05 - The Jealousy of the Lord

Exodus 4:18-31

The jealousy of the Lord demands blood, but through sacrifice comes redemption.

1. God’s Jealousy Demands Blood (vv. 18-26)

   1. The Firstborn of God

   2. The Firstborn of Moses

2. Through Sacrifice Comes Redemption (vv. 21-26)

   1. Sacrifice of Pharaoh’s Firstborn

   2. Sacrifice of Moses’ Firstborn

   3. Sacrifice of God’s Firstborn

Discussion Starters

Monday—Do you think of the Lord’s jealousy as something for your advantage or as something to be afraid of?

Tuesday—Who’s the hero of this story? Who’s the villain? Who do you identify with?

Wednesday—Why was it necessary for blood to be spilled to redeem Moses?

Thursday—What does it look like to walk the path Jesus walked for you? How can you die to yourself?

Friday—Is the Lord’s sacrifice on your behalf a comfort or a challenge? Why or why not?

How Should We Pray?

Monday: How are we shaped by God’s priorities? What are those priorities? (v. 9)

Tuesday: What are the hurdles or distractions that keep you from a habit of prayer? Why is gratitude the key to growth? (v. 10; 12)

Wednesday: How does prayer reveal our maturity? What areas suffer lack of growth because of hesitation to pray?

Thursday: In which direction for you does prayer feel like labor; a chore or a labor of love? How can we grow in mirroring Paul’s and Christ’s love for the Church?

Friday: Consider the connection of prayer and liberty from the domain of darkness. Do you pray to grow through affliction or to escape affliction? How should our redemption and forgiveness of sins affect our prayers?

Saturday (Bonus): Think back. What “beloved fellow servant” do you thank God for teaching you about his grace? In whose life might you be that beloved fellow servant?

04 - Comfort & Confrontation (Exodus 4)

Sermon Notes

God comforts and confronts our prideful doubts to drive us to trust his resources

Exodus 4:1-17

I. God Comforts (vv. 1-9)

II. God Confronts (vv. 10-17)

III. To Trust His Resources (vv. 1-17)

Discussion Starters

Monday—Why does Moses object to the calling of God? What do his excuses have in common?

Tuesday—How does God comfort his people when they doubt? How does he confront their pride?

Wednesday—How did Jesus model right priorities? What drove him to forgo earthly riches and comfort?

Thursday—What does God mean that how you handle the small things will be how you handle the big things? Why does he talk about loyalty when he addresses money?

Friday—Do you struggle with priorities? Where do you spend too much time? Where do you need to spend less time?

03 - The Name of God (Exodus 3)

Exodus 3

God reveals himself for the salvation of his people.

1. A Personal God (vv. 1-8)

2. Revelation through a Mediator (vv. 9-13)

3. For His People’s Salvation

4. The Name of God

Discussion Starters

Monday—What does it mean that the Lord has revealed himself personally?

Tuesday—Why was Moses unwilling to go back to Egypt? What insecurities does he demonstrate?

Wednesday—How does the Lord’s form of appearance speak to his character? Does he always appear like that?

Thursday—Do you think of God in personal terms, or do you view him as impersonal? Why or why not?

Friday—How does this passage affect how you view the third commandment? What does it mean to take his name in vain?

Waiting (Psalm 69)

The unfailing love of your heavenly Father is what gives you confidence that pain will not have the final word for you.

1. The Certainty of Suffering (vv. 1-15)

   1. Like Death and Taxes (vv. 4-5, 19-21)

   2. Friendship with God (vv. 6-12)

   3. A Prayer for Rescue (vv. 1-3, 13-15)

   4. A Prayer for Justice (vv. 4-8, 22-29)

2. The Certainty of Glory (vv. 13–36)

   1. The Confidence of Restoration (vv. 14-15, 34-36)

   2. Based in Love (and Justice) (vv. 13, 16-18, 22-29)

   3. Based in the Work of Jesus (vv. 4, 19-21)

3. The Pain of Waiting (vv. 3, 9-12, 30-33)

   1. Where We Struggle (vv. 3, 13)

   2. Zeal for Our Father’s House (vv. 9-12, 30-33)

   3. A Table in the Presence of Enemies (vv. 22-29)

Discussion Starters:

Monday—Have you ever had a hard time where time seemed to just slow down and drag on? How did you feel during that time?

Tuesday—Why is it impossible to be friends with God and the world? Why does the world treat God’s people with contempt?

Wednesday—Is God’s justice a good thing or a bad thing? How can it be scary? How can it be a comfort?

Thursday—Why is God’s love meant to be a comfort for his people? How does his love shape your understanding of the future?

Friday—Why is waiting so hard? What can help you while you wait to find comfort and hope as you face the pains of this life?

Our Struggle Against Sin (Hebrews 12:1-17)

Because God loves us, he disciplines us.

1. Why Discipline? (vv. 1-4)

   1. The Danger of an Undisciplined Life

   2. The Many Forms of Discipline (vv. 1-4)

2. The Heart (vv. 5-17)

   1. The Motive of Discipline (vv. 5-11)

   2. Responding to Discipline (vv. 12-17; 1 Timothy 5:20; 1 Corinthians 11:31)

   3. Look to Jesus (v. 2)

Discussion Starters

Monday—Have you ever prayed for patience? What happened? What should you expect if you pray for righteousness?

Tuesday—What is the danger of raising a child without discipline? Where does a lack of discipline lead? Are you grateful or resentful for your parents’ discipline?

Wednesday—What are some different forms that discipline takes? How do you tend to respond to adversity? To a friend’s correction? What do you think when you see the church exercising discipline?

Thursday—Why does God discipline his children? What would it mean for us if God stopped disciplining us? Would that be an act of love?

Friday—How do you respond to correction? Does your response encourage or discourage others from speaking into your life? Where is the Lord calling you to grow in this regard?

01 - The Faithfulness of God (Exodus 1)

God is faithful to his promises even when he makes it look like they won’t be fulfilled.

1. The Faithfulness of God

   1. Faithfulness in the Past (vv. 1-7)

   2. God Uses Normal Means (vv. 1-14)

   3. God Uses Surprising Means (vv. 15-20)

2. Promises Under Attack (vv. 8-22)

   1. Ruthless Oppression (vv. 8-14)

   2. Secret Genocide (vv. 15-17)

   3. Public Genocide (v. 22)

   4. God Arranges Life so that We Have to Trust Him

Discussion Starters

Monday—How do you know God is faithful? What past promises has he fulfilled?

Tuesday—Why do we have confidence he will continue to be faithful? What promises are we still waiting for him to fulfill?

Wednesday—Have you ever doubted that God would be faithful to you? What normal or surprising means is he using in your life to show you his enduring faithfulness?

Thursday—Does God still sometimes arrange circumstances to make it look like his promises are failing? How do we typically respond? How should we respond?

Friday—How can you encourage others to trust in God’s promises? What role do you have to play in God’s fulfilling of his promises?