Seeds of Faith Podcast

The text for this lesson is Mark 1:1–13.

Key Point

• Jesus takes on our sin at His Baptism, facing our temptations that we, in turn, might be baptized into His goodness, His holiness, and His purity. In exchange for our sewer of sin, He gives us the fountain of life.
• Law: I must confess and repent of my sinful condition because I am a lawbreaker who fears, loves, and trusts things above God.
• Gospel: The baptized Jesus took down the devil for me by fearing, loving, and trusting His Father above all things.

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Discussion Points

1. We are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. But Jesus is “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Why is Jesus baptized?
2. Although Mark mentions Isaiah, only the quote in verse 3 comes from this prophet (40:3). The part in verse 2 comes from Malachi 3:1. The prophet Malachi is known for his proclamation of the messenger who will prepare the way of the Lord. Based on that knowledge, why does Mark begin his Gospel this way, omitting the infancy narrative of Jesus and going straight to John the Baptist?
3. What was the purpose of John’s Baptism? What were the people doing who came out to be baptized by him? What does it mean to repent and confess?
4. Read 2 Kings 1:8. What is the significance of this garb and diet? See Malachi 4:5–6 and Matthew 17:10–14 for more.
5. What is the significance of Mark 1:7?
6. What does it mean that Jesus was driven into the wilderness immediately after His Baptism and tempted? What benefit and comfort does this provide us?
7. Read Luke 12:50 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. Does this give you more insight into why Jesus was baptized? What happens to us when we are baptized?
8. What does it mean to “remember” our Baptism? How do sponsors help us with that, and how do we as sponsors help those who are baptized to remember their Baptisms?

The text for this lesson is Luke 2:1–20.

Key Point

• The Son of God became what we are, human, to make us what He is, a child of the heavenly Father. Furthermore, He revealed where He is to be found: in His Word and Sacraments.
• Law: As a child of Adam, I try to turn God into my own image and look for Him in all the wrong places. Born in sin, I have lost His image.
• Gospel: In Jesus, I receive more than I lost in Adam. I am a new creation; Christ is in me, restoring God’s image through Word and Sacrament.

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Discussion Points

1. Have you ever experienced a time when something inconvenient or downright upsetting interfered with or disrupted what seemed to be a vital event in your life? Did you see later how God worked mercy and grace through that situation, in spite of the turbulence? Or does it remain a bitter or distressing memory for you today?
2. Has there ever been a time when you felt very insignificant, but God blessed someone through your kind words or act of love? How does God take our simple and imperfect work and make it His own perfect work of mercy?
3. Read Micah 5:2. The Savior is to come out of Bethlehem of Judah, but Mary lived in the Galilean town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26–27), as did Joseph. What happened that they ended up in Bethlehem, right at the ninth month of Mary’s pregnancy? If you have a map of the first-century Holy Land, see how far the journey is. What kind of a journey would this have been at that time for a woman nine months pregnant?
4. Luke mentions two historical figures external to the immediate action of Jesus’ birth. Who are they? Why does Luke mention them? What contrast is being made between these rulers and Jesus?
5. Luke mentions, seemingly only as an aside, that there was no room in the inn (2:7). But what is the significance of the fact that no room could be found for Jesus and His family? Read Luke 10:25–37. Contrast this story that includes an inn with the account of Jesus’ birth.
6. What is the significance of shepherds being the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth? For whom is this “good news of great joy”?
7. Notice the contrast in the statement of Luke 2:11–12. The Savior, Christ the Lord, is born in the city of David, and yet the sign by which He will be recognized is that He will be lying in a manger! How does this contrasting statement reveal God to us?
8. What is the response of the shepherds to the message of the angels (vv. 15–16)? How is this like the responses of others who were visited by angels whom we have studied in earlier lessons?
9. Read Luke 2:14 again. Where is this sung in the liturgy? What does the angel mean when he says, “Peace among those with whom He is pleased”? When is this part omitted from the liturgy?
10. Read 2:17–20 again. What are the different reactions by the various parties to the events of that night? What does this teach us about our own response of faith to the Word of God?
11. What are some ways that we acknowledge the presence of Jesus in our own lives, even though we are separated by more than two thousand years from His birth? How is Jesus “born” in our hearts? How are we reborn into Jesus Christ?

The text for this lesson is Matthew 1:18–25.

Key Point

• Just as the angel proclaimed to Joseph that Mary would bear an infant who is the Son of God, the Savior, so God proclaimed to us in His Word that this same Jesus is our Savior from sin and death.

Law/Gospel Points

• Law: Relying on my own eyes and my own senses, I trust what is false and do not trust Christ as God’s Son, my Savior.
• Gospel: God’s Word gives me the truth that Jesus is Immanuel, God with me as my Savior.

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Discussion Points

1. Have you ever heard or observed a situation in which an acquaintance, friend, or family member appeared to have done something wrong, only to find out later that you misunderstood the situation? What warning does God give us about such assumptions in His Commandments?
2. Joseph is described as a “just” man (Matthew 1:19). What is the response of this just man to finding his betrothed already to be with child before their marriage? Read Deuteronomy 22:23–24. What could Joseph have done to Mary, according to the Law? How does his justice coincide with mercy?
3. Does the reason for Mary’s pregnancy given by the angel make sense apart from faith? What could have been the different reactions of Joseph to this news from the angel? Does hearing this reason by itself make Joseph any more comfortable with or pleased by this situation? What does give Joseph comfort in the midst of this situation?
4. Compare the announcement made by the angel to the prophecy quoted by Matthew. What is most noticeably different about them? How does the name Jesus further explain the name Immanuel? Read Isaiah 59:15–21. How does this relate to the discussion about “God with us” and “Savior”?
5. When Joseph woke from his sleep, what did he do? Did he obey all the words of the angel, or just part of them, or just the intent of the words? Or did he just agree in his heart but then do something different?
6. Before the visit from the angel, Joseph was considering Mary’s pregnancy and his options for divorce. The angel’s message nullified all of his presuppositions and previous considerations so that God’s plan of salvation would be carried out. What does this teach us about God’s plan for us in the face of difficult decisions and situations? Where do we go to hear the Word of God and the assurance that He is working out His salvation for us?
7. On the first page of this lesson, under the “Liturgy” heading, the O Antiphons were mentioned. What are the O Antiphons? What do they have to do with the announcement of Jesus’ birth?
8. We have talked much about the name Jesus, and especially its connection to the name Immanuel. Can anyone think of an aspect of Jesus’ name that we have not mentioned so much yet? See Revelation 14:1 and 22:4 for a hint.

The text for this lesson is Luke 1:26–38.

Key Point

• In the womb of Mary, Jesus, the Son of God, became a man so that we sinful people might become adopted children of God and share in the inheritance of heaven.

Law/Gospel Points

• Law: I am sinful at birth, sinful from the time of my conception, and thus spiritually dead.
• Gospel: God’s Son, Jesus, was born sinless in order to take my sin upon Himself and redeem me.

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Discussion Points

1. Think of a difficult or seemingly impossible situation you have faced in life, whether physically or emotionally straining. How did Christ work in your life to see you through it?
2. What are your impressions and thoughts of Mary? Is it easy or difficult to identify with her? Have you ever thought the Church pays too much or not enough attention to her?
3. How does Gabriel address Mary? What “title” does he give her? Does Gabriel give any indication why he calls her this? What is Mary’s reaction to this greeting?
4. Read Isaiah 7:14. Compare this with what Gabriel says to Mary in Luke 1:31. What are the similarities and differences you see in these accounts?
5. Read 2 Samuel 7:12–16 and Isaiah 9:6–7. Compare these with Gabriel’s description of the rule of Jesus (Luke 1:32–33). Of whom do the prophets speak in these Old Testament passages? How does Jesus fulfill all these things that are promised to David?
6. How will Mary conceive and bear a son while she is still a virgin? What is the significance of Jesus being born without an earthly father?
7. How does Mary respond to this annunciation? How is this an example of faith? What are some ways that we can express this faith in our own vocations?
8. In the catechism, we confess, “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person.” How are these truths taught in this passage from Luke? What does it mean for us that Jesus is both true God and true man?
9. Gabriel tells Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (v. 37). How is this confession a comfort to us today? What does it mean for us in our daily responsibilities and activities and in those difficult and trying times of illness, sorrow, or conflict?

The text for this lesson is Exodus 19:1–20:21.

Key Point

• The Law kills, but the Gospel revives. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Law/Gospel Points

• Law: The Ten Commandments define God’s Law.
• Gospel: Jesus defines God’s love in His incarnation and in His suffering and death for my sins.
• Law: Jesus summarized the Law as perfect love for God and perfect love for my neighbor. In sin, I think I can keep the Law and save myself.
• Gospel: Christ fulfilled the Law perfectly for me.
• Law: I daily sin much.
• Gospel: I daily have God’s forgiveness because of Christ, His Son.

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Discussion Points

1. In his Large Catechism, Martin Luther says, “Now we have the Ten Commandments, a summary of divine teaching about what we are to do in order that our whole life may be pleasing to God. Everything that is to be a good work must arise and flow from and in this true fountain and channel” (LC I 311). How do the Ten Commandments shape and guide your life and your daily decisions and actions?
2. Read Exodus 19:1–9a. Note especially what God tells Moses to speak to the Israelites in verses 4–6. What is the message of the phrase “I bore you on eagles’ wings”? See Deuteronomy 32:10–11; Psalm 103:1–5; and Isaiah 40:28–31; 63:9. As a result of God’s gracious salvation, how are His people supposed to respond, according to Exodus 19:5? What titles of honor does God bestow on His people, and what do these titles mean? See Hebrews 6:19–7:3; 1 Peter 2:9–10; and Romans 12:1–2.
3. Read Exodus 19:9b–25. Why did God instruct His people to prepare for meeting Him by purifying themselves and getting ready for the third day? Why did He place a boundary around the mountain and warn the people not to go up on the mountain? How is God’s command not to go up on the mountain an act of mercy? See also Genesis 3:22–24; Exodus 33:19–20; and Isaiah 6:1–5.
4. In Exodus 19:16–20, how did God reveal Himself to His people? How did the Israelites react to God’s awesome presence on the mountain? See also Exodus 20:18–21. According to Moses, what test did God give them? Is there such a thing as healthy fear of God?
5. . Read Exodus 20:1–19. In this context, how does God give the Gospel before He gives His Commandments (Law)? After God gave His First Commandment (Exodus 20:3), how did He explain and elaborate on it in verses 4–6? What does it mean that God is a “jealous God” (v. 5)?
6. How does God come to meet us in the Divine Service? How does He “tone down” His awesome, holy glory so that we can survive in His presence?
7. . Read through the Ten Commandments (in Exodus 20:3–17 or in the Small Catechism), and ask yourself these two questions: (1) How do these Commandments show me my sin? and (2) What gift does God protect in each commandment? Write your answers in the chart on the next page.
8. How well does God want you to keep His Commandments? See Matthew 5:20, 48 and James 2:10. Can you possibly keep God’s Commandments perfectly? See Romans 3:23; Psalm 14:3; Galatians 3:10–11; and 1 John 1:8. What help and rescue does God give us in keeping His Commandments? See Galatians 4:4–5; Luke 2:21; Matthew 3:15; Galatians 3:13; and John 1:17.

The text for this lesson is Luke 1:5–25

Key Points

• God provided John the Baptist to proclaim that the promised Savior had come. God provides pastors to proclaim that Jesus is our Savior from sin and death.

Law/Gospel Points

• Law: Through my first parents, Adam and Eve, I inherited the curse of sin.
• Gospel: God sent His own Son to reverse the curse of sin.
• Law: Because of sin, I deserve to die.
• Gospel: Jesus Christ died for my sin so that I could live in Him.
 

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Discussion Points

1. If you had an incurable disease, and doctors kept promising that a cure was soon to come, how long would you wait for that promised cure? How would you react when that cure was finally made available?
2. How can you receive your pastor as if he were John the Baptist?
3. Read Malachi 3:1–4. How does this Old Testament prophecy prepare for the coming of John the Baptist? How does it prepare for the coming of the Savior?
4. Read Malachi 4:5–6. How does John both follow in the office of Elijah and fulfill that prophet’s work?
5. Look again at Luke 1:5–7. Why does Luke mention the priestly lineage of Zechariah and Elizabeth (and hence John)? What does it mean that Zechariah and Elizabeth “were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord”? How would other people have viewed Elizabeth in her barrenness?
6. Look again at Luke 1:8–17. When the angel Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist, he tells Zechariah who John is and what he will do. How will John give joy to more than just his own parents? Why is it important that John “must not drink wine or strong drink”? What will be the hallmark of John’s prophetic work?
7. Look again at Luke 1:18–25. Why did the angel Gabriel make Zechariah “silent and unable to speak” until after John’s birth? How do you think the people would have reacted to Zechariah’s delay in coming out of the temple and to his silence? Why did Elizabeth seclude herself for five months after she became pregnant with John?
8. In Old Testament worship, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, whereas all priests served in the Holy Place, where Zechariah offered incense, that is, conducted morning and evening prayers. According to Hebrews 4:14–16 and 9:24–26, who is the High Priest for Christians? Who, then, serves as priest in the Christian “holy place”? See 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 12:1–2; and Colossians 3:12–17.
9. When the angel Gabriel foretold the birth of John, God answered Zechariah’s prayer. However, we also know that “the kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer.” God sent John, and later Jesus, not because of Zechariah’s prayer, but by His grace and mercy. When we pray “Thy kingdom come,” how does God’s kingdom come to us?
10. The angel Gabriel said that John the Baptist would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16). This is Old Testament language for “repentance.” During this time of Advent, how can you turn to the Lord your God in repentance so that you can rejoice in the birth of Christ and His salvation?
11. After the angel Gabriel silenced Zechariah, he said that the good tidings he brought from God would “be fulfilled in their [proper] time” (Luke 1:20). How can you learn to wait quietly for God’s “good tidings” to be fulfilled at the proper times in the circumstances of your life? Perhaps meditating on these verses will help: Lamentations 3:25–26; Hosea 12:6; Micah 7:7; Romans 8:23–25; Psalm 37:7; and Psalm 46:10.

The text for this lesson is Exodus 16–17.

Key Points

• In Christ, God feeds us with the manna of His Word and the water of His forgiveness, satisfying our eternal hunger and quenching our spiritual thirst.
• Law: In sin, I am lost, hungering and thirsting for what I cannot have.
• Gospel: Jesus Christ, the living bread and living water, satisfies my spiritual hunger and thirst.
• Law: My attempts to satisfy myself with all good things cannot fill the void sin creates in my life.
• Gospel: Christ—by His suffering, death, and resurrection—fills me to overflowing with His life-giving grace and mercy.

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Discussion Points

1. How do you worry about the many things that you need to support this body and life? How does your worry manifest itself as grumbling or complaining?
2. In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther comments on the First Article of the Creed, which discusses God creating us and providing everything we need in this earthly body and life. Luther makes this startling claim: “This article ought to humble and terrify us all, if we believed it” (LC II 22). How does it humble you to believe and know that God “richly and daily provides [you] with all that [you] need to support this body and life” (Small Catechism, First Article of the Creed)?
3. In Exodus 16:1–3, what led the Israelites to grumble against Moses and Aaron? How was this really an affront to the God who had graciously rescued them from bondage in Egypt?
4. Now read Exodus 16:4–12. How did God show grace and mercy to His people despite their faithless grumbling and complaining? How did He promise to provide daily bread for His people throughout their wilderness wandering? Also see Exodus 16:35–36. According to Exodus 16:4 and 12, what message was God’s gracious provision supposed to send to His redeemed people?
5. Read Exodus 16:13–30. What instructions did God give to His people for gathering and enjoying His gift of daily bread? How did the Israelites again show their faithless disregard for God and His gracious promise? See especially Exodus 16:20, 27–29.
6. In Exodus 16:31–36, how did God testify that His manna should lead His people to worship and trust Him? How does this passage prepare us for our true, eternal living bread, Jesus the Christ? See John 6:31–35, 49–51.
7. Read Exodus 17:1–7. About what did the Israelites grumble and complain against Moses (and God) this time? How did Moses confront them with their sin? How did God respond to the grumbling? How does this episode point us to Jesus Christ? See 1 Corinthians 10:4
8. Read Exodus 17:8–16. How does this story show God’s gracious provision for His people? How might this story give us a preview of Jesus Christ and His work on the cross?
9. The Israelites are quite often a good picture of us, even as we are the new Israel of Christ’s Church. How do we grumble and complain about the things that God gives to support our body and life? What does the New Testament say about such grumbling in Philippians 2:14 and James 5:9? How does God continue to provide for us despite our unbelief, worry, and complaining? See Matthew 6:25–34 and Philippians 4:4–13.
10. How may having an abundance of daily bread tempt us to ignore God and His merciful blessings? How does contentment with God’s gifts of daily bread help us focus on and trust in our gracious God? See 2 Corinthians 9:8 and 1 Timothy 6:6.
11. . How is Jesus Christ our bread from heaven? See John 6:26–27, 47–51, 53–58. How is He the water that quenches our thirst? See John 4:13–14. How does this help you see the spiritual significance of your daily meals? How does this help you hunger and thirst for the Lord Jesus as He comes to you in His life-giving body and blood?

The text for this lesson is Exodus 13:17–15:21.

Key Points

• As God saved the Hebrews through the water of the Red Sea, He saves us through the washing of water in Holy Baptism, conquering Satan, our greatest enemy.
• Law: Satan and his forces fight against me, pushing me to sin and ultimately causing death.
• Gospel: God fights for me and saves me from sin, death, and Satan.
• Law: waves of this sinful world surge around me and drain me of life.
• Gospel: The waters of Holy Baptism bathe me clean of sin and grant me life eternal.
• Law: Thinking that I know better than God, I grumble against His plans for my life.
• Gospel: Jesus Christ took my grumbling, sinful discontent to the cross, conquering it once and for all.

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Discussion Points

1. Does freedom mean that we get to live and act in any way we choose? Why or why not?
2. Take a moment and think of your favorite hymn. What about the hymn (music, words, etc.) makes you like it as your favorite? What makes it a great hymn for singing God’s praises?
3. In Exodus 13:17–22, the Israelites begin their long journey out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. How did God lead them so that they would not wander aimlessly through the wilderness?
4. Read Exodus 14:1–14. The Lord had freed His people by mighty acts of deliverance, especially in the final plague and the Passover meal, but Pharaoh changed his mind about letting his slaves go free. How did the Israelites respond—what did they say to Moses—when they saw Pharaoh’s strong army pursuing them? How did Moses try to console and strengthen them?
5. Read Exodus 14:15–31. How did God prevent the Egyptians from overtaking the Israelites? Discuss how God parted the waters in verses 21–25 and led His people through them. How did He thwart the efforts of the Egyptians to chase and capture the Israelites?
6. Read Exodus 15:1–18. Here we have an example of a great biblical hymn. As you read through this hymn celebrating God’s salvation at the Red Sea, ask yourself these questions: Of whom does the hymn sing? Of what does the hymn sing? How does retelling the story of God’s saving deeds make it a great hymn?
7. Read Exodus 15:19–21, especially focusing on Miriam’s song. How did Miriam and the women sing of God’s salvation?
8. Read 1 Corinthians 10:1–4. How does St. Paul apply the exodus story, specifically the crossing of the Red Sea, to us as Christians?
9. Read Titus 3:5–8 and 1 Peter 3:21–22. What great promises do you find in these passages to help you treasure your Baptism and to give you great comfort when you face your own sin?
10. When God liberated His people from Egyptian bondage, they were not free to go and make a new life by themselves or for themselves. Instead, they were free to follow the God of grace and mercy! Read Romans 6:1–11. In our Baptism, from what have we been set free? How do we live in this freedom? Also see Romans 6:20–22.
11. Read or sing the first two stanzas of the hymn “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer” (LSB 918; LW 220; TLH 54). Discuss how it applies God’s mighty deliverance in the exodus story to our lives.

The text for this lesson is Exodus 11–12.

Key Points

• Christ is our Passover Lamb, whose blood was shed for our salvation.
• Law: Blinded by sin, I refuse to see the reality of sin and the death it brings.
• Gospel: God gives me proof of His grace: blood on the doorpost and Christ on the cross.
• Law: My sinful reason keeps me from believing that the blood of God’s Son is my only hope for salvation.
• Gospel: The Savior grants me faith to believe against all reason that He has suffered and died for me.
• Law: As a sinner, I fear death.
• Gospel: In Christ, I look forward to eternal life; death is no more.

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Discussion Points

1. Think of and discuss a ritual meal, such as Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, Easter dinner, or even a special meal to celebrate a birthday. What kinds of foods do we associate with each ritual meal? What connection does the food have with the meaning of the occasion?
2. In Exodus 11:1–3, God instructed Moses to have the Hebrews ask for silver and gold from the Egyptians, and He “gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.” Why did God choose this means of providing for His people? How would the Israelites later misuse this gift of God’s provision in Exodus 32:1–6?
3. After one last time in Pharaoh’s presence, Moses “went out from Pharaoh in hot anger” (11:8). What accounts for Moses’ final and severe response to Pharaoh (see 11:9–10)?
4. Read Exodus 12:1–14. Focus on the details of the lamb itself and what the Israelites were instructed to do with the lamb. Now read 1 Corinthians 5:7. In the chart on the next page, look up the Bible passages in the right-hand column to see how our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the details and the use of the Passover lamb listed in the left-hand column.
5. In Exodus 12:14–28, God establishes the Passover meal “as a statute forever” that God’s people are to keep “as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations” (12:14). We can also see how God Himself established this meal of deliverance as a liturgical act and celebration. Note the specific directions given as to the time of the year, the specific days, and how to observe the feast (12:15–20). According to 12:24–27, how was this “Passover liturgy” supposed to be handed down to future generations?
6. Why did God choose to strike down “the firstborn” of the land of Egypt? See Leviticus 27:26; Genesis 22:2, 13–14; John 3:16–18; and 1 John 4:9.
7. Why does Moses, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, record the number of years that the Israelites lived in Egypt in Exodus 12:40–42? See Genesis 15:13.
8. 1 Corinthians 5:7 gives the best meaning of the Passover story for us Christians: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” Because of Jesus Christ, how has death “passed over” us that we may live? See Romans 6:3–11; 2 Timothy 1:8–10; and Romans 5:10.
9. In the Passover story, we see God delivering His people from their bondage in Egypt and giving them a meal with which to celebrate that deliverance. Discuss how the Lord’s Supper—the Christian’s Passover meal—is our meal of deliverance. How does it actually deliver us from our bondage to sin, death, and the devil? How is it a celebration of the deliverance that God gives in His Son, Jesus Christ? See Matthew 26:17, 26–28; Luke 22:7, 14–20; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 11:23–26; Hebrews 9:11–14, 22; and John 6:53–57.
10. The quote that your leader will read comes from a homily of the Early Church pastor Melito of Sardis (ca. AD 190). Listen to it and discuss how the overall story of the exodus, as well as the Passover itself, is only a prelude to the ultimate exodus/Passover that Jesus accomplishes for us.

The text for this lesson is Exodus 5–10.

Key Points

• Through a series of horrific plagues, God punished the Egyptians for their sinful treatment of God’s people and freed His people from bondage. Through His horrific suffering and death on the cross, Jesus takes the punishment for our sin and frees us from sin’s bondage.
• Law: I am self-loving rather than God-loving.
• Gospel: In His Word and Sacraments, God turns my heart to love and trust Him.
• Law: On my own, I see no need for God in my life or world.
• Gospel: Christ suffered and died for my sin and enables me to see that He is the one I need most in this world.
• Law: Sin leads me to think I am in control of my life.
• Gospel: In His love, God acts to bless me, taking control of my sinful life with His grace.

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Discussion Points

1. In Deuteronomy 32:39, God says, “I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand.” Why would God, the God of life, kill or wound? How may we compare this to a surgeon who must cut a patient’s flesh in order to bring healing?
2. In Exodus 5, the battle begins! In 5:1–2, what did Moses and Aaron command Pharaoh to do, and how did Pharaoh respond? In 5:5–14, how did Pharaoh increase the burden on the Israelites? In 5:15–23, how did the Israelites respond to the burden placed on them by Pharaoh?
3. Exodus 6 has two main parts. In the first part, 6:1–13, how did God encourage Moses and urge him to continue his task? In the second part, 6:14–30, we read the genealogy of Moses and Aaron. Why is this important?
4. Bible scholar Charles F. Pfeiffer wrote this about the ten plagues: “From one viewpoint the plagues were a chapter in Moses’ contest with Pharaoh; from a second viewpoint they represent the challenge of Yahweh to the gods of Egypt” (Old Testament History, p. 156). Exodus 12:12 and Numbers 33:4 give biblical support to this claim (see also Exodus 18:11 and Isaiah 19:1). Read over the chart your leader gave you to see how the true God of Israel used the various plagues to defeat the Egyptian false gods. Why does God set His people apart from the plagues beginning with the fourth plague (Exodus 8:22–23)?
5. Exodus 9:12 gives this very startling conclusion to the sixth plague, the plague of boils: “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them.” Why would the all-merciful Lord God harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not listen to Moses and Aaron? To answer this question, trace the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart through the first nine plagues. Read in order Exodus 5:1–2; 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 34–35; 10:1, 20, 27.
6. In 1 Corinthians 10, the apostle Paul refers to the Israelites coming out of Egypt and says that these things “were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (10:11). How can the story of Moses and the ten plagues instruct us to (a) be prepared for God to defeat our false gods, and (b) confess our own hardness of heart toward God?
7. When God separated His people from the plagues, He literally “set a ransom/redemption” between His people and the Egyptians. What “ransom/redemption” does God set between us and our foes of sin and death? See Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; and Ephesians 1:7. See also Psalm 103:10–12.