Phone

How did people in the Bible do without cell phones? This session focuses on how God uses verbal communications to His people.

Just Listen and Follow My Instructions (Noah Builds an Ark)

• The account of the flood and the covenant runs from Genesis 6:1 to 9:17. Review the passage. How many times does God speak to Noah? How many times does Noah speak to God?

Negotiating with God (Abraham Pleads for Sodom)

• Abraham has a negotiation with God in Genesis 18: 16-33 about the fate of the city of Sodom. In 18:23, is Abraham standing before the Lord in person? Is it a face-to-face conversation? The encounter begins at 18:1.

• How does Abraham's repeated inquiries change in tone as he goes along?

Arguing with God: The Reluctant Middleman (Moses Invokes the Plagues)

• God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh (Ex 3:11). Moses comes up with many reasons this is not such a good idea (Ex 3:13, 4:1, 4:10, 4:13). Note the debate between the two.

• God comes up with two accommodations for Moses: Aaron's assistance (Ex 7: 1-8) and Aaron's actions in the first three plagues. Note that after the first three plagues, Moses has the confidence to invoke them unassisted.

• If God had such an important message for Pharaoh, why did He not speak to him directly?

• Have you ever put in the awkward middleman position - when A is not speaking to B, and they expect you to be the messenger?

Ignoring the Call: Jonah Runs Away

• What happens when God calls Jonah (Jonah 1:1) and what is the consequence?

• Did the swallowed-by-a-fish intervention work? What happens when God calls back (3:1)?

Changing Carriers: Jesus Becomes the Mediator

• "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." (Hebrews 1:1)

• "Do not worry about ... what you will say or how you will say it, for it will not be you speaking - but the Holy Spirit speaking through you" (Matthew 10:18, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11). Would this have solved Moses' issues? Do we have faith to claim this power ourselves?

Can You Hear Me Now?

• At the Tower of Babel, God confuses people's languages (Gen 11: 1-8). At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit allows people to understand other languages (Acts 2: 1-13).

• The Tower of Babel incident, taken by itself, seems a strange event; unconnected to what comes before or after. Is Pentecost the opposite of the Tower of Babel? Is language becoming a uniting force, rather than a dividing force?