Grow Guide | Oct 5 and 9
Who We Are
Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29
Connecting Questions
What are your typical reactions to change and stress? How do you cope (in both healthy and unhealthy ways) when you feel overwhelmed?
Have you experienced being rescued, or witnessed someone else being rescued? Have you been the rescuer? What were those situations like for you?
Context
This week we continue with our worship series called “Who We Are,” but this Sunday we leave Genesis behind after spending four weeks focusing on the formative stories of creation, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, and Joseph. This Sunday we move into the book of Exodus, which continues to tell the story of the descendants of Abraham and Sarah, who increased in numbers into a nation of people called Israelites. In a story of miraculous redemption, they were led by Moses out of slavery in Egypt, then wandered in the wilderness for decades before entering the promised land. This Sunday we drop into the Exodus story at the tail end of one of the most significant events in Israel’s history, their escape from Egypt. Our reading begins after the ten plagues and the Passover, after which the Israelites fled and followed God’s pillars of cloud and fire toward the Red Sea. Yet as they approached the Red Sea, Pharaoh changed his mind about letting the Israelites go, and soon he pursued them with his army. What follows is the famous scene of God parting the Red Sea and allowing the Israelites to escape.
Look at the Book
(If you have time, familiarize yourself with the story of Moses and the Israelites by quickly skimming chapters 1-14 in Exodus.) Carefully read Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29.
Summarize the reading from Exodus 14. What happens? Who are the main characters?
What do you notice about water’s role in Exodus 14? What connections do you see between this story and the stories of creation and Noah in the book of Genesis?
Read vs. 11-12. How did the Israelites react when they realized Pharaoh was in pursuit? How have you reacted to stress and fear in similar ways in your own life?
Read vs. 13-14. How did Moses respond to the Israelites’ fear? What does his response teach us about trusting God in difficult times? What do you think of Moses’ words in vs. 14: “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still?”
How is God still fulfilling the covenant God made with Abraham and Sarah all the way back in Genesis 12? Remember the 3 promises God made to Abraham: descendants, land, blessing.
Taking it Home
Where do you see God working and fighting for God’s people today? In your life? At Easter Lutheran Church?
In what ways can we protect and fight for others?