Sermon Tone Analysis

Moses has just encountered the Lord Yahweh, the living God, the God of his fathers.

God has called Moses to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

This is the commission the Lord gave to Moses:

Moses knows he’s speaking to the Lord; the Lord has introduced Himself (v. 6).

What’s more, He’s speaking to Moses from within the burning bush: a bush on fire that is not consumed—a pretty incredible sight.

Moses knows who he’s speaking

As soon as the Lord speaks to Moses, Moses hides his face—out of fear and reverence; Moses recognizes that the Lord is other, separate, holy.

The Lord tells Moses to take off his sandals because the place where he is standing is holy ground.

I’m sure Moses did just as he was told:

“Take off my sandals?

Got it.”

Now, the Lord says: So now, go.

I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people…out of Egypt.

Moses knows, without question, that he has been called, he knows who has called him, and he understands what he’s called to do.

—>Now, at this point, what should Moses have done?

What would we have done?

Moses should have said, “Yes, Lord.”

Moses should have obeyed immediately.

When asked what we would have done if we were standing barefoot before the Lord, we know what we would hope to do and what we would likely do.

I hope that I’d say, “Yes, Lord!” and then head out to pack a bag, grab my family, and hit the road with a sign on the back of my camel: ‘Egypt or Bust.’

But, as for what I would have done…well…in a number of ways, I’m pretty similar to Moses; you’re probably pretty similar to Moses, too.

What does Moses do?

He interjects.

“Um, excuse me, Lord...” and then offers 5 excuses, 5 pretty good excuses.

How many of us would ‘pull a Moses’ and come up with excuses to get out of this?

Yeah, most of us.

It’s a lot easier to keep doing what you’re doing, to keep living your life.

Tending flock in Midian sounds a lot better than going up to Pharaoh and demanding that he release his entire workforce.

What does Moses do?

He interjects.

“Um, excuse me, Lord...”

Moses responds to God’s call/commission with excuses.

Here’s the interesting part of all of this: God doesn’t strike him down.

God doesn’t flip out.

Moses offers a handful of excuses—one handful exactly (5)—and the Lord remains unfazed.

Here’s the interesting part of all of this: God doesn’t strike him down.

God doesn’t flip out.

Moses is about to offer a handful of excuses—one handful exactly (5)—and the Lord remains unfazed.

It’s almost like every excuse Moses came up with, the Lord knew about already.

He wasn’t caught off-guard.

There’s no surprising Yahweh.

He is, in fact, fully aware of Moses.

He knows all about Moses.

Let us remember: the Lord who is calling Moses to this great task is the One who knit him together in his mother’s womb, the One who preserved his life from Pharaoh’s order to kill all the male babies, the One who kept him safe and secure in the small mom-made ark that floated him down the Nile, the One who orchestrated Pharaoh’s own daughter finding him and caring for him, the One who raised him up with the intention that he would be the deliverer of this captive people—the One calling him is the One who knows him; the One calling Moses knows all of his excuses, long before he even opens his mouth.

—>If you have your Bible (and I hope you do), please turn with me to Exodus.

Our text for this morning is found in .

Keep your Bible open so you can follow along as we look at these chapters this morning.

Moses offers five excuses (, ; , , )

Exodus

Exodus 3.13

Exodus

Exodus

Exodus 4.

Let’s take these one at a time:

Excuse #1: ‘What?

Me?’

Excuse #1: ‘What?

Me?’

This is probably the go-to excuse for most people.

“Moses’ first problem was his sense of personal inadequacy, the ‘What?

Me?’ syndrome.”

If someone comes to us and says, “I’m not really up for it,”we immediately and almost instinctively reply, “Oh, of course you are! You’ll be fine.”

Notice how the Lord replies to Moses:

The Lord doesn’t try to deny Moses’ inadequacy.

He doesn’t sweep aside the difficulties Moses is feeling.

Moses says, “Lord, I’m not adequate.”

And the Lord says, “No, but I am!”

Moses’ position was, “Look, I’m really not up to the job.

You shouldn’t have picked me.”

The Lord’s reply was, “Of course you’re not up to the job.

I knew that when I chose you for it.

The point is not your ability but mine!”

The Lord does not call Moses because of his adequacy.

And He doesn’t call us because of ours.

The Lord’s presence is not conditional upon us becoming adequate; the Lord’s presence is promised to those who are inadequate

When we say (or think), “But I’m not adequate,” I like to think the Lord smirks a little and says, “You didn’t really need to tell me that.

But fear not, I will be with you.”

To give the inadequate Moses comfort and reassurance, the Lord promises His presence throughout.

He’s looks to the future and says: “When you have brought the people out of Egypt.”

What an unbelievable encouragement!

When, not if.

And, AND, the Lord tells Moses that they—Moses and the Israelites—will worship on this mountain.

(Show Map)

Well, this mountain—the mountain of God—Horeb/Sinai is well out of the way.

Pharaoh says,

The Lord, here, is telling Moses that they will be in the wilderness for a time after they leave Egypt.

Moses must have been astonished.

When Moses and the people get to Mt. Sinai (Horeb), in spite of every appearance to the contrary, Moses could be confident that all was going well and according to plan (God’s plan).

Moses’ inadequacy meets the supremely adequate God.

Excuse #2: ‘But I Wouldn’t Know What to Say!’

;

Excuse #2: ‘But I Wouldn’t Know What to Say!’

This is a very ordinary, common problem, and one we ourselves often echo when we think of speaking out about the Lord Jesus or taking a public stand on some current issue.

It’s kind of nice to know that Moses stood here before us.

Moses imagined himself going to Egypt, announcing to the people that he had been sent by the God of your fathers’ and then being asked, “Oh yeah, what’s His name?”

The gracious Lord stoops down to answer us.

He answers Moses.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was a God of many titles and one single name.

God reveals His name to Moses and instructs Moses to use it.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was a God of many titles and one single name.

I AM WHO I AM