GROWING ON YOUR OWN Week 1: Hang Out With God/Studying Scripture/Bible Memorization 1. LEADER PREPARATION

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1 GROWING ON YOUR OWN Week 1: Hang Out With God/Studying Scripture/Bible Memorization This includes: 1. Leader Preparation 2. Lesson Guide 1. LEADER PREPARATION LESSON OVERVIEW Moses was called to bring God s people out of captivity and into the Promised Land. He was bold enough to ask to see God s face. God responded by asking him to stay near the cleft of a rock to get just a glimpse. How do we put ourselves in a situation to see a glimpse of God? Hanging out with God, reading Scripture, and memorizing Bible verses are three HABITS that can help us do this. LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: God wants to speak with us and hear from us. 2. WHY: Teenagers may feel intimidated to pray honestly or dive into Scripture, but that s the kind of relationship God wants to have with us. 3. HOW: Students will be encouraged to spend time with God by reading the Bible and praying the words back to God. PRIMARY SCRIPTURE Exodus 33:11-23 SECONDARY SCRIPTURES Psalm 91:1 4, 103:7; Philippians 3:8-10; and Hebrews 13:5 6 TEACHING PREP The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. While you may not want to convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you ll definitely want to refer to it in your own preparation for the lesson. This lesson launches our three-part series on the HABITS, an acronym for six disciplines that can help students (and adults) grow spiritually: Hang Out With God, Accountable Friendships, Bible Memorization, Involvement Within the Church Body, Tithing, and Studying Scripture. We ll explore the HABITS by spending time looking at the life of Moses. Warren Wiersbe writes that while others watched things happen, Moses made things happen. He knew God s ways (Psalm 103:7) and prayed for God s presence to go with Israel. Moses could not pray on the basis of Israel s obedience to the Law, but he could plead the grace of God. Christians today can be sure of God s presence because God has promised to stay with us (Hebrews 13:5 6). Many Christians pray, Show me your way, but not many pray, Show me your glory. No man can see God in fullness and live, but God can reveal some glory. God did that for Moses in the secret place of the Most High (Psalm 91:1 4). 1 Read Exodus 33: Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1991). With the word Bible commentary (Ex 33:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2 Moses requested a greater perception of God s essential being than he had previously experienced. This would also enable him to serve God more effectively in view of the altered relationship (v. 18). No one could view God directly and live. As our bodily eye is dazzled, and its power of vision destroyed, by looking directly at the brightness of the sun, so would our whole nature be destroyed by an unveiled sight of the brilliancy of the glory of God. 2 Moses did receive a greater revelation of God even though it was a limited revelation. This revelation helped Moses fulfill his duty as a mediator by giving him a greater appreciation for the person of Yahweh. This is what all the leaders of God s people need (Philippians 3:8 10). (T)hough Yahweh does indeed come to Moses in theophany, what he gives to Moses is quite specifically not the sight of this beauty, his glory, his Presence that, indeed, he pointedly denies. What he gives rather is a description, and at that, a description not of how he looks but of how he is. 3 THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional] Text Message Questions We ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students prior to your meeting. Feel free to use one, some, or all of the questions below. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry. Parent Dear parents, Do you and God chat like best friends? Let s talk about it tonight at small group. Are you missing obvious signs from God? Be at small group tonight. We began a new series in our small groups this week on HABITS that can help students (and adults) grow spiritually: Hang Out With God, Accountable Friendships, Bible Memorization, Involvement in the Church, Tithing, and Studying the Scripture. We ll explore the HABITS by spending time looking at the life of Moses. This week, we used Exodus 33 as the key passage, a terrific picture of God s love for us even if we re not so sure about our relationship with God. Moses was struggling with what God s plan was going to require of him, but God reaffirmed a deep love for Moses. This is a terrific reminder that God is not intimidated or frustrated by our doubts. Instead, God remains faithful to us while helping us gain a true picture of who he is. When talking with your child this week, I d encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences on developing good habits in life particularly spiritual habits. And don t be afraid to discuss the challenges of overcoming bad habits especially since your student is probably already aware of them! Encourage your teenager to develop good spiritual habits, as these will truly make a difference for eternity. If you re looking for some questions to launch the conversation, consider these: We don t grow spiritually without God s help, but God also doesn t work in our lives if we aren t willing to grow. What percentage of the responsibility for spiritual growth is yours? What percentage is God s? 2 Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Ex 33:17). Galaxie Software. 3 Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Ex 33:17). Galaxie Software.

3 What are some of the differences between having an open, honest relationship with God and an open, honest relationship with other people? What are some similarities? Why was Moses so hungry to experience God in a deeper way? Thanks for your continued prayers for our small group ministry. Have a great week!

4 GROWING ON YOUR OWN Week 1: Hang Out With God/Studying Scripture/Bible Memorization 2. LESSON GUIDE GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional] Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then SAY SOMETHING LIKE: For the next few weeks, we re going to look at one of the most interesting characters in the Old Testament. Moses had led God s people, the Israelites, out of slavery in Egypt, and one day he asks for a greater understanding and revelation of who God was. How often do we seek that in our own lives? This week, we re starting a new series focused on some HABITS that can help us grow spiritually on our own and have a stronger friendship with God. Hanging out with God, reading Scripture, and memorizing Bible verses are three HABITS that can help us do this. If you came up with an opening activity, movie clip, or game that worked well with your group, and you d like to share it with other youth workers, please us at products@simplyyouthministry.com. TEACHING POINTS The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen here are (1) Believe God is here for you, (2) Speak honestly with God, (3) Hunger for God, and (4) Watch for God. Remember: All throughout these lessons, it s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you use, and (2) the wording of the main points keep ours, or change the wording to make it clearer for your audience. Read Exodus 33:11-23 together as a group. Consider allowing one or more of the teenagers to read the text. SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let s take some time to look at some ideas that can help us grow closer to God through these HABITS. 1. Believe God is here for you SAY SOMETHING LIKE: There are two powerful statements in Exodus 33:11-12 that are important for us to consider. Verse 11 says that the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend, and in verse 12 Moses acknowledges that God said, I know you by name, and I look favorably on you. Believing that God is here for you helps you value the experience of hanging out with him in prayer and spending time in the Bible. Exodus 33:12 says God knew Moses by name and looked favorably on him do you believe that s fundamentally true for you, too? Why or why not? When, if ever, have you sensed God looking favorably on you?

5 2. Speak honestly with God SAY SOMETHING LIKE: As we see in verses 13-17, Moses isn t so sure he can believe God. First he says, If it is true. He heard God say he s here for him, but he still has doubts. Then Moses says, If you don t. Again, despite God s promise to go with them, Moses wonders whether God is trustworthy. Instead of God condemning Moses for his doubt or lack of faith, God reassures him. Speak honestly when you pray God not only wants to hear from you but also wants the truth from you. Why is it sometimes a struggle to pray honestly to God? On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being extremely comfortable, how do you feel about talking to God about any topic? Using the same scale, how comfortable would you feel with God talking to you about any topic? How might studying Scripture and memorizing Bible verses help you speak more honestly to God in prayer? 3. Hunger for God SAY SOMETHING LIKE: You have to love Moses boldness in verse 18. He declares, Then show me your glorious presence. Moses wanted an experience of seeing the very heart of God. The Hebrew word translated glory describes weightiness and substance, not a flimsy quality many associate with the term glory. Moses wanted the full experience of God, and we can hunger for God in the same way. Don t settle for a bite hunger for more. By this point in his life, Moses had already seen God speak through a burning bush, watched God deliver the Israelites from captivity, and met with God on Mount Sinai. But he still seems hungry to experience God in an even deeper way what creates a hunger for God in you? How can you develop and feed your hunger for God through reading the Bible and memorizing verses? If you decided you wanted a deeper experience with God, how would you go about it? What does depth look like in a relationship with God? 4. Watch for God Video Clip [optional] God is ready to guide us, but are we ready to receive his guidance? In this scene from the movie Bruce Almighty (rated PG-13), Bruce prays for a sign from God, but he s completely oblivious to the actual road signs telling him to stop. Bruce prays for a miracle but then rams his car into a light post. He yells at God for not doing his job. Start the clip at 0:21:00, as the car drives across a bridge. Stop the clip at 0:23:30, as Bruce returns to his wrecked car. Why did Bruce miss the obvious signs? When have you asked God to give you guidance about a decision or choice? How did God respond or answer? Tell us about that experience.

6 Is it appropriate for Christians to ask God for specific guidance, or does God want us to just know what to do by reading the Bible, going to church, and living a Christ-like life? Explain. How might the process of waiting for God change as you grow spiritually on your own? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: When we look at Exodus 33:19-23, instead of criticizing Moses for his lack of faith, God says, I will. When you pray, be on the lookout for God and all God is doing in you and around you. Sometimes God will become evident in a very obvious way, and sometimes this happens through quiet, discreet moments. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional] How can the HABITS we re talking about hanging out with God, studying Scripture, and memorizing Bible verses help you take greater ownership of your faith? How do they help you grow on your own? What are some of the differences between an open, honest relationship with God and an open, honest relationship with other people? What are some similarities? If someone asked you how to talk with God, what would you say? If someone wanted advice on how to have a closer relationship with God, what would you say? How do you feel if you go for days or weeks without hang time with God, and why? APPLICATION Pair up with another person in the group for these questions. When did you most recently have a real conversation with God? What things do you tend to talk about most when you pray, and why? We can spend time with God and communicate with him in a variety of ways, including praying, journaling, writing a poem, drawing, reflecting on nature, and so on. What means of communication helps you connect with God best? Work with your partner to memorize this week s memory verse, and focus on asking God what it means. Then pray the words back to God. This simply means incorporating the words of this passage into your prayer. SUMMARY End your small group lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or takehome challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place during the lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the teaching and discussion time.

7 FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ (Philippians 3:8).