Do This
Stories
Scenes of Glory
Subplots of God's Long Story
Object:
Emphasis or special occasion: Maundy (Holy) Thursday
Chapter 2
Do This
Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14
"I'm telling you what the Lord told Aaron and me," Moses said. "Now is the decisive moment. This time we'll gain our freedom; and, we're commanded to prepare for it by a meal. I've told you the particulars. It's not difficult." But as Moses repeated this, he felt the same resistance as when he'd said it the first time to these Hebrew field-workers. He'd gathered them near their village at twilight as they returned home from tending Egypt's crops.
Men stood back from the Lord's two leaders. They knew Moses and Aaron well, and listened respectfully. This pair of fellows had brought them a great deal of grief -- having to work harder, bricks without straw -- because these two had marched right into Pharaoh's court and demanded he release the Hebrew workers.
Well, these Hebrews were exhausted. They'd toiled at Egypt's building projects and in Egypt's fields, they had been harassed, bullied, and maltreated until they felt only a breath away from dying. Their hopes climbed each time Pharaoh agreed to let them go, but then he didn't. They'd viewed Pharaoh's promises as if they were peering out their slavery's open prison door. But in the past each time they gazed toward freedom, the door slammed in their face.
When Moses gave the instructions the first time, no one spoke directly to him. It was late and they couldn't see well, everyone having worked until dusk. A few men in the crowd spoke to one another in response. "Not again." Or, "We've followed them before and it hasn't worked." And, "They've gotten us into more trouble."
A man close to Aaron spoke, "I'm against it. We've been tossed around like rats in a dog's mouth. So far, nothing you've promised has gotten us out of here. Why should we kill one of our best lambs, go through all the fuss with the blood and dinner, and trust that you know what you're talking about?"
Moses knew the people's condition before he and Aaron came to deliver the Lord's message. But Moses continued, believing that in giving them something to do -- and not a terribly difficult thing -- the Lord was providing them a physical means of bolstering their hope. Moses said, "Do this. It's not much, just a gathering of family and neighbors to eat a lamb whose blood is smeared on the doorposts and lintel of your house."
No one responded this time, just 100 or so dusty men standing hopeless and hungry beyond the sun's last light.
"Just do this," Moses tried one more time. "Get the lamb on the tenth, keep it until the fourteenth, then slaughter it at twilight. Tie up your skirt around your waist, wear your sandals, even in the house, and have your walking staff at hand. This gets you ready to light out to freedom."
"It might get us ready for another beating," a man said. The crowd was growing larger around Moses and Aaron as, in the darkness, more work groups trudged toward their evening meal. As each man arrived he heard the reason for the gathering from the man who arrived before him. The sweat of the day's work hung in the air like the smell of despair. Would these men go home and prepare their families as they were told? Would they carry out Moses' instructions, which sounded so bizarre? Would the Lord this time decisively smash Pharaoh's pride and Pharaoh's people?
Aaron stepped closer to Moses and spoke loudly, "Friends, you've been faithful. You've waited. You've hoped. You've suffered Pharaoh's wrath as he has fruitlessly struggled against the Lord."
"We sure have," a voice came from the men, and many grumbled their agreement.
"But this isn't much to do as you wait and hope one more time," Aaron said. "If you can't believe that the Lord will cast a final plague upon the Egyptians, at least take this one step for the rest of us. Don't destroy the faith and hope of the whole Hebrew people. You can do something that might help everyone. Moses and I ask you, for the sake of the faith of all the Hebrew people, do this for them if not for the Lord."
Most of the men turned to leave. Even if they wanted to question or argue more, they didn't have the energy. A few stayed with Moses and Aaron a while longer. "You're just getting us into more trouble," a man said. "Sure are," another agreed.
"Let's give it a try," a third man said. He stood by Moses. "We've had our hopes crushed. We have less food now than before. We almost don't have anything to lose. It's a try. If nothing happens, the Egyptians won't even know we've eaten a meal together. They seldom come around our huts. They won't see the blood on our lintels and doorposts. Let's do it and hope. Moses and Aaron have bloodied their foreheads against Pharaoh for months now. Let's do it for them."
"All right," one man said, as he turned to leave. The Hebrew beside him joined him, but said, "I don't know." The others left, shuffling home to eat, to think, and to tell their wives and children about a special meal that seemed ridiculous but that Moses and Aaron repeatedly begged them to do even if they were out of faith or the hope that the Lord's miracles would free them.
* * *
Later, the Passover meal that the Hebrews prepared was remembered as a night different than all other nights. Later, the ritual feast they ate was repeated and venerated; but, on this evening, first hearing of what they were to do, the people were stunned.
At times, our faith is low and our hope hits the minus numbers -- like the faith of those Hebrews in the thirteenth century BC. Jesus' disciples experienced such emotions when Jesus was arrested after the Passover meal. However, we, as they -- strong or weak in faith, buoyant or sinking in hope -- come to the Lord's table as the people who try to obey Jesus when he says merely, "Do this in remembrance of me." Then, on this night with our Hebrew ancestors and with Jesus' faltering disciples, no matter how crushing the circumstance, we wait for the miracles to begin.
Discussion Questions
1. What immediate responses do you have to the story?
2. Do you identify with a character in the story? If yes, how and why do you identify with the person? If no, why don't you identify with anyone in the story?
3. Would you like to have a conversation with a character in the story? What would you say, ask, or suggest to the person? Why?
4. How does the story bring the biblical text into a clearer focus for you?
5. How would you improve or modify the story? Why?
6. Can you put yourself in the Hebrews' place and imagine how they felt and what they thought about the special meal the Lord commanded?
7. When has the Passover meal or the Lord's Supper meant the least to you? When the most?
8. How has your attitude and belief in religious rituals or sacraments changed over the years?
9. What further depths of meaning, symbols, connections with, or applications of the biblical faith do you find in the story?
10. Since Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is alive among us through his Holy Spirit, what of this story would you like Christ to activate in your life?
Chapter 2
Do This
Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14
"I'm telling you what the Lord told Aaron and me," Moses said. "Now is the decisive moment. This time we'll gain our freedom; and, we're commanded to prepare for it by a meal. I've told you the particulars. It's not difficult." But as Moses repeated this, he felt the same resistance as when he'd said it the first time to these Hebrew field-workers. He'd gathered them near their village at twilight as they returned home from tending Egypt's crops.
Men stood back from the Lord's two leaders. They knew Moses and Aaron well, and listened respectfully. This pair of fellows had brought them a great deal of grief -- having to work harder, bricks without straw -- because these two had marched right into Pharaoh's court and demanded he release the Hebrew workers.
Well, these Hebrews were exhausted. They'd toiled at Egypt's building projects and in Egypt's fields, they had been harassed, bullied, and maltreated until they felt only a breath away from dying. Their hopes climbed each time Pharaoh agreed to let them go, but then he didn't. They'd viewed Pharaoh's promises as if they were peering out their slavery's open prison door. But in the past each time they gazed toward freedom, the door slammed in their face.
When Moses gave the instructions the first time, no one spoke directly to him. It was late and they couldn't see well, everyone having worked until dusk. A few men in the crowd spoke to one another in response. "Not again." Or, "We've followed them before and it hasn't worked." And, "They've gotten us into more trouble."
A man close to Aaron spoke, "I'm against it. We've been tossed around like rats in a dog's mouth. So far, nothing you've promised has gotten us out of here. Why should we kill one of our best lambs, go through all the fuss with the blood and dinner, and trust that you know what you're talking about?"
Moses knew the people's condition before he and Aaron came to deliver the Lord's message. But Moses continued, believing that in giving them something to do -- and not a terribly difficult thing -- the Lord was providing them a physical means of bolstering their hope. Moses said, "Do this. It's not much, just a gathering of family and neighbors to eat a lamb whose blood is smeared on the doorposts and lintel of your house."
No one responded this time, just 100 or so dusty men standing hopeless and hungry beyond the sun's last light.
"Just do this," Moses tried one more time. "Get the lamb on the tenth, keep it until the fourteenth, then slaughter it at twilight. Tie up your skirt around your waist, wear your sandals, even in the house, and have your walking staff at hand. This gets you ready to light out to freedom."
"It might get us ready for another beating," a man said. The crowd was growing larger around Moses and Aaron as, in the darkness, more work groups trudged toward their evening meal. As each man arrived he heard the reason for the gathering from the man who arrived before him. The sweat of the day's work hung in the air like the smell of despair. Would these men go home and prepare their families as they were told? Would they carry out Moses' instructions, which sounded so bizarre? Would the Lord this time decisively smash Pharaoh's pride and Pharaoh's people?
Aaron stepped closer to Moses and spoke loudly, "Friends, you've been faithful. You've waited. You've hoped. You've suffered Pharaoh's wrath as he has fruitlessly struggled against the Lord."
"We sure have," a voice came from the men, and many grumbled their agreement.
"But this isn't much to do as you wait and hope one more time," Aaron said. "If you can't believe that the Lord will cast a final plague upon the Egyptians, at least take this one step for the rest of us. Don't destroy the faith and hope of the whole Hebrew people. You can do something that might help everyone. Moses and I ask you, for the sake of the faith of all the Hebrew people, do this for them if not for the Lord."
Most of the men turned to leave. Even if they wanted to question or argue more, they didn't have the energy. A few stayed with Moses and Aaron a while longer. "You're just getting us into more trouble," a man said. "Sure are," another agreed.
"Let's give it a try," a third man said. He stood by Moses. "We've had our hopes crushed. We have less food now than before. We almost don't have anything to lose. It's a try. If nothing happens, the Egyptians won't even know we've eaten a meal together. They seldom come around our huts. They won't see the blood on our lintels and doorposts. Let's do it and hope. Moses and Aaron have bloodied their foreheads against Pharaoh for months now. Let's do it for them."
"All right," one man said, as he turned to leave. The Hebrew beside him joined him, but said, "I don't know." The others left, shuffling home to eat, to think, and to tell their wives and children about a special meal that seemed ridiculous but that Moses and Aaron repeatedly begged them to do even if they were out of faith or the hope that the Lord's miracles would free them.
* * *
Later, the Passover meal that the Hebrews prepared was remembered as a night different than all other nights. Later, the ritual feast they ate was repeated and venerated; but, on this evening, first hearing of what they were to do, the people were stunned.
At times, our faith is low and our hope hits the minus numbers -- like the faith of those Hebrews in the thirteenth century BC. Jesus' disciples experienced such emotions when Jesus was arrested after the Passover meal. However, we, as they -- strong or weak in faith, buoyant or sinking in hope -- come to the Lord's table as the people who try to obey Jesus when he says merely, "Do this in remembrance of me." Then, on this night with our Hebrew ancestors and with Jesus' faltering disciples, no matter how crushing the circumstance, we wait for the miracles to begin.
Discussion Questions
1. What immediate responses do you have to the story?
2. Do you identify with a character in the story? If yes, how and why do you identify with the person? If no, why don't you identify with anyone in the story?
3. Would you like to have a conversation with a character in the story? What would you say, ask, or suggest to the person? Why?
4. How does the story bring the biblical text into a clearer focus for you?
5. How would you improve or modify the story? Why?
6. Can you put yourself in the Hebrews' place and imagine how they felt and what they thought about the special meal the Lord commanded?
7. When has the Passover meal or the Lord's Supper meant the least to you? When the most?
8. How has your attitude and belief in religious rituals or sacraments changed over the years?
9. What further depths of meaning, symbols, connections with, or applications of the biblical faith do you find in the story?
10. Since Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is alive among us through his Holy Spirit, what of this story would you like Christ to activate in your life?
