Niv Lesson 06-14-2009

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

ACCEPTING

REsPONSIBILIlY

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INTRODUCTION

DEVOTIONAL READING:

A. GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

PROVERBS

A humble woman runs a modest ministry center for homeless children in the Ukraine. Her church recently took possession of a large vacated building that was completely gutted of anything of value. It stands as little more than an enormous concrete shell. It will take hundreds of thousands of dollars to make it functional. This building is surrounded by a vast stretch of fertile land. This woman dreams of transforming this building into a Christian orphanage and acquiring the surrounding land in order to develop it into a work center for these youngsters. They can both live in the building and learn valuable farming skills in order to sustain themselves in adulthood. When I first heard these ideas, I was tempted to write them off as mere pipe dreams. This woman lacked both the funding and staffing for such a large 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 con­ viction 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 unlimited possibilities. When he is behind it, nothing is impossible. Moses also faced a seemingly impossible task: God called him to liberate an enslaved people from one of the most powerful empires in the Ancient Near East. Moses did not have to wonder whether God was behind this proj­ ect. Yet Moses still doubted. Fortunately, God is not deterred by human doubt. He taught Moses that projects God authorizes are projects God underwrites. We who worship the same God must pay close attention to Moses' story. Inspired stories like his still create and sustain faith in the God of unlimited possibilities.

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BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: ExODUS

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PRINTED TEXT: ExODUS

4:10-16, 27-31

LESSON AIMS

After participating in this lesson, each student will be able to: 1. Describe Moses' hesi­ tanry to accept God's call and tell how God supplied a solution. 2. Give a contemporary example ofsomeone's over­ coming an apparent obstacle to ministry. 3. Corifess one area of hesitanry to accept a respon­ sibility in God's service and express faith in God's power to supply what is needed to carry out that responsibility.

LESSON BACKGROUND

In 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 Israelites from 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 not the main issue. Moses then asked what he should call God. After revealing the divine name and nature, God gave Moses specific details about his mission 0: 13-21). Moses responded with doubt that the Israelites would believe

KEY VERSE Aaron told them every­ thing the LORD had said to Moses. He also peifomled the signs before the people. -Exodus 4:30

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

to

perform three signs

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 out of 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 ofspeech and tongue. Fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. It is a common fear

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WHAT Do You THINK? What is the difference be­ tween giving an excuse and raising a legitimate concern when asked to do something? How do we keep from fool­ ing ourselves in thinking our concern is legitimate when it's not? I I

today. This fear can be so paralyzing that some people may face death with more confidence than they do the task of speaking before a large crowd. 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 he have a speech impediment? Does he lack powers of persuasion? Is he worried about knowing what to say? Or has Moses lost fluency of speech after being separated 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 and speech at a young age. This casts doubt upon the speech impediment theory. Moses' failure to convince fellow Israelites to stop fighting may support claims that Moses is not very persuasive (Exodus 2: 13, 14). On the other hand, God's response in Exodus 4: 12 (below) seems to focus on the content of 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) 11. The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

God is aware of Moses' speaking ability or lack thereof. Yet God-as-Creator has power over all human abilities and senses. He opens and shuts mouths, ears, and eyes. In fact, Moses would not 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 bum without being consumed (Exodus 3:2), and Moses stands barefoot with shielded face out of reverence for God's aweinspiring 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 pio­ neer this ministry; it will cost too much." "We can't witness in that part of the city; it's not safe there." "We can't give X percent; we wouldn't be able to make ends meet." "Our kids can't do that in school; what would their teachers and classmates think?" We may be tempted to think that excuses like these stem from a humble assessment of our own (in)abilities and limita­ tions. But is that really the issue? I I

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God teaches us in this verse that such excuses are the result of focusing on self rather than God. To know the God of Moses is to know a power who knows no bounds. As we cannot serve both God and money, so also we can­ not 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

spoken language. More than 20 years of research have shown that children who are 6 months old can learn sign-language skills in 8 weeks. At age 12 months, the typical child in the program is said to be able to use 2S signs and 16 spoken words, compared 'Aith 1 to 3 spoken words for children in a control group. Not surprisingly, one

mom says the sign that her 18-month-old son uses most is the one for more. The

child had been empowered to communicate something that the parent does not

necessarily look forward to hearing!

God's spoken instructions to Moses were quite clear to him. However, this was

not a message Moses wanted to hear, as evidenced by the fact that he immediate­

ly tried to maneuver out of his daunting assignment. At times we may feel over­

whelmed by the task thatJesus sets before us in Matthew 28: 19, 20. When we

are tempted to say "Let so-and-so do it; he's more persuasive than I am," may

God's words to Moses ring in our ears: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes

him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

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Visual for Lesson 2. Point to this visual as you ask, "Why is it not wise to engage in a tug-ofwarwith God?"

-co R. B.

12. "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 promise to heal it. God reveals no intention of "fixing" Moses to make him better. Instead he promises to go with Moses and teach him what to scry. God doesn't need the perfect spokesman who can present his message flawlessly without divine help. God wants humble servants who will allow God to work in their lives despite their imperfections. How TO SAY IT Notice also that God does not simply take over Moses' mouth. God rejects the path of divine ventriloquism. To go this route would reduce Moses to the Aaron. AIR-un. glossophobia. status of puppet. God has respect for his creatures. He has made us in his gloss-uh-FOE-bee-uh. image and wants us to grow spiritually in that regard. So God promises to Guyana. Guy-A-nuh teach Moses what to say. God is not merely conveying a message, but is form­ (A as in map). ing 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 with Moses. Though we may never experience it quite as Moses did, God wants to Jethro. JETH-ro. Levi. LEE-rye. work with us. God's Spirit does not overpower Christians in ways that eclipse levitical. leh-VIT-ih-kul. our unique identities. He works in and through us in such ways that we grow Moses. MO-zes or MO-zez. up 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 with Ukraine. IOu-CRANE. others. For churches to truly honor the priesthood of all believers (l Peter 2:4-9; Revelation 1:6), then church leaders must find healthy ways to encour­ ventriloquism. ven-TRIH-luh-kwi-zum. age the formation of every member. This means giving "undeserving" people sufficient power and opportunities both to succeed and to fail. When we relinquish attempts to control absolutely, others may grow as our heavenly Father desires them to. !

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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 someone else. Moses is not simply being humble, although he is known for humility (Num­ bers 12:3). At this point, Moses flat out rejects his calling. He is trying his best to weasel out. God has known Moses' mind-set all along, but God denies him an easy way out. A veil of clever excuses is clearly seen as just that since the fact that the excuses didn't "work" now results in a last gasp "pick someone else" plea. Moses has not been able to manipulate God into choosing someone else, so Moses is reduced to asking God to do so forthrightly.

Do You THINK? How would you respond to someone who asks, "Since God was very capable ofen­ gineering the release of the Is­ raelites without using human leadership, why didn't he just do it himself to save a lot of aggravation?"

WHAT

D. GOD'S ANGER (w. 14-16) 14. Then the LORD'S anger burned against Moses and he said, ""What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. God has been patient with Moses, but God's patience has limits. It is one

Do You THINK? What are some ways that people react when an author­ ity figure shows anger toward them? How did God's anger toward Moses demonstrate confidence in that man?

WHAT

thing to express initial insecurity; it is another to trifle with God. In showing Moses anger, God indicates that the haggling is over. Even so, God provides one more source of aid. Moses' articulate brother, 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 both fluent in the languages and trusted by the Israelites. Aaron is a descendant of]acob's son Levi. We know little about the na­ ture of this tribe as it exists in Moses' day. We do know, however, thatJacob had prophesied that Levi's descendants were to be dispersed among Israel's tribes (Genesis 49:5-7). Moses, as Aaron's brother, also descends from this WHAT Do You THINK? tribe (Exodus 2: 1, 2), but one wonders why this detail is given about Aaron In what ways have you here. One possible explanation is that Aaron later becomes the father of J.~ "t th the levitical priesthood (Leviticus 8). Perhaps Aaron's willingness to play served as a spor«sman 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 IS do 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 promotes their priestly function. 15, 16. "You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. " Though God will use Aaron, God will not replace Moses with Aaron. In­ stead, 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. In this sense-and only this sense--does Aaron function as Moses' mouth and Moses as Aaron's God. Moses does not function for Aaron in this way be­ cause of anything "godlike" in Moses. He does so because God makes his will so 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 not work with Moses alone. He will also guide Aaron's mouth. This brings up a natural question: Why not bypass Moses and use only Aaron? Scripture does not tell us directly, but we see a certain pattern in how God works throughout Scripture. God is not a replacing God, but !

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a restoring God. He works with fallen humans despite their deficiencies rather than replacing such humans with others less deficient. This fact is demonstrated in God's promise to Noah and all creation after the flood. When God committed not to "destroy all living creatures" (Genesis 8:21), he committed himself to finding a way to work through us. He places the burden on himself to bring about his will through sinful creatures rather than 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 most likely to succeed. God is not opposed to using a talented person like Aaron to help Moses, but God refuses to reinforce the faulty notion that he can use only those with extraordinary ability. Moses' silence to God's proposal signals assent. God's decision to break the 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 the DAILY BIBLE READINGS repercussions. Jesus encourages his followers to count the costs before com­ Monday, June 8-The mitting (Luke 14:25-33) even as he draws a line and demands a firm decision God Who Cans (Exodus (Luke 9:57-62). 3:13-18) Tuesday, June 9-The II. BROTHERS' UNITY (EXODUS 4:27-31) God Who Equips (Exodus After Moses accepts God's plan, he returns toJethro's household to an­ 4:1-9) nounce his departure and gather his family (Exodus 4: 18-23). Moses then Wednesday, June 10­ survives a mysterious and dangerous encounter with God en route to Egypt The God Who Sends Back (4:24-26). Afterward, Moses meets Aaron in the Sinai region. (Exodus 4: 18-23) I Thursday, June II-Do A. ASSIGNMENT (v. 27) Not Be Afraid (Zechariah 27. The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met 8:11-17) Moses at the mountain ofGod and kissed him. Friday, June 12-God The fact that God commissions Aaron to meet Moses clarifies the meaning Will Help You (Isaiah 41: of verse 14, where God tells Moses that Aaron is on the way. Aaron is not 8-13) simply visiting his brother; rather, he is obeying a specific calling from God. Saturday, June By the time Moses returns from gathering his family, Aaron has traveled 13-Refusing God's Call as far as Sinai. So the brothers meet on the mountain where God called (Proverbs 1:20-33) Moses. The kiss is a standard greeting among close relatives (Genesis Sunday, June 14-A 27:26; 31:28). Team of Two (Exodus 4:10­ 16,27-31) FOLLOWING FALLIBLE LEADERS The sad saga of Peoples Temple remains as a testimony to the danger of giv­ ing over one's life to fallible leaders. In the mid-1970s, that church was a thriving countercultural congregation. Jim Jones was its charismatic leader. The church grew rapidl)~ 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 sto­ ries began coming out of there. Parents ofyoung people involved in the cult urged u.s. government intervention. A member of Congress led a fact-finding party to the compound in 1978. While preparing to return, the congressman and mem­ bers of his party were shot to death. Soon the world leamed that 913 of the cult members had committed mass suicide, either willingly or under duress. Moses and Aaron were God's choices to lead the Israelites to their promised land. As time would tell, they would be fallible leaders. But their fallibility was counterbalanced by an accountability to the God who chose them. Jim Jones, by

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Do You THINK? Recall the time when it took you the longest to say yes when God asked you to serve. Why did it take you that long? WHAT

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contrast, apparently saw himself as accountable to no one but himself How is leadership 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 also about 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 the miraculous signs God has given to validate the message. These signs include turning a staff into a snake and inflicting leprosy. Aaron's silence implies that he 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, and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs 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 the Israelites are enslaved in a foreign land, they take the initiative to develop their own 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 exist at this time. The word elders is used dozens of times in the Old Testament in PRAYER this regard. The New Testament, for its part, uses this important word to de­ PoweJjul God, please in­ scribe certain church leaders, but definitely not in a "heads of clans" kind of crease ourfaith. Teach us to way. esteem you so highly that we 31. . .. and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned do not underestimate what about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. you can do with us. Give us As God foretold in Exodus 3: 18, the people believe. Not only has such big dreams Jor your God been preparing Moses to lead Israel, but God has prepared Israel to kingdom that we are not receive his leadership. These are the same people who have cried out to paralyzed by the smallness oj our own abilities. In Jesus' God in anguish (2:23). They have cried in faith that God will act. Now Moses and Aaron return perfonning signs and declaring God's intent to name. Amen. , 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, they focus on God and find him to be more than sufficient. God is again teaching Moses 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 is and never will be. One might object that in real life experience it is often very much about the human leader. There are some churches in which members hang on the preacher's every word; the preacher responds by striving to cul­ tivate an impressive public persona and seeking to deliver dazzling sennons that keep people returning. Godly leaders, however, will direct attention away from themselves and toward God. They will exhort the people to adore God, not his messengers (see 1 Corinthians 1:12, 13; 3:21-23).

CONCLUSION It 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 responsibility for 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

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to watch how the rest of the narrative unfolds. At first, Moses leans heavily on 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. Though God uniquely equips each believer to play an integral pan in his mis­ sion (l Corinthians 12), we do so only by God's power. Ephesians 1:18-23 teaches us that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at the Father's right hand, far above all eanhly powers, is at work in th.ose who believe. Jesus reminds his disciples that all things are possible for God (Mark 10:27).

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THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

Worship and obey the God of the impossible.

Discovery Learning

The following is an alternative lesson plan emphasizing learning activities.

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

hack of this hook are reproducihle student pages to further enhance activity learning.

INTO THE LESSON Place copies of the reproducible puzzle "Word Exodus" from page SOlin chairs for students to work on as they arrive. DUring your lesson preparation, reflect on a time in your life when you were challenged to ac­ cept a responsibility for which you felt somewhat or entirely unsuited. Be ready to share that story with the class. Reflect on why you felt so unsuited or unsuitable: was it the nature of the task itself? personal shoncomings? unique circumstances? the timing of the event? The more humorous the ac­ count, the more open your learners will be to share similar stories. To begin class, write Unsuited for the Task on the board. Share your story of when you felt un­ suited for a task. Next, form the class into groups of no more than five. Ask each student to share (within the group) a time when he or she was faced with an "unsuitable moment." Encourage everyone to share a story, but give permission to "pass" for those uncomfortable with doing so. You may wish to announce ahead of time (via your class's e-mail list, etc.) that you will be doing this. That will allow each student a time of thoughtful reflection in advance. After this time of intragroup sharing, write these two phrases on the board: Right Task, Wrong Person and Right Person, Wrong Timing. Explain that when God challenges us with a task, we may find our­ selves confronted with one or both of these doubts.

Say, "Being the wrong person means you don't feel your skills, knowledge, or personality are a good match for what God is asking of you, even though you can see that the task needs to be done (this was Moses' issue). On the other hand, you may feel that you are the right person for the job, but the timing doesn't seem to be right for that panicular task (compare Haggai 1:2)." As students make comments or share parts of their stories, note their insights on the board. Make a transition to Bible study by noting that God doesn't make wrong choices. INTO THE WORD Divide the class into three groups; if your class is small, use pairs. Write Exodus 4:10-16 on the board. Provide each group with paper and pencil. Instruct the groups to read the passage and discuss why Moses' felt that he was unsuited for God's call. Ask groups to note especially those comments that would indicate that Moses felt he was the wrong person for a task that was indeed wonhy. After a few minutes, asks students to share thoughts. You will need to decide whether it is best to open the floor to any and all thoughts that students want to share, or if you have time only for thoughts from spokespersons of the groups. Use the Lesson Background, etc., to add insights. Next, write Exodus 4:27-31 on the board. Read that text to the class. Say, "In spite of Moses' reluc­ tance, what was the result of doing what the Lord

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called him to do?" Allow the class to give answers. Make the observation that Moses served God in spite of initial reluctance, and God brought about the deliverance of his people as a result. Consider using a film clip from such movies as The Ten Commandments, Moses, or the animated film The Prince of Egypt in addition to reading the text. The clip can introduce the Bible portion of the lesson, or it can be used after the discussion.

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pIe who readily accept at first, but later on began to doubt their abilities or the validity of the call. Ask your students to give reasons they have ever heard (or used) for questioning a call to serve God in a certain way. Write responses on the board. Then ask students to form pairs so they can share personal concerns in this area and pray for one another regarding an excuse for not fulfilling God's call. (Option: Ask couples to pair with others.) Provide students a list of ministry opportunities within your church. Allow time to reflect on the list INTO LIFE , to see if any of the tasks create a burden on any­ Explain that some of us have had figurative one's heart. If time is short, this can be a take-home "burning bush" experiences already; these were exercise. Distribute copies of the reproducible activ­ times when God's call was very evident. Some ity "Commitment Card" on page 501 as another readily accept the call; some hesitate and resist; and take-home activity. some downright refuse. There are also cases of peo­