Opening Questions and Prayer

• Everyone has a funny or embarrassing story about being influenced to do or purchase something. Tell the group one of these stories about being influenced.

• Pray

Introduction

Exodus is a book about leaving things behind. It tells the story of how God led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. It tells us the story about the faithfulness of God and the faithlessness of man. Today as we look at Exodus 24 we will understand that We are called to bring others along this journey of pursuing God.

Read Exodus 24:1

Then the Lord instructed Moses: “Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance. 2 Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord. The others must not come near, and none of the other people are allowed to climb up the mountain with him.”

• God instructed Moses to come and bring along. What are the ways that we come to God? What are the barriers that keep us from coming to God?

• What is one practical step that we can take to overcome those barriers?

• What can we do to bring others along the journey?

• What are the everyday barriers that keep us from bringing others to God?

God has designed it such that we properly and devoutly follow God and then we bring others along on the journey. We are called to bring others along this journey of pursuing God.

Read Exodus 24:3

3 Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the Lord had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”

• The people were very unified in this moment. What brought the people together? What created the unity?

• What specifically could happen if the people of God would respond to God with one voice?

• What is a significant step that people of God can take to create unity? [know God’s Word]

Read Exodus 24:4

4 Then Moses carefully wrote down all the Lord’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.

• Think back to a time in your life when you gave up something of value for someone else. How did that make you feel?

• Write a 1-sentence definition of sacrifice.

• Think of a character from God’s Word who sacrificed something. What is closely associated with our sacrifice? [our worship]

Following God’s Word is closely related to sacrifice and worship.

• Sometimes we can come to church and prefer certain parts of a service and tolerate other parts of the service.

Read Hebrews 13:15-16 15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

• How should we view singing worship songs as a sacrifice to God?

Worship is a continuum of following God—there is no distinction between following God’s Word and worshipping God—they are essentially the same.

• How can you have a more meaningful moment of proclaiming allegiance to His name during the next worship service?

Read Exodus 24:6-9

6 Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” 8 Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.”

• What does blood represent in God’s Word?

• What did blood accomplish during the Passover?

• In Hebrews 9, what does the shedding of blood accomplish? [confirms covenant and forgiveness of sin]

• In Revelation 12:10-12, John writes that the people of God were victorious because of what?

• Why is the blood important in the Old Testament covenants? [blood ratified or sealed the covenant—it made the contract official.]

Pray:

Have each person pray for at least one friend/colleague/co-worker that isn’t walking closely with God. Ask God to move in that individual’s life. Pray that God will create the opportunity for you to have a conversation with that individual. Ask God to help you be the person who brings others along the journey of pursuing God.

Homework:

During the next week, read Exodus 24:15-18. Identify the different ways how the glory of God was described in these verses. Think about how the glory of God can bring others along in this journey of pursuing God?

15 Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. 16 And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. 17 To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. 18 Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.