An Inadequate Shepherd

EXODUS 3:1-4:18

STATEMENT OF FAITH

What the Bible teaches regarding The Fall of Man.

PASTORAL PRAYER

Church

Members’ meeting

Confidence in Christ, not ourselves.

Community

Otterbein students, professors, and staff

Lifewise Academy

Other churches

Redemption Hill Church

New birth in Christ; more conversions.

Unity as a body.

Wisdom for leaders.

Cornerstone Community Church

Nation & World

Unity for our nation

INTRO

Have you ever been on a team or in a group where one person carried everyone else?

Project (work/school)?

Planning for an event?

Team sport?

Golf scramble (Justin Santa).

Freshman year baseball (Ryan Bores).

MLB scouts were coming to our games to see Ryan pitch.

No matter who we were playing, if Ryan was on the mound, we were confident.

When you consider your standing with God, what gives you confidence?

Grew up in church?

You pray every so often?

You say nice things about God?

You’re a “good” person (compared to everyone else)?

God’s people are delivered from bondage because of God alone, not anything else. Therefore, our confidence should rest in him alone.

Context

Written by Moses.

2nd book of the Pentateuch (Gen.-Deut.)

Genesis ended w/ God’s people (Israel) being delivered from famine.

Welcomed into Egypt where there was food and land.

Exodus begins by telling us the relationship with Egypt is no longer a sweet one.

~400 years have passed since Israel first arrived.

Israel has multiplied greatly.

Pharaoh was intimidated by that (genocide of newborn Hebrew boys).

Moses born during that time; place in basket in Nile; found by Pharaoh’s daughter.

Hebrew who grows up as an Egyptian.

Sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew; kills the Egyptian.

Word gets out he’s done this, so he flees to the wilderness. However, God’s people are still suffering.

Ch. 2 ends with Israel crying out to God for help, and we read these beautiful words… Exod. 2:24-25 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Theme: God’s faithful deliverance. Or to be more precise… God making himself known.

SCRIPTURE READING

Sermon Text: Exodus 3:1-4:18

Outline:

God calls Moses (3:1-10)

God assures Moses (3:11-4:18)

Read: Exod. 3:1-10 (p.46)

Pray

GOD CALLS MOSES (3:1-10)

Exodus 3:1–10 (ESV)

1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

(v.1) Moses was shepherding the flock

As Buzz mentioned, Moses was 80 years old when God appeared to him (Acts 7).

First 40 years:

In Egypt

Position of power

Next 40 years:

In wilderness (Midian)

Shepherd (not just a summer gig; this was his life now!)

Especially low for someone who previously lived as an Egyptian. Gen. 46:34 ...every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

From age 40-80:

In the wilderness doing work that would appear to be unremarkable to the world.

Yet, God was preparing him for his next 40 years:

Shepherding his people out of Egypt.

(vv.2-6) God appears to Moses

We learn about this meeting between Moses and God in Exodus 3, and I think that passage is the real beginning of the biblical doctrine of God. We read about God in Genesis, but the author of Genesis met God in Exodus 3.

John Frame

Moses sees a burning bush that wasn’t consumed (v.2).

God calls Moses out of the burning bush, and Moses replies, “Here I am.” (v.4).

Similar pattern with others God has called:

Abraham Gen. 22.11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Jacob Gen. 46.2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”

Samuel 1 Sam. 3.5-8 [3x God calls Samuel, and 3x he says “Here I am” to Eli, thinking it was Eli calling]

Isaiah Isa. 6.8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

God appearing, calling Moses’ name, and Moses responding with “Here I am,” should clue us in that this is an important moment.

Significance to the burning bush.

God associated with fire in more places than one:

Smoking pot and flaming torch (Gen. 15)

Pillar of fire (Exod. 13)

Descends on Mt. Sinai in fire (Exod. 19)

Deut. 4.24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire...

Throne described as fiery flames (Daniel 7:9)

Eyes like fire (Rev. 1.14, 2.18, 19.12)

Fire as God’s judgment:

Against Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen. 19)

Against the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)

Against Ahaziah’s men (2 Kings 1)

Eternal judgment in lake of fire (Rev. 20.14)

Fire purifies

God is perfectly pure/holy.

God says that Moses is standing on holy ground.

Moses is so overcome with God’s purity/holiness that he hides his face in fear of looking at God/burning bush.

When we see the burning bush, we should be reminded of God’s holiness and purity...

(vv.7-10) God is aware of his people’s suffering

Six (6) verbs in vv.7-8:

I have surely seen

[I] have heard

I know

I have come down...

...to deliver them

[I have come down] to bring them up

God doesn’t just know about suffering caused by sin; he’s done something about it!

Exod. 2.25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

In his love, he provided a deliverer.

SUMMARY: God appears to Moses and calls him as his chosen instrument to deliver his people from bondage.

In his love, God was unwilling to leave his people in their suffering.

ALL: Don’t overlook where God has you right now.

CHRISTIAN: Be faithful wherever God has you.

You may not be where you want to be in life (Moses probably wasn’t either).

God may be using this season of your life to prepare you for the next.

NON-CHRISTIAN: Don’t think you’re unacceptable to God b/c of what you’ve done or b/c of how long you’ve rejected him.

Moses was 80 when he met God!

Prior to that he had killed a man.

ALL: Don’t buy the lie that God is indifferent to suffering.

He sees suffering:

Fires in Maui

Mudslides in southern California

War in Ukraine

School shootings

Aborted babies

Failing marriages

Bankrupt families

Cancer diagnosis

God responds by doing something:

He’s come down to:

deliver his people out of the hands of their oppression.

bring them up to the land he’s prepared for them.

GOD ASSURES MOSES (3:11-4:18)

(3:11-4:17) Tony Merida points out five objections Moses gives for not obeying God’s command

(vv.11-12) Objection #1: Credentials

Exodus 3:11–12 (ESV)

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

For the last 40 years, Moses has been a shepherd in the wilderness, and he left Egypt on bad terms.

Now he’s called to tell the most powerful man in the world to let his slaves go free!

Notice God’s response...

He doesn’t deny Moses’ lack of credentials.

Instead, he tells Moses, “But I will be with you...”

He takes Moses’ eyes off of Moses and redirects them to God!

Moses DOES lack the credentials for the task; but God doesn’t.

God is working to make HIS name known, not Moses’ name.

So it makes sense that he would use someone lacking the obvious credentials.

Think about it… If God used the strongest and most eloquent man, people would admire that man rather than God.

1 Cor. 1:26-29 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

(vv.13-22) Objection #2: Content

Exodus 3:13 (ESV)

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”

Valid concern...

Moses lived as an Egyptian among them for 40 years.

Likely worshiped Egyptian gods.

Did not worship the God of Israel.

Israelites probably suspicious of his claim to know their God. But God provides Moses with the content...

Exodus 3:14–15 (ESV)

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

What’s happening in these two verses is incredibly important.

Walter Brueggemann: It is plausible that the entire Exodus narrative is an exposition of the name [mentioned here]...

(v.14) God gives his name.

I AM WHO I AM

Names have meaning. This name is intentionally vague. Why?

No adequate way to describe God. It’s not sufficient to say...

“God’s as loving as a parent...” “God’s as strong as an ox...” “God’s as big as a Jupiter...”

None of those adequately describe God.

I AM WHO I AM = “I am the self-existent one”

I AM WHO I AM is abbreviated in the bible as YHWH (Yahweh) (corresponds to the 4 Hebrew consonants in that phrase)

“YHWH”/I AM = LORD in English bibles

(v.15) God says his name will be remembered forever. God doesn’t just give Moses his name. He also gives Moses the play-by-play...

Exodus 3:16–22 (ESV)

16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

(v.16) Moses gathers Israel’s leaders and tells them:

(vv.16) That God sees their affliction.

(v.17) God will deliver them out of Egypt and into their own land flowing with milk and honey.

Milk and honey = lush land (green pastures; thick forests; no droughts or flooding; just flourishing)

(v.18) The Israelite leaders will listen to Moses.

(vv.19-20) Pharaoh won’t listen to Moses.

But God will convince Pharaoh by striking Egypt with wonders.

(vv.21-22) God will convince Egypt so thoroughly, they’ll essentially pay Israel to leave! Despite those assurances, Moses has a third objection...

(4:1-9) Objection #3: Convincing

Exodus 4:1 (ESV)

1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ”

God just told Moses that he’d take care of the convincing part. Yet, Moses is still looking at himself rather than God.

“…they will not believe ME or listen to MY voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to YOU.’”

So, God provides signs to make Moses more convincing:

Staff turns into a snake.

Hand turns leprous.

Water turns into blood.

Each sign reflects an aspect of God’s authority.

Snake = Yahweh’s authority over evil

Leprous hand = Yahweh’s authority over disease

Water to blood = Yahweh’s authority over nature God’s authority will be further developed later in the 10 plagues. Yet, despite God’s authority and those signs, Moses offers another objection...

(4:10-12) Objection #4: Communication

Exodus 4:10–12 (ESV)

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Moses, again, focuses on himself rather than God.

“I’m not a good communicator!”

God, again, reminds him that this mission depends on God, not Moses.

“I will be with your mouth...” (v.12)

God’s presence, not Moses’ ability, is what matters. At this point, Moses resorts to his final objection...

(4:13-17) Objection #5: Commitment

Exodus 4:13–17 (ESV)

13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

We finally get to the heart of the matter: Moses just doesn’t want to do this.

He won’t be liked.

It’s uncomfortable.

It’ll cost him.

It’s dangerous.

How does God respond?

He sends Aaron with him.

Moses will hear from God and tell Aaron what to say (vv.15-16).

It’s good to do ministry with others.

Everyone who joins the body of Christ spiritually (faith) is called to join the body of Christ physically (local church).

Those are the people you do ministry with.

No Christian is called to walk alone.

A “lone ranger Christian” is not a biblical Christian.

Christianity is more like football than golf.

Football = 22 players, each with a job, working together

Golf = you and the golf course After all that back and forth, Moses obeys God.

(4:18) Moses obeys God

Exodus 4:18 (ESV)

18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

He returns to his father-in-law and is granted permission to return to Egypt.

It took convincing, but Moses finally realized that no matter what excuse he gives God, God will use him.

Why? B/C it’s not about Moses’ ability. It’s about God’s.

SUMMARY: When we focus our attention on ourselves, we realize how insufficient we are. But when we look to God, we realize how sufficient he is.

Jesus is the great I AM John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Jesus is making the claim that he is I AM/YHWH/God!

Jesus is the only way to eternal freedom from the bondage of sin.

Just as it was then, it is through I AM that we are invited to enjoy forever the lush new heavens and new earth, where sin is no more.

ALL: Your confidence with God can’t be based on you. It must be based on Christ.

You may not have the necessary credentials, or content, or convincing ability, or communication skills, or commitment, but Jesus does.

Jesus has the credentials: fully God & fully man.

Jesus has provided the content: repent and believe the gospel (Mk. 1:15)!

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, who does the convincing.

Jesus is the word made flesh (Jn. 1:14), God’s word clearly communicated to his people!

Jesus is fully committed to his people, so much so that he’d go to the cross for them.

CONCLUSION

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

God’s people are delivered from their bondage because of God alone, not anything else. Therefore, our confidence should rest in him alone.

NON-CHRISTIAN: Freedom from sin’s bondage is not accomplished by you or your abilities.

Accomplished by Christ alone.

Given to you by faith alone.

CHRISTIAN: Moses offered several objections to avoid obedience.

What objections have you been holding on to?

credentials

content

not convincing enough

communication ability

commitment

Take your eyes off of yourself and place your confidence in Christ.

Who willingly took your bondage under the curse of sin so that you may enjoy his freedom.

He paid your penalty, died your death, and rose victoriously on the 3rd day, securing deliverance for all who call on his name.

That deliverance is now offered to you.

Trust him entirely for it, not yourself.