossy and why? Now contrast that with a situation in which there was no direction? Where’s the balance? Why didn’t they step up to the plate? Why don’t most people? Just get them thinking about the concept of leadership and why many are fearful to risk its desperate plea.

Life of Moses’ General Introduction: You make a mistake; you think your life has changed forever; that there is no going back. In exile, you take your flock of sheep, which you have been pasturing for the past forty years, to an out-of-the-way desert valley that seems to symbolize your life. You see a fire in the distance that refuses to die. You decide to take a closer look. As you draw closer to the inextinguishable flame, suddenly your life does change forever…

The God of the universe has plucked YOU, out of all people, a wandering shepherd, to lead your entire nation, numbering well over two million people out of the country where they are currently enslaved, across a barren wasteland with little water or food resources, to a land which their forefathers had previously shepherded their flocks for a seemingly brief three hudred years, but has been now been abandoned for over four hundred years and is currently occupied by inhabitants who have no intention of giving that land back up to their forefathers’ descendents.

Impossible you say? Ridiculous? Sounds like it to me, unless the God of creation is the one doing the calling and doing the work. Do you have the guts to be obedient no matter what…no matter the price?

Pray

Read the Passage two or three times…

Ask questions…

Exod. 4:1 Moses answered,

“What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, `The LORD did not appear to you’?”

Who is they? The elders of Israel? The Egyptians? Believe about what? That it was God or I AM or the LORD sending him to lead the children of Israel (or Jacob) out of Egypt and slavery? This is a great question. I would be asking it. Who would believe him?

2 Then the LORD said to him,

“What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

Why a staff? Was it because it was just convenient? Or was the particular tool of validation that God wanted to use? A staff to shepherd sheep. Fend off wild animals? Count sheep? Gently nudge or guide them? Lean on?

3 The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground

and it became a snake,

and he ran from it.

How did God do this? How does God transform a wooden staff into a living snake? Was the snake hissing at him? Was it a dangerous snake? I still jump at snakes. This does come across as a bit humorous as Moses runs from his staff-transformed-into-a-snake.

4 Then the LORD said to him,

“Reach out your hand

and take it by the tail.”

So Moses reached out

and took hold of the snake

and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

That took courage. Why the tail? I would rather take hold of it right behind the head, so that it could not bite me. And yet, I watch snake handlers grab the tail, and then use a stick about half way down the snake’s body? How is God doing this…changing the snake back into his staff and vice versa?

5 “This,” said the LORD,

“is so that they may believe that the LORD,

the God of their fathers

–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac

and the God of Jacob

–has appeared to you.”

Proof. Validation. Would they think this trickery? Only something God or a god could do?

6 Then the LORD said,

“Put your hand inside your cloak.”

So Moses put his hand into his cloak,

and when he took it out,

it was leprous, like snow.

Did this scare or frighten Moses? Is this what leprosy look like? Like snow?

7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said.

So Moses put his hand back into his cloak,

and when he took it out,

it was restored,

like the rest of his flesh.

Moses had to be shocked.

8 Then the LORD said,

“If they do not believe you

or pay attention to the first miraculous sign,

they may believe the second.

Makes sense, but would they still think it gimmickry?

9 But if they do not believe these two signs

or listen to you,

take some water from the Nile

and pour it on the dry ground.

The water you take from the river

will become blood on the ground.”

A third sign. It’s as if God expects Israel’s skepticism or lack of trust in Moses. And yet, God can do anything as he is about to do. He is sparing no price at accomplishing his promise or objective of placing Abraham’s descendants back into their forefathers’ promised lands. God is keeping his word. And this is only a small token of the miracles or supernatural that he is about to perform.

10 Moses said to the LORD,

“O Lord, I have never been eloquent,

neither in the past

nor since you have spoken to your servant.

I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Another obstacle anticipated. So despite three signs, Moses is still insecure. Does he mean that he is struggling even just communicating to God at the bush? Why was this important to Moses? Even then did leadership seem to require a mastery of words?

11 The LORD said to him,

“Who gave man his mouth?

Who makes him deaf or mute?

Who gives him sight or makes him blind?

Is it not I, the LORD?

Why or how does God do this—make one blind and one not? Or is it that he simply allows the laws of genetic and disease run their courses?

12 Now go; I will help you speak

and will teach you what to say.”

God has answered his objection. I will do it for you. If I can turn a stick into a snake, and water into blood.

13 But Moses said,

“O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

Despite everything God has equipped him with, Moses still hesitates. It doesn’t surprise me. Moses still struggles. Why was he so afraid? Was his speech (such as the king’s speech in the film the King’s Speech) this bad? Did he stutter? Why would God use or allow his servant to be such a poor communicator? What was he afraid of? Would people laugh or not take him seriously? Is Moses really still asking out of the whole project?

14 Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses

and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite?

I know he can speak well.

He is already on his way to meet you,

and his heart will be glad when he sees you.

God seems to have had enough of Moses’ excuses. Why was Aaron already on his way to meet Moses? Had God put something on Aaron’s heart to go to Moses? Had God planned this anyway? Why did he become angry at Moses, if Aaron was already coming? Or had God picked Aaron for a different supporting role, but not a primary mouth-piece role? When it says that God’s anger burns, just how mad is God? Is he really mad? Impatient? Or is Moses really pushing the envelope here?

15 You shall speak to him

and put words in his mouth;

I will help both of you speak

and will teach you what to do.

So Moses will speak after all? But Aaron will be the primary mouth piece?

16 He will speak to the people for you,

and it will be as if he were your mouth

and as if you were God to him.

What an interesting expression—“God to him.” Moses would carry this much influence?

17 But take this staff in your hand

so you can perform miraculous signs with it.”

(Note: for a change of pace, sometimes try skimming the passage looking for nouns or naming words, then verbs or action words, or color words such as adjective or adverbs. Or look for stated questions or commands. Don’t get caught up in perfection either. Remember, the goal is to use any legitimate observing device to read or skim through the passage enough times that the student becomes more and more familiar with the passage and its narrative or argument. The more you observe the passage, the better will be your interpretation of the passage, and the better your interpretation of the passage, the better your application of the passage’s embedded truths or meanings.)

Who’s? Moses, the LORD, they, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, man, who makes…who gives…I, the LORD, someone else, your brother, Aaron the Levite, the people,

Where’s? on the ground, inside your cloak, from the Nile, on the dry ground, on his way, in his mouth, in your hand

When’s? then the Lord, then the Lord said, then the Lord said, and when he took it out, in the past, nor since, then the Lord’s anger, already on his way, when he sees you

What’s?

• (Review) vv. 1-11 God calls Moses for the mission of his life—to deliver the people of Israel from Egypt and to take them back to the land, which was promised their forefathers.

• (Review) vv. 12-22 God not only answers Moses question that he will be with him to help him accomplish the mission God has given him, he tells him his eternal name and gives him the message he is to take of freedom for Israelites from the Egyptians via God’s mighty hand. They will also not leave empty-handed.

• 4:1-17…

• Moses asks another question, “What if they don’t believe me?” v. 1

• The LORD gives him three signs:

a) his staff that turn into a snake and back 2-5

b) his hand turns to leprosy and back 6-8

c) water from the Nile River turning to blood 9

• But this is still not enough for Moses; he informs the LORD that he is not an eloquent speaker. v. 10.

• The LORD reassures Moses that he is capable of handling this and helping Moses. Vv. 11-12.

• But Moses protests and still asks for the LORD to send someone else. V. 13.

• Though the LORD becomes angry, he gives him his brother Aaron, to help him speak. Vv. 14-16

• He reminds him to take the staff; it will be the tool that God will perform his miracles through Moses. V. 17.

Summary…3:1-11: God calls Moses for a special mission; 3:12-22: God tells Moses he will not go alone and gives Moses God’s special name, I AM.

4:1-17: But Moses, still fearful, asks about two problems: 1) what if the leaders of Israel don’t believe me? And 2) what about my lack of eloquence?

God answers both of these concerns: 1) along with two other signs, your staff will be a special staff that will manifest God’s powers; 2) Your brother Aaron will speak for you.

Bottom line…I am not sending you back to your people empty handed. I am giving you a special powers and your brother Aaron’s voice.

Note: Despite all this, Moses still does not seem secure or desiring of this call.

Special Note on the term “LORD”: Notice that I AM WHO I AM as well as LORD are in all caps in the NIV. Why is this?

Why LORD for I AM? Good question. Because God’s personal name, I AM or Yahweh, was considered sacred and not to be taken in vain (Ex 20, one of the ten commandments), scribes substituted the vowels for “Lord or master” (adonai) underneath the consonants for the Yahweh (I AM) within the biblical text since there were no vowels to begin with (Jews did not need them; we did). Rabbi’s knew they were to substitute “adonai,” Lord, for “Yahweh,” I AM, thus not profaning the LORD’s name. But what we, later readers did was to come up with an entirely new word, one that did not really exist, one that combines the consonants of Yahweh with the vowels of adonai–Jehovah.

In fact, for the most part, I will seldom use it. It does not really exist. We have made it up. Either use LORD (Yahweh, I AM ) or Lord (adonai, master or Lord).

So now you know why LORD is in all caps. Remember it stand for I AM or Yahweh, God’s personal name, just like my personal name is Joe or Joseph.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• God can do anything. Nothing stops him. He has no limitation, even turning water into blood or wood into a snake.

• Humans, even God’s servants, initially can be very insecure, not only doubting God’s call upon their lives, but their ability to truly accomplish the task God is giving them to do.

• In human terms, God can and does become impatient with our doubting his provision for the task ahead.

• God is not afraid to answer all our fears/requests, nor to give us the power, truth and tools we need to accomplish the job.

• In the end, God can and does direct man, including his mouth, ears and eyes, including his being deaf, mute and blind.

• God uses what we have as his tools.

• God can use our families to help us, as Aaron with Moses (not that there weren’t problems. In fact, there were.)

• God was already providing the answer to Moses’ rebuttals in Aaron’s coming to Moses before Moses had even brought up his speech impediment.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

2003 Application…

This Week’s struggle: I started off strong, but in the middle of the week, along with Jordan, I started watching the DVD of 24, a television series that allegedly takes place in a real time of 24 hours. It was so addicting–like a book that you can’t put down. Each episode—an hour—ended as a cliff-hanger, so it was hard to STOP watching it! Once you were finished with one DVD or episode, you wanted to go on to the next to see how the previous cliff-hanger was resolved. So I watched the entire 24 hours–actually about 16 hours (commercials had been edited out). Needless to say this really shot my productivity at the time. While it was fun, I fell behind, lost sleep and am not feeling well right now, and all this with a lot to do, as the weekend is coming up.

Principle/Application: Despite all that God attempts to provide us with to do the job, we can still doubt that he can help or resource ME to do it.

Can God get me through the next 36 hours? In fact, quite often, my life does seem like a 24 hour drama, especially as each weekend arrives.

God can do anything. I only need to be sensitive to the tools and support he provides and walk in faith. He will give me the illustration, examples, editing and rehearsal I need to finish preparing my teaching.

And in my various meetings, draw from the people God has brought me. Pull the answers from them. Empower them. In other words, everyday, be aware of God’s answers and resources as I am living out my life’s drama.

2014 Application…

Thanksgiving…I have young adults whom either I remember being born or knew shortly after they were born, independently coming to me saying I see a ministry need and I am not only willing to meet that need but am willing to lead it, if called upon. Tell me, who gets to see fruit like this in a lifetime of ministry? I am blessed beyond measure!

And guess what? After a stressful and sustained drought, the Fall rains have returned. Something symbolic here, if you ask me.

Struggle…an irritating fly in my joyful ointment, or perhaps as the “Beloved” cries out to her “Lover” in the Song of Songs, Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes, that ruin the vineyard—for our vineyard is in floom bloom (Song of Songs 2:15).

After seemingly a good, long run of not really having to think too deeply about finances—which has NOT been the case in previous years—we came up somewhat short here recently. It kind of caught me by surprise. My real concern is whether there is a gradual trend in which our financial output has been exceeding our financial input and that trend is just now getting exposed. We shall see.

Truth…There are a thousands reasons something seemingly impossible will or cannot work, and yet if God calls for it to be done, and for whatever purpose, he can and will provide the resources, tools, truth and power necessary to accomplish or bring about his divinely-inspired decree or will. And despite all our seemingly reasonable human objections, there comes a point in time when the only alternative left to us is to merely trust God and step out in faith. And if God wants it done; He will do it. We are just the tools. And if he wants it done immediately, it will occur immediately, and if not, it will take longer, and longer is okay, maybe even better, because over time, it builds a stronger, more sustainable Spiritual confidence, faith, trust, backbone and relationship with our Creator…as opposed to miracles, that come and go so quickly, that as time goes by, we are tempted to question Why is God Not working in the same way as he did in the miracle?

Note: I have seen people step out in denial. In other words, it was NOT trust in God, but their own selfish denial. And how do I know this? 1) long-term fruit or the lack thereof, and 2) they failed to take advantage of all the Spiritually supportive checks and balances that Scripture provided for them within the local church because God, it seemed was only talking to them…in a room of not just cold-hearted saints, but very godly men and women that just as passionately sought the will of God as well.

This is not to say that God can’t or doesn’t call out the individual, as in the case of Moses, here (although Moses does have Aaron), or perhaps a Joan or Arc (France) or Gideon (Judges) or Christ himself, to go against the general public or cultural grain, and in so doing, establish a new Spiritual direction, trend or paradigm. But in those cases, history or Scripture usually makes it clear, that those surrounding the individual being led or called by God are NOT sincerely seeking the LORD as well.

In the cases I am referring to, there are no checks and balances, and the person who is advocating that they are being led or called upon by God to do something special can’t even answer some basic motivational whys or validation of God’s direction. In this case, God over-abundantly validates Moses’ call and leading, and in fact, it is Moses who doubts the call. And in fact, I would probably be much more willing to listen to or trust someone WITH a speech or some other impediment who inwardly probably doesn’t want to do what they or others feel God is calling them to do.

Application…Stick to the present general trend or course. I have been doing this a long time…listening to, sensing and courageously seeking to be obedient to God’s leading within my life. I feel fairly confident of the message he is giving me now, and the human resources (or Aarons) certainly seem to be stepping up to the plate and validating this direction. Stick to the course and message…Boots on the Ground…regardless of the proverbial flies in the ointment or annoying little foxes that will seek to ruin the crop. And what does Boots on the Ground mean? More to come…It’s a metaphor for where I believe God is leading or taking our Spiritual family. Time will tell. It always does.

Your struggle?

Principle/Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

Ex 3:12ff “I am” 9-14-14

©2003-2014
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 6
I AM
Ex 3:12ff
(Edited 9.14.14)

Introduction: You make a mistake, perhaps even a huge mistake; you think your life has changed forever–that there is no going back. In exile, you take the flock of sheep you shepherd and which you have been pasturing for the past forty years to an out-of-the-way desert valley that seems to symbolize your exiled existence. You see something strange in the distance—it’s a fire…a fire that refuses to die out. You decide to go over and take a closer look. As you draw closer to this inextinguishable flame, you experience something that will change your life forever—you experience the presence of God… God. Nothing will ever be the same again. Praise be to God.

What has just happened? The God of the universe has plucked YOU, out of all the people on the planet–a wandering, lonely, exiled, imperfect shepherd–to free an entire nation of over two million Spiritually straying sheep or human slaves from a much more greater nation that does NOT intend to just allow you to walk in and then just walk out of the door with two million slave workers, and then, once God has somehow empowered or used you to free these people, to now lead or shepherd them across a vast desert wasteland with little food or water resources to a land that is flowing with milk and honey…a land that only a few of their forefathers briefly occupied almost seven centuries before… and a land that is currently occupied by wicked people that have no intention of just handing, what they believe to be their land, back over to you.

Impossible, you say? Ridiculous? Sounds utterly insane, if you ask me, unless the God of Creation is the one doing the calling AND the work. Do you have the guts to be obedient, to trust, to put one foot in front of of the other… no matter what and no matter the price?

I write all this only to encourage all of you NOT to minimize what is about to take place here. This undertaking is of gargantuan proportions. And yet, our faith, born in heaven, is a faith of gargantuan implications. If God could do this with Moses, what might he still have planned for you?

Special Note: Notice that I AM WHO I AM as well as LORD are in all caps in the NIV. Why is this? See note below*.

Pray

Context…

Ex. 3:1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.

3 So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.

9 Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”

Read the Passage three times…

12 And God said, “I will be with you.
And this will be the sign to you
that it is I who have sent you:

When you have brought the people out of Egypt,
you will worship God on this mountain.”

Why does God say this? What just came before in the text? Moses’ doubts—albeit reasonable ones? How is this a sign—if we make it this far, then you know I was the one who did it and I was the one with you pulling off this incredible miracle?

13 Moses said to God,
“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them,
`The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
and they ask me, `What is his name?’
Then what shall I tell them?”

Why is the name important? Did they not have a name for God before? What did they call him? What was their worship like? How did they distinguish it from all the other pagan religions and idol worship? What does the name signify to the Israelites?

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.
This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
`I AM has sent me to you.’”

What does this mean? I don’t have a name or I don’t have to answer the question—“I am who I am”? That “I AM”? That “I exist”? That “I am not silent”? That I do communicate? That I do lead? That I am involved in the affairs of men? That I do intervene? That I do have a purpose? It is almost as if to say, “Before you did not know me real well, but now I am revealing myself very specifically…as I have done in creation, as I have done to your forefathers in promising them the land that I am about to take you back to…as I have done in building this nation of several million people out of one man, your father, Abraham.”

It is like Moses is supposed to say, “Guess what folks. He is alive. He does exist. And he is about to do something important. Something that will never be forgotten. A timeless event.”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites,
`The LORD, the God of your fathers
–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac
and the God of Jacob
–has sent me to you.’

This is my name forever,
the name by which I am to be remembered
from generation to generation.

Now he connects himself to their forefathers. In the previous verse it was his self-existence. Now it is that he has done business in the past with their forefathers. That they have a purpose. That this is no accident that they are slaves in Egypt. This was also a part of the plan. Now I have something else for you. We are about to take another step, just as each of us who knows and accepts God as our Savior has an integral part of the plan in God’s universal purpose.

*Special Note on LORD: The reason for this is that both phrases or words are one in the same. LORD in all caps becomes a substitute for I AM (or Yahweh, pronounced Yah-way, in Hebrew) for God’s personal name. That is why we call him LORD. When “Lord” is not in all caps, it is the Hebrew word for “master” (adonai).

In fact, for the most part, I will seldom use it. It does not really exist. We have made it up. Either use LORD (Yahweh, I AM ) or Lord (adonai, master or Lord).

So now you know why LORD is in all caps. Remember it stand for I AM or Yahweh, God’s personal name, just like my personal name is Joe or Joseph.

16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel
and say to them,
`The LORD, the God of your fathers –
-the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—
appeared to me and said:
I have watched over you
and have seen what has been done
to you in Egypt.

Why does he restate this? (By the way the word for Lord here is the same word for I AM—Yahweh.) Why did Yahweh or I AM wait so long? Why did he allow the Israelites to suffer under a merciless king?

17 And I have promised to bring you
up out of your misery in Egypt
into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites
–a land flowing with milk and honey.’

When did he promise to do this? A long time ago? Who are all these people? Good or bad? Why milk and honey? Prosperity? What was the big deal about milk and honey? Were these luxuries? What did this say about the land? Why would these other peoples who were there share or give it up? This doesn’t sound fair. Sounds kind of like today with respect to the Palestinians being displaced and wanting a land of their own? Sounds like some things never change. And yet this has not always been the case. The Jews have only really been back in the land for the last 50-100 years. Before that it was occupied by many different people, including Muslims, Arabs, Christians and yes some Jews. After the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in AD 70 by the Romans, the Jewish people for the most part have been displaced and wandering.

18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you.
Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt
and say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews,
has met with us.
Let us take a three-day journey into the desert
to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’

How far will a three-day journey take them? To this mountain? Why will the king of Egypt let them go? What will he use for slaves to build his storehouses?

19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go
unless a mighty hand compels him.

20 So I will stretch out my hand
and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders
that I will perform among them.
After that, he will let you go.

21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed
toward this people,
so that when you leave
you will not go empty-handed.

22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman
living in her house
for articles of silver and gold and for clothing,
which you will put on your sons and daughters.
And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

Jewish women? Why would they have Egyptian women living in their home?

Ask questions…

Whos? God, I , you, the people, Moses, Israelites, your fathers, me, I AM WHO I AM, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, generation to generation, elders of Israel, Lord, the God of your fathers, Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, king of Egypt, Hebrews, Lord our God, the Egyptians, every woman, her neighbor, any woman living in her house

Wheres? with you, out of Egypt, on this mountain, to you, to you, to you, in Egypt, the land of Canaanites…, into the desert, in her house

Whens? When you have brought the people out of Egypt, then what shall I say, forever, from generation to generation, then you and the elders, three-day journey, will (future), when you leave

Whats?

(Review) Bottom line…vv. 1-11 God calls Moses for the mission of his life—to deliver the people of Israel from Egypt and to take them back to the land, which was promised to their forefathers.

Summary…vv. 12-22

• God tells Moses he will be with him in answer to his question of v. 11 “Who am I to do such a momentous task?”.

• God gives Moses a sign, you will come back to worship at this same mountain with the entire nation.

• Moses’ ask by what name (or authority) is he to lead the Israelites?

• God answers, “I AM WHO I AM.”

• God also answers that the I AM (LORD) of their forefathers is sending Moses..

• God also tells Moses that this is the name that he is to be forever remembered by.

• God also tells Moses to tell the assembled elders that God has seen their plight within Egypt.

• God also tells Moses to tell them that he has promised to return them to their rich Promised Land.

• God also tells Moses that the elders will listen, and that they are to go together to the king of Egypt and ask to leave on a three-day journey into the desert to sacrifice to their God.

• He also knows that Pharaoh will not let them leave unless compelled to by force.

• So God will compel the king of Egypt to release them via his mighty miracles.

• He will also make the Egyptians favorably disposed to the Israelites when they leave so they will not go empty-handed.

Summary….God not only answers Moses’ question that he will be with him to help him accomplish the mission God has given him, he tells him his eternal name and gives him the message he is to take of freedom for the Israelites from the hand of the Egyptians via God’s mighty hand. They will also not leave empty-handed.

Bottom line… I AM WHO I AM will accomplish this great miracle of releasing the Israelites from the Egyptians, now fully supplied for their journey back to their rich ancestral Promised Land.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• God is with his servants for the tasks he has given them. He does not leave them alone.

• He is also not ignorant of his people’s plight.

• As demonstrated in his name, God is eternally self-existent. He has always existed and always will. He has no beginning and no end. He exists outside of time and space.

• He is involved in the affairs of man; in fact, he has plans for man.

• He desires to bless us and to bring us to his rich Promise Land, and, if not fully here, then certainly in heaven.

• God is more powerful than man. Man ultimately changes, as Pharaoh will do, because of God’s power and intervention.

• God wonderfully provides for his people or children. He does not send us out upon our long journey empty-handed.

• Our hope, or salvation…everyone’s hope and salvation is to trust and worship God.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

2002 Application…

This week’s struggle: Getting ready for my message on Sunday. I was becoming burnt out just before Christmas. After Scrooge, I had pretty much shot my wad, so I got a late start for the next Sunday.

We survived and got the message across:

Just as no one could have predicted the destinies of Bethlehem and Jerusalem…that one village (Bethlehem) which lived in the shadow of the other (Jerusalem) would be exalted in such a manner that it was chosen as the Messiah’s birthplace, while the other (Jerusalem) would fall, having been completely destroyed by the Babylonians (as predicted in Micah 5)…we DON’T KNOW our futures!

Therefore don’t compare your life situation to another’s, especially at Christmas time with all the accompanying travel plans, decorating, gift-giving and family pressures etc.

But while the idea was good, apparently I felt I did a poor job of execution because I was not as prepared as I needed to be. I was just hanging on by the skin of my teeth and fatigued for whatever reason.

I would like to do a better job this Sunday. God has called me to this task, whether I feel adequate or not, and quite often I do not. The pressure to not waste people’s time or bore them or to exalt the Word and my Father to others does build from time to time.

Enough of my whining.

Principle/Application: God will be with me this weekend as I finish preparing for Sunday. He desires to richly provide for me and not leave me empty-handed. I have gotten a good jump on the passage. It is now the finishing up–the editing and presentation parts that usually cause me pressure and fear. Therefore, I will trust I AM WHO I AM, Creator Sovereign of the Universe. If he can create this incredible planet and universe with all its order and diversity, certainly he can help continue to perfect my craft, no matter how handicapped and inadequate I feel in the final presentation portions of my teaching. I can and will trust him for the applications/illustrations, their arrangement and development within the teaching.

This also can carry over into finishing building the church, as well as, seeking to lead the church towards the task of increasing staff and ultimately putting into print many of these ideas and basic fundamentals I seem to keep pounding from the pulpit, such as “Rekindling Relationships”, “Bible Study Methods”, and the “Purpose of a Church.”

So just take a deep breath and go in the name of I AM, and by putting one foot in front of the I will go back to Egypt and do the seemingly impossible…the difficult.

Your Son, LORD

2014 Thoughts… Wow! While those previous paragraphs are pretty much par for the course…I mean I could have said that about last Sunday, that next to the last paragraph was a bit humbling. We did finish the church; staff was increased, and then we went backward staff-wise and with new help, 12 years later, I am taking another run at putting these “fundamentals” into print. What can I say? Some things are more difficult than we think, and life often has us taking two steps back, after our three steps forward. I guess the real question is: Do we quit? Do we give up…when things don’t initially work out as we had hoped? And the answer is…Of course not, if it is of God. And in fact, as it will turn out, even after Moses does leave Egypt with Israel, because of Israel’s foolish choices, the Children of Israel, with their earthly shepherd, Moses, will spend forty years delayed in the desert. Could this have happened to Fellowship, not once, but twice? It would certainly seem so. Are we getting closer each time? I think so. Is this the norm? Oh, I think very much so. We battle fickle, sinful human nature. And human nature, like a deadly cancer is often seldom fully cured. In other words, it comes back. As they say, it only takes one cell. And yet this is the call of God, and somehow in all the madness, the Ships occur and Spiritual Growth occurs. So let’s not get so hung up on the achieving of a goal, as the process of pursuing the goal, because ultimately our goal is Spiritual Growth and God, it would seem, has his own unique ways of bringing this about, despite our flawed attempts to fulfill this same goal in our own very-much flawed human understanding and power.

Your struggle?

Principle?

Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

How could God prayerfully apply these truths to their lives? (Just try a few in your preparation…then try leading the application in that direction. It may go another direction. Be sensitive to God’s leading among the group.)

Exodus 3:1-10 Who am I? 8-31-14

Introduction: You make a mistake; you think your life has changed forever; that there is no going back. In exile, you take your flock of sheep, which you have been pasturing for the past forty years, to an out-of-the-way desert valley that seems to symbolize your life. You see a fire in the distance that refuses to die down. You decide to take a closer look. As you draw closer to the inextinguishable flame, suddenly your life changes forever…

Ever had that feeling or that gnawing, Spiritual sensation that God might be calling or beckoning you or urging you to do more…step out into the deeper waters…above your head…not feet touching the ground…floating…resting…treading water…looking up into the heavens…laying on your back…and looking up at the sky above you…floating…in water above your head. Scary feeling, taking such a risk, isn’t it? Scary feeling, climbing out of the boat to walk to Jesus? This is NOT supposed to be done. This is impossible! Man! Are you kidding? With my inadequacies? No way. Easier to stay safe. Easier to hide. Let others take the risks. Safety means elimination of failure, costs or consequences.

But if there are no risks, how does one ever truly learn to rest, trust or depend upon God, and therefore see his power and experience his provision? No risk; no God, or certainly NOT MUCH GOD! Risk, and much God…a lot of God! Why? Because we need him. Little risk and little need! What a boring, non or little-Spiritual existence? Why? So I can watch the next TV show? So I can ease into retirement? Are you kidding me? This is life? This is God? This is the Spiritual? Where there is God, there are risks. Where there is God, there is trust. Trusting God building huge Spiritual muscles—muscles that God can use to move mountains, or if need be, lead three million people out of national bondage, through a desert wilderness and eventually into a land of their own. Seem impossible. Well, it was done, and God used someone who said, “Who am I?” His name was Moses…

Pray
Read the Passage three times…
Ask questions…

Exod. 3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro
his father-in-law,
the priest of Midian,
and he led the flock to the far side of the desert
and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Was his father-in-law “the priest” of Midian, like the big dog? Did Moses just luck out here when he rescued his daughters at the well? Where is Midian? Kind of southeast of the Promised Land and the Dead Sea? So if he goes to the far side of the desert does he go closer to Egypt to the south of Sinai? (I just watched a movie on Lawrence of Arabia, which is a biography of a British soldier who galvanized the Bedouins Arabs into a fighting force against the German allies, the Turks, during WWI. When Lawrence crosses the Sinai peninsula from Aqaba, Saudi Arabia to Cairo, Egypt, a journey of a couple of hundred miles, his journey is a life-threatening one through the desert.)

Why is the mountain called Horeb? Is this the same mountain called Sinai that Israel will return to and receive the Law? Why was this called the mountain of God? Because this is where God met with Moses and later his people? Why this mountain? Why a mountain at all? What was special about this place? Do we know which mountain this is today?

How did his flock handle the journey? Why did he make the journey? Was there water or grass there? How many sheep? Did Moses have help? Is this forty years after he had first arrived in Midian? Had he been there before?

2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him
in flames of fire from within a bush.
Moses saw that though the bush was on fire
it did not burn up.

Note it says, the angel of the Lord, not the Lord. Did God or the preincarnate (preflesh) Christ or second person of the Trinity appear in the form of an angel in order to be present with his people? Did he look like an angel? Or was this an angel, such as Gabriel? Why flames of fire? Why a bush? How large a fire? How large a bush? How did it not burn up? How long did he see it? How far away was he when he saw it?

3 So Moses thought,
“I will go over and see this strange sight
–why the bush does not burn up.”

It must have burned for a while.

4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look,
God called to him from within the bush,
“Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Why does it say, “gone over” instead of “come over” like the Lord is watching from a distance instead of from inside the bush? Then it changes to God versus the angel of the Lord. Do we have two different persons of the Godhead being referred to here, the Father and the Son? God and the angel of the Lord? Why does he say his name twice?

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said.
“Take off your sandals,
for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Why was this holy ground? What is holy ground? Ground belonging to God? Was he trying to inform Moses that he was in the presence of God and therefore the ground was different, like being in heaven at the throne of God? Why does one take off shoes or sandals out of reverence for God?

6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,
the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac
and the God of Jacob.”
At this, Moses hid his face,
because he was afraid to look at God.

Who did he think was talking to him before this? What if he had not hid his face, what would have happened?

7 The LORD said,
“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.
I have heard them crying out
because of their slave drivers,
and I am concerned about their suffering.

Now he shifts back to LORD or Yahweh.

8 So I have come down to rescue them
from the hand of the Egyptians
and to bring them up out of that land
into a good and spacious land,
a land flowing with milk and honey
–the home of the Canaanites,
Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,
Hivites and Jebusites.

Come down from heaven? Why was it flowing with milk and honey? Livestock and bees?

9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me,
and I have seen the way the Egyptians
are oppressing them.

10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh
to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Moses has got to be freaking out. Me? But I am the guy with a price on his head? Me?

11 But Moses said to God,
“Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh
and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Whos? Moses, Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, God, angel of the Lord, the Lord, your father, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, my people, their slave drivers, the Egyptians, Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, Pharaoh, Israelites

Wheres? to the far side of the desert, Horeb, the mountain of God, there, in flames, within the bush, over, within the bush, Here I am, closer, where you are standing, in Egypt, come down, up out of the land into a good and spacious land, the home of…., to Pharaoh, out of Egypt

Whens? Now, when the Lord saw, then he said, at this, and now, so now

Whats?

• Moses takes his flock to Horeb, where he sees a bush that does not burn up, though it is on fire.

• When Moses goes over to see the strange sight, God calls to Moses from the burning bush and tells him to not come any closer and to take off his sandals. He is on sacred ground.

• God goes on to identify himself—he is the God of Moses’ fathers.

• When Moses learns who is speaking to him, he hides his face out of fear of death for having looked upon the face of God.

• God tells him that he has seen the misery of his people, Israel, and has come down to rescue them and to deliver them to their Promised Land.

• He goes on to tell Moses that he intends to use Moses to accomplish this objective. Moses is to go to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

• Moses responds, “Yeah, right! Me?”

Summary…God uses an undying flame to gain Moses attention; He tells him to respect the ground he is standing on; He identifies himself; He tells him that he knows of his people’s suffering; that he has come to rescue them and deliver them to another land, and that Moses is to go to Pharaoh to accomplish all of this.

Moses is incredulous that God has chosen him for this task.

Bottom line…Moses reacts with incredulity that God has called him to deliver and lead Israel out Egyptian bondage and back into his ancestor’s promised lands.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• You never know when God may want to call you or get your attention.

• He may use the strangest things to get our attention, even a bush that doesn’t burn up.

• You never know where God may want to get our attention; in this case, it was in the middle of the desert, while shepherding a flock of sheep.

• God can do anything; even cause a bush to burn, but not burn up.

• God’s presence is holy.

• God knows our suffering and pain.

• God has his own time table for accomplishing his will and/or deliverance.

• It would seem that most of us would doubt a divine calling to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Not just because of whether the calling is real or not, but our own abilities. Only great people do such things. But in this case, that is God’s point—I will bring about Israel’s deliverance…you are just the tool…not that Moses doesn’t have talent or natural leadership abilities that need to be trained and refined—talents, skills and abilities that no doubt he will need to accomplish such a mammoth undertaking. And yet, as is the case with everything, including a person’s natural talents, without God, without biblical, Spiritual and moral constraints to the task or tasks we attempt, there seems to be a certain lostness or even emptiness to the task. I am not saying that God doesn’t or can’t use what some would refer to as secular, if there is in all reality, such a thing, which I am not sure there is. But what I am suggesting is that when we do life or something, whatever it is with God, there is something different, something special, something incarnate, something meaningful or purposeful, beyond the seemingly mundane. I suppose we can do things, knowingly or cooperatively, with God or unknowingly or uncooperatively with God.

The choice is ours. “With me…without me…with me…without me…with me…without me….” Tom Cruise’ character, super agent, Roy Miller (Matthew Knight) in the spy thriller, Knight and Day, informing Cameron Diaz’s character, June Havens, concerning her chances of survival. With me…good…without me…not good.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

A Look Back in Time (2002)…

Update: Neil tells me that the nighttime temp needs to be above 50 degrees or my grass probably won’t grow. But maybe that’s a blessing because there are still a lot of rocks in that ground. I looked it up on the Internet, and one study I read suggested cool season grasses, such as perennial rye, should be planted by the end of October, so maybe Neil is right.

(2014: I can’t remember how all this developed. I know today, I have warm-season Bermuda grass planted there because there are no trees. In fact, because of the recent drought and severe temperatures, I have been watering my hybrid Bermuda grass. So my guess is I waited to plant Bermuda until the next summer—the planting season for warm-season grasses.)

Oh well, I tried to “save my child via a papyrus basket,” but sometimes our best is not good enough. I am doing this by myself, and while I attempt to seek out the expert advice, it still does not work. I don’t regret having done the work. At least is was something. And perhaps it was another learning experience—just ask Shan about his $20 rick of wood that ultimately cost him 20 times that (on second thought, I wouldn’t ask him). Sometimes our best intentions are just not good enough. Hopefully we learn from it.

With respect to Amanda, we had a talk this evening. This basketball season may close her athletic career for now. She is thinking about dance for next year. I told her I was fine with dance, but my only warning to her was to be careful trying to find something you are good at for your identity. Maybe she will be a good dancer and maybe she will not.

(2014: On a funny note: I don’t remember much about this, but I do remember her taking some belly dance classes, and I think today, many years later, she can still roll her belly.)

She told me God had created her for a purpose, but she had just not found out what that was yet. I told her that her mother and I did not find our current niches until our early to mid-twenties. And the verdict is still out how well we do them.

I also reminded her that her identity is in Christ. Her value in Christ remains constant. The value of what we do changes with time and perception. Just ask Kurt Warner, QB for the St. Louis Rams football team. Less than a year ago he won his second league’s MVP trophy in three years and barely lost the Super Bowl on a last-second FG by the Patriots. Now he can’t hold on to the ball, buy a win, and many in St. Louis are having second thoughts about last year’s best player remaining as their quarterback. Life is fickle.

Whether you are good at something or not, to remain good at it or to become better, ultimately requires extra work, dedication and sacrifice—a delay of one’s gratification…work first, play second—be it dance, softball, marriage, parenting, etc. Life is not all about fun. Often times it requires the simple drudgery of doing something again and again and again.

This week’s (2002) struggle: I don’t like how our debt keeps edging upward. It is not a net debt, I would just have to liquidate stocks and IRA’s to pay it off, which as many know, now is not the best time to do so when the market is so far down. Still, every month we go further in the hole. I want to cut up the credit card and only pay for what we can pay for with the debit card, then begin to pay down on our debt.

(2014: I think we eventually got out of debt, and we don’t use credit cards anymore, but in recent years we did have to use our home equity loan which was for housing improvements to pay for lapses in salary. And while I don’t like this, if we had to, we could liquidate some capital on order to pay it off or just refinance our house to a fixed rate mortgage. So in essence, when the economy was down, we were able to pull out some of our home’s equity to make it by.)

Principles: God knows our suffering and has his own timetable for our deliverance.

Prayerful application: Tend your flock, Joe, even if means taking them to the ignoble and dry desert, because you never know when God may call you to something special. And even if he calls you to that something special, it will not be a picnic. Be faithful. Enjoy your life. Don’t panic. Stay the course. God knows my destiny. God knows my future. God will bless me in his time. For now, just remain faithful. Don’t seek to escape the pain. Instead live with it via his strength and might.

2014 Application…

Thanksgiving…

A lot of good ministry going on both personally and strategically within the church. NOT perfect, by any means, but there is still life; there is still integrity; there is still fight; there is still that comittment to Christ and truth…the Rock exists. This past week, I was able to divide our Learning Center’s minitry labors, manangement and direction up among my current LC coordinator and another gal. One will take 3rd-8th and the other 2nd grade and below, and since both these gals are busy moms and do this purely as a ministry, this is a huge relief. On the other hand, apparently our high school situation, I am finding out, does NOT appear to be the healthiest, but one of our former students who is back in the area after college is willing to help, so hopefully, there is a shot in the arm there.

Application…

In addition, our Back to School Water Bash went great on Sunday! With Shelly’s help, we continue to make progress on transforming Sustainable Love into something publishable. The Story of Sin via John’s Gospel continues to explode into wonderful truth before my eyes. Things are happening, I guess is what I am saying. A nice, little tenuous momentum. I say tenuous because you never know, but I do think it is time to challenge our body. I think they need a challenge, a purpose, a vision…a direction. They seem hungry and looking for what is next Spiritually, and I think I know what is next—purpose in depth of relationship, ministry and discipleship…the risk to be shepherds. Not much different that Moses here. Certainly mature enough, but just needing that extra Spiritual something, push, challenge, vision, motivation…etc. The risk to go deeper; to be leaders; to risk the extra mile; to ask the tougher questions; to pray (as one my Spiritual daughters suggested the other day) with expectation.

Moses and the Burning Bush by Pedro Orrente

Father, give me the words…give the match…to light a generation of Spiritual Moseses….

Your servant,
jc

Your struggle?

Principle?

Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

How could God prayerfully apply these truths to their lives? (Just try a few in your preparation…then try leading the application in that direction. It may go another direction. Be sensitive to God’s leading among the group.)

Exodus 2:11-25 The Child Grows Up, but the Young Man Runs 8-24-14

©1998-2014
Fellowship at Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 4: The Child Grows Up, but the Young Man Runs…
Ex 2:11-25
12/1/2 (edited and updated… 8/24/14)

Introduction… Most of us would all love for our children to have these perfect loves, without devstating pain, loss or sorrow, but that’s not the reality…or it’s not been the reality for us or most of our parents, and it will NOT be the reality for our kids or grandkids! The reality is that there will be devastating moments, despite the best intentions of our parenting. The real question it seems is: are we or are our children resilient? Spiritually resilient? Like a Timex watch advertizing slogan of many years ago, Do we take a licking and keep on ticking?

Last week, I had to break a young teenager’s heart, and then I had to attempt to rebuild them. I think it worked. I had to tell them truth I would have rather NOT shared, and watch it crush them, but as they were crushed…and I could see all the body language to that extent…I said that they had two choices…to go through this with or without God. They replied that it seemed pointless. I loved their answer because it was honest. I then told them that this life is not heaven, and it’s not hell. It’s a hybrid. Therefore the choice is to try to do it with or without God. For me, God gives me hope to fight on. To accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Ultimately, they left my presence with smiles, but they have a long and difficult journey ahead of them. My goal…reinforce God in that difficult journey—their only hope and salvation!

So how do we teach our kids resiliency, especially without pain? It doesn’t happen! Pain, loss, failure, disapointment, injustice are all requrired to learn life’s required resiliency. So how do we reconcile the two? How much do we go out of the way to protect our children? Afterall, when thy are young, isn’t that our job? Yes, it is. But as they grow, there is a wise, gradual and certain release that must take place, a release that is not without its risks. And then there comes, observation over rescue. How are they responding? Do they have the truths and skills to pick themselves back up and never give up…that is, with respect to life? Do they understand that when they are knocked out of the saddle that life’s real lesson or salvation, is constructing and depending upon one’s faith or trust in God as life’s scaffolding in rebuilding one’s God-inspired hopes and dreams. Such was the case with Moses. Forced to make a difficult choice, he rescues one mistreated person in his own human power. Confronted with the knowledge of his secret, his confidence in himself fails, and so Moses runs. But thankfully, God is not finished with his servant, as he is not finished with us, after our fleshly failures and despite the best of intentions. Rather, in time, God rebuilds his broken servants to do the seemingly difficult or downright impossible in his strength and power.

Might I challege you…might I challenge all of us to embrace, not only our own fleshly failures, but our children’s, not merely as failures, but as Spiritual opportunities, over time and via the Spirit, power, truth and love of God, to do something infinitely better than we could have ever imagined? With God all things are possible! Amen!

Your servant,
Joe

Note: We have 15 verses here. You may need to fly through the reading and who, where, with part of the study because there are a few more verses. Some great principles, potential for some good applications. Remember to challenge them to share some of their struggles so they can make the applicational bridge.

Pray
Read the Passage three times…
Ask questions…

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.

Time flies fast. How many years have passed? What was Moses’ life like? Was he privileged? Did he ever see his family? Did he frequent the Pharaoh very much? Did the Pharaoh know he was an adopted Hebrew “puppy”? Did he enjoy his upbringing? Did he know everything about Egyptian culture? Was he being groomed to be an important official in Egypt? Was he well liked? Respected? What was his relationship with his adopted mother like? Did he have an adopted father?

Why did he go out to where his own people were laboring? Did he feel guilt? His actions seemed to suggest so. So obviously he knew he was Hebrew? What does Hebrew mean? Is this the same as an Israelite? Israel was the new name God gave Jacob when he wrestled with him, but where did “Hebrew” come from? What does it mean? What does Israel mean? Why use “Hebrew” over “Israelite”?

12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Did he try telling the Egyptian not to beat the Hebrew? Why was the Egyptian beating the Hebrew? Had he not done his job right? Why was there no one else around? Was there not something else Moses could do? Or was this because he felt so much guilt, having lived a privileged lifestyle, while so many others his age had been mercilessly killed? He had to be asking, “Why me?” So was this an over reaction to what was being done? Had it just built up in him for so long? Can you see him beating the Egyptian to death? Can you see Moses hurriedly digging a place to bury the Egyptian? Why sand? Was there no dirt around? Were we not near the Nile River? What is the geological terrain around the city they were building or working at?

13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”

Why does he go back? Is he trying to watch out for his people? Why were they fighting? How is it that Moses just happened upon these two men? Same general location? Moses definitely senses a loyalty for his people. At this point he is trying to help his people in his flesh—the murder, now the role of the peacemaker.

14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

How had word gotten out and around so quick? Were people thinking that Moses could be their deliverer? A savior? A defender? But Moses is like all the rest of us, he still has his fears. As long as he could do something without anyone knowing, he was brave. Now, fearing the retribution of Pharaoh he is not so brave?

15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.

Word spread fast. How did Moses’ adopted mother feel about all this? Was she still alive? How did Moses get away from Pharaoh? How did he not get caught? Where is Midian? Near the Promised Land? Why Midian? We have seen the well theme several times in Genesis, both with Abraham’s servant when he went to look for Isaac a wife and Jacob as he fled Esau. Wells must have been very important places in the ancient Middle East due to the scarcity of water.

16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Good priest or one that worshiped another god or religion? Priests could own flocks? Where were the men to protect these women? Was this a safe place?

17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

Some things never change. The bigger and stronger shove the weaker and smaller around. The white knight comes to the rescue. He does what is fair and right. How hard was it to rescue these gals and what did he have to do? Was there a fight? Did he just get them back their turn? Were all the sheep getting mixed up? How large of a flock are we talking about? How large a water hole or well? Did one have to raise up a bucket and fill a trough? How many times?

18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

Why were they able to water the flock so much faster than normal? Was it because Moses was stronger? Did the father expect the girls to be shoved to the back of the line?

19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

They seem to indicate that their father had knowledge of the bullies? Was he old? Why did he not go himself? Was he functioning in a priestly role somehow that kept him from going to the well?

20 “And where is he?” he asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”

How far away was the well? Was the father licking his chops that here may be someone to marry one of his daughters? Or was he just truly thankful?

21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

This was quick. Why so quick. Was it quick? Why Zipporah? Was she the oldest? Was Moses attracted to her?

22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become an alien in a foreign land.”

We see what is on Moses’ heart—Egypt and his people back there.

23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.

Things are getting worse. They have officially become slaves. I wonder how one decides what is a slave and what is not? Were they slaves or were they just being treated in a slave-like manner?

24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

How does God hear their groaning? Their prayers? Why had he waited so long? How bad was he going to let it get? Covenant? Contract? Treaty? What was God’s contract with these three individuals—grandfather, father and son? To bless them and their descendents? To give them a land—the Promised Land—a people—descendents—and to bless the world through them some how (Genesis)?

25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Concerned in what way? To do something about their situation? What is he going to do?

Whos? Moses, his own people, an Egyptian, a Hebrew, seeing no one, two Hebrews, the one in the wrong, your fellow Hebrew, ruler and judge, Pharaoh, priest of Midian, seven daughters, some shepherds, Reuel their father, his daughter Zipporah, a son, Gershom, an alien in a foreign land, king of Egypt (Pharaoh), Israelites, God, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Wheres? out to where his own people were, this way and that, in the sand, Midian, where he sat down by a well, where is he?, with the man, in a foreign land, Egypt, up to God

Whens? One day after Moses had grown up, the next day, then Moses was afraid, when Pharaoh heard, Now a priest, when the girls returned, during that long period

Whats?

• Moses kills an Egyptian for beating on one of his own people.

• Moses is found out and runs away to Midian, where he rescues a priest’s daughters as they attempt to water their flock.

• The priest welcomes Moses into his family and gives him one of his daughters in marriage; Moses also has a son and names him Gershom, meaning “an alien in a foreign land.”

• At that same time, God is hearing the cries of the Israelites in their oppression and is remembering his promise to their Fathers.

Summary… after failing in his own human attempt to sympathize with his people’s oppressive plight, Moses must flee Egypt, where God gives him a family. At the same time, things are becoming worse for his people. But God is listening.

Bottom line… God’s sovereign puzzle pieces for putting his people back in their Promised Land are all coming together: Moses’ failure, exile, and family; the Israelites’ oppression and God’s concern.

Whys? What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• When we attempt things in our own human power, we may fail miserably.

• We can have all the feelings and good intentions in the world, but they are all meaningless outside of God.

• When it costs us nothing, we are brave. When the costs become apparent, we cower.

• We can be very hypocritical. We can murder, but criticize someone for fighting.

• We try to cover over our sins because we are afraid of the repercussions.

• At the same time, God is sovereign and will use that failure to accomplish his purposes. Never give up. Never doubt that God still can’t use it.

• Sometimes things look bad, before they get better.

• God provides for us, even during our times of exile or rejection.

• God still expects us to do the right thing or the good thing even when things are down, such as Moses helping the priest’s daughters at the well.

• Despite God’s provision, there is still an ache in our hearts for home and what we have lost.

• No matter how bad it gets, God is still faithful to his promises—even for centuries. For God a deal is a deal. Time does not diminish his integrity to fulfill his promise or word. There is no statute of limitations. His word is his word. That ought to be the way it is for us, his children, who aspire to be like his Son.

• God hears our prayers, knows our afflictions and is concerned about our trials. God has not forsaken us, though he is patient.

• God is not afraid to allow his children to suffer.

So What’s? (Prayerfully connect a specific personal struggle to one of the above truths or principles and be willing to share or confess it with the group.)

2002 Application…

My struggles: Hey, I got some rocks picked up and some grass planted! I took to heart last week’s application of making a watertight papyrus basket to place my deepest concern in, even though it was only a short-term solution. I jumped on the tractor to see if it would start. It did, and before long I was back to my old tractor driving farming days. I drug the rocks to the low side of the front lawn, then with a bucket in hand, I scoured the ground for the larger rocks that had not been drug to the side. I then borrowed the Barkley’s seeder, seeded and fertilized the ground, then spread some straw out and began watering.

Are there still rocks, yes? Is this my final answer? No. It is just a temporary solution. It is a start. Another step. A journey of a thousand miles begins and continues with one step at a time. We did it with the church, our new facility, and we will do it with our grounds. Thanks mother of Moses…(in doing just the next thing.)

What about this week? What to do with Amanda and her athletics/basketball? She really needs to be working on her overall athletic speed and quickness-running. But she chose to go out for basketball. But it is the same old story. She needs so much work. So I/we are sorting out an approach to this season/year. Do I not get involved and just let her drift near the bottom of the bench (she will play because there are only eight girls left for freshman basketball; the others were taken up for JV)? She doesn’t have much time left to begin with during the week. But she says she wants to work. I am praying and asking Jordan for some insight into this one. Obvious choices: a) no expectations; no investment; no help; watch a few games and let her have her physical exercise and bonding; b) Help her shore a few basics—shooting, rebounding, defense, passing…etc. and still make it fun; c) Work on the things she really needs to work on—plyometrics-jumping and skipping, running, strength-training, softball drills, etc.; d) Some combination.

Principles: Good intentions are not enough—obedience to God is everything; God still uses our failures; God knows are suffering; God uses our moments of exile to prepare for his future. God still provides our needs while in exile. God allows us to suffer.

Prayerful application: I want to do what God wants me to do with Amanda and not what Joe, or even for that matter, Amanda, wants me to do? This is not just her time, it is mine as well. Show me how to love her God…how to inspire, influence, and encourage her. Help me to figure out what you have created her for and what you want her to be doing or learning. Help me to see clearly. Help me to tolerate what I perceive to be poor play, but may be her athletically-challenged best. Help me not to crush her spirit. Help me to affirm her value as a human being created to serve God. Help me to see the long view. Allow Jordan to give me some insight into this matter. Help Amanda to see clearly and to have ownership on her life, time and choices.

2014 Update… Man, reading this application is a little embarrasing or exposing, particularly my over-the-top analysis of my daughter’s athletic skills at the time. Am I really this intense or think this deeply? Probably. The good part of all of this was I did let go, at least I think so. We will see later applications. Her team was terrible and poorly coached, in my opinon, although I loved the coach as a person. She just wasn’t a very good coach. Great human being and Christian. I would probably do anything she asked me to do, if she asked.

Basketball-wise, this was it for Amanda, at least I think so. Interestingly enough, now, on her own, she goes over and shoots at our church gym, and she manages a sporting good store. So you never really know, do you?

And I do tell a lot of parents to learn from my mistakes and take a chill pill. Is work required to be a competive athlete? Absolutely, and especially, if you are not naturally gifted, but in the end, what does it really matter? Nintey-nine percent of our kids are NOT going to do much with athletics past high school, even if they are talented. And there is so much more to life. I think there are tons of social, self-discipline and learning to accept failure and dissapointment lessons to be learned with being involved in sports, but if your kid is not really interested in putting in the work required to be competitive, it’s NOT the end of the world. And even if academic lessons tend to be more important, looking back now, I would say, it’s learning to live and survive life that’s probably the most important lessons, and these are priceless. Does my child have character? Do they love and trust God? Are they ethical and moral? Are they willing to work hard and be faithful? Can they overcome dissapointment? Will they choose a good mate? And then if that mate turns out not to be what they thought them to be or is unfaithful, can they survive? Can they effectivly parent themselves? Are they willing to kindly speak up the truth in love and Spiritually and positively affect their work and living environments? Do they have courage, with school, sports, the arts and all these other activities, including work, church, home, friends and family really just providing the backdrop to learn the “real” lessons of life?

And Amanda today? She seems to have a lot of this. A lot. It took a little awhile, but she has matured into a wonderful human being that I continue to have more and more respect for each and everyday. She loves God. She serves. She speaks the truth in love. She can be fearless. She seems contented. Basically, when it came to culture’s mold, I had to throw it out again and again, with resepct to my wife, myself, both my kids, my church… just about everything. It makes me wonder, where in the heck did I get my mold to begin with? Regardless, my daughter, and now friend, is maturing into God’s plan for her life and NOT mine…and thank God, because, in the end, mine was pure fantasy. It was NOT real. It was untested. God’s perfect plan is not onl real, but much more mysterious and wonderful. Thank you, God. Kind of sounds like Moses’ life, doesn’t it?

Who could have predicted the twists and turns? No one. But a mother and sister did their part. They did the impossible and kept that baby safe when the rule of that moment was for babies like him to die. Well, this baby did not die, his life had more twists and turns that one could have ever possibly imagined, both good and bad, and then God graciously appears to him and uses him, despite his flaws and imperfections, to change the world for good. Would not we wish that for all our children? A pro-active parenting that seeks the leadership of the Holy Spirit, so that the child is God’s and not ours? Their salvation is God’s, not ours. We were just the tools—the instruments in the hands of God, and in so doing we were made holy…used for the purpose we were created for…to be used by God to Spiritually influence the next generation for his kingdom’s sake and glory? Not a bad purpose, if you ask me. And for those without children of their own, and for those with children of their own…there are still a lot of Spiritual children out there that need some holy guiding, loving and influencing…

Your servant,
jc

Your struggle?

Principle?

Prayerful application?

What about your students? What are some of their current struggles?

Which principles seem to relate?

Imperfect Pastor

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Exodus 5:10-21Seeing the Momentary Inch Vs. the Divine Yardstick! 10-12-14

Exodus 5:1-9 Let My People Go, Diablo! 10-5-14

Exodus 4:18-31 Redemption… 9-28-14

Exodus 4:1-17 Overcoming the Excuses 9-21-14

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Exodus 3:1-10 Who am I? 8-31-14

Exodus 2:11-25 The Child Grows Up, but the Young Man Runs 8-24-14