Opening Prayer Led by Group Facilitator

Psalm 78: 1, 40-54

Pray the Psalm together aloud, alternating verses between two sides.  When finished, share reflections on the Psalm as a group

1  Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

40  How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!

41  They tested him again and again, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42  They did not keep in mind his power, or the day when he redeemed them from the foe;

43  when he wrought his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the fields of Zo’an

44  He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.

45  He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.

46  He gave their crops to the caterpillar, and the fruit of their labor to the locust.

47  He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost.

48  He gave over their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts.

49  He let loose on them his fierce anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels.

50  He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.

51  He struck all the first-born in Egypt, the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52  Then he led forth his people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53  He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54  And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

The Justice of God

Exodus 11

1.       In Genesis, God creates over the span of 7 days. In Exodus, God frees Israel over the span of 10 plagues. What does this tell you about God’s intentions, plans, and execution? What might be the purpose of such a lengthy and gradual mission? What is the long-range mission of your leadership of your own family?

2.       What is the perception of the people among the Egyptians? What is the perception of Moses in the sight of the Egyptians? How can “perception” profit the mission of the people of God? How have you experienced “perception” aiding your “mission”?

3.       How is this last plague related to Exodus 1? How does God’s divine justice inform your execution of justice?

4.       In Exodus 11:8, Moses “went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.” What pushes Moses to “hot anger”? Is his anger righteous? What pushes you to “hot anger”? Is your anger “righteous”? Where does Moses take his anger? Where do you take yours? How can anger be used to advance a mission? How can anger interrupt the progress of a mission?

Resolutions

Choose a resolution for this week from the suggestions below or make your own.  Tap on a resolution to email it to yourself:

1.    I will compose a first draft of my own “mission statement.”
2.    I will schedule time to discuss with my wife the “mission” of our family.
3.    I will schedule one hour to pray about 1-year and 5-year goals for my family.
4.    I will ask two friends to share with me how others “perceive” me.
5.    I will read James Chapter 1 in the Bible, and ask God for whatever next steps He has for me in handling anger.
6.    I will ask my wife how we as a couple might improve our handling of anger in our relationship.

Previous Resolutions - Exodus 7

Prayer Partners

Discuss with your prayer partner the success/failure of your previous resolution & offer a vocal prayer for one another.