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Accepting Responsibilily: Call Sealed With Promise
Accepting Responsibilily: Call Sealed With Promise
Accepting Responsibilily: Call Sealed With Promise
ACCEPTING
REsPONSIBILIlY
----~--~
B. LESSON BACKGROUND
In Exodus 3, God called Moses to be his messenger. Moses was to pro
claim to the Israelites and to Pharaoh that God intended to free the Israelites
from bondage Qast week's lesson). Moses' initial response was self-doubt: KEY VERSE
"Who am l?" 0: 11). Moses then received the assurance of God's presence. Aaron told them every
Moses' ability was not the main issue. thing the LORD had said to
Moses then asked what he should call God. After revealing the divine Moses. He also peifomled the
name and nature, God gave Moses specific details about his mission signs before the people.
0: 13-21). Moses responded with doubt that the Israelites would believe -Exodus 4:30
...
LESSON 2 NOTES him (4:1). God answered by empowering Moses to perform three signs
Moses'reselVations.
Scholars are divided over the exact cause of Moses' concern. Does he
have a speech impediment? Does he lack powers of persuasion? Is he worried
about knowing what to say? Or has Moses lost fluency of speech after being
WHAT Do You THINK? separated from both the Egyptians and Israelites for 40 years (Acts 7:29, 30)?
What is the difference be In Acts 7:22, Stephen suggests that Moses grew powerful in wisdom and
tween giving an excuse and speech at a young age. This casts doubt upon the speech impediment theory.
raising a legitimate concern Moses' failure to convince fellow Israelites to stop fighting may support
when asked to do something? claims that Moses is not very persuasive (Exodus 2: 13, 14). On the other
How do we keep from fool hand, God's response in Exodus 4: 12 (below) seems to focus on the content
ing ourselves in thinking our of Moses' speech. So it is difficult to know for sure what Moses has in mind.
concern is legitimate when It may be a combination of two or more issues.
it's not?
B. EXCUSE OVERCOME (w. 11, 12)
I 11. The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf
I or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
God is aware of Moses' speaking ability or lack thereof. Yet God-as-Creator
I has power over all human abilities and senses. He opens and shuts mouths,
I ears, and eyes. In fact, Moses would not even exist had God not opened the
. wombs of Moses' foremothers Sarah and Rebekah. Surely Moses' speaking
problem is not an obstacle to the almighty Creator!
Shockingly, it is as though Moses has forgotten to whom he is speaking.
The bush continues to bum without being consumed (Exodus 3:2), and
I Moses stands barefoot with shielded face out of reverence for God's awe-
I inspiring presence (3: 5, 6). Yet somehow Moses forgets whom he is dealing
! with or, more appropriately, who is dealing with him.
Such forgetfulness is all too common in the church today. "We can't pio
neer this ministry; it will cost too much." "We can't witness in that part of
the city; it's not safe there." "We can't give X percent; we wouldn't be able
to make ends meet." "Our kids can't do that in school; what would their
teachers and classmates think?" We may be tempted to think that excuses
like these stem from a humble assessment of our own (in)abilities and limita
tions. But is that really the issue?
LESSON 2 _ _ _405 _____Ju~EI4,2009
God teaches us in this verse that such excuses are the result of focusing
on self rather than God. To know the God of Moses is to know a power who
knows no bounds. As we cannot serve both God and money, so also we can
not fear both God and Pharaoh. Moses has to make a choice, and so do we.
EMPOWERED TO COMMUNICATE
The vital nature of communication leads society to try to make continual
This involves teaching sign language to babies who are too young to use much
Visual for Lesson 2. Point
spoken language. to this visual as you ask,
More than 20 years of research have shown that children who are 6 months "Why is it not wise to engage
old can learn sign-language skills in 8 weeks. At age 12 months, the typical child
i
in a tug-ofwarwith God?"
in the program is said to be able to use 2S signs and 16 spoken words, compared
'Aith 1 to 3 spoken words for children in a control group. Not surprisingly, one
mom says the sign that her 18-month-old son uses most is the one for more. The
child had been empowered to communicate something that the parent does not
God's spoken instructions to Moses were quite clear to him. However, this was
not a message Moses wanted to hear, as evidenced by the fact that he immediate
ly tried to maneuver out of his daunting assignment. At times we may feel over
whelmed by the task thatJesus sets before us in Matthew 28: 19, 20. When we
are tempted to say "Let so-and-so do it; he's more persuasive than I am," may
God's words to Moses ring in our ears: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes
him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
" -co R. B.
12. "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
If Moses possesses some kind of speech impediment, God makes no
promise to heal it. God reveals no intention of "fixing" Moses to make him
better. Instead he promises to go with Moses and teach him what to scry. God
doesn't need the perfect spokesman who can present his message flawlessly
without divine help. God wants humble servants who will allow God to work
in their lives despite their imperfections.
Notice also that God does not simply take over Moses' mouth. God rejects
How TO SAY IT
the path of divine ventriloquism. To go this route would reduce Moses to the Aaron. AIR-un.
status of puppet. God has respect for his creatures. He has made us in his glossophobia.
image and wants us to grow spiritually in that regard. So God promises to gloss-uh-FOE-bee-uh.
teach Moses what to say. God is not merely conveying a message, but is form Guyana. Guy-A-nuh
ing a leader through whom he will later form other leaders. (A as in map).
Churches today have much to learn from God's way of working with Jacob. JAY-kub.
Moses. Though we may never experience it quite as Moses did, God wants to Jethro. JETH-ro.
!
Levi. LEE-rye.
!
work with us. God's Spirit does not overpower Christians in ways that eclipse
our unique identities. He works in and through us in such ways that we grow
levitical. leh-VIT-ih-kul.
up in our salvation (l Peter 2:2).
Moses. MO-zes or MO-zez.
Since this is how God works with us, then we ought to do likewise with
Rebekah. Reh-BEK-uh.
others. For churches to truly honor the priesthood of all believers (l Peter
Ukraine. IOu-CRANE.
2:4-9; Revelation 1:6), then church leaders must find healthy ways to encour ventriloquism.
age the formation of every member. This means giving "undeserving" people ven-TRIH-luh-kwi-zum.
sufficient power and opportunities both to succeed and to fail. When we
relinquish attempts to control absolutely, others may grow as our heavenly
Father desires them to.
..
this sense-and only this sense--does Aaron function as Moses' mouth and
Moses as Aaron's God. Moses does not function for Aaron in this way be
cause of anything "godlike" in Moses. He does so because God makes his will
so clear to Moses that to listen to Moses is to hear God. This is why Moses is
. later considered Israel's greatest prophet (Deuteronomy 34: 10).
But God will not work with Moses alone. He will also guide Aaron's
mouth. This brings up a natural question: Why not bypass Moses and use
only Aaron? Scripture does not tell us directly, but we see a certain pattern
in how God works throughout Scripture. God is not a replacing God, but
LESSQN 2 4_OL__.. __ . ---liiNE 14 ,_2D09
WHAT Do You THINK? contrast, apparently saw himself as accountable to no one but himself How is
Recall the time when it leadership accountability handled in your church? -co R. B.
took you the longest to say
yes when God asked you to B. EXPLANATIONS (w.28-31)
serve. Why did it take you 28. Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also
that long? about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.
Apparently, God has given Aaron only sparse details about what has
happened, so Moses fills him in on the rest. Moses also explains about the
miraculous signs God has given to validate the message. These signs include
turning a staff into a snake and inflicting leprosy. Aaron's silence implies that
he fully submits to God's will; note Aaron's silence in Leviticus 10:3.
29, 30. Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and
Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the
signs before the people,
Moses and Aaron gather Israel's leaders as directed (Exodus 3:16) and per
fonn the signs God has specified. It is interesting to note that even though the
Israelites are enslaved in a foreign land, they take the initiative to develop their
own leaders. This helps Israel maintain her identity on foreign soil.
This is the first reference in the Bible to the leaders of the Israelites as el
ders. We may safely presume that they are the leaders of whatever clans exist
PRAYER at this time. The word elders is used dozens of times in the Old Testament in
PoweJjul God, please in this regard. The New Testament, for its part, uses this important word to de
crease ourfaith. Teach us to scribe certain church leaders, but definitely not in a "heads of clans" kind of
esteem you so highly that we way.
do not underestimate what 31. . .. and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned
you can do with us. Give us about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
such big dreams Jor your As God foretold in Exodus 3: 18, the people believe. Not only has
kingdom that we are not God been preparing Moses to lead Israel, but God has prepared Israel to
paralyzed by the smallness receive his leadership. These are the same people who have cried out to
oj our own abilities. In Jesus' God in anguish (2:23). They have cried in faith that God will act. Now
name. Amen. Moses and Aaron return perfonning signs and declaring God's intent to
, deliver them.
The people respond by bowing to God with worship. Moses had feared
that the people would focus on him and find him to be lacking. Instead, they
focus on God and find him to be more than sufficient. God is again teaching
Moses that this mission is not about Moses. Rather, it is about God.
Leaders today must learn from Moses. It's not about us either. It never is
and never will be. One might object that in real life experience it is often very
much about the human leader. There are some churches in which members
hang on the preacher's every word; the preacher responds by striving to cul
tivate an impressive public persona and seeking to deliver dazzling sennons
that keep people returning. Godly leaders, however, will direct attention away
from themselves and toward God. They will exhort the people to adore God,
not his messengers (see 1 Corinthians 1:12, 13; 3:21-23).
CONCLUSION
It must have been liberating for Moses to discover that God's mission was
not about Moses. The God who resolved to free Israel took full responsibility
for convicting Israel to leave, for forcing Pharaoh to release them, and for em
powering Israel to march out. Moses was God's instrument. It is interesting
...
Discovery Learning
Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At the
hack of this hook are reproducihle student pages to further enhance activity learning.
INTO THE LESSON Say, "Being the wrong person means you don't
Place copies of the reproducible puzzle "Word feel your skills, knowledge, or personality are a
Exodus" from page SOlin chairs for students to good match for what God is asking of you, even
work on as they arrive. though you can see that the task needs to be done
DUring your lesson preparation, reflect on a (this was Moses' issue). On the other hand, you
time in your life when you were challenged to ac may feel that you are the right person for the job,
cept a responsibility for which you felt somewhat but the timing doesn't seem to be right for that
or entirely unsuited. Be ready to share that story panicular task (compare Haggai 1:2)." As students
with the class. Reflect on why you felt so unsuited make comments or share parts of their stories, note
or unsuitable: was it the nature of the task itself? their insights on the board. Make a transition to
personal shoncomings? unique circumstances? the Bible study by noting that God doesn't make wrong
timing of the event? The more humorous the ac choices.
count, the more open your learners will be to share
similar stories. INTO THE WORD
To begin class, write Unsuited for the Task on Divide the class into three groups; if your class
the board. Share your story of when you felt un is small, use pairs. Write Exodus 4:10-16 on the
suited for a task. Next, form the class into groups board. Provide each group with paper and pencil.
of no more than five. Ask each student to share Instruct the groups to read the passage and discuss
(within the group) a time when he or she was why Moses' felt that he was unsuited for God's call.
faced with an "unsuitable moment." Encourage Ask groups to note especially those comments that
everyone to share a story, but give permission to would indicate that Moses felt he was the wrong
"pass" for those uncomfortable with doing so. You person for a task that was indeed wonhy.
may wish to announce ahead of time (via your After a few minutes, asks students to share
class's e-mail list, etc.) that you will be doing this. thoughts. You will need to decide whether it is
That will allow each student a time of thoughtful best to open the floor to any and all thoughts that
reflection in advance. students want to share, or if you have time only for
After this time of intragroup sharing, write these thoughts from spokespersons of the groups. Use
two phrases on the board: Right Task, Wrong Person the Lesson Background, etc., to add insights.
and Right Person, Wrong Timing. Explain that when Next, write Exodus 4:27-31 on the board. Read
God challenges us with a task, we may find our that text to the class. Say, "In spite of Moses' reluc
selves confronted with one or both of these doubts. tance, what was the result of doing what the Lord
JUNE 14,2009 410 ACCEPTING RE~PONSIBILITY
called him to do?" Allow the class to give answers. pIe who readily accept at first, but later on began to
Make the observation that Moses served God in doubt their abilities or the validity of the call.
spite of initial reluctance, and God brought about Ask your students to give reasons they have ever
the deliverance of his people as a result. heard (or used) for questioning a call to serve God
Consider using a film clip from such movies as in a certain way. Write responses on the board.
The Ten Commandments, Moses, or the animated Then ask students to form pairs so they can share
film The Prince of Egypt in addition to reading the personal concerns in this area and pray for one
text. The clip can introduce the Bible portion of the another regarding an excuse for not fulfilling God's
lesson, or it can be used after the discussion. call. (Option: Ask couples to pair with others.)
Provide students a list of ministry opportunities
INTO LIFE within your church. Allow time to reflect on the list
Explain that some of us have had figurative , to see if any of the tasks create a burden on any
"burning bush" experiences already; these were one's heart. If time is short, this can be a take-home
times when God's call was very evident. Some exercise. Distribute copies of the reproducible activ
readily accept the call; some hesitate and resist; and ity "Commitment Card" on page 501 as another
some downright refuse. There are also cases of peo take-home activity.