Feb. 1, 2010, Exodus 30-32, Acts 8

Feb. 1, 2010, Exodus 30-32, Acts 8

S: Exodus 30:12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.”
O: There was always a price that had to be paid. This is foreshadowing of the price that is to be paid by Christ when he gives his life for our sins.

S: Ex. 31:1-4 “Then the Lord said to Moses, See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--- to make artistic designs…….”
O: Artists are given their skill by God. My son is a wonderful artist and yet he is doing another job as it is hard to work as an artist….
A: Oh that we would still create beautiful art for Christian purposes…. Gone are the days of beautiful churches and I know that it is true that God lives in our hearts and churches should not have money spent on lavish decor however that beautiful art of days gone by is so enjoyable and surely something small of that era could return.
P: An art job for my son so he can use his wonderful talent.

S: Ex. 31:15 “…..Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.”
O: This is the Old Testament and under the law instead of grace however – very harsh – if it was so important then perhaps we should be a little more mindful of the importance of not working on the Sabbath as our business is a service business and employees often must work on the Sabbath.
A: Commit to doing as much as possible on Saturday so we can rest and worship on Sunday.
P: God help us to keep the Sabbath as a non working day for both us and our employees if at all possible and still maintain our business.

S: Ex 32:1 “When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
O: Moses is only on the mountain top for 40 days in total and I am not sure when during the 40 days that this delegation approached Aaron but it is like having the pastor for Sunday lunch…. A common occurrence in church communities…. How disloyal to the leader that God has chosen for them and how often we are the same to our spiritual leaders.
A: Never grumble about the leadership that God has chosen within our spiritual communities.
P: For our Christian leaders.

S: Ex 32:8 “They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them….”
O: Oh how quickly it happens, so many thoughts of dedication to God and then so quickly other things come in the way – even obligations that are good but that take me away from God.
A: Commitment….. praying for this commitment for my husband too so we can serve you together.
P: For a united commitment to you Lord.

S: Ex 32:24 “Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
O: Aaron sinned and had a golden calf made but instead of admitting his sin he said that the calf just appeared itself out of the gold that they had thrown in the fire. How ridiculous. He does not take responsibility for his part in this sin but makes up a stupid lie.
A: Denial of what the problem is or our part in disobeying God….. I do it, everyone does it but it has consequences….. we have to own up to our mistakes, repent and make changes …..that is the only answer.
P: Honesty when I have made mistakes, repentance and change.

S: Ex 32:26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord come to me.”
O: Talk is cheap…. At some point there is a day of decision and change when we must stand and do what
God wants us to do. We must stand and be counted for the Lord’s side.
A: We cannot straddle the fence in this Christian walk but must stand and be counted for Christ’s side.
P: A chance to stand for Christ’s side.


S: Ex 32:27 “…..Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbour.”
O: Don’t think I have ever noticed this verse before. It is the Levites that are to strap on swords and do this and kill 3000 of their own for this sin of worshipping another god and for this terrible service of killing their own these Levites are blessed. Very harsh.
A: I am so glad I live under grace as I have things that I love but I hope they are never that important to me…… God abhors when things become more important than him… whatever they are…. What am I thinking about…. Where is my heart?
P: Where your heart is there is your treasure also…… Lord help me to keep my heart on you.

S: Ex. 32:33 “The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.”
O: How wonderful that we will not be blotted out of God’s book because we sin…..because of Christ we can come to God with our sins and we are forgiven.
A: Must remember to come to God with my mistakes and ask for forgiveness.
P: Lord forgive me for complaining about things to my husband, for taking time off from my Bible study, for coveting new toys for my house, for chores neglected.



Acts 8
S: Acts 8:4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
O: After the martyrdom of Stephen the church became persecuted and many were dragged off to prison with Saul one of the great persecutors of the church. T his persecution however caused the church to scatter and for the gospel to be preached farther and farther away. God can take a terrible event and turn it into good…… think it is important to keep that in mind when things seem to be going wrong.
A: I have never really been persecuted for Christ’s sake but who knows …. It could happen….. this year will go to share the gospel in an unfriendly land as I join my daughter for a short time….. this is a new experience…. But this is how God works.
P: Lord give me strength to prepare for this upcoming work…. Need to learn and be spiritually ready.

S: Acts 8:15 “When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of he Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit”
O: How often I have heard that when you are saved you have had the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that seeking more is not scriptural. Here it is…. These people have been saved as only believers are baptized but they have not received the Holy Spirit until Peter and John place their hands on them for that express purpose.
A: I do not attend a church where I see the gifts happening….. should I be? I enjoy the many good works this church does…. But there it is…. Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands…. Miss this aspect of church.
P: Direction.

S: Acts 8:18-23 “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said “Give me this ability…… Peter answered, “May your money perish with you this because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money….. of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.”
O: Simon who was formerly a magician and had been saved and Baptized…. In this instance he is covetous of the gifts of Peter and John and Simon’s heart is wicked…. However is his sin such that it cannot be forgiven? How can Simon be “captive to sin” since he is a Christian
A: Christians can sin but can they sin so as to lose their salvation…. I do not believe so…. But if a Christian has returned to his wicked ways he must repent and ask for forgiveness just like anyone else. Even a Christian can once again be “Captive to sin”
P: Show me my sin Lord…… forgiveness please Lord.

S: Acts 8:26-27 “An angel of the Lord said to Phillip, “Go south…….down from Jerusalem to Gaza… on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch ….this man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading from Isaiah the prophet.”
O: Judaism has been part of Ethiopia for a long time….. perhaps since King Solomon’s time and the story of the Queen of Sheba having a son together or is it from earlier? It was a black Jew who had come to worship that carried Jesus cross. If Judaism had spread to Ethiopia – where else had it spread to—were the wise men who came from the East more than just star gazers but also like the eunuch readers of the prophecy about Christ? Not even Jewish historians have the answers about the Ethiopian Jewish history so it will remain a mystery.
A: There are no mistakes with God’s direction. If he directs us one way or another – there is a reason. It is hard to see into the future and figure out the plans of God when he directs us to different roads – but we have to trust – when we pray and seek God and he sends us places – it is for a reason…. And God wants everyone to know him ---- so it is for this reason …. Obedience will bear spiritual fruit.
P: Obedience even when it I can’t see why is my prayer.

S: Acts 8:32 -35 “The Eunuch was reading this passage of scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter….. The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me please who is the prophet talking about…. Then Philip began at that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus….. the eunuch said, “Look here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”
O: If we did what God directed those ready to be saved would be waiting for direction. It was God that prepared the eunuch’s heart…. He was just waiting for Philip to come by and explain things to him….. this is what it would be like if we were like Philip and obedient to God’s leading.
A: Obedience will reap eternal rewards…. So the reason I am not seeing souls saved is that there is a lack of obedience?????
P: Obedience please.

S: Acts 8:39 “…the eunuch did not see him (Philip) again but went on his way rejoicing.”
O: Philip disappears, it is almost a supernatural vanishing…. Seems to be teleported – an Enoch thing here perhaps or perhaps not. Do not understand how he disappears…. This verse is a mystery …. Is he teleported? This is a strange verse in the Bible.
There is no follow up by Philip here. The eunuch is on his own with the scripture that he has been diligently reading in the past and will continue to do. There are times when an encounter and direction is all that is required in leading a soul to Christ…. Someone in the next seat on an airplane…. If it is God directed and we are obedient then it is God’s appointed timing….. go for it rather than say nothing.
A: Be always ready to explain the hope that we have.
P: To be prepared and aware and directed … waiting for the God given opportunities.