Each week beginning September 3, we will post the scripture lesson for you to read, some background [historical] information about the scripture, and some things for you to think about. This is a Bible study to do on your time and on your terms. We will also host an on-line chat session for you to participate in as well each Sunday at 10 p.m. You don't have to leave your room to come to this Bible study!
If you would like more information, drop us a line at ExodusBibleStudy@aol.com.
Week 1
September 3-9
Got to Go
Week 2 September 10-16
Going...
Week 3 September 17-23
Leaving
Week 4 September 24-30
Displaced
Week 5 October 1-7
What's Out There?
Week 6 October 8-14
The Wilderness
Week 7 October 15-21
Testing the Waters
Week 8 October 22-28
Dependence
Week 9 October 29-Nov. 4
Chosen
Week 10 November 5-11
Becoming Beloved
Week 11 November 12-18
Oops!
Week 12 November 19-25
Second Chance
Week 13 November 26-Dec. 2
Are We There Yet?
Are We There Yet?
The week starting Monday, November
27, 2000
The Lord said to Moses, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them leading men among the Israelites.
Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, "God up there into the Negeb, and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the towns that they live in are unwalled or fortified, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be bold, and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now it was the season of the first ripe grapes.
So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebohamath. They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) And they came to the Wadi Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Wadi Eshcol, because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down from there.
At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan."
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we." So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the Nephilim; and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry and the people wept that night. And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt."
But the whole congregation threatened to stone [Moses and Aaron]. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of the meeting to all the Israelites. And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you [Caleb] a nation greater and mightier than they."
Then the Lord said, "I do forgive, just as you have asked;
nevertheless--as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of
the Lord--none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in
Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not
obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors;
none of those who despised me shall see it. But my servant Caleb because he has
a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the
land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it."
DID 'JA KNOW…
Chapters 13-15 are pivotal in the book of Numbers. They tell the story of why the first generation of Israelites to leave Egypt lost the gift of the promised land.
The story concludes with legislation concerning sacrifices that Israel must observe when the next generation eventually enters the land. The episode introduces a distinctive method of composition, in which one account of a story is supplemented with an additional interpretation.
This method of composition allowed the biblical writers to present more than
one interpretation in telling a single story. These interpretations present
different perspectives on the nature of salvation, conceived as the divine gift
of land, and more particularly, how the people of God live in this world in
order to realize the promise of salvation.
I WAS JUST THINKING…
Exodus is a way out. It is a decisive act that leaves behind and moves on. In between a departure and an arrival is a journey that can significantly define the identity and existence of an individual, household, community or nation.
After all the years of wandering, the Israelites were on the doorstep of the land of promise! For Israel, this is an arrival. Moses sent 12 spies to see for themselves, to spy on the land and the people of Canaan. The report began with the fruits (real fruits, really big fruits) from the land, "flowing with milk and honey." Then the spies told about the giants that occupied the land in their large, fortified towns. Caleb urged Moses to proceed forward and take the land. The majority (and when have they been right in relation to Moses?) refused to press on. The people begged and pleaded and then demanded the selection of a new leader who would lead them back to Egypt.
Are we there yet? Israel faced a fork in the road--turn right in faith or turn left in fear. Their majority fear fueled doubt and forced them into a dead end. The courageous and faithful few (the youngest) would follow God's way and realized God's promises. Eventually, after wandering and complaining and dying in the desert, the second generation of the slaves from Egypt found their way to the promised land.
For Israel, this is an arrival. This complete dependence on God signals a major transition in the life of this nation. Are we there yet? God's covenant with Israel finds them still on the way to the Promised Land. Their experiences and hardships helped to insure a clearer vision of how they will continue to make their way.
REFLECTION…
· What did the Israelites expect from the Promised Land?
· How will they know that they have arrived?
· What happened to those who wanted to turn back and to those who wanted to
forge ahead?
· Lines are drawn between wilderness and promise, the old and the new, and
leaders and followers. When have you experienced a line drawn between you and
your "promised land"?
· What is your hope for the end of your exodus journey?
· Can you see the end in sight, clearly, or are you still in the wilderness?
· Think of a time when you have arrived…would you use any of these words to
describe that experience--saved…blessed…pardoned…redeemed…delivered…liberated…forgiven…loved?
· Has some journey seemed as if it would have no end?
· What will you do to insure that your journey ends in the "promised
land" and not continue as an endless search through the
"wilderness"?
THERE'S MORE…
Read Deuteronomy 29:10 - 30:20 for part of the Israelites' entry into Canaan.
Read Psalm 69: 1-18 as a prayer for deliverance.
This study was taken from the Abingdon Press series, 20/30: Bible Study for Young Adults.
We will be starting the new year with a new study in this series, Covenant:
Making Commitments That Count beginning on January 8. I hope you will all return
from the holidays with a new resolve to find God's place in your life and join
us each week for a look at covenants.
SECOND CHANCE
The week starting November 19, 2000
Exodus 34:1-10 NRSV
The Lord said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones,
and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which
you broke. Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai
and present yourself there to me, on the top of the mountain. No one shall come
up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; and do
not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain." So Moses cut two
tablets of stone like the former ones; and he rose early in the morning and went
up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two
tablets of stone. The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and
proclaimed the name, "The Lord." The Lord passed before him and
proclaimed,
"The Lord, the Lord,
a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love the thousandth generation,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
yet by no means clearing the guilty,
but visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children
and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. He said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for your inheritance.
He said: I hereby make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform marvels, such as have not been performed in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you live shall see the work of the Lord; for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
DID 'JA KNOW…
Chapter 34 provides the dramatic moment whereby Israel, by the graciousness and mercy of Yahweh (cf 33:19), and by the office of Moses, is restored to be God's covenant partner.
The main business of this encounter is to make possible the survival of Israel into the future as the people of Yahweh. The personal interaction of Yahweh and Moses intends to serve the larger purpose of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration of the relation with Israel that had been broken by the calf episode. The drama of restoration has the sternness of command at its center.
I WAS THINKING...
After all this desert time of fault-finding, threats, and bargaining by the Israelites, God brings a new force to bear. A way out of the wilderness! It comes as a promise-a forgiving and ever-present God. God made the promise to be a personal, just, and merciful God.
God's promise is not just for the Israelites. The promise is not stuck back in time with Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Miriam, Aaron and Joshua. This promise to be an ever-present, personal, just, and merciful God is for all of us who take God seriously.
When have you had a second chance? You may have made a wrong turn and ended up in a place that was not right. Or circumstances were such that things did not go as planned. You may have been led by a voice that did not have your best interests at heart. What about being torn between forces trying to stake a claim on your time? In times like these, you need to trust God's promise. God shows us a way out and promises another chance. It is not always the easy way out, but it's the way that is really the best way for you.
God makes this promise to us because of all the places, things, voices and forces that can lead us away from God. God makes this promise to undergird us, so that we can be faithful and become God's chosen and beloved.
God is ready to give you a second chance (and a third and a fourth…) But you need to stand-up and admit that you made a mistake. Just blowing it off is not the way to forgiveness. Forgetfulness will not help you when you look to God for answers. But once you've asked for forgiveness, then you can forget it.
Thanksgiving is almost here and it's a time to be thankful…for the things that we have received, for our friends and family, for the times when God has given us a second chance.
REFLECTION…
· Which of the attributes of God in 34:6-7 (the indented lines) can you
claim to be true?
· What would the action of this God mean or you and your situation?
· What do you still need so that you can believe?
· What do you still need so that you can live as God's chosen and beloved?
· Think of a time when you were given a second chance. Remember how grateful
you were.
· Think about those places, things, voices or forces that may be controlling
your life. Ask God to help you get out of those situations. You may need to ask
for someone else's help here. Don't be afraid.
· Can you help someone else by giving them a second chance?
· Tell your family about taking part in this Bible study and ask them to pray
for you while you are away at school.
There's More…
Mutual Accountability Discipleship (MAD) groups meet for the purpose of nurturing and becoming disciples. They are accountable to a common covenant that involves spiritual disciplines, worship, and acts of compassion and justice. MAD group members are trustworthy, supportive, and watch over one another in love. For more information, contact Bill Crenshaw at 1-877-899-2780 (toll free) or at bcrenshaw@gbod.org
"Every time we remember to say "thank you," we experience nothing less than heaven on earth." -Sarah Ban Breathnach
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." -Marcel Proust
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read, think and discover new
things through this Bible study. May God continue to richly bless you with God's
Holy Spirit.
Oops!
Week starting Monday, November 13
Exodus 32: 1-6 (NIV)
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."
Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." So all the people took off heir earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord." So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
DID 'JA KNOW…
For forty days and forty nights, Israel is without Moses and without access to God. Indeed, they are so anxious for Moses' return that they seize an initiative of their own to have access to God, without reference to Moses or his demanding scruples. Aaron agrees to their requests.
Meantime, during God's conversation with Moses', God is proposing to burn Israel with wrath. Moses responds at length acting as a daring intercessor on behalf of Israel for the first time. The cause would seem hopeless in light of Yahweh's rage. At great risk to himself, Moses throws himself against the wrath of Yahweh.
The breaking of the cal with the powerful, violent verbs burn, grind and scatter is to make Israel choke on its own perversion. Moses' action indicates Israel's relation with Yahweh so carefully wrought at Sinai has been quickly and completely nullified.
I WAS JUST THINKING…
Moses was away and God's chosen people took
things into their own hands (not again…). They wanted a more permanent and
tangible image of God. Aaron, Moses' brother, was right up in front, leading
this act of contempt!
Instead of becoming closer to God, they gathered around the calf and partied. In
fashioning an image of God that they could see, they lost sight of God.
God had promised to lead them to the land of
milk and honey. Were they satisfied with what they had gotten so far -- no way.
They wanted more.
God had promised to be their God, a personal God who would provide for them. The
water and the manna and the land were not enough. They wanted more. God had
promised to be their God and freed them from Pharaoh. They were no longer slaves
in Egypt but were becoming slaves to their desires. They wanted more. And what
they wanted was not the real thing.
What's wrong with a visible reminder of God? Many Christians wear crosses and use symbols in worship. These are used as instruments to help us remember who God is and all that God has done for us. The golden calf was a substitute, something that they were turning to when it seemed that God (and Moses) had gone away. The calf was also associated with other Canaanite gods, so it was something that the Israelites saw as belonging to another religion and they wanted one too. It was a substitute for God.
REFLECTION…
· What is the difference between being religious and being faithful?
· Can too many things get in our way to being faithful?
· What excuses might the Israelites have made?
· Is it possible that they didn't know they were committing a sin or did they
just not care?
· If you were following a trusted leader and made a mistake, what is your
personal cost?
· Do you have your own story of substitution and wrong choices?
· Are you substituting something for God or time with God?
THERE'S MORE…
Read the rest of Exodus 32 to see what happened as a consequence.
Read Luke 16: 1-9 - The Parable of the
Dishonest Manager
Things cast a long shadow on the faithful.
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Luke 16:13
Becoming Beloved
Week starting
Monday, November 6
Matthew 3: 13-17 TEV (Good News Bible)
At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. "I ought to be baptized by you," John said, "and yet you have come to me!"
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires." So John agreed.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting on him. Then a voice said from heaven, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased."
DID 'JA KNOW…
The baptism marks the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Although John and Jesus have had no previous contact, John immediately recognizes Jesus as his superior.
This scene is replete with eschatological overtones. The heavens are opened,
a voice comes from heaven, the Spirit is given. The Judaism of Matthew's day
tended to regard all of these elements as the revelatory gifts of God that had
happened in biblical times and that no longer occurred, but would reappear in
the last days. Matthew presents the appearance of the Messiah as the beginning
of the eschatological events.
I WAS JUST THINKING…
Matthew's account of Jesus' baptism reports that a voice from heaven (God's voice) is heard to say, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." (NRSV) or "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (NIV) God willed Jesus' identity as the Son of God. At his baptism, Jesus is who God says he is.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all report that immediately after this announcement
Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted.
His identity as God's Beloved was tested immediately. I have attended many
baptisms and have not heard any voices from heaven. And no one has come back to
report on a wilderness experience. But we are all beloved by God. We are all
called to live a life worthy of God's promises.
How does your baptism make a difference? "You were baptized into union
with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ
himself." Galatians 3:27
Baptism is truly an identifying moment in the life of a Christian. You may
actually be able to remember the day of your baptism or have heard stories about
that day. At my church we give the parents a cross with the date of their
child's baptism on it. They are asked to display the cross in a prominent place
so that they can all remember the child's baptism. It could be treated as a
birthday of sorts, a day of celebration and remembrance.
The act of baptism does not make us act differently. And yet, just knowing that we are loved can make all the difference. As we grow in wisdom and as we seek God's guidance, we struggle with how we are to live out our lives. We are to remember that we are beloved and act as if it were so.
REFLECTION…
· Try to remember your baptism. If you can not, think about another that you
attended. What can you remember about that day?
· What do the vows spoken at your baptism mean to you as an adult? You may need
to find a hymnal or book of worship and find the ritual of
baptism.
· How do you move between being named the beloved and actually becoming
beloved?
· Think of ways that you can be more loving in all that you think, say, and do
every day.
· Can you turn the corner and have others claim that you are acting more
loving?
· You claim to be a Christian. When has this name made a difference in your
actions?
THERE'S MORE…
Romans 15:13
May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Look back at the temptation passages:
Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13
Think about the strength Jesus received from knowing exactly who he was.
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it." --H. Norman Schwartzkopf
Chosen
Week starting Monday, October 30
Chat on-line Sunday, November 5
Exodus 19: 1-8 TEV (Good News Bible)
The people of Israel left Rephidim, and on the first day of the third month after they had left Egypt they came to the desert of Sinai. There they set up camp at the foot of Mount Sinai, and Moses went up the mountain to meet with God.
The Lord called to him from the mountain and told him to say to the Israelites, Jacob's descendants: "You saw what I, the Lord, did to the Egyptians and how I carried you as an eagle carries her young on her wings, and brought you here to me. Now, if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own people. The whole earth is mine, but you will be my chosen people, a people dedicated to me alone, and you will serve me as priests." So Moses went down and called the leaders of the people together and told them everything that the Lord had commanded him. Then all the people answered together, "We will do everything that the Lord has said," and Moses reported this to the Lord.
DID 'JA KNOW…
The meeting is an entry into "the holiness" for the purpose of worship. Such an entry and meeting is a high-risk venture for which careful preparation must be made. This focus on worship makes this chapter pivotal for the entire book of Exodus.
The cast of characters is complicated. God and Moses are clearly the central protagonists. In addition, "the people" are given direct access to God. The elders, Aaron, and the priests are also specified in their several roles. These various references may indicate that in different sources the distribution of power is differently portrayed; "the people" indicates a broadly based democratic shape of power, "the elders" indicates democratic shape of power, "the elders" indicates authorized lay leadership, and the "priests" (Aaron) are a sacerdotal alternative to lay leadership.
I WAS JUST THINKING…
Moses and the Israelites have been on the move for 2 months. They set up camp at the base of Mount Sinai and send Moses up for the latest word. God chose the Israelites to belong to Him. After saving them from the Egyptians and bringing them through the wilderness, God set them apart, God "set his love on" the children of Abraham. But sometimes that love looks like "tough love," the kind where you need someone to grow and become responsible for their actions.
The "holy" people in Greek is ho hagios laos. Hagious is "different" and Hagiazo is "set apart to God." The holy people are different, chosen to lead holy lives and contribute directly to the outcome of God's work in the world.
Try to imagine that you have just survived a tornado. Everyone is safe but scared. Picture coming up out of the basement and finding…nothing…There is a tangled mess but nothing that resembles a house. No trees, no car, nothing else is the same. You begin to dig through the debris, looking for treasured possessions. What would it be? Continue to look for it. It's nowhere to be found, all you have is a memory. Is the memory of the thing or the people and events that surround that thing? Time passes and rebuilding begins. One day you see it -- your treasured possession is unearthed during the rebuilding. Imagine the joy you feel.
The people of Israel were God's treasured possession…"a royal priesthood, a holy nation"--a people set apart as God's chosen. The Israelites had status, an identity, and a purpose. They were valued. They were expected to BE God's people in the world.
You are a treasured possession. God seeks you, bears you up on eagle's wings and brings you to a safe place. Always loving and caring for you. Chosen. How are you living up to this claim?
REFLECTION…
· Recall times you have been chosen, when you were chosen not for a game but
for a position or task.
· What were the standards for which the decision was made?
· What did the one doing the choosing expect of you?
· How was your value or worth influenced by being chosen?
· Is being chosen and the expectations to be fulfilled harder than not being
chosen?
· Do you feel that God has chosen you for a specific task? What are you doing
about it?
· Can you see someone else whom you feel has a special gift that is not being
realized? Can you "choose" them so
that their potential can become
real?
THERE'S MORE…
Deuteronomy 7:6
Do this because you belong to the Lord your God.
This week, act like you've been chosen. Think about why God has chosen you and make that a reality.
November 6 - 13 is Random Acts of Kindness Week. Check out some ways you can make a difference at the Project Ruth site.
Temptation
Week starting Monday, October 23
Chat on-line Sunday, October 29
Luke 4:1-13 TEV (Good News Bible)
Jesus returned from the Jordan full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the desert, where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. In all that time he ate nothing, so that he was hungry when it was over.
The Devil said to him, "If you are God's Son, order this stone to turn into bread." But Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Man cannot live on bread alone.'"
Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world. "I will give you all this power and all this wealth," the Devil told him. "It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose. All this will be yours, then, if you worship me." Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!'"
Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here. For the scripture says, 'God will order his angels to take good care of you.' It also says, 'They will hold you up with their hands so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.'" But Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
When the Devil finished tempting Jesus in every way, he left him for a while.
Did 'ja know…
The temptation episode is peculiar for many reasons: the devil appears and
speaks directly to Jesus; Jesus responds three times, and each time his response
is a quotation from Scriptures; no one is present to witness or report these
events; and the settings as well as the temptations themselves project important
symbolic overtones.
The temptation scene in Luke serves several functions. First, the temptations clarify the nature of Jesus' work as the Son of God. Second, the temptations identify Jesus with the heritage of Israel. Third, the temptations mirror the conflict of God's reign with the reign of Satan. Forth, the temptations emphasize that Jesus' ministry should be understood as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Finally, the temptations offer Jesus; followers a model for resisting temptation.
I was just thinking…
The wilderness is a testing ground for faith. Commentaries claim that the testing and discipline of the wilderness is like the instruction or teaching of a loving parent (Ouch!). The first of the temptations tested personal dependence, turning stones to bread. We are tempted when we have a chance to get what we want and to meet our own needs. But, the faith-filled standard is to take ourselves out of the way and let God be God. We want to do it ourselves like Abram & Sarai. But it is God's desire to provide for us.
Faithfulness was the second test where Jesus was offered the entire world. He could have been the political messiah--the one everyone was expecting. Our news lately has been filled with scenes of terrorism, where someone somewhere has convinced others to get the whole world for him. Faithful journeying is measured by our eagerness to give way to God's way not what someone else is expecting for us. Think about it -- if someone else has a plan for you, they will probably benefit from it.
The last scene tested trust. Jesus was challenged to call to the angels, jump off a cliff (if all your friends did it, would you follow?), and not be injured. It was forcing God to show-off and that's really not what you would want to do. When we try to tell God how to be God instead of trusting God to be God, we are limiting God's greatness. Our capacity to resist temptation is dependent on our ability to trust God in all that we do. Don't wait until you're in trouble to make your first call. Get to know God and what God desires for you by staying in constant contact. Sometimes it's hard when the answer doesn't appear immediately or definitively, so wait. Keep asking and keep listening.
Voice from the Wilderness - Act 2
Jerrod: Enough faith? I'm not sure that trying to measure the quantity of
faith, like water in a cup, is quite right. Sure the Israelites may have been
down a quart or two in the faith department; but Jesus?
Sharon: Jesus had to have had enough faith. But, his wilderness pain was no less
painful and his uncertainty was no more certain.
Jerrod: Jesus got through to the other side of wilderness without forcing God's
power. Jesus trusted God's power--that's quality, not quantity. Jesus patiently
waited out his time in the wilderness with Satan.
Sharon: What does quality faith look like to you and me and to someone who is
caught in evil with no warning and no protection? How do I get that kind of
patient and trusting faith? What's in it for me?
Jesus relied on the power of the Holy Spirit, solitude, fasting, Scripture and prayer to help him in the wilderness. The Spirit of God provided energy to sustain him. All that Jesus did was for God. Solitude offered the space to wait quietly and expectantly for God. Fasting took away the need to "fill up" and made room for God. Scripture is a way to look for God. Prayer opened the way for God to listen and to answer.
REFLECTION…
· What does it mean to have enough faith?
· Do you have to have a certain amount before God listens to your prayers?
· Where do you get a patient and trusting faith?
· Can you picture someone who has this kind of faith? What does it look like?
· What do you still need from God to strengthen your patient and trusting faith
for life in the wilderness?
· Look at the last sentence of the scripture lesson. Jesus was not done with
temptation, it was going to happen again
and again.
· What resources did Jesus have to combat temptation?
· What about your temptations?
· What resources do you have available? Does your faith make a difference?
THERE'S MORE…
Books to look for…
Living Simply Through the Day by Tilden Edwards
The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring by Parker Palmer
"When you want to believe in something, you also have to believe in everything that's necessary for believing in it." --Ugo Betti, Italian poet
Exodus 17:1-7 NRSV
DID 'JA KNOW
The second exchange shows Moses criticizing Israel for criticizing him and
for testing God. So it's unthinkable to challenge God…and Moses.
I WAS JUST THINKING
Complaining and whining are just part of being human. But is that because we are prone to forgetfulness--the big things that God has done for us forgotten in the small details of today. Yesterday God parted the Red Sea but today we're a little thirsty (wouldn't a Coke be just the thing right now). Last week God promised us a nation if only we wait but today we saw someone else with something we want, so we'll figure out how to get it on our own. Aren't we still in the wilderness? Don't we need an experienced Guide with us?
Voices from the Wildnerness - Act 1
Sharon: Maybe the wilderness isn't so godforsaken after all. There seems to
be so much cosmic potential out there.
Jerrod: If the Israelites are thirsty, then God gives water. If they are hungry,
then God gives food. If the chosen push God over the edge, then God really
unleashes the cosmic powers!
Nicole: I'd say that surviving the fire of God's anger would be a defining
moment for anybody.
Sharon: They set God up! Their griping was just plain unfaithful. How much proof
did the Israelites need? God delivered them, made promises, and cared for them.
All they had to do was be obedient, and all they did was complain. They asked
for it!
Nicole: So, as long as we are obedient and faithful, we will be OK? If you have
enough faith, then God will fix whatever is wrong?
Does anyone sound like you? How would you answer Sharon -- Is the wilderness
more dangerous because God can hear you complaining? What about Nicole -- Is
faith all it takes for an easy life? Look back at Jerrod's "if then"
statements -- a witness to the awesome grace and power of God or an attempt to
force or limit God's hand?
REFLECTION…
· So, what is the problem here and how should we respond?
· Does God reward or reject complainers?
· The Bible reading have held lots of instances of impatience. Have you been
more aware of impatience in yourself or
those around you?
· It's hard in this world of instant messaging to have to wait to hear from
someone. Do you have constructive ways to
wait?
· Try to catch yourself before you start whining and think, "Do they
really want to hear this?"
THERE'S MORE…
Numbers 11:18b-20 TEV (Good News Bible)
The Lord has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. You will have to eat it not just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or even twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the Lord who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.
Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Impatient
Week starting Monday, October 9
Chat on-line Sunday, October 15
GENESIS 16: 1-16 NRSV
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar, and Sarai said to Abram, "You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my slave-girl to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!" But Abram said to Sarai, "Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her.
The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai." The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her." The angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude." And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin." So she named the Lord who spoke to her, "You are Elroi"; for she said, "Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?" Therefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishamel.
DID 'JA KNOW…
o The name Ishmael means God hears.
o Ishmael will be the ancestor of a people known for their defiance and conflict.
o Hagar named the Lord "You are El-roi" which means "You are a God
who sees" This
is the only example of a human being giving a name to God.
In all other cases, God
is the one who reveals the divine name to humans.
o Place names in Genesis often recall important stories or events. Here
Beerlahai-roi
means "the well of the living one who sees me."
I WAS JUST THINKING…
Beginning something new can take a while to get started. College seemed like such a good idea--new experiences, new people and getting away from home. But of course, reality came crashing down---you didn't get the classes you wanted, your roommate is a pig and you need someone from home to send you money and to come take you home for a weekend away from this place!
As the history of God's people who would become Israel began, God promised to make Abram a great nation, to make his name great, and to bless him. Abram abandoned his own homeland for the unknown place God sent him and relinquished his own ancestral bonds in faithful response to these promises. Once in the wilderness, the promises made to Abram and Sarai seemed to take too long for any human to bear. So fueled by impatience, Abram and Sarai found a way to force the promise of God by their own actions. They began to trust the work of their own hands rather than wait for God.
Joy has a secret. While in high school she was involved in something that she knew was wrong and truly believes that God will punish her. So for the past few years, Joy has wandered away from God and tried to make it on her own. Her secret and her guilt have forced her into isolation.
Even though Joy is not physically wandering in a desert, she is in the wilderness. She has strayed from God's power--the power to bless, love and offer life. What is her secret? It could be your secret…what are the characteristics of your wilderness…what can you do next?
God's people need comforting. Comfort turns suffering away. Comforting requires active intervention and help. We all have made mistakes. Like Abram and Sarai, we try to take things into our own hands and then everything goes wrong, much worse than before we tried to "help". Like Joy, we have a secret that we don't want to admit and by burying it within ourselves, we feel worse rather than better.
God loves us and will forgive us. Look around at your wilderness. God cannot undo what you have done but God can help you see your way out. There may still be a price to pay, but it's better to pay up now rather than continue the debt until you can't see any way out at all. The wilderness may be there so that we have to seek out God.
REFLECTION…
· Have you been impatient lately and tried something on your own that didn't
turn
out quite the way you expected?
· How can you tell when you need to wait for God and when you need to get
moving
on something?
· Is procrastination a gift from God?
· How can you prepare the way for God's power to become present to you?
· Don't lose heart. Sometimes just talking something through with someone
else can
give you an insight that you never had before.
· Keep listening for God's voice in your busy world. It's there
· Call home and tell them "thank you" for something that they did
for you that meant
the world to you.
THERE'S MORE…
Isaiah 35: 1-4 (portions)
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and
blossom…Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to
those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear!"
Offer prayers for those in the wilderness, look for ways to be strong.
Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and
be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you
peace.
What's Out There?
Week starting Monday, October 2
No chat on-line this week
Exodus 15:22 - 16:16 NRSV
Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah [Bitterness]. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" He cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made for them a statute and an ordinance an there he put them to the test. He said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his command-ments and keep his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you."
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.
The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in they land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days." So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?" and Moses said, "When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him--what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord."
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.'" And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'"
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" for they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.'" The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it over until morning." But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece.
DID 'JA KNOW…
WAS JUST THINKING…
What image pops into your mind when you see the word wilderness?
For some a picture of a barren desert pops into mind. A dry, parched life-threatening place to be especially if you don't trust your wilderness guide. And now they are facing a drought. The water is bitter and their canteens are dry. Moses performs what I would call a miracle…throwing a stick in the water and the water becomes sweet! Did anyone say, "Wow!" or "Thanks"? From where I sit, it looks like they just said, "Well, it's about time. You owe us this fresh water since you made us leave our wonderful homes to follow you out here."
Our memories are short when we get what we want…they escaped with their lives (and livestock) from Pharoah. They were chased across some water by chariots and most didn't even get their feet wet. Now they're thirsty and hungry and want to know when they are going to get everything that was promised to them: "I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…" (Exodus 3:8)
I remember preparing for vacations when my boys were small. Their dad wanted to tell them weeks before and I wanted to wait until the day before. I didn't want to listen to the complaining (I can't wait any longer) the demands (I need new clothes) and the expectations (Will we do….) I liked to surprise them and have one day of anticipation. Did Moses tell the Israelites too much too soon? Did they have a picture in their minds of the promise and not include the wilderness realities that would precede that promise?
Go back and read the scripture verses again. Think of how you feel about the deprivation and extremely harsh and miserable conditions of the Exodus wilderness. Consider your own "drought conditions" and all that threatens your life.
REFLECTION…
· Are you a person of faith who can see beyond the wilderness to the
promise?
· If so, what can you do to insure that the wilderness does not hold you back?
· If not, can you train yourself to look further down the road?
· Have you felt God's promise fulfilled in your life or are you still in the
testing period?
· It's hard to see your way through when you feel alone or abandoned. Find some
friends who are also wandering and talk about it. Give us a call or send an
email.
We'll be glad to listen.
· Don't let the wilderness overcome you--find a church and attend as often as
you
can.
THERE'S MORE…
In John 6:1-14 Jesus feeds the 5,000. He saw that they were hungry and took the resources on hand and produced a miracle. Did the crowd just eat the bread and miss the miracle?
Their wilderness was spiritual, they do their own doubting and murmuring. Like their ancient ancestors, some of them believed and understood, and others didn't.
What happens when the need for food turns into a crisis of faith? Can you help turn someone's need around, so that they are both fed with bread and with "the bread of heaven"? If you can, volunteer at a food bank and pray for each person you encounter.
Deployed
Week staring Monday, September 25
Chat on-line, Sunday, October 1 at
10:00 p.m. via www.egroups.com/invite/ucm99
Matthew 10: 1 - 15 NRSV
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.
Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay
there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to
you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust
from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than
for that town.
Did 'ja know…
Matthew did not recount the calling of the twelve nor previously noted the
number. In fact, in the two call stories Matthew does talk about there are only
five disciples so the "sudden" appearance of twelve comes as a
surprise. Only in this verse does Matthew call them 'apostles'. In Greek,
apostle means "ones sent out". Historically, apostles were a larger
group of those to whom the risen Lord appeared and commissioned as his
authorized representatives.
The disciples were sent to Israel, all Israel and only to Israel. Historically the disciples were reluctant to go to the Gentiles even after Easter so that it took a considerable time for the church under the guidance of the Spirit to develop a Gentile mission and become an integrated church. Therefore, verse 10 can hardly be historical because Jesus would have not forbidden is disciples to initiate a Gentile mission to which they were in no way inclined anyway. Because historically the mission of the earthly Jesus was limited to Israel, this saying reflects the struggles within the early church to develop a Gentile mission, opposed by some in the name of Jesus.
Part of this is taken from the New Interpreter's Commentary.
I was just thinking…
Deploy is an intentional or strategic positioning. We heard it during the Gulf War and on the news at night. The police were deployed to the university to bring order. They have their orders and have specific places to go and specific things they need to do when they get there.
Jesus called his men together, told them what they were going to do and where they were to go. True, he wasn't real specific about where to go but he was specific about where not to go…"no town of the Samaritans". He gave instructions on curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons. Quite a job description! And they were to do all this without payment. I'm sure that didn't go over well.
"Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave…If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet and you leave that house or town." The deployment included excluding persons and even whole towns. There is also a ritual going on here, the shaking off of the dust is symbolic of leaving all that is bad behind. We are to go in under Jesus' direction and do our best. If we are not accepted, we are to take leave so that we do not become defiled.
Jesus deployed the disciples for an urgent ministry to the house of Israel. The disciples were being asked to choose faith over fear, trust over complaint and joy over regret. When the enemy is at hand, we need to remember those same ideals: faith, trust & joy.
The definition and understanding or displaced, delivered and deployed rely on
their context. Displaced is interpreted by a chemist differently than by a
refugee. Delivered holds a different meaning for the post office, a hospital or
descendents of former slaves. Deployed is different to a National Guard unit
than to a business machine repair service.
Do you have a story about leave-taking events and circumstances in your life?
The most recent and obvious of course would be college. Did you feel displaced,
delivered, or deployed. What about your parents? In the Olympics, athletes may
feel any or all of these emotions as they win a medal, or if they are
unsuccessful, or if they are even able to compete.
REFLECTION
· What were the disciples asked to do? How were they equipped?
· Remember playing "Mother, May I?"? Think about how you felt
displaced, deliver
or deployed while playing that game.
The Long Way Home
Week staring Monday, September 18
Chat on-line, Sunday, September 24 at 10:00 p.m.
Exodus 13:17-22 NRSV
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Phillistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, "If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle. And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, "God will surely notice you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here." They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Did 'ja know…
The image of God's leadership here is clear-God thought. God was concerned that the Israelites would lose faith and made an intentional choice to nurture their faith by taking them a different, longer route. This passage affirms that God is "thoughtful, prudent and utterly reliable".
Also, consider the Israelites who were used to oppression, order and a regular food supply even if they were slaves in Egypt. While leaving Egypt is what they had prayed for, it still meant leaving behind everything they were used to.
The Philistines were a people who lived on the western border of Canaan near the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Their territory would have been the most direct route from Goshen to Canaan.
Some scholars argue that the Red Sea is too far south and too large a body of water to have been the sea Israel actually cross. Thus, some prefer to call it "the Sea of Reeds" and assume it was a body of shallow water farther north.
Taking Joseph's bones helps connect the book of Genesis with the book of Exodus. It also makes a statement that Joseph knew even before the exodus happened that God would fulfill God's promise to God's people. Joseph's bones is symbolic of that belief.
Part of this is taken from the New Interpreter's Commentary.
I was just thinking…
· Displace is to take the place of, oust or remove from its usual place, a
physical removal.
· Deliver is to transport something to the person or place where it is
destined, or to be set free.
· Deploy is an intentional or strategic positioning.
The Israelites leave Egypt (sound familiar?) under God's leadership. They're going home not as slaves but free. For most, they are leaving "home" and headed into the wilderness. God knows it won't take much for them to want to turn around and go back, so they take the scenic route. Well, not really, they took the long way because it was the least dangerous. They are being displaced, in the process of being delivered and they are deployed by God's leading.
What did it take to get 2 million people, their animals and whatever else they could carry ready to move in one day? This is different from last week's lesson because they are leaving and not expecting to come back. This is it. They even take the bones of Joseph along so he can be put to rest in his homeland. God leads them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Ever present, ever before them.
Read the following story and identify leave-taking events as displaced,
delivered, or deployed.
When Susan turned 16, her new driver's license was her ticket to freedom-coming
and going to school and work, and going out with friends. She celebrated her
graduation from high school and left home in the fall for a four-year liberal
arts college. She majored in Elementary Education, traveled whenever possible
and spent her summers away from home working for a mission agency.
After graduation, she found a job and a new apartment in a new town. The job
paid well, offered good benefits and had lots of potential. Her principal was
authoritative, controlling and more parental than collegial. The next few years brought several moves for Susan, both in her job and her
place of residence. She realized that she needed more education in order to get
what she really wanted, so she enrolled mid-year in graduate school. Susan ended
up carrying a full load and working as an intern. She was suspended for poor
performance and spent two years working at a couple different jobs. She has just
decided not to return to grad school.
REFLECTION
· For Moses and the
Israelites, what are the fundamental steps of deliverance?
· Can this be compared to the
emancipation of slaves or a more contemporary image of deliverance?
· We all know "Susan". She
may be our friend or even a relative. Is there any help we can offer or just let
her
wander until she finds a home?
· God was present for Moses and the
Israelites, can you claim that same promise?
· Can the traditions of our past
deliver assurance and trust?
· Are you going to be able to go
home again?
Going…
Week starting Monday, September 11
Chat on-line about this passage, Sunday
September 17 at 10:00pm
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 NIV
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who are seeking the child's life are dead." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
Did 'ja know…
Matthew was writing to the Jews who were already believers in Jesus. He wanted to really drive home the point that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews were waiting for, and Matthew quotes the Old Testament at least 44 times.
One of the things Matthew is known for is making Jesus "the new Moses". As you can see, the Egypt motif is really important for Matthew. You get the whole Moses vs. Pharaoh with Jesus and Herod-tension with leaders. Yet, God leads Moses and Jesus' out of harms way and eventually for Jesus out of Egypt with Herod's death.
When Joseph goes to Galilee, it is a place where mostly Gentiles live rather than Jews. Even when they are home, they are still not really "home". It's another point worth remembering.
I was just thinking…
Sometimes the need to go is obvious, necessary and even immediate.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to flee his home and go to Egypt. This is not just the next street over or the next town, this is Egypt, a journey that would take several days. There is no mention of how long it took or even how long he stayed. What we do know is that Joseph acted immediately…it was obvious and necessary that he take his family and leave.
Brian and his family are forced to leave their home when the wild fires of Montana approach. They could see the fire and smell the smoke for a few days, praying the whole time that the winds would shift or the rains would come. But that was not to be, so they piled everything they could into their van and left the home that they loved. Each one vowing they would return.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to leave his home in Egypt and go to Israel. Oh boy, we're going home! But things aren't the same at home in Judea and Joseph must go to a new town, Nazareth. We know from hearing this story in church and Sunday school that this was done to fulfill prophecy. That doesn't make it any easier on Joseph, Mary and Jesus. They are still the ones going through the leaving each time.
Jesus and his family were refugees for a time. Can you see how that influenced his ministry? He traveled throughout his ministry, never really calling one place home. He was always going out of his way to talk to the people who were beside the road/well/gate/pool (you get the idea). His ministry came about because he went to the people. He didn't wait for them to come to him.
God's promise is to be there wherever we are--in our going out and our coming in.
Reflection
· Have you ever had to move on to a safe place? Can you now see where God
was at work in that situation?
· Who or what have you left behind when the word
came to "go"?
· "The promises of the Lord are promises that are
pure." Psalm 12:6a. Make a "God promised" statement as you
remember a time of going.
There's More
Check out this web sites if you want to explore on your own:
www.ccel.org - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
double click Study Bible
(under Features)
double click Matthew (under New Testament)
double click chapter
Well, wouldn't you know…web sites change all the time and the one I recommended last week is completely different. Sorry about that.
If anyone finds a really good sight, please email us at exodusbiblestudy@aol.com. I'll also keep looking.
Got to Go
Week starting Monday, September 4
Chat on-line, Sunday, September 10 (details in the Electronic
Connection or email us at exodusbiblestudy@aol.com)
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God. There the
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked,
and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great
sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.”
When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out
of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said,
“Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you
are standing is holy ground.” He
said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to
look at God.
Then the Lord said,” I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
Did
‘ja know…
Jethro is an alternate name for
Moses’ father-in-law who is otherwise known as Reuel or Hobab (Numbers 10:29).
Horeb is an alternate name for Mount Sinai.
The mountain of God reflects a common notion in the ancient Near Est that
mountain tops were the special dwelling places of the divine.
Fire is a frequent biblical image for the deity’s presence (check out
Genesis 15:17). This is the first
place in the Bible in which the phrase “a land flowing with milk and honey”
describes the goodness and fertility of the promised land of Canaan.
Moses’ objection to God’s call is the first in a series of five
objections. Moses feels inadequate
for the mission, but God assures him and promises him that the Israelites will
come and worship on the mountain as a sign.
Exodus is a way out. It is a definite act of leaving behind and going forward. There is a definite departure and an eventual arrival. In between is the journey that can take days, weeks, a lifetime.
Departure…time to go…can be decided by you or your family or your circumstances. You decided to go to college. Then there was the deciding which college, application forms, visiting the campus (either in person or via computer), accepting the college's invitation, and then finding the money.
You didn't just decide this all in one day.
Some departures are decided for us…a parent being transferred to another city or state, an abusive situation that demands a fresh start, a marriage that takes us away from our familiar surroundings. Sometimes the departure takes a lot of soul-searching. Other times the decision is very plain but we must still take the initiative to act upon it.
Moses was at his job when he saw a burning bush and went to investigate. An angel of the Lord appeared within the flames. "I've really got to check this out and tell the guys." Suddenly the Lord calls his name, "Moses, Moses…Come no closer…you are standing on holy ground." Well now the Lord has Moses' attention. This is not just a mirage, this is real and it's the Lord. What could the Lord want with Moses? "I have come down to deliver them (the Israelites) from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land flowing with milk and honey…" Then the Lord continues, "So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people…out of Egypt."
What the…all he did was check-out a bush, and now his life is being changed, interrupted, really really messed up! The Lord says that Moses has got to go.
Reflection
· Has God something dramatic to get your attention? What did you do, ignore or explore?
· When have you been on a journey to purposely seek God?
· Have you been open to God seeking you?
Check out these web sites if you want to explore on your own:
www.ccel.org - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
double click Study Bible (under Features)
double click Exodus (under Old Testament)
double click chapter
www.gbgm-umc.org - Disciple Bible Study
double click 5 or 6