Niv Lesson 06-07-2009

Call Sealed with Promise Unit 1: Called Out of Egypt (Lessons 1-4)

HEARING GOD'S CALL

INTRODUCTION

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A. ANSWERING GOD'S CALL

"You can't be serious, God! My family situation just isn't what it should be." "Not me, Lord. I'm from a family of nobodies, and I'm least among even them." ''I'm not worthy; I am a lowly sinner." "I just can't do it; I'm too young, and I have no public-speaking skills." When God calls us to challenging tasks, we have little trouble manufac­ turing reasons why God couldn't possibly use us. Perhaps you've hidden behind excuses like those above. If so, you're in good company. When God promised to make Abraham a mighty nation, Abraham claimed that his childless status was a problem (Genesis 15:1-3). When God called Gideon to deliver the Israelites from their enemies, he declared himself the nobody of nobodies Qudges 6: 14, 15). Isaiah was overwhelmed with a sense of sin­ fulness (Isaiah 6:5). Jeremiah was insecure about his youth and speaking ability 0eremiah 1:4-6). Fortunately for us, God has a great deal of experience working with less­ than-perfectly-capable people! He seems to delight in turning the world's misfits into giants of faith. In today's lesson we will see how God recruited a career fugitive and began shaping him into one of the most significant figures in human history. B.

LESSON BACKGROUND

It had been some 400 years since Israel settled in northern Egypt in order to survive a terrible drought. What began as gracious divine provision in Joseph's day (about 1877 Be) eventually led to harsh Egyptian oppression in Moses' time. In Exodus 2:23, however, we learn of a change in power in Egypt. Would the new Egyptian regime ease the burden? Perhaps Israel's God would personally see to it. So the Israelites cried out for help and God took notice (Exodus 2:24,25). God had never forgotten his people. Instead, he had been preparing a leader to deliver them. He was shaping Moses to be familiar with both the in­ trigues of Egypt and the pilgrim nature of Israel's heritage. The events of this shaping are recorded in Exodus 1 and 2, as well as in Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:20-38. Having been brought up in Pharaoh's household for the first 40 years of his life, Moses undoubtedly received the best education royalty could afford. Yet Moses later fled Egyptian security as an outlaw and wandered as a shepherd for an additional 40 years. He thus could identify also with the enslaved Israelites and the nomadic life­ style they were to face. At age 80 (Exodus 7: 7), however, Moses probably was completely un­ aware of God's plans for him. Having left both the Egyptians and the Is­ raelites behind, he had found refuge and acceptance among the tents of a

DEVOTIONAL READING: HEBREWS 3:1-13 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: ExODUS

2:23-3: 12

PRINTED ExODUS

TEXT:

3:1-12

LESSON AIMS

After participating in this lesson, each student will be able to: 1. Recount the sequence of events that led to God's call of Moses. 2. Compare and contrast the call of Moses with calls to ministry today. 3. Explain how he or she will evaluate a perceived call of God on his or her life.

KEY VERSE

Now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my peo­ ple the Israelites 'Jut of Egypt. -Exodus 3:10

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hospitable Midianite family. Moses likely thought he would die in peace among these foreigners. But God had other ideas!

I. GOD APPEARS TO MOSES (EXODUS 3: 1-6) A. GOD GETS MOSES' ATTENTION (w. 1-3) 1. Now Moses was tending the flock ofJethro 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. After killing an Egyptian and agitating the Israelites, Moses had fled east­ ward (Exodus 2: II-IS); Moses was age 40 at the time (Acts 7:23). This flight

Do You THINK? What can the case of Moses tell us about God's plan to use people ofvarious ages in his service today?

WHAT

took him beyond the Red Sea. Eventually, he encountered a friendly tribe that welcomed him (Exodus 2: 16-22). Moses soon picked up shepherding, the trade of his Israelite forefathers. At a certain time, Moses' shepherding work leads him in the direction of Egypt. The far side of the desert means westward. The word desert, here and elsewhere, does not always refer to a vast stretch of sand-filled land. Often it signifies uninhabited and unirrigated pastureland. It is sometimes translated wilderness, but this too leads to misunderstandings for those who associate wilderness with thick, tree-filled forests. Here the word desert refers to the mountainous terrain of the Sinai Peninsula. This area is fertile enough to graze flocks temporarily, but not fertile enough to sustain a per­ manent dwelling. It is thus fitting that Horeb means "drought" or "desert." Horeb may stand for the wider area within which Mount Sinai and the Sinai wilderness are located. Before God claims this territory for his special purposes, it is margin­ ally useful. Afterward, it is honored with the designation mountain of God. Today, people travel thousands of miles to visit this area. Yet Moses does not think he is heading toward sacred turf. Encountering God is likely the furthest thing from Moses' mind! God is about to meet with Moses at an unexpected time (Moses is now age 80) in an unlikely place. 2, 3. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames offire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does

not burn up. " VISUALS FOR THESE LESSONS

The visual pictured in each lesson (example: page 399) is a small reproduction ofa large, full-color poster included in the Adult Re­ sources packet for the Sum­ mer Quarter. That packet also contains the very useful Presentation Helps on a CD for teacher use. The packet is availablefrom your supplier. Order No. 492. ...

From Moses' first-glance perspective, a bush is burning without being consumed. This apparent suspension of natural laws stops him in his tracks. The sight is intriguing enough to make him want to take a closer look. We wonder about the identity of this angel who appears in flames offire from within the bush. We hear no more about an angel in this narrative, and God himself does all the talking. There are at least two options. This could be an angelic messenger who does the speaking and acting on God's behalf, or it could be God manifesting himself to Moses in a guarded form so Moses will not be consumed by his awe-inspiring presence (compare Exodus 33:20). The latter interpretation seems to be favored by Deuteronomy 33: 16, which refers to God as one who" dwelt in the burning bush. " Little may be learned about this event by analyzing the potential scientific conditions necessary for a bush to bum without being incinerated. Israel's God, who will later reveal himself again by way of fire (see Exodus 13: 21, 22; 19: 18), is performing a miracle. Although the text never tells us, God may be

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choosing a fiery bush to reveal something about himself to Moses. If that is the case, it may stand for God's self-generating and self-sustaining nature. It may also reflect the nature of his judgment. THAT WHICH NEVER GOES OUT

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One dark night when we were all in bed, Mrs. O'Leary left her lantern in the shed. Well, the cow kicked it over, and this is what they said,

"There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight."

Do You THINK? In what ways today does God let people know that he wants them to serve or to lead a ministly? Should we expect burning bushes? Why, or why not? WHAT

In a bygone era, this ditty expressed the popular sentiment about the origin

of the Great Chicago Fire. That popular expression is fiction, but the fire itself

wasn't. It began around 9 PM on October 8, 1871. When it was over, the fire had

killed between 200 and 300 people, leaving 90,000 of the city's 300,000 home­

less. Property loss exceeded $200 million (several billion dollars in today's mon­

ey) as more than 17,000 structures were lost.

In 1971, the city of Chicago held a centennial commemoration of the event.

This featured a parade as well as a massive fireworks display over Lake Michigan.

It seems that we humans are forever fascinated with fire, whether it is meant for

entertainment or results in disaster

Asimilar fascination drew Moses to the burning bush, especially since the bush

was not being consumed. From that fire, the Lord spoke. The message of God still

speaks to us, a never extinguished flame of truth. Perhaps the question we each

need to ask is, "Do God's words hold the same fascination for me as that bush

-c. R. B.

did for Moses?"

B. GOD GAINS MOSES' RESPECT (w. 4-6) 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. " Now that God has Moses' undivided attention, he calls Moses' name twice. God frequently repeats someone's name when demanding immediate attention (see Genesis 22:11; 46:2; 1 Samuel 3:10). Also noteworthy is Moses' response: Here I am. When God calls one by name, one does not respond glibly or halfheartedly. One responds deci­ sively and submissively. This is why Abraham, Jacob, and Samuel respond to God the same way as Moses. In responding "Here I am," these godly people are not telling God something he doesn't already know about their location. Instead, they are at attention, waiting to hear and obey whatever God may say. God may convict us to act through various means. These include preach­ ing, teaching, or Bible reading. When that conviction comes, we must respond as Moses does. Hebrews 12: 18-29 reminds Christians that even though God does not speak to us from a fearsome, flaming mountain, we must not refuse him who calls us.

5. "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take offyour sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. " Genesis 2:3 sets the Sabbath day apart as a holy period of time, and the verse before us is the first mention of a holy place. It is not holy by virtue of natural properties or ideal location. It is holy because God chooses to inhabit it for Moses' calling and for Israel's later worship and instruc­ tion (Exodus 3: 12, below). When Joshua, Moses' successor, enters the

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

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Monday, June 1-Moses' Birth (Exodus 2: 1-1 0) Tuesday, June 2-Moses Flees (Exodus 2: 11-22) Wednesday, June 3­ Moses' Purpose Mis­ understood (Acts 7:23-29) Thursday, June 4­ Moses' Call (Acts 7:30-34) Friday, June 5­ Moses' Death FOI~told (Deuteronomy 32:48-52) Saturday, June 6­ Moses' Uniqueness (Deuteronomy 34) Sunday,June 7-Come, I Will Send You (Exodus 3: 1-12)

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How TO SAY IT Abraham. AY-bruh-ham. Abram. AY-brum. Amorites. AM-uh-rites. Canaanites. KAY-nun-ites. Egyptians. Ee-JIP-shuns. Hittites. HIT-ites or HIT-tites. Hivites. HI-vites. Jebusites. JEB-yuh-sites. Midianite. MID-ee-un-ite. Perizzites. PAIR-ih-zites. Pharaoh. FAIR-o or FAY-roe. Sanhedrin. SAN-huh-drun or San-HEED-run. Sinai. SIGH-nye or SIGH-nay-eye.

Do You THINK? What is the difference, if any, between being afraid of God and having a reverence for him? How does this dif­ ference influence the way you live? WHAT

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promised land in order to take it, he encounters the commander of the Lord's anny, who also calls him to remove his footwear for similar reasons Ooshua 5:13-15). This kind of holiness is a temporary characteristic. The fact that God indwells a particular place at a particular time does not make it and those around pennanendy immune to harm or corruption. Centuries later, the Is­ raelites will assume wrongly that no harm can befall them since God's holy temple stands in their midst Oeremiah 7:4). 6. Then he said, "I am the God ofyourfather, the God ofAbraham, the God of Isaac and the God ofJacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Moses learns that God is not simply the God of this particular mountain. He is the God of Moses' ancestors. He is the God who had called Abraham out of his home country and who provided for Isaac and Jacob as they wan­ dered about the area we now call Palestine. Unlike the fictitious gods of the nations, Israel's God is not restricted to certain plots of land. He stands high above the cosmos and graciously identifies with humble Israelites who are willing to bear his name and submit to his lordship. He is their God, wher­ ever they live. Through Christ he is also our God, wherever we may serve him. He is God of all creation, whether his creatures worship him or not. God's cosmic reign should serve as an important warning to those in our owrr day who would identify God as the deity of this or that nation where they happen to live. Since Christians wish God to be worshiped properly in every land, we rightly desire him to be worshiped where we live too. But we must be careful not to assume that because he was formerly extolled in a given land that that particular land is somehow forever tied to God in a spe­ cial or unique way. God did not spread his global mission outward from jerusalem only to be co-opted by particular cities or countries elsewhere. Rather, God has formed a transterritorial kingdom. Its capital city is the newjerusalem in Heaven. Its citizens live on every continent (Philippians 3:20). jesus' prayer for this scat­ tered people is that they would be one as he and the Father are one Oohn 17:20-23). That unity is threatened, however, when God's children mistakenly identify God with their preferred nation, as if God cares less for other nations. When Moses hears his ancestors' God speaking to him, he rightly fears. Even sinless heavenly creatures that are made to worship God in his very presence are equipped with a second set of wings in order to shield them­ selves from God's glory (Isaiah 6:1-3).

II. GOD OBSERVES ISRAEL (EXODUS 3: 7-9) A. GOD KNows ISRAEL'S PLIGHT (v. 7) 7. The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery ofmy people in Egypt. I have heard them aying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. God reveals the purpose for his visit: he sees and hears how badly the Is­ raelites are being treated in Egypt. Their oppression is spelled out in Exodus 1: 11-14. There we read that these taskmasters conscript Israelites to bear the burden of Pharaoh's numerous building projects. The taskmasters work the Israelites into the ground in response to the growth of their population. Slavery is the only word for this.

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None of this catches God by surprise. Back in Genesis 15: 13, 14, God had! WHAT Do You THINK? told Abraham that his descendants would be mistreated for 400 years. This ! How do you react to the had to happen because the sin of those inhabiting the promised land had not news offellow believers Slif­ yet reached full measure (Genesis 15: 16). We may take this to mean that God I fering injUly, imprisonment, so loved those inhabiting Canaan that he refused to bring judgment on them or death for theirfaith? How until they deserved it. A collateral result is that God's chosen people end up . should you react? in slavery. However, this tum of events allows God to display his power in unmistakable ways. I,

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B. GOD PREDICTS ISRAEL'S DELIVERANCE (w. 8, 9) 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, Perizz­ ites, Hivites and ]ebusites. Israel's patient God is now poised to deliver on the promise he first made to Abraham (as Abram) back in Genesis 12: 1-3. The description of milk and honry is a broad reference to agricultural abundance. It is important to note that God does not simply deliver his people out of something; he also leads them into something else. As Jesus teaches, deliverance from a bad situation that does not include replacing the bad with something better only sets one up for a potentially worse future (Matthew 12:43-45). The most comprehensive list of the promised land's inhabitants is pro­ vided in Genesis 15: 19-21. The presence of these competing people groups in an area about the size of the state of Vermont highlights both the instability of the area and the challenge the Israelites have ahead of them. Yet if Israel's God is powerful enough to free them from an imperial powerhouse like Egypt, these comparatively miniscule clans will be no problem. 9. 'i\nd now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. We are told again of Israel's cry. We should not think of this cry as an in­ fantile whimper. Rather, this verse expresses moral outrage and soul-stirring passion. It is the anguished cry of the oppressed and the agonizing plea of helpless victims.

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RESCUE FROM SLAVERY

'M unimaginable as it seems, slavery and bondage still persist in the early twen­ ty-first century. Millions of people around the world still suffer in silence in slave­ like situations of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation from which they cannot free themselves. rrafficking in persons is one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time." So says the U.s. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report ofjune 2003. The names of the offending countries are familiar to us: Sudan, North Korea, and Burma (Myanmar) are just a few. Many nations in the Middle East are on the list. The type of slavery varies from political to economic to sexual. Some coun­ tries are infamous for their "sex tourist trade." The toll in human dignity is enor­ mous. Americans pride themselves on having outlawed slavery over a century ago. Nevertheless, one occasionally still hears about the "sweat shop" garment facto­ ries in America where illegal immigrants labor in virtual slavery as payment for a ticket to live there. Only God could rescue the ancient Hebrews. Modern slaves also may feel that God is their only hope. Shouldn't Christians be God's agents in trying to end these

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Visual for Lesson 1. Keep this map posted throughout the quarter. This will help your students keep a geo­ graphical perspective.

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abuses? What means do we have for assisting those who are treated as if the image of God were not in them? And then there is still slavery to sin! What can we do about that? -C. R. B.

III. GOD COMMISSIONS MOSES (EXODUS 3: 10-12) A. GOD CALIS A DELIVERER (v. 10) 10. "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites

out of Egypt. " Up to this point in our story, Moses has been receptive to what God has to say. Moses is more than willing to remove his footwear. He is more than willing to hear God's concern for Israel. But Moses' receptivity is about to change as God gets personal. God calls Moses to do the seemingly impos­ sible: to approach the powerful Pharaoh and ask him to set free his cheap labor force.

Do You THINK? What is the connection, if any, between personality type and the way individuals respond to God's leading? How is this important to the way you react to God's lead­ ing and to the way you lead others? WHAT

B.

GOD COUNTERS INSECURITIES (w. 11, 12) 11. But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

Moses' last words up to this point were "Here I am"; his next words are Who am I? This is Moses' first attempt to avoid the job God has for him. In Exodus 4: 1 Moses expresses concern that the people will reject him. In 4: 10 he claims to be tongue-tied. In 4: 13 he flatly requests that God send some­ one else. But God is not fazed by human excuses. Instead, he shows great patience. He listens to Moses' objections, takes them seriously, and offers suppon. 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." God knows Moses' track record. According to Exodus 2:10, Moses grew up in Pharaoh's household and thus received the finest education. Moses PRAYER also has spent 40 years exiled in Midian; he may thus sympathize with Is­ God of Moses, we stand rael's "outsider" status. Finally, Moses possesses courage, as evident when in awe ofyou. You call us to tasks that we cannot complete he risked his life to avenge an Israelite and when he boldly confronted two feuding Hebrew men (2: 11-13). Yet Moses' impressive pedigree is not his without you. You call us to greatest asset. It is God's presence that will be the decisive factor in what live like Jesus. You send us lies ahead. into a world that dismisses God predicts a sign as a demonstration of his assurance of victory: those your wisdom as foolishness. currently enslaved will soon freely worship God on the very mountain of You call each of us to great works that you have prepared Moses' calling. This reminds us of the sign of the rainbow that God gave Noah (Genesis 9: 12-17). It is a sign of remembrance that is to recall a past in advance for us. May we event and an associated promise. As the rainbow reminded Noah of God's never hide behind our ex­ prior promise never again to flood the eanh, Israel's later worship on Mount cuses. As you did with Moses, Sinai will remind them of Moses' call to deliver them from Egypt. push through those excuses

until we see your promises unfold b~fore our ryes. In Jesus' name. Amen.

CONCLUSION Abraham discovered that his family situation was no limitation for the ancient of days. Gideon learned that nobodies are somebodies when God goes with them. Isaiah received a holiness from God that far exceeded what the most righteous saint could achieve on his or her own. Jeremiah found that God's Word and presence surpass the rhetoric and "wisdom" of learned foes.

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Thus Moses stood within a long line of underdogs who were made to be overachievers by the mighty arm of God. It makes perfect sense therefore that those of us with all the "wrong" credentials can find ourselves at God's dis­ posal to accomplish what only he can do through us.

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THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

Embrace God's call with confidence.

Discovery Learning

The following is an alternative lesson plan emphasizing learning activities.

Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At the

back of this book are reproducible student pages to further enhance activity learning.

INTO THE LESSON Open your class with a "hearing test." Prior to class, locate three portable stereos ("boom boxes") and music CDs (music with lyrics is helpful, but not absolutely necessary). Set the portable stereos around the classroom in different locations. Also bring a copy of your church's most recent news­ letter. As students take their seats, simply begin read­ ing the announcements from the church newsletter. After you are finished, ask, "How many of you can recall just one of the announcements?" Take a few responses from the participants, noting, "We could all hear the announcements read, so we are able to recall them fairly well. " Arrange for several individuals to tum on the three stereos simultaneously to a volume level that drowns out your voice. (Be careful not to disturb other classes.) Begin reading another item, such as the minister's newsletter article. When you have completed the reading of the article, tum the ste­ reos off. Now ask students to recall anything about what you just read. Very few, if any, should be able to answer. Ask why they could recall the information from the first reading, but not from the second (although the reason is obvious). To move into the Bible study, say, "We sometimes cannot hear the voice of God because of other stuff that we allow to drown out his voice. God has to get our attention for us to hear his call." INTO THE WORD Form groups of four or five; each group must have at least one Bible. Write Exodus 3:1-12 on the board. Ask the groups to read the passage and an­ swer the following questions. The questions may

be written on the board, projected on a screen, or reproduced onto a handout. Reproduce only the questions, not the italicized answers. Each group will have the same set of questions. Smaller classes will adjust group sizes accordingly. 1. Where was Moses when he received his call? What was he doing? (near Mount Horeb, tending his father-in-law's sheep; verse 1) 2. How did God get Moses' attention? (burning bush that wasn't consumed; verses 2, 3) 3. Why a burning bush? Why didn't God just tell Moses immediately what to do? (perhaps wanted to impress Moses with the importance of the task; verse 4) 4. How did Moses react to God's presence? (hid his face, feared God; verses 5, 6) 5. Who was going to free the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage? (God would free Israel; verses 7-9) 6. Who was going to be God's agent in bringing about freedom from bondage? (Moses; verse 10) 7. How did Moses respond to the awe-inspiring opportunity to serve God? (questioned his ability to fulfill God's call; verse 11) 8. How did God respond to Moses' question? (God would be with him; verse 12) After groups work through the questions, go through the answers as a class. To make the tran­ sition to the application say, "We too have been called by God to serve among his people, the church." INTO LIFE Have class members stay in their groups. Ask them to share the following items about their lives, if applicable to them. (You can write these questions on the board, distribute them on a handout, etc.) • When was a time you sensed God calling you to serve him in a certain way?

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• How did God get your attention? What was your burning bush? • How did you respond to God's call? If you hesitated, why? After the time of small-group discussion, say, "There are two mistakes we may make with regard to God's calls. One is to tum a deaf ear to a genu­ ine call of God; the other is to think God is calling us to do something when he really isn't." Ask the participants to identify what call they believe God

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has given them, how they evaluate the validity of that supposed call, and if they are currendy en­ gaged in fulfilling that call. You may wish to share with the class a personal story of a time when you made one of those two mis­ takes. Ask for volunteers to explain how they guard themselves from distractions that hinder them from hearing God more clearly. Distribute copies of the re­ producible activities "Hearing the Call" and "Heeding the Call" from page 500 as take-home exercises.