JOURNEYING

IN
FAITH AS

GOD’S PEOPLE
CHAPTER 4

GRADE 8
MOST PEOPLE LINK FREEDOM TO THE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING ONE WANTS. THEREFORE…

× We can be enslaved by our own habits

× We cannot resist the lure

× Bad habits makes us unfree

The road to
freedom is long
and difficult.
 THE STRUGGLES WITH SLAVERY
× Jacobs’s descendants prospered in Egypt.

× It seemed that God’s promise to Abraham was becoming a reality.

×As time passed, a new pharaoh came to power in Egypt.

× He feared the growing numbers of Israelites

× He decided to put them under control by making them slaves of Egypt

× And decided to kill male Hebrew babies

GOD SAVES MOSES (EX 2:1-10)
× Moses was born a Hebrew but raised an Egyptian.

× He was saved by his mother from the slaughter of the Hebrew male
children.

× He was found by the pharaoh’s daughter.

× She named him Moses, which meant “drawn out of water” or “one who
draws out”
Exodus 2:1-10
shows how
God protected
Moses.
 GOD CALLS MOSES TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE (EX 2:23-4:12)

× The pharoah died

× They cried out to God for help

× God responded by calling Moses

× He kept objecting to God’s call

 LE
IB
B
HE
T
IN
NS
T IO
EC
J
OB
IS “Who am I that I should go to
H Pharoah and lead the Israelites
out of Egypt?”
- (Ex 3:11)
 LE
IB
B
HE
T
IN
NS
T IO
EC
J
OB “But if I go to the Israelites and
IS
H say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you’ , if
they ask me, ‘what is the name?’
what am I to tell them?”
- (Ex 3:13)
 LE
IB
B
HE
T
IN
NS
T IO
EC
J
OB
IS
H
“Suppose they will not believe
me, nor listen to my plea?”
- (Ex 3:13)
 LE
IB
B
HE
T
IN
NS
T IO
EC
J
OB
IS
H
“I have never been eloquent. I am
slow of speech and tongue”
- (Ex 4:10)
 LE
IB
B
HE
T
IN
NS
T IO
EC
J
OB
IS
H
“Send someone else!”
-(Ex 4:13)
 THE PATTERN OF GOD’S CALL
Moses has been tasked by God
× It shows the mystery of His choice.

× God has his own reasons and we must Trust him

× He chose Moses and not his brother who was a priest to be His spokesman
and liberator of Israel

× God’s choice does not depend on the person’s natural abilities.

× God promised that He will guide Moses - “I will be with you” (Ex 3:12)
 OF
LL b ols:

CA ym
es
E hr
e
TH
t
d by
IN ES esente
S S epr
SM O is r
LI M ses
B O o
toM
The Desert is a place where life is
YM tion almost impossible.
S vela
l f-re × Silence, heat and dryness are a
s se
d’ symbolism of God’s testing.
Go

× The Israelites’ 40 years of

wandering in the desert tested their
faith and drew them closer to God
 OF
LL b ols:

CA ym
es
E hr
e
TH
t
d by
IN ES esente
S S epr
SM O is r
LI M ses
B O o
toM
Mountains, where Heaven and Earth
YM tion meet
S vela
f-re
se
l × It is where traditionally considered
d’s
Go as places for encountering God

×God’s call for the Israel to become

His chosen people happened in Mt.
Sinai
 OF
LL b ols:

CA ym
es
E hr
e
TH
t
d by
IN ES esente
S S epr
SM O is r
LI M ses
B O o
toM
Fire is a symbol of the death of old
YM tion life and to transform it to a new one
S vela
f-re
se
l × Fire changes all that it touches
d’s
Go
× It doesn’t symbolizes God who will
be transforming people through his
grace

× He was able to change Moses from

anxious and timid person to be a fiery
leader of the Israelites
 THE PREPARATION FOR THE EXODUS
× Moses returned to Egypt with his brother Aaron

× He explained to people everything what God told him

× “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may celebrate a
feast to me in the desert”(Ex 5:1)

× “Who is the Lord that I should heed plea to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord; even
if I did, I would not let Israel go” (Ex 5:2)

× God sent Moses to the pharoah several times, but the pharoah continued to be
stubborn and refused to listen to Moses.
 GOD SENDS THE PLAGUES (EX 7:14-25, 8-11)
× The bible interprets the plagues as “sign and wonders”
or events pointing to God’s presence

× The Israelites and bible authors knew in faith that

the plagues were an act of God

× Israelites believed that any event was a sign that God was in their midst

× They believed that God was the center of the events that happened during time of exodus

× God sent plagues to liberate them from egyptians slavery

× The amount of ten Plagues shows the pride of the pharaoh and the patience of God in dealing with him
 THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT
× Water to Blood - When Aaron's staff hit the Nile River, the water became blood, and the
first plague began.

× Frogs - The second plague brought an influx of millions of frogs.

× Lice - Aaron's staff was used again in the third plague. This time he struck the earth and
lice flew up from the dust.

× Flies - The fourth plague affected only the lands of Egypt and not those where the
Hebrews lived in Goshen.

× Diseased livestock - The fifth plague sent a deadly disease through the animals they
relied on.
× Boils - To bring on the sixth plague, God told Moses and Aaron to toss ashes
into the air.

× Thunder and Hail - The seventh plague brought torrential rains, thunder, and
hail that killed people, animals, and crops.

× Locusts – These insects ate every green plant they could find.

× Darkness – Three days of complete darkness stretched over the lands of Egypt
—not those of the Hebrews, who enjoyed light by day—in the ninth plague.

× Death of the first-born – The firstborn in every Egyptian household would die,
including Pharaoh's son.
 THE ANGEL OF DEATH PASSES OVER THE
ISRAELITES (EX 12:1-29)

1. The original Passover event

- The word passover comes from the
Hebrew word, pesach, and the
Aramaic word, pescha
- it refers to how the angel of death
passed over the houses of
Israelites and spared their
firstborn sons
 THE ISRAELITE FAMILIES HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED
TO DO THREE THINGS:
× Prepare a one-year old lamb without blemish for slaughter

× Sprinkle some of the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their house

× Eat a meal of roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs “like
people who are in flight” (Ex 12:11)

GOD SPARED ALL THE HOUSES MARKED

WITH THE BLOOD OF LAMB.
2. The Jewish feast of the Passover
- The Passover feast was instituted to commemorate the Exodus event
- God told Moses to instruct the people to celebrate this feast every
year
- The Passover was a central and crucial event in the Israelites’ history.
- after almost 3,000 years, Jews all over the world still celebrate the
Passover
- they celebrate their “freedom day” with ritual meal that follows the
Biblical descriptions of the Passover meal
3. Jesus’ Last Supper is the new Passover
- Jesus celebrated the Passover each year
-He completely transformed it by becoming the Paschal Sacrifice,
offering His own body and blood
- Jesus became the new Paschal Lamb to be sacrificed for all
- The Jewish Passover takes on a new meaning for us Christians
- Jesus’ Death and Resurrection is the Christian fulfillment of the
Jewish Passover

“ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it,
and giving it to his disciples said ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’
Then he took acup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink
from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will
be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins’ “
– Mt. 26:26-28
4. The Eucharistic celebration is the Christian Passover
- We reenact Christ’s ultimate sacrifice through the power of the
Holy Spirit when we’re celebrating Mass
- The mass is a manifestation of Christ’s perfect actof redeeming love
through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross
-We share in the salvation and spiritual freedom that Christ’s Death
and Resurrection have won for us
- The Mass is bringing us to the grace of Christ’s saving love
 THE DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT (EX 12:31-42)

× The death of the first born Egyptian children finally convinced the
pharaoh to let Israelites leave

× The Egyptians thought they would all die if the Israelites did not
leave(Ex 12:33)

× The Israelites departed as a free and victorious people

 THE ISRAELITES MIRACULOUSLY CROSSED THE
RED SEA
× God guided and protected the Israelites throughout their exodus

× Day time= large cloud, that stretched into the horizon

Night= pillar of fire
× The pharaoh changed his mind and pursued the Israelites with his
armies

× At the first sign of danger, the Israelites began to complain

× Moses was patient with the Israelites

- “Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord
will win for you today. These Egyptians whom you see today will
never see again. The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only
to keep still.”
- Ex 14:13-14
× Moses stretched out his hand over the sea
× God swept the sea with a strong wind, the waters were divided so
the Israelites could cross the sea on dry land.

× The Egyptians pursued the Israelites right the midst of the sea

× When the Israelites had crossed, Moses

Stretched out his hand again, and the waters
Engulfed the Egyptian army

The Israelites witnessed God’s great power

 THE COVENANT WITH GOD (EX 19:1-15)
GOD OFFERS A COVENANT
× God brought the Israelites to Sinai to reveal Himself to them once
more

× He desired the Israelites to become His Chosen People

× God knew the Israelites’ strength and weaknesses, He knew that they
would complain but He chose them anyway
“ The Lord, your God, has chosen you from all the peoples on the face
of the earth to be a people specially his own. It was not because
you are more numerous than all the people that the Lord set his
heart on you and chose you; for you are really the smallest of all
people. It was because the Lord loved you… ”
- Dt 7:6b-8a
 TWO PARTS OF THE COVENANT

× An offer of friendship and promises of blessings; and

× A demand for loyalty and obedience

× God’s offer His covenant was a great blessing to Israel.

× God offered a new identity,destiny and a new life for the Israelites

× He asked for their free response to His love

× God’s choice of the Israelites as His people was not just a blessing but
also a responsibility

× As the people of God, they had a sacred mission, to spread God’s word
of salvation

× God chose Israel for this purpose and showed how their faith should
lead others to believe in the one true God
 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS THE LAW OF THE
COVENANT(EX 20)
× God set the terms of covenant by giving Israel His fundamental law,
the Ten Commandments

× The Ten Commandments is also called as Decalogue, which means

“ten words,” are God’s moral commands

× It is the covenant between God and His people

 THE ISRAELITES ACCEPT THE COVENANT
(EX 24:1-8)
× The ratification of the covenant means that the Israelites accepted the
covenant offered by God
- “We will do everything that the Lord has told us” (Ex 24:3)

× The acceptance of God’s offer of the covenant was symbolizes by the Ten
Commandments, and Israel became one nation, “church” of the Old
Testament

× This event was solemnized by a sacrifice of young bulls to God

× Moses sprinkled half of the blood on the altar saying, “This is the blood of
the covenant wich the Lord has made with you” (Ex 24:8)

× It signified the union of God and Israel. And the blood symbolized life
 LEARNING THE WAYS OF FAITH
× It took a long time for the Israelites to reach the Promised Land

× They had to survive the forty-year journey through desert

× They had to keep believing and trusting that God was leading them
towards the right direction

× The time the Israelites spent wandering in the desert was crucial to
their formation as a holy people

× During those years, they learned more about God’s faithfulness to

them and His power and their own unfaithfulness and weaknesses
 GOD SHOWS HIS FIDELITY AND POWER (NM
9:15; 10:33-36)
× Throughout the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land,
God gave them many signs of His presence and protection

× A pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night guided the
Israelites who carried with them the Ark of the Covenant

× A chest containing the two tables of the Ten Commandments

× At night, they keep the ark well-guarded in a portable tent-like at the

center of their camp

× The ark represented the presence of God

× God showed his love and mercy for his people by providing their needs

× God helped them even in battles

 ISRAEL SHOWS IT DISCONTENT AND INFIDELITY

× Even if God provided the needs of the Israelites, they still complained

× Others disobeyed Moses and refused to follow his instructions

× Worst of all, there were Israelites who worshipped other gods

End of slide show
 PROCLAIMING
OUR BELIEF IN
THE
TRIUNE GOD
CHAPTER 4

GRADE 7
× Christian faith is centered on
our personal relationship with
Jesus Christ, who is “the way,
the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6)
× As the Son-made-man, Christ
is the true light who
illuminates the world(Jn 1:9)by
revealing to us boththe reality
of God and our true identity
and destiny as human persons
 ND
, A IT
ON PI
R
, S LY
S

E R H
O
H
T IR F TI T H
E
A
F P YO
HE S ER
T ST
OD E
M
Y

G T H

× Christians do not worship three different gods, but one

God who exist in the Three Divine Personas−THE Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.

× God: the Triune God, is from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself
 THE TRIUNE GOD: THE PERFECT COMMUNION
OF PERSONAS

× GOD THE FATHER- He is Our Heavenly Father, who gives

and sustains our life

× GOD, THE SON- He is the one who protects and saves us

like a brother

× GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT- The one who guides us, just like a
friend or a teacher
God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the perfect communion of
Persons. The Triune God has the enternal exchange of infinite
love, who freely shares himself to us.
 THE CREED
× Creed comes from the Latin word credo, which means “I believe”.

× It is the formal set of doctrines that summarizes and express our belief in the
Triune God

× It is also a prayer and an act of faith put into words

× Creed teaches us to believe, trust, and ground ourselves not in what we feel, do, or
want, but rather in who God is, and what God does and wills for us
 THE NICENO-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED
THE TWO CREEDS:
× The Apostles’ Creed is based On the tradition that it originated from Jesus’
apostles themselves

× The Nicene Creed on the other hand, is named after the very first ecumenical
council of Church leaders, the council of Nicaea.

× The Nicene Creed, together with Apostles’ creed is the creed that solemnly recited
by millions of Christian belivers.
 THE ESSENTIAL TRUTH OF OUR FAITH

“ I BELIEVE IN GOD”
× It affirms our belief in the One True God.
“I BELIEVE IN OUR ONE GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY”
× We belive in the Person of the Father, the ultimate source of all and creator of all
things.
“I BELIEVE IN ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST”
× We believe in thr Person of the Son, Jesus Christ, who, from the beginning, is one-in-
being with the Father
“I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE LORD, THE GIVER OF LIFE”
× We believe in the Person of the Holy Spirit, who prceeds from the Father amd the Son, The Spirit of
love in whom we receive divine life, and who guides the course of our life.
“I BELIEVE IN ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH”
× Though, we say we believe in the Church, we do not put the Church in the same level as the Triune
God. Rather, we are saying that we believe the Church to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
× We love and Cherish her as a mother, teacher, and guide. She is the people of God, The Body of
Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
× There are times when out faith in the Church is put to test, we continue to declare our loyalty
because it is with her that Christ entrusted His word and sacraments.