No Excuses.
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Introduction:
I remember when I was young being asked to do things I didn’t want to do.
I’m sure you’ve experienced that too.
Maybe your parents ask you to help someone with something and you really don’t want to help.
What did you do?
Sometimes I found that my sisters were MIA and it was only me.
Siblings typically avoid it by not being present, unless you were that sibling.
Don’t be fooled, some do it as adults too.
When we could help someone or participate at some event we really don’t want to.
We make excuses by coming up with reasons we can’t do it.
Maybe my schedule shows I already have something going. (way late in the day; but it’s there.)
You get a phone call or text and just don’t answer or respond until after they needed you.
When we don’t want to do something all of the sudden we find more excuses than reasons to help.
Here is where we find Moses after his calling in chapter 3.
Just to re-cap:
Moses did not believe that he was enough to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt.
God reassured him that he’s correct, he’s not enough; but God will be there with him and will be the authority and power for the demand.
God can be trusted, Moses could go to Egypt relying wholly on the Lord by faith.
Moses wasn’t a young man any more, God allowed time and removal of any confidences in things of the world to be stripped away, to humble Moses to depend on the Lord, instead of anything else.
Chapter 3 reveals that he was physically ready to trust God; here in chapter 4 we have Moses’ excuses.
Transition:
Moses had left Egypt in shame and fear; but now that God has called him back to Egypt he has a:
Fear of Credibility (1-9)
Fear of Credibility (1-9)
Moses has no public prestige and the youthful confidence he once had in himself has gone as well.
He was ripe for the Pick’n to do God’s will just as we found last week.
He wasn’t excited.
His future is haunted by the past (1)
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.’ ”
Moses didn’t think he was worthy to represent God.
When your credibility or respect as an authority is non-existent, people won’t follow you.
That must have been something that he learned in the home of Pharaoh.
People were forced to follow.
The Hebrew people couldn’t be forced to accept what Moses had for them it would’ve been of their own free will to believe because of the message he brought.
God seemed to provide a way to prove Moses’ calling, through:
The gift of a sign (2-7)
2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”
3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.
4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.
7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
God asked him to identify a tool of his trade.
Any shepherd would’ve known what the shepherd’s crook was.
What God asks him to do with it required faith and trust.
The staff turned into a snake which was probably a Basilisk or Cobra.
Those were a symbol of royal and divine power in Egypt.
Something that every Pharaoh supposedly possess!
It would’ve been a sign to the Pharaoh as a pledge to be victorious over the king and the gods of Egypt.
Moses couldn’t leave without his staff so he was instructed by God to pick it up.
Moses ran from the snake he was scared of it.
Yet God told Moses: You have dominion over the serpent, to wield for a sign pick it up!
And hear what God says about the importance for this sign:
5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
Moses wasn’t portraying that he was doing this on his authority, it was on the authority of the 1 and only God.
Illustration:
When I was in college we had an assignment.
We were supposed to visit church websites and find out what their beliefs were.
I found that many websites had their beliefs; but most of them didn’t have any scripture to affirm by what authority.
When people state what they believe if they don’t reference scripture for why: then it can come across as their authority!
We should not want it on our authority, it should be the Lord’s.
Then it will be truth that isn’t contestable.
The truth of scripture is His authority.
Connection:
When we are speaking with the authority of scripture about Jesus some people will get mad since the gospel is offensive.
Salvation is exclusive.
That isn’t my authority that says this, it is the Creator of everything Almighty God’s authority.
Salvation requires a belief in 1 God: Jesus and that His blood can pay for your sins.
That’s not the popular thing, “many ways to god” is, and so is “that is what belief gets you to your god or works for you”.
It’s the mindset that there are many paths to heaven, you just have to find one that works for you.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for God.
There is 1 way:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
People are going to be mad at you, possibly hate you for this message; Jesus told us it would happen:
17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
We can find comfort in knowing that It is His truth, and it is His job to save people, we are only his ambassadors.
We don’t have to concern ourselves with how they receive the message, we are only instructed to give it to them.
But Wait That’s not All, there is another sign:
6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.
7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
Leprosy among the Jews was considered a contagious disorder, and incurable.
Leprosy among the heathens was seen as a punishment from their god and only god could remove it.
2 kings 5:7 supports this thinking.
The king of Syria sent his general Naaman to the king of Israel to cure him of his leprosy and this was what he said:
7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
Leprosy was a disease that only a god could give and take away.
Moses would show that he could do it; by the power and authority of I AM.
He was serious.
Just in case there were still some who wouldn’t accept these signs.
There always are.
He gave:
A sign of blood (8-9)
8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.
9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
This sign would be a foreshadow for the plagues to come.
Also similar to the blood of Jesus being poured out for us
And to be put to death for us.
39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Connection:
Jesus isn’t dead, He beat death and the grave; by His authority!
He told us that He is the firstfruits and those who believed in Him would be with Him.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Transition:
In Moses we have a blood sign that should break any thought about God’s will being done, He will always have His will!
At that moment when no one (the Hebrews, and the Egyptians) believe God sent Moses.
Moses would have:
A Lack of Faith (10-17)
A Lack of Faith (10-17)
Moses in his attempt to avoid facing his fears drums up:
His excuses (10)
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.”
I can’t speak well.
In the realm of pastors there have been a lot whom have had speech problems, yet God called them to preach the word of God.
And miraculously their speech wasn’t such a problem while preaching.
Moses needed to:
Trust God (11-12)
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: Don’t you think I can do something about that?
Imagine the chuckle from God when his child brought such a lame excuse to him in an effort to get out of work.
Then Moses gives:
The Truth (13-17)
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.”
Aaron can do it, he’s qualified seeing how he is descendent of Levi and would become High Priest later on.
Connection:
How many times do we as little silly children make up excuses because we don’t want to get out of our comfort zone for His will?
I bet God laughs at us a lot.
I bet He gets disappointed with us too.
Look at it from a fathers point of view:
What kind of excuses did you get from your kids when they didn’t want to do chores or other things?
Some were really funny, some were creative, and some were just plain defiant and frustrating.
Illustration:
(All the kids moving the chairs except a couple boys)
We sound silly to God when we give excuses, especially when we don’t realize or see the blessings we are mission out on.
Transition:
Don’t use excuses to cover you fear; ask the Lord for His courage.
Moses stopped using excuses after he finally admitted the truth to God.
He would begin the:
Three Day Journey (18-31)
Three Day Journey (18-31)
Moses began with communicating to his father-in-law where he was headed.
He resigned as his shepherd since God called him to shepherd another flock.
God calmed Moses of the fear for his life and the imprisonment through:
The Father’s Provision (18-20)
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.”
19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”
20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
He had nothing to fear moving forward.
His life was safe.
God was with him.
Aaron would speak.
The Hebrews would accept I AM and the deliverer He sent.
Moses was reminded to stand firm and do as He asked.
In that reminder God told him the future and provided a foreshadow for the Holy Spirit.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,
23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”
The death of the firstborn is the indicating phrase and why would that happen?
Because of Pharaoh’s hard heart.
Barnes in his commentary says:
“Calamities which do not subdue the heart harden it.” -Albert Barnes.
God used the circumstances to harden Pharaohs heart.
God told Moses it would happen.
He also told Him who would kill the first born.
This would be significant, since God names His “firstborn” as Israel, in verse 22.
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,
It is here He claims them!
You better watch out if you try and keep my child from coming to me!
The request to go 3 days journey to worship God was kind and considerate to the Egyptians.
Many of the sacrificed animals would’ve been offensive to the Egyptians, since they were sacred which was a big problem because they were sacrificed in Hebrew services.
The promise to take the first born was a promise.
The Holy Spirit would come in Exodus 12 and kill Pharaoh’s first born, and everyone else’s at passover, unless they had faith and believed God’s words and shed blood along the door posts of their home.
They could be:
Saved By Blood (24-26)
Much like Moses’ firstborn was by Zipporah his wife.
24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”
26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
Moses had neglected his duty to circumcise his son, the Lord was going to require the punishment to be paid by Gershom.
As Moses was sick and lay in the bed, Zipporah followed through with the covenant promise.
If she hadn’t their firstborn would be dead and also would be cut off from his people as God stated in Gen.
14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Now Moses’ son entered the covenant and wouldn’t be cut off!
Her faith brought blessing and salvation to their family.
After Moses got better Moses and Aaron have:
A Reunion (27-31)
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do.
29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel.
30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Aaron went to the mountains where God called Moses.
Moses communicated the Lord’s will, and each of their roles.
With the Lord, the plan, and signs; they headed to Egypt to deliver the Hebrews from 400 years of slavery.
As they came down from the mountain I wonder if they believed that something amazing is about to happen and God is using them to accomplish it.
They did as instructed and they believed what the will of I AM was.
They were reunited with their people, what a day when Moses could see his family (whom he hadn’t seen or heard from in 40 years) and tell them all God has done.
His family he now had and how God made him a shepherd of sheep; but would now shepherd God’s people across the desert to worship Him.
We see the foreshadowing of quite a bit here.
You can find the Holy Spirit
Passover
Faith in the blood and through believing we gain life and freedom for all eternity.
Connection:
The shadow is:
Saved by the blood.
A promise and hope for the blessed reunion.
It is that grand reunion with our brothers and sisters who passed on into eternity before us.
How awesome it will be.
Conclusion:
None of us need silly excuses for being uncomfortable about what God has called us to do for Him.
Trust His promises in His word and the truth that we stand firm on as our authority!
Our lack of faith can be overcome.
Trust Jesus our Savior because He loves you.
What He has called you to He will provide everything to accomplish it, including your comfort and peace.
Living as a believer is a journey and we know the 2 destinations:
Heaven.
Hell.
Where we are heading depends on whether we have faith in the power of Jesus’ blood to cover our sins or not.
Allow the calamities to subdue your heart instead of hardening it.
- Pray!
