There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.  “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” (Exodus 3:2-3)

It was amazing. Can you imagine?

God called out to Moses, and confirmed who He was — the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The one true God (YHWH) had “certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt.” He continues:  “I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land.” (vv. 7-8)

Then Moses invented some excuses…

First, he thought he could not lead people.

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

Then, he thought he needed something else:

13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
14 God replied to Moses, “I  AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.
This is my eternal name,
 my name to remember for all generations.

God gives Moses the great promise of success: God would be with him.

This man of God would lack no good and necessary thing!

That reminds us of the great words from the band U2:

What you don’t have you don’t need it now
What you don’t know you can feel it somehow
What you don’t have you don’t need it now
Don’t need it now
What a beautiful day
—U2, Beautiful Day

Questions to Share:

1. What is the great promise Moses received from God?
2. WHEN GOD CALLS, HOW DO YOU RESPOND? // Have you ever sensed God calling you to do something difficult? » What was it? (How did you follow through?)
3. What activity will you do this week that requires courage?

Our memory verse this week is EXODUS 4:12:

“Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

Previous weeks Scriptures were:

• Philippians 2:13: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
• 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Next week: ELIJAH (1 Kings 18)

Hey everyone,

Over the next four weeks we are going to take the opportunity to look at the story of Daniel. In it we will obtain principles for our lives on how we are to inhabit the world we live in.

This Sunday we will look at how when we are intentional in our faithfulness and obedience, as the Lord is faithful to us. (Daniel 1)

In week two, we will look at how the Lord make us influential in the lives of those around us. (Daniel 2)

In week three we will look at how when we are indivisible in our community; together we can stand against the afflictions of this world. (Daniel 3)

Finally, we will look at how when following the Lord is ingrained in our everyday lives, the struggles of this world aren’t as difficult to face. (Daniel 6)

Sermon in a sentence:

• Daniel 1 — “Even in our darkest hour, when we remain faithful to the Lord, He remains faithful to us. “

Questions:

1. How do you feel like an outsider at times in your life? When and where?
2. How do you act because of feeling like an outsider?
3. Are you being faithful to God in this action? Why or why not?

We’re received questions about relationships:

• How do you help a friend who is struggling?
• How do I get along with my siblings?
• I have a friend who likes someone who I think is rude.  Should I tell her, or should I just leave the issue alone?

And on Christian living:

• Why does God want us always to forgive? Isn’t it sometimes too bad to always forgive?
• What did you make me for?  What is my purpose?
• How can I hear God talking to me?

Questions about God:

• Who created God?
• [Asking God] Why did you make Satan if He knew that he would become the devil?
• [Asking God] How do You know all?
• Why don’t You do stuff like the burning bush anymore?

And serving:

• What are some things that I can do as a home school student to serve God?
• What are more ways to serve God and others?

There are also questions on doctrine and theology:

• What age do babies automatically stop going to heaven?
• What is it like in heaven?
• When will the world end?

And many other questions showing the students’ curiosity:

• Was Solomon really the smartest man ever?
• Will you wash away my sins?
• I believe in God, but sometimes I am afraid that I will go to hell.  How can I be sure that I won’t?
• When you pray for something, does it come true?

Today we taught the middle schoolers about the life of Peter, the close friend of Jesus who vowed to never leave His side, and then buckled under the pressure. Peter betrayed Jesus for temporary security, and even denied publicly he ever knew Him. We’re just like him.

We’ve all experienced betrayal from a close friend, and it hurts so deeply. What if we are the one who has betrayed the trust of another? Like Peter did. What if the one we betrayed was God Himself? Is there any hope for us? Like Peter, there is grace and truth, which can satisfy our longings to change, and because Christ is who He is, we can become who He calls us to become. Like Peter we are loved. Like Peter, we can be made new.

Jesus chased after Peter and restored him. Read all about it in John 21.

1. When have you needed to say “I’m sorry” to a close friend? (Did you apologize? How did it go?)
2. Why is it hard to admit our mistakes and follow through — to apologize?
3. In what area of your life do you want to be ‘made new’?

On Sunday we continued our study through the Gospel of John (‘The Face of God’) as Ben taught from John 17. Here we see Jesus praying in the Garden the night He was betrayed and went to the cross. He is envisioning the future of His followers, and praying for them. There’s best life is in view, and He of course knows we will wrestle with our fears and desires. We desire to be free from fear (from pain and regret), and we fear losing what we desire.

Ben asked us three great questions:

1. Describe your idea of a “perfect life.”
2. What do you think Jesus wants for your life?
3. How do these two match up?

The student’s card pictured above notes an honest assessment. Oftentimes what we want most in life is not what God wants for us.

Why do you think that is? does He want less joy for us?

1. What sticks with you from the message today?
2. How are we all like sheep?
3. What do you enjoy most about Jesus being our Good Shepherd? (Is it hearing His voice, or being protected, or led into the good life?)

This woman was drawing water from a deep well in the heat of the day as Jesus enters the scene. He knows how this well symbolizes her personally misery. She is an outcast in society, having sought the affection of five men and found no rest for her soul. She was thirsty for love, and Jesus came to satisfy her with a new hunger and thirst for righteousness.

We are just like this woman, in that we turn to a whole list of things to fill the needs in our hearts, only to be disappointed every time. The more we turn to these God-replacements, the longer the list gets. For this lady it was one man who failed her, and another, and the cycle was repeated over and over (five men in all). For teen boys the list can be all our video games, and for girls it can tend to be the attention of boys.

The list gets longer and longer … we move from one thing to the next … until we stop at the place of our misery and wait for Jesus there.

Only in waiting will we find Him there; He longs to satisfy us.

Notice how Jesus offered her grace and a new start at the well. He came to rescue her from her co-dependency on horrible God-substitutes. He met her in her place of misery and became her Savior. When we have met Jesus in our place of misery (not just once, but every day) — when we’re anxious, confused, angry, tired, bored, rebellious, scared, or forgotten — we now have a story of how Christ has been enough for us. Only then can we lead others to Him. He has met us there and is changing our hearts. As long as we pretend everything is fine and turn to our secret list of sins, we will see no life change, and continually come up thirsty. Jesus offered this woman “living water” which will never run dry. She will never thirst again. As you and I turn to Christ every day, we find this same Living Water able to satisfy our depends longings and hurts.

Wait for Him at the well; He will find you there. Drink of His living water ’til you’re full.

Discussion questions:

1. When has Jesus met you in your place of misery? What happened?
2. To what things, places, or people do you tend to turn when you are anxious, bored, scared, or feel forgotten? How are those empty God-substitutes for you?