8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

1/8

Call Sealed with PromiseUnit 1: Called Out of Egypt

(Lessons 1-4)

ACCEPTING

REsPONSIBILIlY- - - - ~ - - ~

INTRODUCTION

A. GO D OF THE IMPOSSIBLEA humble woman runs a modest minis try center for homeless children

in the Ukraine. Her church recently took possession of a large vacatedbuilding that was completely gutted of anything of value. It stands as little

more than an enormous concrete shell. It will take hundreds of thousandsof dollars to make it functional. This building is surrounded by a vaststretch of fertile land. This woman dreams of transforming this buildinginto a Christian orphanage an d acquiring the surrounding land in order todevelop it into a work center for these youngsters. They can both live in thebuilding an d learn valuable farming skills in order to sustain themselves inadulthood.

When I first heard these ideas, I was tempted to write them off as merepipe dreams. This woman lacked both the funding and staffing for such alarge project. In addition, the center she already operated was hardly thriving.There was no way she could pull this off. But as I listened to her pray, I was

deeply convicted. Both her demeanor and her words demonstrated the conviction that her God is Lord of the cosmos. With him no project is too big.Though well aware of her own limitations, she worships a God of unlimitedpossibilities. When he is behind it, nothing is impossible.

Moses also faced a seemingly impossible task: God called him to liberatean enslaved people from one of the most powerful empires in the AncientNear East. Moses did not have to wonder whether God was behind this project. Yet Moses still doubted.

Fortunately, God is no t deterred by human doubt. He taught Moses thatprojects God authorizes are projects God underwrites. We who worship thesame God must pay close attention to Moses' story. Inspired stories like his

still create and sustain faith in the God of unlimited possibilities.

B. LESSON BACKGROUNDIn Exodus 3, God called Moses to be his messenger. Moses was to pro

claim to the Israelites and to Pharaoh that God intended to free the Israelitesfrom bondage Qast week's lesson). Moses' initial response was self-doubt:"Who am l?" 0: 11). Moses then received the assurance of God's presence.Moses' ability was no t the main issue.

Moses then asked what he should call God. After revealing the divinename an d nature, God gave Moses specific details about his mission0: 13-21). Moses responded with doubt that the Israelites would believe

DEVOTIONAL READING:PROVERBS 1 :20-33BACKGROUNDSCRIPTURExODUS 4PRINTED TEXT:ExODUS 4:10-16, 27-31

LESSON AIMS

Afterparticipating in thlesson, each student will beable to:

1. Describe Moses' hesitanry to accept God's calland tell how God supplied

solution.2. Give a contemporaryexample ofsomeone's overcoming an apparent obstacto ministry.

3. Corifess one area ofhesitanry to accept a resposibility in God's service andexpress faith in God's powto supply what is needed tocarry out that responsibility

KEY VERSE

Aaron told them everything the LORD had said toMoses. He also peifomledsigns before the people.

-Exodus 4

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

2/8

I U N U L 2 0 0 2

LESSON2 NOTES

WHAT Do You THINK?What is the difference be-

tween giving an excuse andraising a legitimate concernwhen asked to do something?How do we keepfrom fool-ing ourselves in thinking ourconcern is legitimate whenit's not?

. ~ L O _ 4 . .. .. _AcCEPTING.RES.PONS.IBILITY

him (4:1). God answered by empowering Moses to perform three signs(4:2-9). That was about the year 1446 Be.

I. MOSES' HESITATION (EXODUS 4: 10-16)Up until this point it is not clear whether Moses is being humble and

simply covering all his bases or whether he is trying to negotiate his way ou tof a mission that terrifies him. In today's passage, Moses' dialogue with God

continues.

A. EXCUSE GIVEN (v. 10)10. Moses said to the LORD, "0 Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in

, the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech andI tongue. "II Fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. It is a common fearI today. This fear can be so paralyzing that some people may face death withI more confidence than they do the task of speaking before a large crowd.I Moses apparently is in this camp, although there seems to be more behind

Moses'reselVations.

Scholars are divided over the exact cause of Moses' concern. Does hehave a speech impediment? Does he lack powers of persuasion? Is he worriedabout knowing what to say? Or has Moses lost fluency of speech after beingseparated from both the Egyptians and Israelites for 40 years (Acts 7:29, 30)?

In Acts 7:22, Stephen suggests that Moses grew powerful in wisdom andspeech at a young age. This casts doubt upon the speech impediment theory.Moses' failure to convince fellow Israelites to stop fighting may supportclaims that Moses is not very persuasive (Exodus 2: 13, 14). On the otherhand, God's response in Exodus 4: 12 (below) seems to focus on the contentof Moses' speech. So it is difficult to know for sure what Moses has in mind.It may be a combination of two or more issues.

B. EXCUSE OVERCOME(w. 11, 12)I 11. The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deafI or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

God is aware of Moses' speaking ability or lack thereof. Yet God-as-CreatorI has power over all human abilities an d senses. He opens and shuts mouths,I ears, and eyes. In fact, Moses would no t even exist had God not opened the. wombs of Moses' foremothers Sarah and Rebekah. Surely Moses' speaking

problem is not an obstacle to the almighty Creator!Shockingly, it is as though Moses has forgotten to whom he is speaking.

The bush continues to bu m without being consumed (Exodus 3:2), andI Moses stands barefoot with shielded face out of reverence for God's awe-I inspiring presence (3: 5, 6). Yet somehow Moses forgets whom he is dealing! with or, more appropriately, who is dealing with him.

Such forgetfulness is all too common in the church today. "We can't pioneer this ministry; it will cost too much." "We can't witness in that part ofthe city; it's no t safe there." "We can't give X percent; we wouldn't be ableto make ends meet." "Our kids can't do that in school; what would theirteachers and classmates think?" We may be tempted to think that excuseslike these stem from a humble assessment of our own (in)abilities and limitations. But is that really the issue?

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

3/8

ESSON 2 ___ 405 _____ J u ~ E I 4 , 2 0 0 God teaches us in this verse that such excuses are the result of focusing

n self rather than God. To know the God of Moses is to know a power whonows no bounds. As we cannot serve both God and money, so also we canot fear both God and Pharaoh. Moses has to make a choice, and so do we.

EMPOWERED TO COMMUNICATE

The vital nature of communication leads society to try to make continual

improvements in this area. One creative attempt is called FaslTacKids Signing.This involves teaching sign language to babies who are too young to use much Visual for Lesson 2. Pointspoken language. to this visual as you ask,

More than 20 years of research have shown that children who are 6 months "Why is it not wise to engageold can learn sign-languageskills in 8 weeks. At age 12 months, the typical child in a tug-ofwarwith God?"in the program is said to be able to use 2S signs and 16 spoken words, compared

i

'Aith 1 to 3 spoken words for children in a control group. Not surprisingly, onemom says the sign that her 18-month-old son uses most is the one for more. Thechild had been empowered to communicate something that the parent does notnecessarily lookforward to hearing!

God's spoken instructions to Moses werequite clear to him. However, this wasnot a message Moses wanted to hear, as evidenced by thefact that he immediately tried to maneuver out of his daunting assignment. At times we may feel overwhelmed by the task thatJesus sets before us in Matthew 28: 19, 20. When weare tempted to say "Let so-and-so do it; he's more persuasive than I am," mayGod's words to Moses ring in our ears: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makeshim deaf ormute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" -co R. B.

2. "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."If Moses possesses some kind of speech impediment, God makes no

romise to heal it. God reveals no intention of "fixing" Moses to make himetter. Instead he promises to go with Moses and teach him what to scry. God

oesn't need the perfect spokesman who can present his message flawlesslyithout divine help. God wants humble servants who will allow God to worktheir lives despite their imperfections. How TO SA Y ITNotice also that God does not simply take over Moses' mouth. God rejects

Aaron. AIR-un.he path of divine ventriloquism. To go this route would reduce Moses to theglossophobia.atus of puppet. God has respect for his creatures. He has made us in his

gloss-uh-FOE-bee-uh.mage and wants us to grow spiritually in that regard. So God promises toGuyana. Guy-A-nuhach Moses what to say. God is not merely conveying a message, bu t is form

(A as in map).g a leader through whom he will later form other leaders.Jacob. JAY-kub.Churches today have much to learn from God's way of working withJethro. JETH-ro.Moses. Though we may never experience it quite as Moses did, God wants to !

Levi. LEE-rye.ork with us. God's Spirit does not overpower Christians in ways that eclipse!

levitical. leh-VIT-ih-kul.ur unique identities. He works in and through us in such ways that we growMoses. MO-zes or MO-zez.p in our salvation ( l Peter 2:2).Rebekah. Reh-BEK-uh.Since this is how God works with us, then we ought to do likewise withUkraine. IOu-CRANE.hers. For churches to truly honor the priesthood of all believers ( l Peterventriloquism.4-9; Revelation 1:6), then church leaders must find healthy ways to encour

ven-TRIH-luh-kwi-zum.ge the formation of every member. This means giving "undeserving" peopleufficient power and opportunities both to succeed and to fail. When welinquish attempts to control absolutely, others may grow as our heavenlyather desires them to.

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

4/8

JUNE 14, 2009 _ _ 406 ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILI1Y

C. MOSES' PLEA (v. 13)13. But Moses said, "0 Lord, please send someone else to do it."

We arrive at an important clue for interpreting Moses' previous objections.Having run out of excuses, Moses finally implores God to send someoneelse.

WHAT Do You THINK? Moses is no t simply being humble, although he is known for humility (NumHow wouldyou respond bers 12:3). At this point, Moses flat out rejects his calling. He is trying his

to someone who asks, "Since best to weasel out.

God was very capable of en- God has known Moses' mind-set all along, but God denies him an easygineering the release of the Is- way out. A veil of clever excuses is clearly seen as just that since the fact thatraelites without using human the excuses didn't "work" now results in a last gasp "pick someone else"leadership, why didn't he just plea. Moses has no t been able to manipulate God into choosing someonedo it himselfto save a lot of else, so Moses is reduced to asking God to do so forthrightly.aggravation?"

D. GOD'S ANGER (w. 14-16)WHAT Do You THINK? 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 hisWhat are some ways thatway to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you.people react when an author-

God has been patient with Moses, bu t God's patience has limits. I t is oneityfigure shows anger towardthing to express initial insecurity; it is another to trifle with God. In showingthem? How did God's angerMoses anger, God indicates that the haggling is over.toward Moses demonstrate

Even so, God provides one more source of aid. Moses' articulate brother,confidence in that man?Aaron, will be arriving shortly, and God will appoint him as the spokesman.We presume that Aaron still lives in Egypt. As such, Aaron probably is bothfluent in the languages and trusted by the Israelites.

Aaron is a descendant of]acob's son Levi. We know little about the nature of this tribe as it exists in Moses' day. We do know, however, thatJacobha d prophesied that Levi's descendants were to be dispersed among Israel'stribes (Genesis 49:5-7). Moses, as Aaron's brother, also descends from this

WHAT Do You THINK? tribe (Exodus 2: 1, 2), bu t one wonders why this detail is given about AaronIn what ways haveyou here. On e possible explanation is that Aaron later becomes the father of

J . ~ "t th the levitical priesthood (Leviticus 8). Perhaps Aaron's willingness to playderve as a sporsman 0 e . l ' h d 'b G d' d . h'people"? \\!hat more can you an Important ro e m t e exo us contn utes to 0 s eSlre to set apart ISdo in this regard? ! descendants for such a sacred purpose. The fact that the Levites are to be

scattered among the Israelites in fulfillment of] acob's prophecy promotestheir priestly function.15, 16. "You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both ofyou speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the peoplefor you,and it will be as if he were your mouth and as ifyou were God to him."

Though God will use Aaron, God will not replace Moses with Aaron. Instead, God clearly states that he will continue to work directly with Moses.

I In tum, Moses will work with Aaron, and Aaron will speak to the people. Inthis sense-and only this sense--does Aaron function as Moses' mouth andMoses as Aaron's God. Moses does no t function for Aaron in this way because of anything "godlike" in Moses. He does so because God makes his willso clear to Moses that to listen to Moses is to hear God. This is why Moses is

. later considered Israel's greatest prophet (Deuteronomy 34: 10).But God will no t work with Moses alone. He will also guide Aaron's

mouth. This brings up a natural question: Why no t bypass Moses and useonly Aaron? Scripture does no t tell us directly, bu t we see a certain patternin ho w God works throughout Scripture. God is no t a replacing God, bu t

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

5/8

ESSQN 2 4_OL_ _ . __ . ---liiNE 1 4 ,_2D09

restoring God. He works with fallen humans despite their deficienciesather than replacing such humans with others less deficient.

This fact is demonstrated in God's promise to Noah and all creation afterhe flood. When God committed not to "destroy all living creatures" (Genesis:21), he committed himself to finding a way to work through us. He placeshe burden on himself to bring about his will through sinful creatures ratherhan wipe us out and replace us each time we sin. God's love is such that he

would rather help the unsuccessful succeed than work with only those mostikely to succeed. God is not opposed to using a talented person like Aarono help Moses, but God refuses to reinforce the faulty notion that he can usenly those with extraordinary ability.

Moses' silence to God's proposal signals assent. God's decision to breakhe cycle of excuses is exactly what Moses needs. Godly discipleship today

will do the same. We must not, however, skip the beginning of this process.We must not rush a decision before giving people time to think through theepercussions. Jesus encourages his followers to count the costs before com

mitting (Luke 14:25-33) even as he draws a line and demands a firm decision

Luke 9:57-62).I. BROTHERS' UNITY (EXODUS 4:27-31)

After Moses accepts God's plan, he returns toJethro's household to anounce his departure and gather his family (Exodus 4: 18-23). Moses thenurvives a mysterious and dangerous encounter with God en route to Egypt4:24-26). Afterward, Moses meets Aaron in the Sinai region.

. ASSIGNMENT (v. 27)7. The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met

Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.

The fact that God commissions Aaron to meet Moses clarifies the meaningf verse 14, where God tells Moses that Aaron is on the way. Aaron is notimply visiting his brother; rather, he is obeying a specific calling from God.

By the time Moses returns from gathering his family, Aaron has traveleds far as Sinai. So the brothers meet on the mountain where God called

Moses. The kiss is a standard greeting among close relatives (Genesis7:26; 31:28).

FOLLOWING FALLIBLE LEADERS

The sad saga of Peoples Temple remains as a testimony to the danger of giving over one's life to fallible leaders. In the mid-1970s, that church was a thrivingcountercultural congregation. Jim Jones was its charismatic leader. The churchgrew r a p i d l ) ~ in part because of its reputation for helping the down-and-out.

When news media began doing exposes on the culdike aspects of the church,Jones moved his flock to a "promised land" inJonestown, Guyana. Horror stories began comingout of there. Parentsof young people involved in the cult urgedu.s. government intervention. A member of Congress led a fact-finding party tothe compound in 1978. While preparing to return, the congressman and members of his party were shot to death. Soon the world leamed that 913 of the cultmembers had committed mass suicide, either willingly or under duress.

Moses and Aaron were God's choices to lead the Israelites to their promisedland. As time would tell, they would be fallible leaders. But their fallibility wascounterbalanced by an accountability to the God who chose them.JimJones, by

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

Monday, June 8-TheGod Who Cans (Exodus

3: 13-18)Tuesday, June 9-TheGod Who Equips (Exodus4:1-9)

Wednesday, June 1 0 -The God Who Sends Back(Exodus 4:18-23)

I Thursday, June I I -DoNot Be Afraid (Zechariah8:11-17)

Friday, June 12-God

Will Help You (Isaiah 41:8-13)Saturday, June

13-Refusing God's Call(Proverbs 1:20-33)

Sunday, June 14-ATeam of Two (Exodus 4:10-16,27-31)

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

6/8

IUNE 14, .lO"-'O'--"9'----- _ 408 ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

WHAT Do You THINK?

Recall the time when ittook you the longest to sayyes when God asked you toserve. Why did it take youthat long?

PRAYER

PoweJjul God, please in-crease our faith. Teach us toesteemyou so highly that wedo not underestimate whatyou can do with us. Give ussuch big dreams Jor yourkingdom that we are notparalyzed by the smallnessoj our own abilities. In Jesus'name. Amen.

contrast, apparently saw himself as accountable to no one bu t himself How isleadership accountability handled in your church? -co R. B.

B. EXPLANATIONS (w.28-31)28. Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and alsoabout all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.

Apparently, God has given Aaron only sparse details about what has

happened, so Moses fills him in on the rest. Moses also explains about themiraculous signs God has given to validate the message. These signs includeturning a staff into a snake and inflicting leprosy. Aaron's silence implies thathe fully submits to God's will; note Aaron's silence in Leviticus 10:3.29, 30. Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, andAaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed thesigns before the people,

Moses and Aaron gather Israel's leaders as directed (Exodus 3:16) and per-fonn the signs God has specified. It is interesting to note that even though theIsraelites are enslaved in a foreign land, they take the initiative to develop theirown leaders. This helps Israel maintain her identity on foreign soil.

This is the first reference in the Bible to the leaders of the Israelites as el-ders. We may safely presume that they are the leaders of whatever clans existat this time. The word elders is used dozens of times in the Old Testament inthis regard. The New Testament, for its part, uses this important word to de-scribe certain church leaders, but definitely not in a "heads of clans" kind ofway.31. . . . and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concernedabout them and had seen their misery, they bowed downand worshiped.

As God foretold in Exodus 3: 18, the people believe. Not only hasGod been preparing Moses to lead Israel, bu t God has prepared Israel toreceive his leadership. These are the same people who have cried out toGod in anguish (2:23). They have cried in faith that God will act. NowMoses and Aaron return perfonning signs and declaring God's intent to

, deliver them.The people respond by bowing to God with worship. Moses had feared

that the people would focus on him and find him to be lacking. Instead, theyfocus on God and find him to be more than sufficient. God is again teachingMoses that this mission is not about Moses. Rather, it is about God.

Leaders today must learn from Moses. It's not about us either. It never isand never will be. One might object that in real life experience it is often verymuch about the human leader. There are some churches in which membershang on the preacher's every word; the preacher responds by striving to cul-tivate an impressive public persona and seeking to deliver dazzling sennonsthat keep people returning. Godly leaders, however, will direct attention awayfrom themselves and toward God. They will exhort the people to adore God,not his messengers (see 1 Corinthians 1:12, 13; 3:21-23).

CONCLUSIONIt must have been liberating for Moses to discover that God's mission was

not about Moses. The God who resolved to free Israel took full responsibilityfor convicting Israel to leave, for forcing Pharaoh to release them, and for em-powering Israel to march out. Moses was God's instrument. It is interesting

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

7/8

SSON 2 409

watch how the rest of the narrative unfolds. At first, Moses leans heavilyn Aaron. But as the story progresses, Aaron recedes to the background, and

Moses begins fulfilling the role God originally intended for him.Likewise, God's mission for the church is not about our limitations.

hough God uniquely equips each believer to play an integral pan in his mison ( l Corinthians 12), we do so only by God's power. Ephesians 1:18-23aches us that the same power that raisedJesus from the dead and seated

m at the Father's right hand, far above all eanhly powers, is at work in.ose who believe.Jesus reminds his disciples that all things are possible forod (Mark 10:27).

_ _ _ _ _ - J W N E 14,2009

THOUGHT TO REMEMBERWorship and obey the God

of the impossible.

Discovery LearningThe following is an alternative lesson plan emphasizing learning activities.

Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At thehack of this hook are reproducihle student pages to further enhance activity learning.

NTO THE LESSON

Place copies of the reproducible puzzle "Wordxodus" from page SOlin chairs for students toork on as they arrive.

DUring your lesson preparation, reflect on ame in your life when you were challenged to acept a responsibility for which you felt somewhatr entirely unsuited. Be ready to share that storyith the class. Reflect on why you felt so unsuitedr unsuitable: was it the nature of the task itself?ersonal shoncomings? unique circumstances? theming of the event? The more humorous the acount, the more open your learners will be to sharemilar stories.

To begin class, write Unsuited for the Task onhe board. Share your story of when you felt unuited for a task. Next, form the class into groupsf no more than five. Ask each student to sharewithin the group) a time when he or she wasced with an "unsuitable moment." Encourage

veryone to share a story, but give permission topass" for those uncomfortable with doing so. Youay wish to announce ahead of time (via yourass's e-mail list, etc.) that you will be doing this.hat will allow each student a time of thoughtfulflection in advance.After this time of intragroup sharing, write these

wo phrases on the board: Right Task, Wrong Personnd Right Person, Wrong Timing. Explain that whenod challenges us with a task, we may find our

elves confronted with one or both of these doubts.

Say, "Being the wrong person means you don'tfeel your skills, knowledge, or personality are agood match for what God is asking of you, eventhough you can see that the task needs to be done(this was Moses' issue). On the other hand, youmay feel that you are the right person for the job,but the timing doesn't seem to be right for thatpanicular task (compare Haggai 1:2)." As studentsmake comments or share parts of their stories, notetheir insights on the board. Make a transition toBible study by noting that God doesn't make wrongchoices.

INTO THE WORD

Divide the class into three groups; if your classis small, use pairs. Write Exodus 4:10-16 on theboard. Provide each group with paper and pencil.Instruct the groups to read the passage and discusswhy Moses' felt that he was unsuited for God's call.Ask groups to note especially those comments thatwould indicate that Moses felt he was the wrongperson for a task that was indeed wonhy.

After a few minutes, asks students to sharethoughts. You will need to decide whether it isbest to open the floor to any and all thoughts thatstudents want to share, or if you have time only forthoughts from spokespersons of the groups. Usethe Lesson Background, etc., to add insights.

Next, write Exodus 4:27-31 on the board. Readthat text to the class. Say, "In spite of Moses' reluctance, what was the result of doing what the Lord

8/14/2019 NIV Lesson 06-14-2009

8/8

JUNE 14,2009 410 ACCEPTING R E ~ P O N S I B I

called him to do?" Allow the class to give answers.Make the observation that Moses served God inspite of initial reluctance, and God brought aboutthe deliverance of his people as a result.

Consider using a film clip from such movies asThe Ten Commandments, Moses, or the animatedfilm The Prince of Egypt in addition to reading the

text. The clip can introduce the Bible portion of thelesson, or it can be used after the discussion.

INTO LIFE

Explain that some of us have had figurative ,"burning bush" experiences already; these weretimes when God's call was very evident. Somereadily accept the call; some hesitate and resist; andsome downright refuse. There are also cases of peo

pIe who readily accept at first, but later on began todoubt their abilities or the validity of the call.

Ask your students to give reasons they have everheard (or used) for questioning a call to serve Godin a certain way. Write responses on the board.Then ask students to form pairs so they can sharepersonal concerns in this area and pray for one

another regarding an excuse for not fulfilling God'scall. (Option: Ask couples to pair with others.)

Provide students a list of ministry opportunitieswithin your church. Allow time to reflect on the listto see if any of the tasks create a burden on any-one's heart. If time is short, this can be a take-homeexercise. Distribute copies of the reproducible activ-ity "Commitment Card" on page 501 as anothertake-home activity.