Who Am I, That I Should Go? (2)

Introduction

Ex 3:11 “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?””

[A Lesson the explores the notion that God can use you in spite of you]

[A lesson that explores the power of God in minsitry]

God wants to work on you

God wants to work in you

But what about when God wants to work through you?

This is what ministry is about. This is what serving God is about.

God working on you

God working through you. . .

When someone needs holding up, God might use you as His shoulder

When someone needs a word of strength, God might use you as His mouth piece

When someone needs lifting up, God might use you as His arm

This is what ministry is about. This is what serving God is about.

Ministry is not about status or image

Ministry is not about the church checking off boxes

Minsitry is not about keeping up with the Jones’

Ministry is about God working out His will, while using you as the instrument.

IF MINISTRY IS NOT FULFILLING GOD’S WILL, RE-THINK THAT MINISTRY. . .because it’s about Him!

Ministry is about getting the job done recognizing that God is the one that’s working in me

This means that ministry has no place for EGO, PRIDE, SELFISH AMBITION, POWER SEEKERS

It’s about lowering myself so that God can be elevated through the work

2 Cor 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”

Exegesis of Exodus

Consider a few points from the context of Exodus. [Give brief background]

#1 - When God works through you/uses you, it will be when He is ready

Ex 2:14 “But he said, “Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”” [Acts 7:25]

Moses was acting like a deliverer, But God wasn’t ready

God’s timing is always right Gal 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

How do you know when God is ready? [He doesn’t send a recipe for us to follow step-by-step]

Prov 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Acknowledge - yadah meaning, to hear, to learn, notice. When I submit all my ways to God, He gives me the direction

Subpoint #1 - When He’s ready, He’ll get your attention

Someone knows right now that God has been trying to get your attention for a while now and you’ve been saying like Moses “Who am I, that I should go”

When God gets ready you need to go!

#2 - When God works through you/uses you, He uses the gifts He blessed you with

Ex 2:13-14 “He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting with each other; and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your companion?” But he said, “Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.””

Acts 7:25 ““And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.”

ALSO

Ex 2:19 “So they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.””

Moses had what God needed

YOU HAVE THE GIFT GOD NEEDS, Are you still saying, “Who Am I, that I should go?”

God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

God gave mircaulous gifts 1 Cor 12:4 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” 1 Cor 12:11 “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

God gives non-miraculous gifts Rom 12:6-8 “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Moses had a “deliverer spirit” and God could use that! but he said “Who Am I, that I should go?”

God can use, what you already have but does He have your heart?

Or are you still saying, “Who Am I, that I should go?”

#3 - When God works through you/uses you, He will use you inspite of your inadequacies

Consider Ex 3:11; 13; 4:1; 10;

Ex 4:13 “But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.””

Let’s be real. . .we never quite feel ready/fit/suitable/educated/qualified/the right person

QUESTION: Who told you that?

Consider

1 Sam 16:1-11.

In vs 5, They are instructed to “invite them [Jesse and his sons] to the sacrifice. There’s a son that wasn’t invited

Vs. 6, “surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him” [Eliab]

Abinadab/Shammah, 4 more sons pass - God says “not them”

1 Sam 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””

God doesn’t assess like man

You’re not fit enough to make that assesment [what God can and cannot use]

Many of the people that God used, if it was up to us we would've passed then up. Let's be honest

[Gideon, Samson, Amos, Jeremiah, the apostles]

Moses thought he wasn’t good enough - Acts 7:20 ““It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God”

Moses thought he couldn’t speak good enough - Acts 7:22 ““Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.”

Who am I focuses too much on me. . .not on God

Consider Ex 3:7-9 “The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. “Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.”

# Bonus Point

Ex 3:10 ““Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.””

Ex 3:20 ““So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.”

How did God stretch out His hand?

Who did God use? . . . .But Moses is asking, “who am I” - The better question was “Who is God?” [next week!]

It’s not about you Moses, it never was! God was going to do it THROUGH Him.

He will give you what/who you need

He will be with you

He! Will get it done

What does God desire to use you for?

Will you let him?

Will you keep asking, “Who am I, that I should go?”

Will so you tell Him, “send someone else”

Ask God to use you, and see what happens! God Bless you.

Someone said, “the most dangerous [exciting] prayer you can pray is, God use me”

I challenge you to pray that prayer and see what happens.