exodus study guide, chapters 5 - 8

EXODUS

1 La Cañada Presbyterian Church

C O N T E N T S

Preface A Letter from Pastor Gareth Icenogle ........................................................................... pg

For Starters .............................................................................................................................. pg

How to Use the Study Guide

“Getting to Know One Another” Small Group Questions

Places to Connect and Study

Sermon and Study Schedule

1 Thriving Together in Stressful Times .................................................................................... pg

2 Caught Between Two Cultures .............................................................................................. pg

3 When God Shows Up ............................................................................................................ pg

4 Power in Knowing the Presence ........................................................................................... pg

LA CAÑADA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

$3

EXODUS Leaving the Old Life with a New Leader

Chapters 5-8

EXODUS


EXODUS

La Cañada Presbyterian Church 3

C O N T E N T S

Preface A Letter from Pastor Gareth Icenogle ........................................................................ pg 4 For Starters .......................................................................................................................... pg 5

How to Use the Study Guide “Getting to Know One Another” Small Group Questions Places to Connect and Study Sermon and Study Schedule

5 Resistance to Doing Good .............................................................................................. pg 13 6 Vision during Hard Times ................................................................................................ pg 17 7 When Leaders Become like God .................................................................................... pg 22

8 A Leader’s Hard Heart ......................................................................................................... pg 27

Addendum: Pray for PNC ........................................................................................................ pg 33

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Preface The Book of Exodus is sometimes referred to as the “gospel of the Old Testament” since it is at the heart of the rest of Old Testament writings. It finds its New Testament parallel in the gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew, which reflects many thematic and symbolic similarities. Moses is often seen as the Christ model in the Old Testament and Jesus is often understood as the fulfillment of Moses’ ministry in the New Testament.

Since Exodus is such a pivotal book of the Bible, it is important for us in the Church to spend significant time studying its themes, purpose and leadership.

Exodus means departure and implies journey from the old to the new. Many sacred and secular writers have used Exodus as a primary paradigm for understanding change and transition.

William Bridges is a business consultant and life coach who has written several books on “transition” and “change”. His quote of the summary dilemma dealt with in Exodus was extracted from other previous authors and made more famous by his use of it: “It was a lot easier to take the people out of Egypt than it was to take Egypt out of the people.” This statement cuts to the heart of the difference between physical change and emotional transition. The actual change can happen quickly, but the emotional adjustment to the change is a much slower and painful process.

La Cañada Presbyterian Church is in the midst of a pastoral leadership change. The actual change from one pastor to the next can go very quickly, but the emotional and

organizational transitions around and through this change can take many more months and years. A number of people have asked, “Why does it take so long to make the change to a new pastor?” They think, as is often the case in business, CEO changes are often made quickly with little resistance. But while the church has a business dimension, it is primarily a community of people with many divergent emotional connections to the past and present. Emotional communities are like families with complex personalities and relationships (like Israel in Egypt and on the way in the wilderness). The physical journey from Egypt to Canaan could have taken less than two weeks, but the emotional transition took 40 years.

This is why it is important for us at LCPC to consider carefully the context and content of Exodus. There are important lessons herein for leadership and congregational and organizational changes in light of complex emotional transitions. It is important we all pay attention as participants and shareholders of this church.

For in taking time to consider the depth of God’s message through Exodus, we will discover some very important truths that ultimately point to Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of our faith and life on the journey from time now and eternity to come.

Gareth Icenogle

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How to Use This Study Guide

The following are some suggestions for how to use this Study Guide.

Each chapter of the study guide is written to follow the previous Sunday's Sermon.

The format and content is designed for groups that meet weekly for about 90 minutes. If your group meets for a shorter amount of time or less frequently than once a week, your group may choose which of the chapters to discuss together, and to answer a few select questions in each section and decide. If your group meets longer than 90 minutes, you have the option of answering all of the questions.

The Study Guide can also be used by individuals who would like to study more about the book of Exodus in conjunction with the sermon schedule.

New Group "Getting to Know One Another" Questions: If you are in a new Small Group, it will be worth some time in each session to spend a few minutes asking a question or two that will encourage the members of the group to be "introduced" to one another.

Continuing & Established Groups If you are in a Small Group that has been together for some time, you may choose to skip the "Getting to Know One Another Questions." That will depend on whether or not you feel you already have a significant knowledge of one another. (But.... you may find that even these "introductory" questions might be ones that would still help you learn more about each other than you thought you already knew!)

The Three D's: Discuss, Discover, Dig Deeper

In each week's study you will find Discuss, Discover and Dig Deeper sections.

• The "Discuss" questions help the individuals and the group begin thinking about the themes and ideas of the week's study.

• The "Discover" questions provide suggestions for beginning to work with the passage.

• The Dig Deeper Questions provide ways for you and your group to do some Bible exploration.

Personal Reflection & Application These will provide suggestions for you to consider how the material from the book, in addition to group discussion, might have implications for how you live out your faith as "One of Christ's people in the world."

One last word of encouragement: There are some classic questions that are almost always fitting when reading a book or reflecting on a sermon. They are traditionally understood to be coordinated with an "inductive approach to understanding and interacting with written and verbal presentations”. Three words summarize their intent: Observe, Interpret, Apply.

Observe: What did you hear the author/speaker saying?

Interpret: What did you think the author/speaker meant?

Apply: What do you believe this might mean to you?

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If individuals in a Small Group all have an opportunity to share their responses to these 3 Basic Questions and interact with one another about those responses, they will have usually wrestled well with the

material. Hence, these are good "fail safe" or "default" questions to use if the other suggested questions don't seem to be working well for your group.

Grace and Peace,

Chuck Osburn Shelley Irvine Associate Pastor, Congregational Care Director of Spiritual Formation & Spiritual Formation

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Getting To Know One Another

1. Where were your parents born? Where were you born? Briefly describe something about your current family. Briefly describe something about your current occupation/career.

2. Briefly describe your “geographical journey” (places you’ve lived). How many siblings did you have? Where are you in the birth order?

3. What were your parents’ occupations? Briefly describe your “vocational journey” (significant jobs you’ve had)

4. Briefly describe your “spiritual journey.” Include … - The faith [if any] of your family growing up. - When faith in Christ first became real to you personally. - Your church/Christian community connections from then until now.

5. Who would be one or two of your most significant “mentors” in your Christian faith? Why them? What did they do for/with you to be that?

6. What 2-3 Christian practices or experiences have been most helpful in growing your Christian faith? Why and how?

7. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try to save?

8. What comes to your mind when you think about God?

9. Tell me the high point of your week.

10. If you are at a friend’s or relative’s house for dinner, and you find a hair in your salad, what would you do?

11. If you could have dinner with any person alive in the world today, who would that be?

12. If you could ask God one question right now, what would it be?

13. Name one person that is not a family member that has had the greatest influence in your life.

14. If you were banished to a desert island, would you rather be there alone or with your worst enemy?

15. If you could go back and visit any time period, what time would you travel to and why?

16. If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be and why?

17. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

18. What is your favorite TV show and why?

19. If you had to live this week over again, would you change anything? If so, what would that be?

20. Talk about a purchase that you made sometime in your life that you regret.

21. If you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be and why?

22. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would that be?

23. Tell us about a book or movie that you have watched recently and would recommend to the group.

24. If you could take a vacation right now, where would you go?

25. If you had the power to change one problem in the world today, what would that problem be?

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26. Tell everyone to write on a piece of paper 3 things about themselves which may not be known to the other members in the group. Two of these things are true and one is not. Have each person take turns and read out the three ‘facts’ about themselves. After this is done, have everyone vote as to which of the 3 is not true. There are always surprises when you do this. This activity is not about becoming a good liar, but simply a fun ice breaker that helps the group and leaders get to know more about each other.

27. If you could visit heaven right now and talk with one of the people of the Bible (other than Jesus), whom would you talk to?

28. Name a gift you will never forget?

29. What is one thing you really like about yourself?

30. Does your first or middle name have any significance (or were you named after another family member)?

31. Tell me the first thing that you ever remember in your life.

32. If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would you visit?

33. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

34. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save?

35. If you could talk to any one person now living, who would it be and why?

36. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

37. Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like?

38. Name a gift you will never forget?

39. Name one thing you really like about yourself.

40. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?

41. What do you do for fun?

42. What would be your ideal vacation?

43. What is the most memorable activity you did with your family as a child?

44. What quality do you appreciate most in a friend?

45. What is one characteristic you received from your parents that you want to keep and one you wish you could change?

46. What is a good thing happening in your life right now?

47. What makes it good?

48. If you knew you couldn’t fail and money was no object, what would you like to do in the next five years?

49. What would you like said at your funeral?

50. When, if ever, did God become more than a word to you and how did it happen?

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Places to Connect and Study

If you are interested in being part of a Bible Study Group or Small Group to go through this Study Guide, here are just a few of the opportunities to connect and study:

Pastor's Bible Study Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:30 AM Fellowship Hall, DFLC In this weekly study Pastor Gareth Icenogle discusses the coming Sunday's sermon. This is an excellent opportunity to get an in-depth preview! To get on the Pastor’s Bible Study email updates: Gloria Hill, [email protected].

Women in the Word Mondays, 9:30 - 11:00 AM Library This fellowship gathering is open to women of all ages and stages! Pastor Gareth Icenogle is leading the study through Exodus. The group follows the weekly reading schedule in this guide and discusses the previous Sunday's sermon, in addition to questions in the guide. INFO: Martha Brumfield, (818) 952-1374 Janet Eddy, (818) 244-9027 Lee Johnson, (818)7906972 Shirley Myers, (818) 790-1528.

NEW Fall Women’s Bible Study Fridays, 9:00 – 11:00 AM SEPT 18 – NOV 20 Childcare: $5/child We are launching a group to follow along with the church-wide study on Exodus. Exodus is a fascinating book and we will go slowly enough to really dig in a bit and get to know it as well as find truths for our lives today. Led by Heather Henry, Rayni Peavy & Marikay Cuthill. MORE INFO: Heather Henry at [email protected], x252.

Faith Awareness Sundays, 9:15 AM, led by Neil Lindstrom or 11:00 AM led by Wes Beverlin & John Frederich Library These Sunday Adult Classes are open to all men and women. Come and enjoy refreshments and engaging conversation. The group will follow the weekly reading schedule in this guide.

Serve Small Groups Returning in October - These groups will work through a different curriculum and are built around serving together at one of the local outreach partners. They meet twice monthly for Bible Study (a custom curriculum), fellowship and prayer. Then twice monthly, they will serve together at one of our local outreach partners. For more information on the Serve Small Groups, contact Megan Katerjian at [email protected], x628

We can also help you start a new Small Group! If you have a day and time that you want to meet, and a few other friends that are available at that same time, let us help you get started. We'll provide you with the training and resources you need! Please feel free to email or call me at [email protected], x216!

Grace and Peace,

Shelley Irvine Director of Spiritual Formation

mailto:[email protected]

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Fall Preaching September 2015 – Exodus I – Leaving the Old Life with a New Leader

DATE EVENT TEXT TITLE BIBLICAL THEMES PREACHER

9/13 Launch Exodus 1 Thriving Together in Stressful Times Israel prospers in oppression Gareth

9/20 Exodus 2 Caught between Two Cultures Moses born into two households: Faith and Fear/Anger

Gareth

9/27 Exodus 3 When God Shows Up God appears to Moses in a peculiar place

Megan

10/4 World Communion Stewardship 1

Exodus 4 Power in Knowing the Presence God gives Moses gifts to lead Natural and supernatural gifts All good gifts are from God

Gareth

10/11 Stewardship 2 Exodus 5 Resistance to Doing Good Doing More with Less

Pharaoh resists God and Moses Making bricks without straw

Gareth

10/18 Exodus 6 Vision during Hard Times In Israel’s despair God sets the dream

Gareth

10/25 Exodus 7 When Leaders Become Like God Moses made like God to Pharaoh

Megan

11/1 Communion Exodus 7-12 A Leader’s Hard Heart God’s presence in clusters of troubles

Gareth

11/8 Stewardship 3 Exodus 12:33 Wealth: Living on God’s Plunder Egyptians gave away their wealth to Israel

Gareth

11/15 Exodus 13:17 God Leads in a Roundabout Way Not by way of the Philistines, but Red Sea

Gareth

11/22 Thanksgiving Stewardship 4

Exodus 14-15 Giving Thanks for God’s Goodness Deliverance and Celebration Gareth

- subject to revisions-

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Advent and Christmas 2015-16 – “Waiting for God to…”


11/29 Advent I Jeremiah 33:14-16

Waiting for God to Send a Leader Waiting for God to Make Things Right

God will fulfill his promises Megan

12/6 Advent II Communion

Malachi 3:1-4 Waiting for God to Send a Messenger

God will send messengers to prepare us

Gareth

12/13 Advent III Zephaniah 3:14-20

Waiting for God to Take Away Fear Waiting for God to Send Joy

God will remove disasters so that we sing

Gareth

12/20 Advent IV Micah 5:2-5 Waiting for God to Send Peace God will send a servant to bring peace

Megan

12/24 Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Waiting for God to Send the Great Light

A child has been born for us Gareth

12/27 Christmas I Samuel 2:18-20 Luke 2:41-52

Growing Up in the Presence of the Lord

Jesus grew up in the presence of God

Kristin

1/3 Epiphany Communion

Isaiah 60:1-6 Nations Shall Come to Christ’s Light

They shall bring gold and frankincense

Megan

- subject to revisions-

Winter-Lent Preaching 2016 – Exodus II – The Rough Way to a New Life


1/10 Baptism Exodus 14-15 Death and New Life Going through the water to the other side

Gareth

1/17 Exodus 15:22 Exodus 17:1

Tough Days Ahead Bad water and complaining people

Gareth

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1/24 Exodus 16-17 Daily Bread in Lean & Mean Days A lack of bread and fighting enemies

Gareth

1/31 Exodus 18 Shared Leadership Moses learns to share leadership

Gareth

2/7 Communion Exodus 19:6 Becoming Priests Becoming a priestly kingdom/holy nation

Megan

2/10 Ash Wednesday

Living in the Wilderness Shelley

2/14 Lent I Exodus 19:9 Preparing to Meet God Meeting God in the cloud at the Mountain

Gareth

2/21 Lent II Exodus 20 Purpose of Law: God, People and Practice

Why, What and How of 10 Commandments

Gareth

2/28 Lent III Stewardship 5

Exodus 25-40 Exodus 35:4

Liturgy of the Presence An Offering to the Lord

Ark, Tabernacle, Priests and Artist Investing in God’s Presence

Gareth

3/6 Lent IV Stewardship 6

Exodus 32-33 Sin: Turning Aside from the Way An Offering for Us

Israel makes and worships a golden calf Misuse of wealth; worship of idols

Gareth

3/13 Lent V Exodus 23 God Makes & Keeps Promises Covenant and Promise Megan

3/20 Palm/Passion Exodus 33:7 Meeting God Face to Face Moses and God met as friends in the Tent

Gareth

3/24 Maundy Exodus 12 Dying for Others to Live Passover and Last Supper Jim

3/27 Easter Exodus 40 Living in the Glory God’s Cloud & Glory in Tent and on Way, In Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus

Gareth

Spring Preaching Series, Called, begins April 3 | subject to revisions

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Chapter 5 – Resistance to Doing Good Week 5: Exodus 5, October 11 - 17, 2015

By illustrators of the 1728 Figures de la Bible, Gerard Hoet (1648–1733) and others, published by P. de Hondt in The Hague in 1728 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction

"WHY, God?"

All of us know what it is like to utter these words in despair, confusion, or even in anger. In this week's study we see Moses doing all the right things for all the right reasons. And yet, things get worse, much worse, before they get better.

Moses stands before Pharaoh and repeats almost word for word what God has instructed him to say. But things don't turn out as Moses hopes; Pharaoh is incensed and there are grievous repercussions for the very people Moses is trying to liberate. And as if to add insult to injury, the Israelites themselves also turn on Moses, "You've made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants. You've given them a reason to kill us."

We can imagine that in the crucial moment of deciding how to respond, all of the memories of failure, self-doubt and inadequacy come rushing back to Moses. Maybe he even doubts his understanding of what God said to him. Who would blame him for wanting to run and hide, to escape back to the quiet life of a shepherd? But instead of running away, Moses takes his very bold complaint to God.

In this chapter and the chapters ahead, we'll see how Moses’ question of "WHY, God?" becomes a statement of "Why GOD?", that is, why Moses can trust in Yahweh, the LORD, whose nature is not affected by time, place, people, or circumstances. God never makes a mistake in what He says or does, because His knowledge is perfect, His sovereignty is complete, and all is within His sight.

Discuss 1. Where did you notice God's activity in

your life this past week? How does it connect with the insight and/or questions you had in last week's study?

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2. Think of a time that you thought you were doing exactly what God wanted you to do, and it only seemed to make things worse. Share it with your Small Group.

Discover 1. Read chapter 5 of Exodus. What

stands out for you in this chapter? Is there something that causes you discomfort or confusion? Is there something that resonates strongly with you? Share your responses and observations with your Small Group.

2. Compare how Moses and Aaron speak

to Pharaoh in vs. 1 and then in vs. 3. What do you notice about the different ways they speak and the things they say to Pharaoh?

3. Which words or phrases in verse 1 do you think trigger Pharaoh's response to Moses and Aaron in vs. 2?

Dig Deeper

1. How has Pharaoh's and the Egyptian's opinion of the Israelites changed over time?

• Exodus 1:9-11:

• Exodus 1:12:

• Exodus 5:8, 17:

Pharaoh views the Israelites’ desire to worship and

sacrifice as laziness, an unwillingness to work, and a distraction from productivity.

How does this resemble current societal opinions?

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2. In verse 3, Moses and Aaron explain their reasons for wanting to take the 3-day journey. Instead of understanding that deadly diseases and violence would have repercussions for Egypt, too, what does Pharaoh do?

• vs. 7:

• vs. 8:

• vs. 9:

3. Look again at Exodus 3:18-20. What else has happened in Chapter 5 that would help you understand how Moses responds, and his complaint to God in verses 22-23?

Personal Reflection & Application: Being One of Christ's Persons in the World

1. What insight have you gained from this study, and how would you like it to impact or affect you? How can you begin putting this into practice this week? (You may wish to choose an accountability partner and check in with one another before your Small Group meets again.)

Moses complains to God for not making good on God's promise to deliver the Israelites from their suffering (Exodus 3:8). The OT has a strong tradition of Israelite leaders and prophets who boldly complain to God when life becomes difficult. Examples include the Israelite king in Psalm 89:46-51 and the Prophet Jeremiah (12:1-6, 15:15-18, 20:7-10). The complaints of Moses when he is first called, and then in 3:8 are in that same tradition. Moses will complain to God a number of times in the future, and each time God will listen patiently to Moses and provide him the help he needs to keep going. Adapted from The Common English Bible, Nashville: 2011, pg. 90

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2. Reflect on this past Sunday's sermon. What connections are you making between the sermon and this week's study? What captured your attention and how do you find yourself responding?

3. Is there a situation in your life that has

you wondering about God's plan, God's timing, God's activity or perceived inactivity? How have you been talking to God about it? How would you like to be talking to God about it?

By Maler der Grabkammer des Rechmirê [Public domain], via

Wikimedia Commons from Wikimedia Commons

Closing Prayer Begin your time of prayer with these words:

"My God, in you only do I find the answer to the questions that perplex and confuse me. Yet I know that in your good time the answer will be made to me.1"

Speak as boldly and honestly as you can to God about situations in your life that feel like being forced to "make bricks with no straw". Pour out your heart about any situation or relationship where you feel misunderstood and accused for doing the right thing. Ask for God's wisdom and discernment in how to respond.

Then in quiet, receive God's mercy and help with these words of encouragement from Hebrews 4:15-16:

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

(The Message)

1 Norman Shawchuck and Reuben P. Job A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

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Chapter 6 – Vision during Hard Times Week 6: Exodus 6, October 18 - 24, 2015

Eventos de la vida de Moisés by Sandro Botticelli [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction

"Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh." What an opening line!

God doesn't directly answer Moses' questions from the close of chapter 5, but God does declare that now is the time, and the promise given in chapter 3, "I'll use my strength and hit Egypt with dramatic displays of my power" is finally about to transpire. We'll also see how much God wants Moses and the Israelites to really know Him.

Chapter 6 is filled with many "I AM" and "I will" statements. And sandwiched between these "I AM" statements is a reminder of who Moses is. It's as if God is placing God's own Self as bookends around the life of Moses and saying, "Your identity and your history is held up and surrounded by My nature and My promises."

Discuss

1. Where did you notice God's activity in your life this past week? How does it connect with the insight and/or questions you had in last week's study?

2. Think about a time when you were about to embark on a new venture, job or task. What difference did it make to know the nature of the person who was giving you this task, and offering their guidance and support? Share this with your Small Group.

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Discover:

1. Read chapter 6 of Exodus. What stands out for you in this chapter? Is there something that causes you discomfort or confusion? Is there something that resonates strongly with you? Share your responses and observations with your Small Group.

2. God says, "I am the LORD" four times

in verses 1-8. What do you think God wants Moses and the Israelites to understand with these 4 "I am" statements?

• vs. 2-5:

• vs. 6:

• vs. 7:

• vs. 8:

".... at the darkest imaginable moments in human history, when God seems almost silent, most betrayed, and most absent, God is unexplainably but powerfully there.

In addition to the images of God I have always treasured -- Father, Mother, Good Shepherd, Healer, Savior, Presence, Advocate, and many others -- I must add: Uncomforter, Truly Vulnerable One, and Discomforter.

An uncomforting God does not provide easy, consoling answers to our pleading question, Why? A truly vulnerable God suffers with those who suffer, and risks everything for the ultimate victory of justice, wholeness, and peace. A discomforting God demands our participation in the establishment of divine justice in the world. This God is both powerful and vulnerable -- in ways that are consistent with relationship and with life.” Elaine V. Emeth, Lessons from the Holocaust: Living Faithfully in the Midst of Chaos Weavings, Volume XIII, Number 2, March/April 1998, p. 17

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Dig Deeper

1. In verse 3, God says He revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty, El Shaddai, but did not make himself known by, "The LORD", Yahweh. Based on the answers above, and what we've learned already about the name "Yahweh", what do you think God is trying to communicate to Moses about how He will be present to the Israelites?

2. Write down the six things God says He will do in verses 6-8. What do you think God is trying to get Moses and the Israelites to see about their future?

• I will...

• I will...

• I will...

• I will...

• I will...

• I will...

3. Verses 14-25 seem to be an interruption for a genealogy lesson. With closer inspection we can see that any natural advantages that would have come to Moses by the tradition of birth-order rights cannot apply here: Moses is younger than Aaron, and neither of them are even descended from a first-born son (Levi was Jacob's third son). Additionally, some of the ancestors named in this family tree have blemished histories: Reuben committed incest with his father's concubine (Genesis 35) and Simeon and Levi committed egregious acts of war in Genesis 34. So if the reason for the details of the lineage is not for the purpose of basking in the glory of an outstanding family tree, what else could its purpose be? What might God be trying to remind Moses (and us as readers) about?

Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.

Exodus 6:9 (NRSV)

"...the people did not listen for 'shortness of breath'. The words in Hebrew paint a picture of "the inward pressure caused by deep anguish that prevented proper breathing -- like children sobbing and gasping for their breath." The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 2: Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 1990, pg 344

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3. As you have looked at the life of Moses and the life of the Israelites in Egypt this far, are you reminded of ways God has brought you out of bondage into freedom? From slavery to redemption? Share this with your Small Group.

4. Moses had to learn that serving God meant living with the pain and anguish of others who are suffering. Where is your presence to or relationship with someone a reminder of God's compassion for them?

God is always looking for ordinary people to play significant roles in His unfolding story. And, given that He is God and supremely confident in Himself, He is free to choose the least among us -- the slowest, the lesser-known, the last, the smallest, the poorest -- to accomplish amazing, God-sized stuff. While as humans we try to partner with the brightest and most powerful, God is simply looking for people who are willing to take Him at His word -- those confident that with Him in the equation everything is possible. Louie Giglio, i am not but i know I AM: Welcome to the story of God, pp 29. Colorado Springs, 2005 Multnomah Books

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Closing Prayer

Begin with considering these words from Proverbs 29:18:

If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;

But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.

Talk to God about the vision and hope you have for the way you understand your life in God at this moment. What direction do you need? What comfort do you desire?

What losses are you grieving? What clarity can you celebrate and be grateful for?

Continue in prayer, thanking God for hearing your heart. Ask God for the grace you need to live out the message you have heard. Pray for the future of LCPC, its Pastors, Elders, Staff and the Pastor Nominating Committee, asking that God will continue to grant wisdom and strength as they live out their calling to serve here.

God's name is still I AM.

It's an amazing name. In Hebrew the word for I AM is Hayah [and it] carries with it the idea of the very breath of God. In English the name translates into the verb to be. Or simply be. Therefore, God's name is Be. I AM = I BE. Not great grammar, I know, but powerful theology.

God knew it was imperative for Moses to know who He was, that He was I AM. I AM is the present tense, active form of the verb to be. As God's name, it declares that He is unchanging, constant, unending, always present, always God. God was telling Moses:

I AM the center of everything. I AM running the show. I AM the same very day, forever. I AM the owner of everything. I AM the Lord. I AM the Creator and Sustainer of life. I Am the Savior.

God continued, "This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered for generation to generation" (Exodus 3:15). In other words, God wanted Moses to know that not only would He remain the same, His name would endure to every generation that would inhabit the earth -- even to our generations, mine and yours.

I love this verse, because it puts us in the story. Louie Giglio, i am not but i know I AM: Welcome to the story of God, pp 29-40. Colorado Springs, 2005 Multnomah Books

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Chapter 7 – When Leaders Become like God Week 7: Exodus 7, October 25 - 31, 2015

The Rod of Aaron Devours the Other Rods by James Tissot [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction

The life experiences of Moses have moved from one extreme to another in the first six chapters: From a pseudo-orphaned infant born under the shadow of infanticide to a Prince of Egypt; from a murderer and a refugee to a defender of imperiled women; from one in exile to a husband, a son-in-law and a father; and then quite suddenly, from a quiet shepherd to one who is hand-picked by God to bring the Israelites out of captivity.

His conversations with God have been extreme, too. He has argued, argued some more, pleaded to be released from God's call, and flat out complained at God about how He has handled matters thus far. In all of it God has answered with a flood of "I AM" and "I will" statements.

Now, in the right time, when all the stage has been set, God will make an extreme statement of His own. No sooner have we finished reading a genealogy that makes it clear Moses has not been chosen because of great pedigree or heroic deeds, God says, "See, I will make you like God to Pharaoh." Moses has been self-effacing and self-denying and sees himself completely unqualified. But Yahweh sees something different. All the paradigms will shift: Pharaoh who sees himself as a god to be worshipped by all the Israelites will be confronted by one of them who is God's representative. And Moses who thought he could save the Israelites through shedding the blood of an Egyptian will see how God deals with Pharaoh.

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Discuss

1. Where did you notice God's activity in your life this past week? How does it connect with the insight and/or questions you had in last week's study?

2. A recurring theme throughout the Bible is that the proud will be brought low, and the humble will be lifted up. Describe a time you have witnessed or experienced this.

God Turns Moses’ Staff into a Serpent CHAGALL (1887-1985)

Discover 1. Read chapter 7 of Exodus. What

stands out for you in this chapter? Is there something that causes you discomfort or confusion? Is there something that resonates strongly with you? Share your responses and observations with your Small Group.

2. What changes do you notice in how Moses responds to God's instructions? Why do you think this has happened?

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Dig Deeper 1. What do you think God means when

He says Moses will be made "like God" to Pharaoh? How will Aaron's role change? How do you think this shift changes the dynamics of any/all of the relationships we see in verses 1-13?

2. As Moses begins to live into his role as God's presence to Pharaoh, how does Pharaoh respond? How does this affect the Egyptians?

3. Look at the references and connections to water in this chapter and also in previous chapters. What symbolism can you uncover?



God isn’t looking for slaves, workers, contestants to play the game or jump the hoops correctly. God is simply looking for images! God wants images of God to walk around the earth…. God wants useable instruments who will carry the mystery, who can bear the darkness and the light, who can hold the paradox of incarnation—flesh and spirit, human and divine, joy and suffering, at the same time, just as Jesus did. Watch what Jesus does, and do the same thing! Richard Rohr - Things Hidden

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2. We have seen parallels between the lives of Moses and Jesus in previous chapters. Here we see how Moses as Yahweh's presence to Pharaoh points to the way Jesus will become Yahweh's presence to humanity through the incarnation. What can you infer about the value God places on human leadership and involvement in His plans? How do you see yourself carrying the presence of God into your activities and relationships?


RIGHT HERE AND NOW

Right here and now we are in the process of speaking into being the revelation of God’s most hidden and intimate name. That’s a difficult assignment, particularly when ‘success’ and ‘failure’ mostly wind up being the complete opposites of what we would normally expect in life. But the most productive orientation for our time here is not to focus on how quickly we can get back to our spiritual homeland, but to give ourselves fully to the divine intimacy being ventured right here and now. Cynthia Bourgeault, The Wisdom Jesus

As part of Christ’s body, we carry God’s presence with and in us. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?" I Corinthians 3:16

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Closing Prayer

Spend a few moments considering the distress and exhaustion of the Israelites, and how God revealed Himself in a new and mighty way. Talk to God about how you can relate to their experience. Then consider the words of Jesus, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Talk to God about any places you are experiencing weariness and fatigue. Ask for the Spirit's help in receiving the rest Jesus offers, and the

ways God is revealing God's self to you in a new and mighty ways.

Continue in prayer, thanking God for hearing your heart. Ask God for the grace you need to live out the message you have heard. Pray for one another in your Small Group, for the future of LCPC, its Pastors, Elders, Staff and the Pastor Nominating Committee, asking that God will continue to grant wisdom and strength as they live out their calling to serve here.

Note: Next Week’s study covers multiple chapters. You may wish to read them before your Small Group meets and/or allow extra time to cover the chapters in your time together.

CALLING

When you heard that voice and knew finally it called for you and what it was saying—where were you? Were you in the shower, wet and soapy, or chopping cabbage late for dinner? Were you planting radish seeds or seeking one lost sock? Maybe wiping handprints off a window or coaxing words into a sentence. Or coming upon a hyacinth or one last No. Where were you when you heard that ancient voice, and did Yes get born right then and did you weep? Had it called you since before you even were, and when you knew that, did your joy escape all holding? Where were you when you heard that calling voice, and how, in that moment, did you mark it? How, ever after, are you changed? Tell us, please, all you can about that voice. Teach us how to listen, how to hear. Teach us all you can of saying Yes. Nancy Shaffer. Instructions in Joy: Meditations

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Chapter 8 – A Leader’s Hard Heart Week 8: Exodus 8 - 12, November 1 - 7, 2015

Lawrence Alma-Tadema - Death of the Pharaoh Firstborn Son, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons from Wikimedia Commons

Introduction This section contains some of the most difficult passages in Exodus. How is Pharaoh's heart hardened? By whom? And why? In chapters 7 and 8 it is clear that Pharaoh is responsible for the condition of his own heart, sometimes rendered as "Pharaoh became stubborn and wouldn't listen".2 Beginning in chapter 9 there is a shift and we begin to read, "But the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn so that He wouldn't let the Israelites go.... just as the LORD had said to Moses."3

We will also see there is a redemptive thread in the plagues and God's ongoing dealings with Pharaoh. God explains that the reason for the plagues is, "...so that you will know that there is no one like Me in the whole world."4 The signs are provided so that Pharaoh will take Moses' demands seriously. God tells Pharaoh that

2 Exodus 8:15 3 Exodus 9:12, 4:21 4 Exodus 9:14

He could have stricken Pharaoh and the Egyptians from the earth, but has left them standing.5 God begins to give warnings about coming plagues.6 And God answers every intercessory prayer offered by Moses and Aaron on Pharaoh's behalf.

Just as God had many conversations with Moses about His plan, and was exceedingly patient, God has even more conversations with Pharaoh (through Moses) and demonstrates abundantly more patience. Multiple times Pharaoh is on the verge of really understanding and responding to this process that could ultimately save him. In the end, it is Pharaoh who self-destructs and all of the life and wealth of Egypt are destroyed with him. It is as God points out to Pharaoh, "You have abused your power... and you refuse to let them go."7

5 Exodus 9:16 6 Exodus 9:19 7 Exodus 9:17

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Discuss 1. Where did you notice God's activity in

your life this past week? How does it connect with the insight and/or questions you had in last week's study?

2. What are some ways that you see God's authority challenged today? What are some of the outcomes of these challenges?

Discover 1. Review Chapters 7-12 of Exodus (It's

recommended that Small Group members read these chapters before your Small Group meeting). What stands out for you in this chapter? Is there something that causes you discomfort or confusion? Is there something that resonates strongly with you? Share your responses and observations with your Small Group.

2. Look at Exodus 7:7. How is what Pharaoh's magicians can do or cannot do different from what Moses and Aaron can do? What sense of irony or humor do you see in this?

3. What happens differently with the plagues beginning in 8:22-24? What might this communicate to the Israelites? And to Pharaoh?

With a touch of divine irony and poetic justice, Moses and Aaron were each to take two handfuls (the form is dual) of soot from a limekiln or brick-making furnace the symbol of Israel's bondage. The act was to be a symbolic action.... There was also a logical connection between the soot created by the sweat of God's enslaved people and the judgment that was to afflict the bodies of the enslavers. Walter C. Kaiser, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 2. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation, 1990. pg 359

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Dig Deeper

1. To get a broader view of the progress of the plagues, and what happens with each one, use the following chart.

Scripture Plague Pharaoh’s Reaction(s) Reaction(s) of Others

Exodus 7:14-25 1.

Exodus 8:1-15 2.

Exodus 8:16-19 3.

Exodus 8:20-32 4.

Exodus 9:1-7 5.

Exodus 9:8-12 6.

Exodus 9:13-35 7.

Exodus 10:1-20 8.

Exodus 10:21-29 9.

Exodus 12:29-32 10.

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2. Read Exodus 8:10. Why would Moses let Pharaoh set the timetable?

3. In Exodus 9:27, Pharaoh says LORD-Yahweh, not Lord-Elohim. What does that indicate? (Hint, look back at Exodus 5:2.) What caveats does Pharaoh slip in that indicates that he is still not taking responsibility for his leadership and/or placing blame on others?

4. What happens in Exodus 9:20, 10:7 and 12:33 that indicates how much Pharaoh is losing his grasp of the situation?

5. Notice the intense exchanges between Moses and Pharaoh each of these conversations. What might be the reason(s) for the anger in each situation?

• Exodus 10:10

• Exodus 10:28-31

• Exodus 11:6-8

• Exodus 12:31

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2. In Exodus 8:25, 10:8 and 10:24 Pharaoh tries to negotiate the "terms of release". How does Moses' respond, and do you take away from that? Do you think that has any bearing on why Moses was so favorably viewed by the Egyptians (11:3)? Why or why not?

3. Do you think it was difficult for Moses

to continue offering intercessory prayers for Pharaoh? Why or why not, and what might this mean for how you are praying for difficult people in your life?

4. What insight have you gained from this week's study, and how would you like it to impact or affect you? How can you begin putting this into practice this week? (You may wish to choose an accountability partner and check in with one another before your Small Group meets again.)

To Thee I call who art God alone: the one who is exceedingly great, the Unutterable One, the Incomprehensible One; to whom all powers of government are subject; before whom every authority bows, and before whom all that is high falls down and remains silent; at whose voice the demons take fright; and beholding whom all creations surrenders in silent adoration. Claiborne, Shane. Common Prayer, A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals 2nd C. Christian writings, pg 357 Grand Rapids, 2010, Zondervan

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But I will remember the Lord’s deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous acts from times long past.

I will meditate on all your works; I will ponder your deeds.

God, your way is holiness! Who is as great a god as you, God?

You are the God who works wonders; you have demonstrated your strength among all peoples.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people; redeemed the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

The waters saw you, God— the waters saw you and reeled!

Even the deep depths shook!

The clouds poured water, the skies cracked thunder;

your arrows were flying all around!

The crash of your thunder was in the swirling storm; lightning lit up the whole world;

the earth shook and quaked.

Your way went straight through the sea; your pathways went right through the mighty waters.

But your footprints left no trace!

You led your people like sheep under the care of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 77:11-20, Common English Bible (CEB)

Closing Prayer

Begin with these words of promise from God:

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Ezekiel 36:26-27, New Living Translation

In silence, talk to God about how these words do or do not reflect your desire for

God at this moment, knowing that you can be as honest and bold with God as Moses was. Then ask God for what you need.

Continue in prayer, thanking God for hearing your heart. Ask God for the grace you need to live out the message you have heard. Pray for one another in your Small Group, for the future of LCPC, it's Pastors, Elders, Staff and the Pastor Nominating Committee, asking that God will continue to grant wisdom and strength as they live out their calling to serve here.

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Addendum: Pray for Pastor Nominating Committee Updates on search for new pastor: www.lacanadapc.org/2015/05/01/update-search-interim-pastor

http://www.lacanadapc.org/2015/05/01/update-search-interim-pastor

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626 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, CA 91011 www.lacanadapc.org

Written by Shelley Irvine Director, Spiritual Formation

Designed by Barbara Pettit & Shelley Irvine

exodus study guide, chapters 5 - 8

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