Ready for Impact (10 minutes)
Catch up on how things have been since the last time your Impact Group met. Allow anyone new to introduce themselves. Then ask group members:
- When do you feel most free?
- How can modern life sometimes make us feel trapped?
Ask for a volunteer to read Exodus 5:1-21 to the group, praying a short prayer that – however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d get to know him better because of your time together.
Impacted by the Word (25 minutes)
Watch the first part of the video.
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
Moses has followed God’s call in Chapter 3, and now finds himself face-to-face with Pharaoh, asking for the freedom of his people.
- What word do you think best describes the tone of Exodus 5?
- By what authority does Moses ask Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to go to worship their God? Why is this significant?
- What does Pharoah’s reply to Moses’ request tell us about him?
Ask a volunteer to read Exodus 5:22-6:8
Now watch the second part of the video.
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
- In 6:1-8, God uses the word ‘I’ seventeen times! What does he say about himself?
- Why is it good news that the Israelites’ freedom depends on God, not on Moses or Pharaoh?
God wants to free his people politically, economically and socially. But he also wants to bring them to spiritual freedom.
- In verses 6-8, what sort of relationship is God planning to have with Israel?
- How is life under God different to life under Pharaoh?
Though we are not enslaved by Pharaoh, naturally all of us live with ‘inner Pharaohs’. As we chase after things in life they become rulers over us, always telling us to do better, work more, try harder.
- How is life under God different to life under your ‘inner Pharaoh’?
Whilst the terminology seems strange to us, the Bible frequently describes life without God as being enslaved (see Romans 7:14-25, 2 Peter 2:19 etc.).
The big idea is that humans can’t help but build our lives around something. Each of us has a central drive that motivates us – whether that’s being popular, living ethically, making the grade or having fun.
But something always happens as we live for any of these things. They begin to master us.
They tell us to try harder. Do better! Be kinder! Get thinner! Be funnier! Sometimes they can even drive us to compulsive or addictive behaviour. Either way, they also cause us to view other people just as a means to an end. We don’t love them well. Above all, they encourage us that life can be found away from God.
We may tell ourselves that we can walk away – but we can’t. Because we’re slaves. We’re slaves to things that promised freedom but have become slavedrivers.
Jesus doesn’t deny our need for a master – but he claims that, when we live for him, we are accepted as dearly-loved children. We are also brought back into healthy relationships with God and each other.
Impacting Our Hearts (5 minutes)
The Bible depicts God’s dealings with Israel as picturing the freedom he brings everyone who trusts in Jesus. Instead of making demands upon us, he gives us Jesus. Though he is our Master, he offers us forgiveness, freedom, and relationship with him.
- Ask one or two people to share their story of finding freedom in Jesus.
Take time to thank God for the freedom that can be ours in Jesus. Pray for his help to live in freedom and bring freedom to others. You could pray by name for people you long to encounter this freedom.
As you pray, you could listen to the worship song No Longer Slaves:
Impacting the University (15 minutes)
In the eighteenth century, Olaudah Equiano wrote an influential account of his experience of slavery. His story was a key text in developing the abolition movement.
Coming to faith in Jesus, Equiano embarked on a lifelong mission to abolish slavery in all its forms. This included slavery in the Igbo society in which he had been raised, as well as industrial-scale Transatlantic slavery.
Listen to actor Gideon Assuming read excerpts from Equiano’s autobiography (4 minutes):
Discuss:
- From what we’ve seen in Exodus, why do you think it makes sense for Christians to contend against slavery in all its forms?
- What could this look like for us as students today?
If you want ideas of how Christians can respond to modern slavery today, here are some links you could share on your group chat:
- Unseen UK operates the UK’s Modern Slavery Helpline and has a simple app to help you recognise the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking.
- Many of the products we use every day are produced by people trapped in modern slavery. Tearfund offers a guide on responsible consumerism.
- Manumit Coffee employs survivors of modern slavery as coffee roasters in Cardiff. Read their story and club together to buy a bag to share!
Wrap-up – TACOS 🌮
Thank You – Thank everyone for coming, and ask someone to thank God for your time together in prayer.
Ask – Ask those who are new to reading the Bible if they’d like to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in Mark’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate one of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life alongside one of you.
Church and CU – What does the CU have planned ahead? And what help would group members value in finding a local church?
Others – Who else could you invite to join your CU Impact Group next week? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
See You Soon – Tell the group where and when you’ll meet next week, and arrange who will bring snacks. (You might like to alternate healthy and less healthy weeks!). See if anyone would be up for sharing a meal or just hanging out in the meantime!