Study #8 – Exodus

This is the last study!!

Pretty version

Study 8

Not so pretty:

1. Draw a picture depicting the glory of God.
2. Skim Read Exodus 25-30. Closely, read 25:1-9. Why is so much of this book taken up with the detail of the tabernacle?

3. Why does the pattern have to be followed exactly?

4. Read Exodus 32. After all that the Israelites had been through and seen, within 40 days, they had turned from their promise in Ex. 24. What was the promise, and how did they break it?

5. What does God mean by stiff necked people?

6. Is God’s anger sinful? How is God’s anger different to our own?
7. What is the problem with Aaron’s self defence? (v24) What does this tell us about human excuses in the face of the divine God?

8. Read Exodus 40:17-38. What is the significance of Moses’ obedience? Where does God now dwell?

9. Read John 1:1-14. Where does God dwell now?
10. Read Hebrews 8. How do worshippers worship God today?
11. What would you say to someone who said that there was a particular human activity which MUST be done in order to worship God?

12. How is your worship of God imperfect? What should our response to that imperfection be? (See Hebrews 8:10-12)

13. Share your most significant point from the book of Exodus

Pray, thanking God for his word, and the fact that we have the one true worshipper, Jesus, worshipping God perfectly in our place.

Study 7 – Exodus 19-24

Hope you are being fed by the word of God!!

Pretty format:

Study 7

Not so pretty:

1. Why do we have rules in this world? What rules do you find useless?

2. Read Exodus 19:3-6. What does the word holy mean?

3. How is it to be possible that Israel will be a holy nation?

4. Read Exodus 19:7-25. Why were the Israelites commanded to wash?

5. Why are the people to stay away from the mountain?
6. Test yourself, name the 10 commandments before reading them. Then read them in 20:1-17.
7. Read Exodus 24:3-8. What is your reaction to the Israelites promise in v3 and 7?

8. Read 1 Peter 2:4-10. Who is the holy nation spoken of here? How did they come to be a holy nation?

9. Read Galatians 3:1-14. What does keeping the 10 commandments do for a person?
10. The Israelites were saved, and had the law as a response. What is to be our response? Is this true of you?
11. In what ways could you be tempted to make salvation by your own human effort?
12. What would you say to someone who said they kept all the commandments? (cf Luke 18:18-30)
Pray, thanking God for his salvation, and asking that we may respond in faith, and not empty legalism.

Study 6 – Exodus 16-18

Hello again.

In pretty format:

Study 6

In not so pretty:

1. How long does it usually take for you to get annoyed with people who wont believe you?

2. Read Exodus 15:22-27. How should the Israelites respond to this crisis? How do they respond?
3. What is the Lord’s decree for the people?

4. Read Exodus 16:1-36. Why is there grumbling on this occasion?

5. Did the Israelites keep their part of the bargain from 15:25b-27?

6. What is the purpose of this blessing from God?
7. IN chapter 17, the Israelites again have no water, how would you expect them to respond?
8. How does God act towards the Israelites lack of trust?
9. Read John 20:24-27. Jesus had done many miracles, predicted his death and resurrection, and came back to life. How does Jesus respond to unbelief? How are you like Israel and Thomas?
11. Read John 6:25-66. What similarities are there between Jesus and the manna?
12. How do we ‘eat’ Jesus? Do you?

13. How are you tempted to grumble against God? What should we do when feeling frustrated by what God has been doing in our lives?
14. Why do we share the message of Jesus if God ‘enables’ people to believe?

Pray, thanking God for his gift of heavenly bread in Jesus. Pray for the strength to accept Jesus with joy, not grumbling.

Study 5 – Exodus 12-15

Here again is the study

In pretty format

Study 5

In not so pretty:

1. Tell the group about a time where you ‘just made it by the skin of your teeth’

2. Read Exodus 12:31-40. Why does Pharaoh ask for a blessing?
3. Read Exodus 13:17-22. What is the significance of the pillars position with the people of God?
4. Read Exodus 14. Why is what is said in verse 11-12 so extraordinary?

5. How are the Israelites encouraged to display their faith?

6. Why is this exodus event so biblically significant?
7. How can God allow Pharaoh to pursue the Israelites to his own death? (cf 14:8)
8. At what point did the people trust God?
9. What is the purpose of the Exodus? (cf 14:18; 14:31)

10. Read Romans 6:5-7. What has our exodus been?
11. Read Romans 6:8-23. What are we described as before we were believers, and afterwards?
12. How are we free from sin, even though we sin each day?

13. Is sin your master? How can you live in response to your freedom won in Christ?
14. What amazing work has God done in your life? How are you in danger of responding as seen in 14:11-12?
Pray, thanking God for his freedom in Christ, and freedom from sin. Pray for the strength to live in holiness and appropriate freedom.

Study #4 – Exodus 11-12

Hi guys

Again in pretty format

Study 4

And not so pretty (but no less biblical!!):

1. What comes to mind as you think of blood?
2. Read Exodus 11. Why is Moses struck with anger?

3. Why does Moses warn Pharaoh if the outcome is already secured?
4. Read Exodus 12:1-30. Were the Israelites able to put the blood of just any animal on the door posts? What is the significance of this instruction?

5. Why are there such specific instructions about the preparation of the meal?

6. Why are they to eat it as stated in verse 11?

7. Why are the Israelites not automatically protected from this plague?
8. What do you think the tone was in Israelite houses that night?

9. Why were the Israelites to keep the observance of Passover?
10. Read Luke 22:14-20. How does Jesus change the Passover meal and its significance?
11. Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. How is the ‘Passover’ meal to be commemorated now?
12. How would you know if the blood of Jesus is on the doorposts of your life?

13. When sharing in the modern Passover, what may stop us from sharing in it biblically?
14. Belonging to the people of God didn’t count when it came to Passover. In what way do people/you belong and not believe? What dangers are there in this?

Pray, thanking God for the gift of his son, shedding his blood for the doorposts of our souls

Study #3 – Exodus 7-10

Here is study 3.

Pretty format: Study 3

Not pretty:

1. What sort of event would affect our whole country? How do you think Aussies would react?

2. Read Exodus 6:28-7:13. Why is Moses reluctant to speak to Pharaoh? What will the response be to his demand?
3. Often in thinking about the plagues, we can think of them happening in isolation. But in fact the WHOLE COUNTRY was affected. Read 7:14-10:29. Fill in the table below with the following info:
What is the plague?
Where does Moses meet Pharaoh?
How do the Egyptians/Pharaoh respond?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
4. Read more closely 10:21-29. What is meant by darkness which can be felt?

5. Is it fair that Pharaoh’s heart is hardened?

6. What do the nine plagues teach us about who God is?
7. Is God’s power limited to events in nature?

8. Read Matthew 8:23-27. What does this little event teach us about Jesus?

9. Read Luke 16:19-31. What does this passage tell us about those who do not believe God even after seeing his works?
10. Do you believe that the events of this passage and the miracles are true? If you were there, would you have been a sceptic?
11. How would you answer the query which some people may come up with from this passage which states “How can you believe in a God who controls people’s responses?”

Pray that God would convince people by his Spirit, that Jesus has come back from the dead! Pray that people would see this great miracle of nature and believe.

Study #2 – Exodus 3-6

Here is study #2.

Please leave comments to encourage your brothers and sisters

Study 2

Or here tis in plain format:

1. What does your name mean? What would you have been called if you were of the opposite sex? What significance is the meaning of your name to you?

2. Read Exodus 3. How does God introduce himself to Moses? Why is this significant?

3. What is the significance of Moses taking off his sandals?

4. Why is God planning to save his people? How is he going to do it?

5. Why is Moses so reluctant to do what God says? Is this stubbornness the same as disobedience?
6. What is the significance of the name of God?

7. Why is the name they are to remember different from the name God gives himself?
8. Read Exodus 4:1-17. What makes Moses refuse to do God’s work, even with these signs?

9. What does 4:16 mean?

10. Read Mark 14:53-65. Why does Jesus’ answer to the question get the high priest so worked up?
11. Read Acts 3:1-10. With what authority does this healing take place? Does this mean that the name of God has been superseded?

12. In Christ, the fullness of the deity dwells. If Jesus is God, how should this change the way we live?

13. Being sent into this world in the name of Jesus is the task of a disciple. How often do you feel like Moses when confronted with this task? What can you do to change this?

14. How are we to do life in the name of Jesus? What does this look like in practice?
Pray, thanking God that his God-ness is now available for all to see in the man Jesus Christ.

Study #1 – Exodus 1-2

Hi guys

Here is the first study from the booklet (in pretty pdf format.

Study #1

Here is the study in not so pretty format:

1. Have you ever been stuck somewhere, unable to get out. How did you feel? What could you do?

2. Read Exodus 1. Why is it significant that the new king did not know Joseph?

3. What was Pharaoh’s plan? Did it work?

4. Read Genesis 12:1-3. How is God fulfilling his promises to Abraham?

5. Read Exodus 2:1-10. How do we see God at work in this event?

6. Read Exodus 2:11-25. Is Moses guilty of murder?

7. Moses had been born a Hebrew, but had grown up an Egyptian. Who does he see himself as? Who do others see him as?
8. Are there any good qualities in Moses at all?

9. Why did God choose to help his people?

10. Read John 8:31-36. What is our position with relation to sin? How able are we to help ourselves out of sin?

11. Read Romans 5:6-11. How are we described in this passage? What activities are done on our behalf by Jesus?

12. In thinking of sin, do you see people as powerless slaves? How does this change your attitude to them, or even to yourself?

13. In what way do you rejoice over your salvation? Is joy a natural part of your life?

14. Our slavery has been triumphed by the power of the cross. What would it mean for you to therefore live a cross centred life?

Pray, thanking God for saving us in the midst of our slavery to sin , even without crying out to him

Stay tuned for a discussion on this tomorrow

Mission – Good For All People

There is a misconception that mission is all about giving. Well, it is about giving, and indeed our hearts and thoughts ought to be to serve, rather than to be served. However, we are reminded by Paul that there is a helpful side aspect of mission which helps us:

4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Do you have any stories of mission being an act of service, and a helpful training opportunity for us as well?

Medieval Theme Ideas

Hey guys

What ideas do you have for costumes this year?

Friars?

Kings?

Princesses?

Knights?

What are your thoughts?