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Exodus Leaders Notes Session 3
Session 3In this session we find the Israelites in that tough spot where things are getting worse rather than better. They have been crying out to God for generations and Moses shows up as God's answer to their cries. Only, when Moses talks to Pharaoh, rather than setting them free, Pharaoh demands more work from them with harder conditions. The people are asking, "This is God's answer to our cries for rescue?!?"
Many (if not all) of us have experienced those moments where, like the Israelites, our spirits are broken because of a difficult situation. In those times, what do we have to lift us up out of that brokenness? For the Israelites, God showed that He was with them (unlike with Abraham, God gave them His name) and He reminded them of the promises that He made to their forefathers. For us, we have all the examples from history of God's faithfulness with His people along with all the promises that He has made to us (check out the "further study appendix" for a short list of these promises).
Maybe this is one of the reasons that God repeatedly had the Israelites create monuments to His provision. He knew they would need something tangible to help them remember His faithfulness when they encountered the next tough situation.
Exodus Leaders Notes Session 2
Session 2The passages in this session give us a "fly on the wall" perspective as God prepares Moses to step onto some pretty big stages. God tells Moses that he will be His spokesman to both the Israelite people and to Pharaoh.
Standing before the Israelites would have been intimidating because of Moses' former life in Pharaoh's household as well as the fact that he abandoned them after the incident when he killed an Egyptian. Practically speaking, Moses did not feel like an Israelite and he's pretty sure they won't see him as one of them either.
Standing before Pharaoh would have been intimidating because he was the strongest leader of the known world. Even though Moses would have known him from growing up in the palace, he was Pharaoh now and everything was different now. Moses would literally be risking his life each time he went before Pharaoh.
It is encouraging to see how God interacts with Moses with his fears and concerns swirling around his heart and mind. God meets Moses in those fears and gives Him the signs and help (Aaron) that will give him the confidence to go forward with the calling God gave him. We will all encounter a call from God in our lives that seems like more than we can handle. Moses' example shows us that God will go with us and He will be faithful throughout.
Exodus Leaders Notes Session 1
Session 1This session highlights what Dr. Smith calls the “conspicuous absence” of God. God had made some pretty big promises to Abraham concerning his descendants. They were to flourish in a promised land that was rich and fertile. But in the beginning of Exodus, we find the Israelite people in slavery. They have been crying out to God for rescue for nearly 400 years, yet His help has not come. But was God really absent or was He simply behind the scenes?
We all experience times when we wonder what God is doing and why He has seemingly abandoned us. We desperately want to be rescued from the situation we are facing. We can look at the Israelites experience and know 1) that God is still there even when we can’t see Him and 2) that it is good and healthy to voice our pain and fears to God. He does hear us and He will respond at the perfect time to accomplish His perfect plan for our lives. Sometimes that perfect plan requires us to endure some difficult times, but God will be with us.
Christmas Study
Here is a four session study your group can use leading up to Christmas. If your group meets less than four times before Christmas, just choose the sessions that you think will most benefit the group. We suggest (and have supplied) that the whole group uses the "leader guide" for the study. Enjoy! Advent - Savior for All
Unstoppable - Journey Group Discussion Guide #8
This is the final discussion guide for the Unstoppable series as well as the final one for 2014. We have identified a 4 session study for the Christmas season that will be available for download on this blog later this week. If your group meets less than 4 times before Christmas, choose the sessions that work best for you! Week 8 - Unstoppable Disciple
Transportation Help
Hey, Journey Group Leaders...a regular CCC attendee is in need of transportation help getting to church on Sundays. He is moving near 120th and Q. If you or someone in your group can help, please email and let me know - davei@cccomaha.org Thanks!