Small Group Discipleship Class

Introductory Materials

Getting Started (Introduction to Reading the Scriptures) – If you are looking for more background to reading the Scriptures and piecing together the whole history and story of the Bible, these resources will help you get started.

Exodus Summary Video (Bible Project)

Exodus Guide Article (More In Depth, Bible Project)

January / February 2024 – Schedule and Details

Lessons

Below are the assignments to do ahead of time or in case you miss class. For each lesson, read the section and think about reflection questions. The “Classroom Discussion Guide” is meant for class time discussion , so you do not need to do these ahead of time.

Let’s Get Together: Face to Face with God in Prayer

1. “I Am Who I Am” – Meeting God in Prayer (3:1-4:17)

Read and Reflect: What has your experience been with face to face conversations? When is it necessary? Why do we sometimes avoid them? What happens if it is avoided? How do these questions also apply to our relationship with God? What did God teach Moses about his desire to have a face to face relationship with his people?

Key Verse: Exodus 33:11 So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

Moses1.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)

2. “Let My People Go” – Facing Conflict in Prayer (5:1-6:13)

Read and Reflect: Conflict develops in our physical and emotional relationships. This happens with the people closest to us. This happens in conversations within our own selves. Ultimately, this relates to our spiritual relationship with God. During times of conflict, why do you think a person might opt for a text or email rather than meeting for a face to face conversation? What tends to happen in such situations? How might this sort of experience also play out in our prayer relationship with God?

Key Verse: Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”

Moses2.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)

3. “Stand Firm and Watch” – Finding Stillness in Prayer (13:17-14:31)

Text Notes: After ten plagues upon Egypt, Pharoah reluctantly is forced to let the people go. They travel out of Egypt toward the great mountain, the sign where God is going to meet with them. Rather than leading them the shorter route where they would face other battles right away, God led them toward the Red Sea. In his madness, Pharaoh refused to accept defeat, and charged after the Israelites for the final showdown.
Read and Reflect: In times of crisis or danger, human instinct is fight or flight. In the story of the exodus, the Israelites are led by God to a dead end at the Red Sea. The water is on one side, and Pharaoh’s army is charging at them from the other side. What are some common human responses to situations where they feel trapped? Different experiences can lead you to process and respond to such situations in different ways? The story of the Red Sea is teaching that no matter the circumstances or how you got there, all situations relate to God and every moment of crisis or despair is meant to draw us closer to God.

Key Verse: Exodus 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.”

Moses3.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)

4. “What Is It?” – Praying for Daily Bread (16:1-36)

Text Notes: During the wilderness journey toward the Mountain, the Israelites face a series of three testings. Each time they face adversity, they respond with grumbling. In the second event, they come to the Wilderness of Sin (pronounced ‘seen’, not related to “sin” as corruption; prob related to Sin-ai, the Mountain). The response to their grumbling is that the LORD directs Moses to test them to see if they will walk in his instructions or not. 

Read and Reflect: A meal is a meeting with God. Sometimes children do not consider all the work and circumstances it takes to put a pleasant, healthy meal on the table. We have to learn by practice of prayer to be grateful and appreciate the work others do to make our lives sustainable. We have so much of our daily needs automatically provided for us that it becomes increasingly easy to complain. What are some daily events and circumstances that lead people to grumble? How is grumbling related to entitlement? When it comes to our relationship with God does God want us to learn dependence or independence? How does our “daily bread” experience mean to test us every day? Are we more grateful when we have more or less? How does this shape our prayers for daily bread?

Key Verse: Exodus 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Moses4.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)

5. “Forgive Us” – Interceding in Prayer (32:1-33:6)

Text Notes: Israel has reached Mount Sinai at last. As Moses journeys up to the mountain to meet with God, the people grow restless. As he delays for 40 days, the people craft a god to worship and they hold their own feast. This begins a series of  four intercessions by Moses.

Read and Reflect: Jesus teaches us to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those we sin against. Why do you think Jesus considers this prayer of forgiveness for others so necessary to include in our prayer life? In the story, the LORD’s wrath begins to kindle against Israel for their idolatry. Does our prayer of intercession change God’s mind? What about Jesus’ intercession?

Key Verse: Exodus 32:30 And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.

Moses5.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)

6. “The LORD, The LORD” – The Mystery of His Presence (33:7-34:9)

Text Notes: In this final meeting between the LORD and Moses, Moses is given the unique experience of experiencing the LORD’s presence.  There is a mystery to this whole story of Moses’ prayers and God revealing His name. This ends with the final prayer for forgiveness and for the LORD’s presence to “walk” in the midst of Israel. 

Read and Reflect: What are your own experiences about “getting to know” LORD’s presence and person? What remains mysterious to you? What are the difficulties of such mysteries when it comes to our prayer relationship with the LORD? What are the blessings of this mystery?

Exodus 33:19 “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

InsertFile.pdf (Classroom Discussion Guide)