October 24, 2010
Today Bethany Keeley-Jonker is leading the class discussing her post for ThinkChristian.net. Read, enjoy, and consider!
Glee, Compassion and Talking to Atheists
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
How Great Is Our God
October 17, 2010
This week we are studying one of Paul's prayers for the Ephesians. Paul asks God the following for them:
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
The most famous line from this prayer is the part about comprehending the love of Christ, which Paul states surpasses knowledge - grasping its breadth, length, height and depth. We get a sense that Paul wants them to understand the magnitude and dimensionality of this love.
To this end, we are going to look at two video clips today. The first focuses on the magnitude of God that surpasses our understanding. To know the love of God, we must first accurately respect who this God is doing the loving. Both clips are from Louie Giglio's "How Great Is Our God" tour/video.
Video 1: How Great Is Our God, Part 1
Now that you have undoubtedly been floored just by seeing a very small portion of one galaxy among 100 billion that God created, I hope that you have recognized that this God who loves us in Christ is beyond any pretense of defining. We will never fully grasp God. However, Paul seems to believe that we CAN fully grasp His love.
As you watch the second video, keep in your mind the vastness of the God who has done this intricate thing in the very working of the cell structure of your body.
Video 2: Laminin
I hope that by watching these two videos, you have more of an idea of at least the height and depth of the love of Christ and the you are assured of His upholding power in your life.
There are no additional questions today. Just spend the week trying to reconcile the God in the first video and the God in the second. Allow it to comfort, assure, and inspire you that so great a God is intimately involved with and concerned about you. He loves you. May you be "filled up to all the fullness of God."
This week we are studying one of Paul's prayers for the Ephesians. Paul asks God the following for them:
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
The most famous line from this prayer is the part about comprehending the love of Christ, which Paul states surpasses knowledge - grasping its breadth, length, height and depth. We get a sense that Paul wants them to understand the magnitude and dimensionality of this love.
To this end, we are going to look at two video clips today. The first focuses on the magnitude of God that surpasses our understanding. To know the love of God, we must first accurately respect who this God is doing the loving. Both clips are from Louie Giglio's "How Great Is Our God" tour/video.
Video 1: How Great Is Our God, Part 1
Now that you have undoubtedly been floored just by seeing a very small portion of one galaxy among 100 billion that God created, I hope that you have recognized that this God who loves us in Christ is beyond any pretense of defining. We will never fully grasp God. However, Paul seems to believe that we CAN fully grasp His love.
As you watch the second video, keep in your mind the vastness of the God who has done this intricate thing in the very working of the cell structure of your body.
Video 2: Laminin
I hope that by watching these two videos, you have more of an idea of at least the height and depth of the love of Christ and the you are assured of His upholding power in your life.
There are no additional questions today. Just spend the week trying to reconcile the God in the first video and the God in the second. Allow it to comfort, assure, and inspire you that so great a God is intimately involved with and concerned about you. He loves you. May you be "filled up to all the fullness of God."
Friday, October 8, 2010
GOD, THE ENCOURAGER
October 10, 2010
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- Proverbs 3:5-6
PART 1
Identify the Current Issue
Have you ever been part of an organization or group whose leader left for one reason or another? All of your hopes had been pinned on the ability of this person to lead the group to its goal. Maybe it was a boss, a coach, a pastor, a teacher, or a family member. There was momentum, good organization, a long history of working together, and trust among everyone that the leader was up to the task. Then he or she is no longer there. All that’s left is a vacuum that no one wants to step into. After all, who could possibly follow the trusted leader? Who could possibly do as good of a job? The situation seems hopeless to the group, but imagine how it would feel to be the person who has to assume leadership. That would be an equally scary place to be.
In today passage from Joshua, we’re going to look at these very issues as Moses dies, and God calls Joshua to step into his place and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
PART 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Read Joshua 1:1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Background
Joshua was chosen by both God and Moses to complete the work of leading Israel into the promised land. God had made a promise over 400 years earlier that he had reserved for Abraham and his descendants the land between the Nile and Euphrates Rivers, from Lebanon in the north to the sea in the south.
As events unfolded, Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, went to Egypt with his family during a great famine. There were about 70 people in Jacob’s family at that time. They begin to multiply. The Egyptians became afraid of them and enslaved them. The taskmasters make their work hard, they cried out to God but God’s promise seemed far away. Finally, God sent them a deliverer, Moses, who, under the hand of God brought them out of Egypt.
Moses also brought to the Israelites the laws of God, conveyed to him as he spoke with God, as if face to face. Yet even Moses grew discouraged with the people. They constantly seemed to fall into unbelief and disobedience toward God, even to the point of wanting to stone Moses and return to Egypt.
The Israelites reached the edge of the promised land, only to again fall back into a weak and doubting faith that God would give them victory and deliver the land to them. As a consequence, the people spent 40 more years wandering in the wilderness.
Not everyone that day lost their faith. Two men stood on the promise of God, saying “…Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30).” These two were Joshua and Caleb.
How do you suppose those two must have felt during the next 40 years? They spent 40 years, still waiting on the promise of God, yet I don’t believe they were willing to give up, for they knew that God would make good on His promise. One of my favorite hymns is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." The chorus reads:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
This great hymn of the church was written by Thomas Chisholm. He didn’t write this hymn because something great, or even miraculous, had happened in his life. He wrote it because as he looked back over his life, he learned to see the great faithfulness of God. At age 75, he wrote these words: "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."
After all this time, the children of Israel were about to once again experience God’s faithfulness in delivering them into their land. Joshua tells of the fulfillment of the promise to possess the promised land through His power, and the nation crossed over Jordan and took possession of the land
The key verse of this passage is Joshua 1:3: “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses” This is the theme and purpose of the Book: the history of Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan in fulfillment of God’s promises for the people of Israel.
Remember that Abraham never really possessed the country to which he was sent. The only piece of ground he owned was a burial plot (Genesis 23). However, Abraham left his descendants the legacy of God’s promises that would make them the eventual heirs of all of Canaan.
The key concept of the book of Joshua is possession through conflict by the power of God. For the Christian, the same concept appears in Ephesians 6:12: we battle against enemies who would prevent us from possessing all the spiritual blessings We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, and we must realistically face the fact of our enemies and strengthen ourselves by putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18).
The point is that Israel owned the land before they possessed it—its ownership was unconditional, but possession was conditional upon faith and obedience. And so today, conflict and conquest by faith go with laying hold of that which we already have in Christ; the experience of our blessings in Christ comes through faith in the midst of conflict.
We find in the opening verses of the book of Joshua that God appointed Joshua to take Moses’ place in leading the people. In this passage, Joshua 1:1-9, we see that God gave Joshua three assurances. They helped Joshua—and they can help us—in receiving our inherited promise as well.
Teaching point one: God is always faithful.
More than 400 years before, God promised the land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:18-21; 17:8), and as Joshua and the Israelites stood ready to enter the land, the promise of God was still real and genuine.
Here we also find in Joshua chapter one that God spoke to Joshua and told him that “Moses My servant is dead.” Then He tells him to arise, or get up, and cross over Jordan to the land that He is giving them. Moses had passed away, but that did not mean that the plans of God were dead as well. It reminds me of the words that are on John Wesley’s tombstone: “God buries His workmen, but His work goes on.”
Our Lord reminds Joshua of a very important truth that we, too, need to be reminded of—His work depends on Him, and not us. Just because Moses had died, did not mean that the work and promise of God would not be fulfilled. Always remember that it is in the very nature or character of God to fulfill all His promises.
Teaching point two: God is always with us.
Israel knew that God had been with Moses. Moses’ face literally shone with the glory that came from being in the presence of God so much that he wore a veil to cover it. There was no doubt that Joshua now had a heavy responsibility laid on his shoulders. To be the leader of over one or two million people would certainly be a difficult job. It would not be easy for Joshua. He must have remembered that even though the people knew God was with Moses, they had resisted and spoke out against Moses.
Note that God reassured Joshua twice, not just once but twice, that He would be with him, giving him that assurance in verse 5 and again in verse 9. I note two characteristics of God's assurances here: the strength of His assurance and the scope of His assurance.
The strength of God’s assurance: In verse 5, God promises not to leave him (some versions, not to “fail” him). The word is “to be feeble, to relax or slack off.” It means He will always be vigilant and attentive, keeping His promise and His people at the center of His attention. God also promises not to forsake him (some versions, “leave”). It means to neglect or turn loose . . . in other words, He will never decide to not fulfill His promises to us.
The scope of God’s assurance: In verse 9, God tells Joshua that He will be with him “wherever you go.” Literally, it means wherever Joshua steps, God will be present. I could paraphrase verses. 5 and 9 something like this: “Regardless of what you are going though, regardless of your circumstances, I’m not going to take My eye off you, I’ve bound you to Me, and every step of your life, I’ll be there.”
That’s why the people of Israel could count on receiving the inheritance God promised—not because of who they were, but because of who God is. We can know we will receive our inheritance for the same reason—because of who God is, not because of who we are.
Teaching point three: God expects us to respond in faith.
In verse 6, God tells Joshua to be strong (rigid and hard) and courageous (brave and established), to observe or keep the law of God.
Yes, God’s faithfulness is seen in His promises and His presence. And in return God expected Joshua to walk in His word, to make His principles the priority in his life. And we can know that God has not changed. He expected Joshua to be diligent in His law, He expects us to be diligent in our manner of thinking and living as well.
Our Lord uses three symbols to emphasize the diligence He expected. First, He told Joshua not to turn from the right or the left regarding His word; in other words, not to deviate in the least from His word. Second, He told Joshua not to let it depart from out of his mouth; in other words, he should do the word and speak the word. And third, He told Joshua to mediate on His word day and night: God’s commands were to be the guiding focus of his life so that he constantly would do what God desired of him to do.
The promises of blessing and prosperity were contingent upon the people's faithfulness to His principles, as they are today.
PART 3
Apply Your Findings
[Q] Has there been a time in your life when you were part of some kind of organization or group that lost its leader? What are the greatest dangers to the mission of the organization during that time? Why?
[Q] Have you ever been called upon to step into a vacant position and carry on work someone else had started? What were some of the challenges and how did God reassure you?
[Q] We know that God is faithful and that He has called us all to carry on the work that He began through Christ. He expects us to respond in faith to that call. To be able to do that, God tells Joshua to mediate on the His Word. How does meditating on Proverbs 3:5-6 help you respond in faith to God’s call? Why do you think that verse tells us not to lean on our own understanding?
[Q] What are some ways to acknowledge God in all our paths?
* Source: http://pastoralthoughts.blogspot.com by Joel Curry
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- Proverbs 3:5-6
PART 1
Identify the Current Issue
Have you ever been part of an organization or group whose leader left for one reason or another? All of your hopes had been pinned on the ability of this person to lead the group to its goal. Maybe it was a boss, a coach, a pastor, a teacher, or a family member. There was momentum, good organization, a long history of working together, and trust among everyone that the leader was up to the task. Then he or she is no longer there. All that’s left is a vacuum that no one wants to step into. After all, who could possibly follow the trusted leader? Who could possibly do as good of a job? The situation seems hopeless to the group, but imagine how it would feel to be the person who has to assume leadership. That would be an equally scary place to be.
In today passage from Joshua, we’re going to look at these very issues as Moses dies, and God calls Joshua to step into his place and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
PART 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Read Joshua 1:1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Background
Joshua was chosen by both God and Moses to complete the work of leading Israel into the promised land. God had made a promise over 400 years earlier that he had reserved for Abraham and his descendants the land between the Nile and Euphrates Rivers, from Lebanon in the north to the sea in the south.
As events unfolded, Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, went to Egypt with his family during a great famine. There were about 70 people in Jacob’s family at that time. They begin to multiply. The Egyptians became afraid of them and enslaved them. The taskmasters make their work hard, they cried out to God but God’s promise seemed far away. Finally, God sent them a deliverer, Moses, who, under the hand of God brought them out of Egypt.
Moses also brought to the Israelites the laws of God, conveyed to him as he spoke with God, as if face to face. Yet even Moses grew discouraged with the people. They constantly seemed to fall into unbelief and disobedience toward God, even to the point of wanting to stone Moses and return to Egypt.
The Israelites reached the edge of the promised land, only to again fall back into a weak and doubting faith that God would give them victory and deliver the land to them. As a consequence, the people spent 40 more years wandering in the wilderness.
Not everyone that day lost their faith. Two men stood on the promise of God, saying “…Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30).” These two were Joshua and Caleb.
How do you suppose those two must have felt during the next 40 years? They spent 40 years, still waiting on the promise of God, yet I don’t believe they were willing to give up, for they knew that God would make good on His promise. One of my favorite hymns is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." The chorus reads:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
This great hymn of the church was written by Thomas Chisholm. He didn’t write this hymn because something great, or even miraculous, had happened in his life. He wrote it because as he looked back over his life, he learned to see the great faithfulness of God. At age 75, he wrote these words: "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."
After all this time, the children of Israel were about to once again experience God’s faithfulness in delivering them into their land. Joshua tells of the fulfillment of the promise to possess the promised land through His power, and the nation crossed over Jordan and took possession of the land
The key verse of this passage is Joshua 1:3: “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses” This is the theme and purpose of the Book: the history of Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan in fulfillment of God’s promises for the people of Israel.
Remember that Abraham never really possessed the country to which he was sent. The only piece of ground he owned was a burial plot (Genesis 23). However, Abraham left his descendants the legacy of God’s promises that would make them the eventual heirs of all of Canaan.
The key concept of the book of Joshua is possession through conflict by the power of God. For the Christian, the same concept appears in Ephesians 6:12: we battle against enemies who would prevent us from possessing all the spiritual blessings We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, and we must realistically face the fact of our enemies and strengthen ourselves by putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18).
The point is that Israel owned the land before they possessed it—its ownership was unconditional, but possession was conditional upon faith and obedience. And so today, conflict and conquest by faith go with laying hold of that which we already have in Christ; the experience of our blessings in Christ comes through faith in the midst of conflict.
We find in the opening verses of the book of Joshua that God appointed Joshua to take Moses’ place in leading the people. In this passage, Joshua 1:1-9, we see that God gave Joshua three assurances. They helped Joshua—and they can help us—in receiving our inherited promise as well.
Teaching point one: God is always faithful.
More than 400 years before, God promised the land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:18-21; 17:8), and as Joshua and the Israelites stood ready to enter the land, the promise of God was still real and genuine.
Here we also find in Joshua chapter one that God spoke to Joshua and told him that “Moses My servant is dead.” Then He tells him to arise, or get up, and cross over Jordan to the land that He is giving them. Moses had passed away, but that did not mean that the plans of God were dead as well. It reminds me of the words that are on John Wesley’s tombstone: “God buries His workmen, but His work goes on.”
Our Lord reminds Joshua of a very important truth that we, too, need to be reminded of—His work depends on Him, and not us. Just because Moses had died, did not mean that the work and promise of God would not be fulfilled. Always remember that it is in the very nature or character of God to fulfill all His promises.
Teaching point two: God is always with us.
Israel knew that God had been with Moses. Moses’ face literally shone with the glory that came from being in the presence of God so much that he wore a veil to cover it. There was no doubt that Joshua now had a heavy responsibility laid on his shoulders. To be the leader of over one or two million people would certainly be a difficult job. It would not be easy for Joshua. He must have remembered that even though the people knew God was with Moses, they had resisted and spoke out against Moses.
Note that God reassured Joshua twice, not just once but twice, that He would be with him, giving him that assurance in verse 5 and again in verse 9. I note two characteristics of God's assurances here: the strength of His assurance and the scope of His assurance.
The strength of God’s assurance: In verse 5, God promises not to leave him (some versions, not to “fail” him). The word is “to be feeble, to relax or slack off.” It means He will always be vigilant and attentive, keeping His promise and His people at the center of His attention. God also promises not to forsake him (some versions, “leave”). It means to neglect or turn loose . . . in other words, He will never decide to not fulfill His promises to us.
The scope of God’s assurance: In verse 9, God tells Joshua that He will be with him “wherever you go.” Literally, it means wherever Joshua steps, God will be present. I could paraphrase verses. 5 and 9 something like this: “Regardless of what you are going though, regardless of your circumstances, I’m not going to take My eye off you, I’ve bound you to Me, and every step of your life, I’ll be there.”
That’s why the people of Israel could count on receiving the inheritance God promised—not because of who they were, but because of who God is. We can know we will receive our inheritance for the same reason—because of who God is, not because of who we are.
Teaching point three: God expects us to respond in faith.
In verse 6, God tells Joshua to be strong (rigid and hard) and courageous (brave and established), to observe or keep the law of God.
Yes, God’s faithfulness is seen in His promises and His presence. And in return God expected Joshua to walk in His word, to make His principles the priority in his life. And we can know that God has not changed. He expected Joshua to be diligent in His law, He expects us to be diligent in our manner of thinking and living as well.
Our Lord uses three symbols to emphasize the diligence He expected. First, He told Joshua not to turn from the right or the left regarding His word; in other words, not to deviate in the least from His word. Second, He told Joshua not to let it depart from out of his mouth; in other words, he should do the word and speak the word. And third, He told Joshua to mediate on His word day and night: God’s commands were to be the guiding focus of his life so that he constantly would do what God desired of him to do.
The promises of blessing and prosperity were contingent upon the people's faithfulness to His principles, as they are today.
PART 3
Apply Your Findings
[Q] Has there been a time in your life when you were part of some kind of organization or group that lost its leader? What are the greatest dangers to the mission of the organization during that time? Why?
[Q] Have you ever been called upon to step into a vacant position and carry on work someone else had started? What were some of the challenges and how did God reassure you?
[Q] We know that God is faithful and that He has called us all to carry on the work that He began through Christ. He expects us to respond in faith to that call. To be able to do that, God tells Joshua to mediate on the His Word. How does meditating on Proverbs 3:5-6 help you respond in faith to God’s call? Why do you think that verse tells us not to lean on our own understanding?
[Q] What are some ways to acknowledge God in all our paths?
* Source: http://pastoralthoughts.blogspot.com by Joel Curry
GOD, THE ENABLER
October 3, 2010
For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
– 2 Timothy 1:12
PART 1
Identify the Current Issue
Who am I? That’s a question we spend our whole life answering (or in some cases having answered for us). At the root of the question and its answer is another question, “What am I able to do? What are my possibilities? What are my limits?” Today we’re going to look at one of the great figures in the Bible, Moses, and his grappling with these questions and God’s answer to them in Exodus 3:1-14.
PART 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Read Exodus 3:1-14.
NARRATOR: Moses, an Israelite shepherd, was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, but Moses had not always had such a simple life. Rather, he was born in Egypt to an Israelite woman. Originally, his people, the Israelites, were on good terms with the Egyptians. In fact, Joseph (the great-grandson of Abraham) was second in command to the Pharaoh, and his most trusted advisor. But the relationship slowly soured as the Israelites continued to prosper, and the Pharaoh made them slaves – hoping to destroy them. Regardless of what the Pharaoh did, the Israelites prospered. He resorted to all kinds of tactics, finally killing all of the firstborn sons. When Moses’ mother heard this, she put her newborn son in a basket in the river, hoping an Egyptian woman would take him in and his life would be spared.
To her great surprise, that woman turned out to be the Pharaoh’s daughter! So Moses was raised as an Egyptian in the palace of the Pharaoh. As he came of age, he realized his heritage and identified with the Israelites – to the point of one day killing an Egyptian who was beating a slave. Fearing for his life, he fled into the wilderness where he met Jethro, a distant cousin, and decided to settle down, have a family, and make his life there – forgetting all about the troubles of Egypt.
And this is how Moses got to this hillside where he was tending sheep on this particular, auspicious, afternoon.
As Moses was leading the flock to the west side of the wilderness, he came to Mount Horeb (also know as Mount Sinai), the mountain of God. The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. He looked and was surprise to see that the bush was burning with fire, but it was not consumed.
MOSES: What's going on here? I can't believe this! Amazing! Why doesn't the bush burn up?
NARRATOR: When the LORD saw that Moses turned aside to look, God called from the burning bush.
GOD: Moses, Moses!
MOSES: Here I am.
GOD: Don’t come any closer! Take off your shoes, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
NARRATOR: Then Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
GOD: I have certainly seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their slavemasters, and I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey ... The cry of the Israelites has come to Me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. So, I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.
NARRATOR: Moses, looking stunned, stupified, and afraid, replied,
MOSES: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?
NARRATOR: God, dismissing the irrelevance of Moses’ ability, replied,
GOD: Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.
NARRATOR: Moses, gathering some small amount of courage, replied,
MOSES: Okay, so I am going to the Israelites, and I will say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.”
NARRATOR: Moses immediately reconsiders his bravado. His doubts come pouring back in. He’s stalling now – trying to come up with some detail that God hasn’t considered that will get him off the hook from his assignment.
MOSES: Now ... they may say to me, “What is His name?' What shall I say to them?
GOD: I AM WHO I AM. You can say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.”
Like our passage from Ezekiel last week, this passage from Genesis is a story, a narrative. It is important to look for cues in meaning by looking closely at the flow of the action, at how the characters respond, by what they say and what they don't say. If this were a letter written by Paul, the key points would be stated clearly. Since this is literature, we have to look more creatively.
We begin by noticing how the scene opens. Moses is tending his flock, like he does every day of his life, and something strange happens. Something very strange. He passes a bush that is on fire but is not being burned up. Like any good rubber-necker, he stops to get a closer look. It is from this burning bush that God tells Moses that he is going to go back to Egypt and free the Israelites.
Now, one would think that the talking, burning bush would have been enough to win Moses trust. After all, how many times do we say "if I just had a burning bush" to assure us that we were hearing God? From this passage, we can feel a little better knowing that not even that would be enough :)
Teaching point one: Whose you are matters a lot more than who you are.
Our first point comes from Moses' response to God. Instead of a heart, "Yes, sir!" or "Thank you so much for choosing me for this glorious assignment that will be studied millenia later!," Moses instead answers with a question, "Who am I?" - a thinly veiled, "No way! You gotta be crazy" (but even he had sense enough not to answer that directly to God).
His inference is that he's not nearly the man for the job, that there's no way he can pull this off.
Then God responds, however not by answering Moses' question. From this, we can gather that the question has no relevance, and ultimately that who Moses is has no relevance either. Instead God says that He will be with Moses. In other words, it's not you that's going to do this, Big Boy; it's me. The message to us is that it is not who we are that fits us for God's work but whose we are. It is not the instrument but the artist's hand that the instrument is in that makes all the difference. Again, a lesson in humility and trust.
Teaching point two: Assurance sometimes comes after the fact.
The next interesting part is that God promises Moses a sign ... after he's completed the task and is walking back by this place with all of the Israelites. I don't know about you, but when I ask for a sign, I want it before the task as an assurance. However, as Chuck mentioned in his sermon, if you're waiting on all the lights to turn green before you start moving, you might as well give up. In other words, there will be challenges and obstacles. God saves some, most, of His signs for the journey when we'll really need them - when we'll need to know for sure that we are still on the path He chose for us.
This is an encouragement to take a step in faith and trust that God will let you know in one way or another that He is with you and you are on the right track.
Teaching point three: Knowing God’s identity not only assures you but those to whom you are sent.
Even though Moses agrees to the task, he quickly backpeddles with another question, "Who am I going to tell them sent me?" The Wolf Man. Just kidding. He wants to be able to tell the Israelites which God sent him. Don't forget that they were living in Egypt in a pagan culture full of different gods - Ra, the Sun God, Osiris, God of the Dead, Isis, God of Magic, etc. For them, they needed to know whether to trust the God that sent Moses.
God's response is at once both perplexing and reassuring. He says to tell them that "I AM" sent him. That's not a name; it's a subject-verb construction. And that's the point. He's not God of the Sun or God of the Harvest. He's the very essence and power of all that has being (I am is a form of the very "to be"). His point is that He is so much greater than their current context of God. He's not just a notch up the ladder from Ra. He's altogether different, supreme.
That's one side of the answer. The other is that "I AM" is an incomplete construction. "Am" is a linking or transitive verb that needs a predicate. God is not only the ground and source of all being - an idea that's way too large to get our minds around and not all that much comfort in particular situations. He's also our shield, protector, healer, shepherd, light, salvation, way, counselor, etc. There are so many names of God in the Bible that complete the "I AM" statement. There is a list of the names of God below. Take a look at them and be astounded by how all encompassing God is. He's not only the source of all that is, but He's also personally present to each of us in our particular lives. Sometimes He's our healer. Sometimes He's our friend. Sometimes He's our shepherd. Sometimes He's our victory. Sometimes He's our protector. Sometimes He's our provider.
God, the great I AM, is greater than the pantheon of pagan gods because He encompasses all that they offer.
Knowing who God is in a cerebral and specific way is important to our faith and our hope. But it may also be essential to our being able to win other's truth of God. The people to whom God calls us may need some assurance of who God is. It's good for us to mediate on this and be ready to answer their questions so that we can lead them out of slavery in Egypt, if that's what God has called us to do.
PART 3
Apply Your Findings
Break up into small groups for discussion.
[Q] Has there been a time in your life when your self-understanding has put limits on what you thought you were able to do? Or has there been a time in your life that knowing whose you were enabled you to do more than you ever imagined?
[Q] Is there anything in your life that you feel God has called you to do but you are still waiting on a sign before you act? How would this passage of scripture encourage you? Has God ever confirmed a direction your were taking or choice you made after you made it?
[Q] God said that His name is I AM. Listed on the other side are some of the things that God has told us He is. Which of these identifications of God has enabled you to take a step in faith at some point in your life? Which of these names speaks the most to you now?
[Q] What in your life right now are you most trusting God to enable you to do? Or has God convicted you today that who you are will not accomplish His purpose for you – that instead you need to trust in whose you are?
* Source: The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-15) By: Bob Deffinbaugh bible.org
Names of God
ELOHIM:. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong.
EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or "God All Sufficient."
ADONAI: "Master'' or "Lord"
JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide."
JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals
JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner."
JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" "To make whole, set apart for holiness."
JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace"
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness"
JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd"
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There"
EL ROI: "God who Sees”
KANNA: "Jealous" (or zealous)
PALET: "Deliverer"
YESHUA: "Savior"
GAOL: "Redeemer"
MAGEN: "Shield"
EYALUTH: "Strength"
EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God"
EL-BERITH: "God of the Covenant"
EL-GIBHOR: Mighty God
TSUR: "God our Rock"
Wonderful, Counselor,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
GOD, THE GIVER OF HOPE
September 26, 2010
"God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day."– Psalm 46:5
PART 1
Identify the Current Issue
Hope is the key to living. If we didn’t believe that something good was still yet to happen, what would be the point of breathing? You may be familiar with Jesse Jackson’s phrase, “Keep hope alive!” I think the truth is that hope keeps us alive. Dante understood that. Inscribed above the gates of hell in his famous book was “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.”
[Q] What do you think of when you hear the word hope? What kinds of things do you hope for?
[Q] Why is hope comforting?
[Q] Does hope point toward the past, present or future?
Today we are going to look at the source and content of our hope.
PART 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Read Ezekiel 37:1-10
Ezekiel 37 Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones
1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.
3He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.' 5"Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 6'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'"
7So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
9Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'" 10So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
This is an interesting passage for many reasons. Like much of the Bible, it helps if we read it slowly and get a good handle on what is happening, how the narrative is unfolding, who does what, who doesn't do what, etc. The scene is set by God summoning Ezekiel to view a valley full of dry bones. He gives Ezekiel a moment to walk around among the bones and examine them. We learn that there were very many and that they were very dry. The significance of the last part is that the death hadn't happened recently. These were very dead bones - bones with no hope whatsoever of having life again.
As with many passages in the Bible, this one can be read on many levels. If the valley of dry bones is symbolizing an area of death in our lives (of a relationship, a dream, a job, etc.) we can be comforted to know that the bones God is going to work on are the deadest of the dead. Nothing in our lives, no bones were are dealing with, could be any deader.
God, being the worker of miracles that He is, could obviously have brought the bones back to life with no involvement, or even witnessing, of Ezekiel. But Ezekiel is prominent in this passage, so we need to look at what we can learn from how God uses Ezekiel.
God begins by asking Ezekiel a question, "Can these bones live?" The first thing we learn about Ezekiel, we learn from his answer, "O Lord God, you know." What we learn is that he believed God was able to do whatever God wanted and that he was humble enough not to answer the question because it's answer was not determined by him.
Teaching point one: The first step to restoration is hearing the word of God.
God's next action is to tell Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones. Notice here that God is choosing to use Ezekiel as His instrument to resurrect these bones and the task He gave him was to speak the Word of the Lord over them. It is so important to recognize that the resurrection power was, and is, found in the Word of the Lord. That Word can be the literal words found in the Bible or the Word made flesh, Jesus. Our power to participate in God's healing, life-giving work rests solely in our willingness to speak the word/Word that He has entrusted with us.
Teaching point two: Restoration is a process completely by the Holy Spirit.
As Ezekiel speaks the word of God (which is prophesying) over the bones, they rattle, fasten together bone to its bone, then sinews were added to them, then flesh grew and finally skin covered them. The point here is that the bones didn't go from very dry to completely breathing, flesh covered bodies in an instant. God used a process. He used one that made sense in the scientific, biological understanding of this world. The point is that God's restoration is a process. Not all, actually few, miracles happen instantaneously. God takes care of first things first and leads us through a cumulative process of restoration.
It is also important to notice the very next phrase: "but there was no breath in them." Many times we, the world, even God can piece us back together into a passably healed person a first glance. However, without the breath of God, the Holy Spirit, the restored bones in Ezekiel had no life. They needed the breath of God. We too can stop just short of the final life-giving force of the Holy Spirit. Our new life is accomplished only by the power of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not the outward appearance of restoration.
Teaching point three: We are not only made alive again, but into a strong army.
The final verse of this passage is very revealing. The bones were not only made alive again, but into a great army. We can infer from their very dry and scattered state in the valley that whoever these people had been, they weren't a truly great army. God restores them to something more than they had been. God not only restores us; He makes us a new creation. That is a great hope! When we surrender to God's transformative power in our lives, we are destined to be something far better than the best version of what we are when we were running our lives.
PART 3
Apply Your Findings
Break up into small groups for discussion.
[Q] Has there ever been a time when hearing words from the Bible or encountering the person of Jesus (maybe in the actions of another person) brought you back to life in some way? Have you ever been the person who was able to give these words to someone in need of hope?
[Q] What are some particular Bible verses that you might share with someone who needs hope?
[Q] If you had a friend who was really struggling, how might the passage about God's process of putting the bodies back together be comforting?
[Q] Why do you think God restored the bones into a great army rather than whoever they were? Do you think He might have had a purpose for them? How can this relate to your own life?
[Q] Do you have a testimony of God bringing dry bones back to life? Pray about how to share it so that God will be able to use it to encourage others when the time is right.
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