1.Why to Grapple

2. When to Grapple

3.How to Grapple

For further thought and discussion:

Getting Started

1.What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2.When was the last time you refused to concede a point in an argument (because you just knew you were right!)?

Going Deeper

3. Scripture presents us with a paradox. On the one hand, God is sovereign. He does as he pleases. His will does not change (see Exodus 33:18-19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). On the other hand, when Moses prays, God “relents”, and does not do as he’d decreed (see Exodus 32:10-14; 33:12-16). How do we reconcile these two portrayals of God? How does prayer impact God? Why is it critical for us to understand this if we’re to cultivate vibrant prayer lives?
4. Read Exodus 33:1-11. How does Israel’s relationship with God change after the incident with the Golden Calf (Compare Exodus 23:20-22 and 33:1-5)? Where does Moses build his “tent of meeting” (vv. 7-11)? How does this tent differ from the “Tent of Meeting” which God had commanded Israel to build (Exodus 27:21; 28:43)? Why is this significant? Why won’t God draw near to Israel (33:3)? How is God’s withdrawal an act of mercy? Why does God command the Israelites to remove their ornaments (33:4; see Exodus 32:2-4)? Why is this significant?
5. How does Moses grapple with God (vv. 12-16)? What’s his posture towards God? What’s the basis of his argument (compare vv. 12-16 with Exodus 32:11-13)? How does God respond (v. 17)? What do we learn from Moses about how to grapple with God?

Application:

6.Why is persistence essential to prayer? Why does God place such a high value on persistence (see Luke 18:1-8)?
7.Where do you need to grapple with God in prayer? Name one area where you need to be more persistent in prayer.
8.What’s one thing you can do this week to apply this sermon?