Teaching Series: Moses: Adventuring with God
Week 5:  Freedom comes
Date of Sermon:  9th February 2020
 

Icebreaker
 
(A volunteer may read this short story)
 
“Charles (not his actual name!) was leading a group from his Parish Church through the Holy Land. They had reached Galilee on a beautiful spring morning and they decided to stop their coach at a roadside food stand for a bite of lunch. Their request was met with a short response “No sandwiches”
 The group were surprised and disappointed, but the stallholder seemed to think they should have expected that refusal!  Then it dawned on Charles -  it was PASSOVER! There was no hope of getting bread then!”
 
There are countless public holidays, religious festivals and notable dates throughout the world, and the members of the group will have all sorts of different experiences to exchange.  Easter Day, Queen’s Birthday, New Year’s Day, Mothering Sunday, Christmas Day Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day to name a few. 
 
Q1 – Have you ever experienced a public holiday or religious festival from a culture that not your own? (Maybe when you were visiting another country or a friend who has a different tradition)
 
Study
 
Q2 - Do you find similarities between Christmas in UK, or Thanksgiving in USA and Passover?   (They are all family celebrations) How do you think Passover differs from the events you discussed?
 
The Passover is unique.  The key is that the Passover has two distinct functions. First historic and second current. It is an historic event faithfully recorded in the Old Testament, but it is also a re-enacted event which shapes the present Jewish nation every year.
 
Please read Exodus 12:1-36 together
 
In recent weeks we have been following the ups and downs of the treatment of the Jews at the hands of the Pharaohs. Now everything will be different. God is intervening and the Jews are to be given freedom from the Egyptians (see Ex 11:1; 12:40,41, 51) Let’s now look at some of the key features of the PASSOVER.
 
Passover – Unleavened bread
 
Q3 - Why are the Jews to use unleavened bread?      (see Ex. 12:33-34)
Q4 - What are the implications of this?  (see Ex. 12:43-45 it enabled the Jews to be easily recognised but it was divisive)
Q5 - What are succeeding generations of Jews to do with unleavened bread?  (Ex. 13:3, 10)
Q6 - What is the difference between leavened and unleavened bread? (12:17-20)
  
Please read 1 Corinthians 5:8
 
Q7 - As a result of this, for what is yeast used as a symbol? (hint: the Jews were encouraged to live leaven free bread  ie live sinless lives). What does that mean for us today?
 
Passover - A lasting ordinance
 
Q8 - What is the purpose of the Jews being required to hold regular commemorations of the Passover? (Ex. 12:14-16)
Hint: It reminds them that their God rescued them out of Egypt and is aimed at increasing their  trust in Him.
 
Q9 - How effective do you think this reminder is in practice? How does the commemoration come alive for succeeding generations? Does it reach in practice from the unleavened loaf to daily living?
 
Q10 - What commemorations do we have today and why are they so significant?
 
Passover – The blood around the door
After all the plagues there is one still to come. Please read Ex. 11 :1, 4-5. This slaughter may sound harsh to modern minds, but we have to bear in mind that they were given many chances to set God’s people free and in that context it looks like the only way out.
 
Q11 - How do you feel about these difficult passages in the Bible? (we must remember that the context is completely different to ours, it is a completely different world to the one we live in)
 
We need not study the regulations for the selection and slaughter of the lambs but the use of their blood is significant. They are called to do something with the blood to receive God’s deliverance, they are set free! Note the blood sprinkled is not like a sacrifice purchasing their deliverance. Rather it is God’s deliverance which is given to those Jews sheltering in blood sprinkled houses
 
Passover - Freedom
Q12 - What is the outcome for the Jews and the Egyptians?  (Ex. 12:50)
 
Passover - Lesson
Q13 - What lessons can we learn from Jews obedience and faith in the Passover?
 
“The essence of faith is the trust that obeys, and this was the point to which Israel came in Exodus 12. Knowing unmistakably how great was the power of the enemy, equally aware of their own weakness and helplessness, yet ready to pit all on bare obedience to the command and promise of God.” (Motyer)
 
PRAYER
Lord God Almighty, grant that we, who are sanctified by the offering of his body, may draw near with a full heart in full assurance of faith by the new and living way he has dedicated for us, and present our bodies a living sacrifice. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.  Amen