Bible ReadingExodus 3:1-12 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
[15:05]When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
[15:05]Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
[20:54]But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
[22:40]Exodus 4:10-13 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
[24:07]Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
[25:00]But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”
[25:12]Matthew 9:36-38 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
[34:29]Acts 7:22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
[33:01]Observation questions- What details in Exodus 3 show that Moses was living an ordinary, settled life before God called him?
- What did Moses do when he noticed the bush was burning but not consumed, and what did God tell him to do before speaking further? [15:05]
- In Exodus 3:7-10, what words does God use to describe His awareness of Israel’s suffering and His plan for them? [20:54]
- What progression can be seen in Moses’ responses to God—from “Who am I?” to concerns about speaking, to “Please send someone else”? [25:12]
Interpretation questions- God tells Moses, “I will be with you,” rather than first giving Moses confidence in himself. How does this answer change the meaning of Moses’ question, “Who am I?” [22:40]
- Moses had palace experience in Egypt and wilderness experience in Midian. How might both seasons have prepared him for the particular work God gave him? [29:20]
- Moses remembered rejection, fear, and failure when God called him back toward Egypt. Why can past wounds make God’s call feel threatening, even when God is present and leading? [22:40]
- Jesus sees people as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, and calls for workers. What does this reveal about the kind of people God calls His followers to notice and serve? [34:19]
Application questions- Where can you see God’s fingerprints in your own story—through family, opportunities, hardships, education, work, or relationships? Is there a season you once saw as wasted that God may still use for His purposes? [30:26]
- Moses was comfortable with his routines in Midian, even though God had more for him to do. What routine, comfort, or fear of change may be making it difficult for you to respond to God’s direction? [10:21]
- Holy ground called Moses to stop, listen, and recognize God’s presence. What distractions or pressures most often keep you from giving God undivided attention, and what is one realistic way you could create space to listen this week? [15:48]
- When you face a need that feels too large, do you tend to say, “Who am I?” or “Send someone else”? What specific inadequacy or excuse do you most often bring before God? [26:41]
- God hears the cries of oppressed and suffering people. Is there a burden in your own life that you need to bring honestly before God, or a person whose suffering God may be calling you to notice more carefully? [21:36]
- Jesus says the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. What is one practical adjustment of time, attention, or routine that could allow you to serve someone in your church, neighborhood, workplace, or family? [35:34]
- Moses was eighty years old when God called him into a new season of purpose. How does Moses’ story challenge the idea that you are too young, too old, too inexperienced, or too far past your failures for God to use you? [36:16]
