The Wilderness Test. Theological Theme God s goodness is expressed through His sustaining grace toward His people.

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1 SESSION 5 The Wilderness Test Summary and Goal According to the apostle Paul s admonition, we are to learn from Israel s example in the wilderness. Like Israel, we too are sojourners who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, who have crossed over to the other side by grace, and who are now on the way to the promised land. In this faith journey, in our wilderness, God is sanctifying us and teaching us to trust Him, love Him, and follow Him. Main Passages Exodus 17:1-7 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 Session Outline 1. Do we believe we deserve God s provision? (Ex. 17:1-2) 2. Do we believe God is good? (Ex. 17:3-4) 3. Do we believe God is with us? (Ex. 17:5-7; 1 Cor. 10:1-6) Theological Theme God s goodness is expressed through His sustaining grace toward His people. Christ Connection Moses struck the rock instead of the people, and water flowed for the people s salvation. Jesus is the Rock who was struck for our salvation, the Rock whose living water satisfies us forever. Missional Application God calls us to testify to His goodness in providing for us. Date of My Bible Study: LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.

2 Session Plan The Wilderness Test Introduction Option As group members arrive, provide them with a copy of Psalm 95 (available on the Leader Pack DVD). Ask them to read it and make notes about how the psalmist described what happened at Massah and Meribah. Before you begin with the Introduction, allow group members a moment to share their notes. Say that this event is the subject of today s study from Exodus 17. You will follow up with this option during the Conclusion. For Further Discussion What are some blessings in life that we often feel entitled to? Pack Item 2: The Exodus Map The following locations are mentioned in the Scripture passages and possible sites are noted on the map, if you wish to highlight them: Rephidim (Massah and Meribah) Horeb (Mount Sinai) Introduction Begin with the idea of education that comes through Wilderness University. Please make sure extent of education is not used to elevate some or belittle others (leader p. 58; PSG p. 46). What are some ways we receive an education informally, or apart from schools and universities? What are some life experiences that teach us things we cannot learn elsewhere? Set the context for Exodus 17, and then summarize the session (leader p. 58; PSG pp ). 1. Do we believe we deserve God s provision? (Ex. 17:1-2) Read Exodus 17:1-2. Say that the example of the Israelites here is one we must not follow. They expressed a sinful attitude of entitlement, first, by demanding water (leader p. 59; PSG p. 47). When was the last time you grumbled about a situation in your life? How is grumbling related to a sense of entitlement? Second, they complained about God s provision. Highlight the natural response to complaints anger (share the writer s story with his children [leader p. 60], or share one of your own). But God still showed mercy in providing for their needs. Explain how complaining is a serious sin and how thanksgiving should be our response instead (leader pp ; PSG p. 48). Do difficult circumstances cause us to have wrong attitudes and actions or do they merely reveal wrong attitudes and actions? Explain your answer. 56 Leader Guide Winter

3 2. Do we believe God is good? (Ex. 17:3-4) Read Exodus 17:3-4. Show how the people s complaint was questioning the goodness of God in their deliverance from Egypt. In trials, we too are tempted to question God s goodness, but we must hold on to God s goodness in making us like Christ (leader p. 61; PSG p. 49). God intended to train and form His people during their time in the wilderness. In what ways might God be training you as you walk through difficult times? Explain our faith in God s provision because He has already provided for our greatest problem through Jesus death and resurrection God is good (leader pp ; PSG pp ). We all grumble and complain. How does adding the words against the Lord after grumble or complain change our view of this attitude? 3. Do we believe God is with us? (Ex. 17:5-7; 1 Cor. 10:1-6) Point to examples that show the presence of God being a major theme in Exodus; then ask a volunteer to read Exodus 17:5-7. The Israelites doubted God s presence among them, but in providing water from a rock, God proved His faithful presence once again (leader pp ; PSG pp ). Can you think of a parallel between God s provision of water for complaining Israel and a specific provision He has made for you when you were grumbling? How did God s provision affect your attitude? Next, ask a another volunteer to read 1 Corinthians 10:1-6. Connect the rock struck for water with Christ struck for our salvation. Highlight three ways we should apply the truths in this story (leader pp ; PSG pp ): First, trust in God s providence for your daily needs. Second, trust in God s Son for your deepest needs. Third, offer living water to the thirsty. Point to Jesus example of this with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 (leader p. 65). How should the portrayal of God s mercy in Exodus 17 impact the way we show mercy to others? Conclusion Emphasize Jesus as the only Rock who gives us living water; so our mission is to point the world to Him for salvation (leader p. 65; PSG p. 53). Apply the truths of this session with His Mission, Your Mission (PSG p. 54). Point 2 Option Share the Leader content on how Psalm 73 can help us combat the temptation to doubt God s goodness (leader pp ). Then ask groups of 2-3 to discuss the following questions: How can an eternal perspective help you trust in God s goodness in a specific circumstance in your life? What impact should an eternal perspective have on our mission? Conclusion Option As a follow-up to the Introduction option, ask group members to return to their copy of Psalm 95 and highlight the ways we should respond to God ( let us ) and why ( for ). Allow a moment of reflection and response. Then ask: How should we understand rock of our salvation (Ps. 95:1) in light of today s Bible study? Christ Connection: Moses struck the rock instead of the people, and water flowed for the people s salvation. Jesus is the Rock who was struck for our salvation, the Rock whose living water satisfies us forever.... Missional Application: God calls us to testify to His goodness in providing for us. 57

4 Expanded Session Content The Wilderness Test Voices from Church History After [the Red Sea crossing], Moses, by the command of God, whose providence is over all, led out the people of the Hebrews into the wilderness that [He] might root out the evils which had clung to them by a longcontinued familiarity with the customs of the Egyptians. 2 Clement of Rome (circa ) Introduction What s your educational background? Perhaps you have a PhD or a master s. Maybe you stopped after an undergraduate degree, saying, That s enough! Maybe high school, or maybe you never finished high school. (Several men in my family have little formal education, but they re incredibly intelligent and successful and they love to beat me at Trivial Pursuit!). As Christians, there s a school that we all attend. God trains us, disciplines us, and sanctifies us in Wilderness University. Charles Spurgeon called the wilderness the Oxford and Cambridge for God s students. 1 Speaking of the wilderness is a way of referring to Israel s sojourn from Egypt, through the wilderness, to the promised land. What are some ways we receive an education informally, or apart from schools and universities? What are some life experiences that teach us things we cannot learn elsewhere? In Exodus 17, we pick up the story with Israel s wilderness experience. To set the context, realize that three consecutive stories in the wilderness journey concern food (Ex. 16:1-36) and water (Ex. 15:22-27; 17:1-7). Israel gets hungry and thirsty, and they complain. Their grumbling serves as a warning to us. Session Summary In this session, we obey the apostle Paul s admonition to learn from Israel s example in the wilderness. Like Israel, we too are sojourners who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, who have crossed over to the other side by grace, and who are now on the way to the promised land. In this faith journey, in our wilderness, God is sanctifying us and teaching us to trust Him, love Him, and follow Him. 58 Leader Guide Winter

5 1. Do we believe we deserve God s provision? (Ex. 17:1-2) 1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, Give us water to drink. And Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? As the Israelites moved on, following the leading of the Lord in the pillar of cloud and fire, they camped at Rephidim, where there was no water. Instead of trusting God and seeking God, they began to quarrel and grumble against Moses (17:2-3). The place even gets named Massah and Meribah, which means testing and quarreling (17:7; see Ps. 95). Instead of trusting God, they tested God. We must learn from their example and not imitate them. We must avoid believing that we somehow deserve God s provision. God s provision is a wonderful gift of grace. We must learn to trust God, not live with a sense of entitlement. This sinful entitlement attitude was expressed in two ways. First, the Israelites demanded water. Give us water to drink, they said. The text highlights their attitude. They weren t coming in humility asking for water but were acting like spoiled kids. As believers, we must avoid making demands on God over matters related to our vocations, homes, or our church, insisting that God work on our terms. There are times in which we must wait on the Lord patiently. Further Commentary To test (Hebrew, nasah). In the Old Testament God tested people to find out their hearts. Thus, in Exodus 16:4, God told Moses that His initial provision of manna with the divine instruction for each one to gather a daily amount was such a test: This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions. God tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22:1). To turn things around the other way so that persons are demanding for God to prove His character is condemned. It was wrong for Israel to test God at Rephidim, just as it is always wrong: Deut. 6:16; Ps. 78:18,41,56. To test God in such a way implies questioning His holy character and His goodness toward His people. 3 Kendell Easley When was the last time you grumbled about a situation in your life? How is grumbling related to a sense of entitlement? Israel also expressed their entitlement by complaining about God s provision. Why do you quarrel? Moses asked. This was a sad pattern for Israel. They grumbled under Pharaoh (Ex. 2:23). They grumbled at the Red Sea (14:11-12). They grumbled at Marah (15:23-24). They grumbled about their leaders (16:2-3; 17:3-4; see also Num. 11). God had recently turned bitter water into sweet water and sent bread from heaven, yet they still complained here at Rephidim. What would you have done if you had brought out the people from Egypt only to hear them murmur, In Egypt we sat beside meat pots? I would have been very angry. 59

6 Voices from the Church Going through the wilderness was not necessary for Israel s salvation, but it was necessary for their sanctification. 4 Philip Graham Ryken 99 Essential Christian Doctrines 35. Sin as Missing the Mark One aspect of sin is missing the mark of God s standards set for humanity. This missing of the mark is not a simple mistake but a falling short of God s glory through conscious choosing of sin. We may refer to sin as a failure on the part of humans to live according to God s standards, but we must recognize this failure is intentional. We miss the mark when we deliberately choose to cast aside God s intention for us. I remember coming back from Ukraine with our four newly adopted kids after spending 40 days out of the country. When we landed in Memphis, I took everyone to get barbecue. I was so excited! I missed pulled pork. So I asked the kids what they wanted, and they each picked out a barbecue plate. To my shock, when I sat this heavenly meal down before them, they complained and said they didn t want to eat it. I was so upset because it felt like they were ungrateful. I thought they should be excited, considering where they came from and what they used to eat. This was Memphis barbecue! I eventually cooled down. But here, God reacted with mercy toward the Israelites. He still provided for them in spite of their ingratitude. What incredible patience and grace! Complaining is a serious sin, more serious than you might think (see 1 Cor. 10:1-12 and notice the sins mentioned there). Paul told the church in Philippi these important words: Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2:14-15). Notice that Paul said one of the ways we shine in a dark world is by not complaining. Grumbling is the air we breathe, but you will stand apart from the world if you pepper your day with words of gratitude rather than words of complaint. One of my pastor friends is known for doing this in a simple way. When asked, How are you doing? He responds, Better than I deserve. People react in strange ways to this comment, but he s exactly right. What do we deserve? Theologically, we deserve hell. If you re not there today, then you re better than you deserve. If hell is your reference point for answering this question, then you shouldn t be grumbling. You should, instead, overflow with praise, even in hard times. For the Christian, this life is as bad as it s ever going to be. This is our wilderness, but the promised land is coming. And even in this difficult wilderness journey, we have a God who cares for His children. So avoid the culture s language of complaining, and instead, let there be thanksgiving flowing from your lips to the God who parts seas and raises the dead. We are doing better than we deserve. Do difficult circumstances cause us to have wrong attitudes and actions or do they merely reveal wrong attitudes and actions? Explain your answer. 60 Leader Guide Winter

7 2. Do we believe God is good? (Ex. 17:3-4) 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst? 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me. Next, we see Israel questioning God s goodness: Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst? they asked. They were beginning to question their entire deliverance from Egypt. Was the purpose of their liberation for death in a wilderness? Of course not. There was no need to question God s provision. Following the people s cry, Moses cried out to the Lord: What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me. Moses sensed that this complaint was deadly serious. When might we question God s goodness? Aren t we tempted to question His goodness when we re facing a trial? In trials, we might think that God is trying to harm us. In trials, we may be tempted to think that God won t provide for us. But for the Christian, we must rest in the fact that God is shaping us into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29), and this process often involves trying times (Rom. 5:3-4; Jas. 1:3). God intended to train and form His people during their time in the wilderness. In what ways might God be training you as you walk through difficult times? God didn t redeem Israel to then forsake them. God redeems, and God provides. As believers, we should remember that God has brought us through a greater exodus. And if God would provide the solution for our greatest problem (through Christ s death and resurrection), then we have no reason to question His goodness or doubt His faithfulness when facing our day-to-day problems. God is good. Believe it. Psalm 73 is a wonderful passage to consider when tempted to doubt God s goodness. The psalmist began by saying, Truly God is good to Israel (Ps. 73:1). But then he began to question this premise because the wicked were prospering before his eyes. He spent several verses lamenting how the wicked were comfortable, well-fed, pain-free, and so on. Then, after some clear thinking, he wrote this: But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end (73:16-17). Further Commentary The people found fault : argued with Moses. This verb is the key word of the passage, explaining why the name Meribah ( argument or strife ) is used for the place afterwards. Some editors have brought forward alternate explanations, based on the view that the name arose from the judicial decisions given beside the springs there, as at En-Mishpat (Kadesh), Well of Judgment (Gen. 14:7) or because shepherds contended for the water (cf. Gen. 26:16-22). No doubt both were common occurrences, but they are not mentioned in this particular context as reasons for the giving of the name. Moses echoes the argued in his reply and joins it with the second root that lies behind the name Massah ( test, put to the test ). And our cattle. With the usual imputation of ridiculous motives to Moses, there is a touch of characterization here. Who but a cattleman would have worried about his stock dying of thirst, if he were already dying of thirst himself? Here speaks the true Israelite farmer. Almost ready to stone me. This is the last stage of rejection of a leader in Israel. See the case of David at Ziklag (1 Sam. 30:6) or Adoram at Shechem (1 Kings 12:18). It must have reminded Moses of the initial Israelite reaction to his coming (Ex. 5:21). Christ (John 10:31), Stephen (Acts 7:58) and Paul (Acts 14:19) all faced stoning at the hands of God s people, the very ones to whom they had been sent. 5 R. Alan Cole 61

8 Voices from Church History Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well with my soul. 6 Horatio Spafford ( ) Voices from Church History Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment and makes men torment themselves; it makes the spirit sad, the body sick, and all the enjoyments sour; it is the heaviness of the heart and the rottenness of the bones. It is a sin that is its own parent. It arises not from the condition, but from the mind. As we find Paul contented in a prison, so Ahab discontent in a palace. 7 Matthew Henry ( ) When the psalmist looked at things with an eternal perspective, he saw that the wicked prosper for only a short time. Their terrible end is coming. As he saw things more properly, lament gave way to praise to God for His faithfulness, His presence, and His goodness: Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (73:23-26). Meditate on these words, Christian. God s presence is your highest good. He is with you, and He will lead you all the way to glory. Trials will come, but you need not doubt God s goodness. Just look at the cross and remember that your greatest problem has already been solved. God is good. We all grumble and complain. How does adding the words against the Lord after grumble or complain change our view of this attitude? 3. Do we believe God is with us? (Ex. 17:5-7; 1 Cor. 10:1-6) The presence of God is a major theme in the Book of Exodus. God heard Israel s cry in Egypt. God was with them at the Red Sea. God journeyed with them in the wilderness. God s presence appeared majestically at Mount Sinai. God s presence was manifested in the tabernacle. Later in the exodus narrative, after Israel committed idolatry by bowing to a golden calf (Ex. 32, the subject of the next session), Moses cried out to the Lord, asking Him not to leave the people (33:14-16). Moses proclaimed that they could not go one step without God s presence. What distinguished Israel from all the nations around them wasn t their land (they didn t have it yet). It wasn t their wealth (they had been slaves). It wasn t their culture (it wasn t fully developed yet). What distinguished them? It was that God was with them. Once again, God s presence was manifested to the people in a remarkable way. Look at how God solved this particular water problem. 5 And the Lord said to Moses, Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink. And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, Is the Lord among us or not? 62 Leader Guide Winter

9 By the end of this story, we see how Israel doubted God s presence. Is the Lord among us or not? they asked (17:7). They doubted if God was with them. But after Moses prayed, God provided water from a rock (17:4-6). We too may be tempted to think that God has abandoned us when we go through a wilderness experience. Yet God always remains faithful to His people. Paul said, God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor. 1:9). Can you think of a parallel between God s provision of water for complaining Israel and a specific provision He has made for you when you were grumbling? How did God s provision affect your attitude? In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul reflected on this episode as he exhorted the church in Corinth: 1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. There are a number of connections to Christ as you study the Israelites wilderness experience. Regarding baptism, Paul interpreted Israel s escape through the waters, through their identity with Moses, as analogous to being baptized into Christ (1 Cor. 10:1-2; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). He also stated that God nourished the people just as He nourishes us spiritually (1 Cor. 10:3-4). Regarding this water-from-a-rock experience, Paul said that this story points to Christ, who is the Rock that was stricken for our salvation. When Paul said, the Rock was Christ, I take this to mean that the rock was a type of Christ. Moses struck the rock, instead of striking the people, and water flowed to save people. Jesus, the Rock, was stricken for our salvation. Instead of striking us, God struck the Son. Like the rock, when He was stricken, water flowed from His side (John 19:34). He died the death we deserved to die. Now, we drink from the water of life for eternal life (John 7:37-38). By believing in Jesus, we drink from the ultimate saving water. Further Commentary The Greek word translated examples in verse 6 is a form of the Greek noun typos, carrying the idea of a pattern or model by which something else is shaped. Sometimes the meaning is of a good example to follow (Phil. 3:17; 1 Pet. 5:3), but it could be a bad example to avoid, as is the case in 1 Corinthians 10:1-6. The authors of the New Testament identified certain persons, events, or things that happened in the Old Testament as divinely planned something like prophecies without words to point forward to persons, events, or things in the New Testament. These types (as interpreters call them) often point to some aspect of Jesus person or work. Thus, Hebrews 9:11-22 describes the animal sacrifices as divinely planned illustrations of Jesus coming sacrificial death. When Paul says the rock was Christ, we are to see that the rock in the wilderness was a divine preview of Jesus. 8 Kendell Easley 63

10 Further Commentary The singular, most important event in the history of the Jewish people was their liberation under Moses leadership from bondage to the Egyptian pharaoh. Historically, the 40-year period of their wandering in the wilderness became known as the exodus. Most of the Corinthian Christians were Gentiles; nonetheless, the Israelites were their spiritual ancestors. In this context, it is well to keep in mind that the Christian church is a historical continuation of the Jewish. Following a lengthy treatise on the proper use of their freedom in Christ (1 Cor. 8 9), Paul focused on the Israelites wilderness experience to show how believers may be delivered from the bondage of sin only to become entangled again in the ways of the world through dissatisfaction, selfishness, and immoral behavior. Such entanglements cost the vast majority of the Hebrew people entrance into the promised land. A vast majority is really a gross understatement. Of all those who came out of Egypt, only two entered the land of Canaan. 9 L. Milton Hankins, Biblical Illustrator Christ was wounded, stricken, pierced, and crushed for our iniquity. He didn t open up His mouth, as a lamb led to the slaughter. He submitted to God s will. He didn t grumble, but He took the judgment of grumblers like us, that we may know God s salvation (see Isa. 53:4-7). Praise the Rock! The stories in Exodus instruct and encourage us, but they also serve as a warning to us. Paul used these stories as a warning to the Corinthian church. Despite seeing the signs and hearing God s word, the Israelite generation that experienced God s miraculous deliverance from Egypt and His provision in the wilderness didn t get to see the promised land (1 Cor. 10:5; see Num. 14:22-23,29,37; 26:64-65). Despite these wonderful provisions, only a few had real faith in God (Heb. 3:16-19; 4:2). Here are three ways to apply the truths in this story. First, trust in God s providence for your daily needs. Israel s wilderness experience shows us that God is with His people, and God, in His goodness, provides for His people. Will you trust Him or worry and grumble against Him? In these bread-and-water stories, we see that God gave Israel enough for each day. His provision was sufficient. God gave them manna every day for 40 years. Later, Jesus told His disciples to pray for our daily bread (Matt. 6:11). The Book of Exodus shows us that we can trust in God to give us just that. His provision is sufficient. Paul told the Philippians not to worry about anything but to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6), and as a result, the peace of God will flood the praying heart. Cast your cares upon the Father today, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Second, trust in God s Son for your deepest needs. The bread-and-water stories also point us to a greater spiritual need that we have. Trust in Jesus and you won t be spiritually thirsty or hungry any longer. He is our Bread and our Water. 64 Leader Guide Winter

11 Third, offer living water to the thirsty. The Rock was stricken for our salvation, but we can t keep this good news to ourselves. We must tell everyone about the Living Water. In John 4, Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman at the well. As the great evangelist, Jesus entered into a discussion with her. The conversation went from physical water to spiritual water. Jesus told this immoral woman these words: Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14). Jesus not only showed this lady the way to spiritual life and joy, but He also provided a model to His disciples. When the disciples returned with lunch, Jesus took time to discuss the harvest that was before them the countless multitude from every tribe, tongue, and nation waiting to hear about and believe in the life-giving Rock, Jesus Christ. Voices from the Church It was God, in the person of Jesus Christ, who stood on the Rock. It was Christ who was struck with the rod of God s justice in the place of guilty people. 10 Nancy Guthrie How should the portrayal of God s mercy in Exodus 17 impact the way we show mercy to others? Conclusion If Jesus is the Rock who gives us living water, He is the only One in whom we find salvation. We are called to imitate the Savior s example by reaching across boundaries. We need to offer the living water to thirsty people, regardless of their social, moral, or religious background, because only One can satisfy. We can offer a lot of good things to the world, and so we should. The world needs clean water, food, and clothing. And while we should offer them these things, let s also make sure we are offering them the gospel, the good news of the Savior who was crushed that people may live forever. CHRIST CONNECTION: Moses struck the rock instead of the people, and water flowed for the people s salvation. Jesus is the Rock who was struck for our salvation, the Rock whose living water satisfies us forever. 65

12 Additional Resources The Wilderness Test References 1. C. H. Spurgeon, Marah Better Than Elim, Spurgeon Gems [online], 4 April 1889 [cited 23 April 2015]. Available from the Internet: 2. Clement of Rome, Recognitions of Clement, quoted in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. VIII, eds. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and Arthur Cleveland Coxe (New York: Cosimo, 2007), Kendell Easley, Water from the Rock, The Gospel Project for Adults (Spring 2014): Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved for God s Glory, in Preaching the Word (Wheaton: Crossway, 2005), R. Alan Cole, Exodus, in Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973), Horatio G. Spafford, It Is Well with My Soul, in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), Matthew Henry, An Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, vol. 1 (New York: Henry C. Sleight, Clinton Hall, 1883), Kendell Easley, Water from the Rock, L. Milton Hankins, Israel s Negative Examples, Biblical Illustrator (Winter 1995): Nancy Guthrie, The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 107. Study Material Get expert insights on weekly studies through Ministry Grid at MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject. Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry blog at LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry. -- Salvation and Provision: Exodus Week 4 from The Lamb of God by Nancy Guthrie -- Dissecting Our Grumbling Article by Bill Elliff; find a link to this article at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources --Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including Israel s Negative Examples, can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at LifeWay.com/BiblicalIllustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project. Sermon Podcast Alistair Begg: Examples and Warnings, Part 1 Find a link to this at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources Tip of the Week Expressing Gratitude Organize to say thank you to those who would be in your group if they were not serving in another area of your church during the time you meet. Create or purchase cards to give to these volunteers; let everyone in the group sign them. As you share about the work these volunteers are doing, take the opportunity to challenge others to serve the church. 66 Leader Guide Winter

13 About the Writers The Gospel Project Adult Leader Guide ESV Volume 4, Number 2 Winter Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor Daniel Davis Content Editor Josh Hayes Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN ; or make comments on the Web at Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project : Adult Leader Guide ESV (ISSN ; Item ) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN For subscriptions or subscription address changes, subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All Scripture quotations marked (HCSB) are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today s English Version Second Edition Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Unit 1: Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also serves as associate professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His books include Ordinary and the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary on the Book of Exodus, among others. He is happily married to Kimberly, and they have five adopted children. Unit 2: Rick Morton (sessions 7-8) is Vice President of Engagement for Lifeline Children s Services in Birmingham, Alabama, where he leads the ministry s partnership efforts to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children around the world. He is married to Denise, and they have two middle school sons and a daughter in college. Kendell Easley (sessions 9-12) is a professor of biblical studies at Union University and is the director of the Master of Christian Studies and Doctor of Ministry programs for Union in the Memphis area. He also serves as pastor of McLean Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Kendell is married to Nancy, and they have one married young adult son. Unit 3: D. A. Horton is currently serving in the Church Planting Residency at Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina. He and his wife, Elicia, and their three children are preparing to plant a church in Los Angles, California. He is working on his PhD in Applied Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. WRITERS