Sermon Tone Analysis

Good Morning!

This morning I want to invite you to turn in your Bibles to .

We are going to be talking about excuses.

Now I don’t know about you but I consider myself to be a pretty good excuse maker.

In fact, I’ve been working on it for years.

I find that most of the time when faced with something that I’m unsure about, or something that I know is really difficult I can quickly come up with an excuse.

Now you may not want to admit it, but maybe you can relate to me on this.

I read a story about a pastor who had heard so many excuses around his church about why folks did not feel like attending that he decided to proclaim one Sunday “No Excuse Sunday.”

“No Excuse Sunday”

(He decided that he needed) His goal was to make it possible for everyone to attend church, without excuse.

To do this he implemented some really interesting things:

having a special "No Excuse Sunday?"

Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say "Sunday is my only day to sleep in".

There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our (seats) pews are too hard.

Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.

We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in If I ever came to church."

Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.

Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.

Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner, too.

We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money.

One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.

Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.

The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.

We will provide hearing aids for those who can’t hear the preacher and cotton for those who can!!

When no excuse Sunday finally came around a husband and wife who were members of this church woke up early on Sunday morning to get ready for church.

It was just about time for the service when (the wife) she noticed her husband hadn’t moved a finger toward getting dressed.

Perplexed, she asked, “Why aren’t you getting dressed for church?”

He said, “Cause I don’t want to go.”

She asked, “Do you have any reasons?”

He said, “Yes, I have three good reasons.

First the congregation is cold.

Second, no one likes me.

And third, I just don’t want to go.”

The wife replied, wisely, “Well honey, I have three reasons why you should go.

First the congregation is warm.

Second, there are a few people there who like you.

And third, you’re the pastor!

So get dressed!”

We can all make excuses when we want to can’t we?

Read Scripture…Exodus 4:1-5

Exodus chapter 4 is sort of a make or break point in the life of Moses.

Moses is faced with a choice.

It’s the choice to step out in faith and follow God’s calling to a huge task or to return to the field where he had been shepherding.

I’m sure many of you know the story well - Moses had been called by God to be the great emancipator of Israel for Egyptian bondage.

If you read back in chapter three you will see Moses’s reluctance to be the leader of Israel.

In fact we see Moses offering several excuses as to why he was not the man for the job.

be the great emancipator of Israel for Egyptian bondage.

If you read back in chapter three you will see that Moses reluctant to be the leader of Israel and in fact we see Moses offering many excuses as to why he was not the man for the job.

What were some of his excuses?

God says to Moses:

So Moses, when faced with the God-sized task of leading God’s people out of their Egyptian bondage first responds to this call by making some excuses.

Well what are these excuses?

Excuse 1: “Who am I that you should choose me for this task?” - God, how could I be the one that you are calling to do this?

God, surely there is someone better suited for this task?

God’s answer: “I will be with you.” - Basically Moses it’s not about you its about me with you.

Excuse 2: “Who will I tell the Israelites is sending me?” - Basically God I don’t have enough information, I don't know enough about you.

God’s answer: “I AM WHO I AM - the I AM is sending you.”

Excuse 3: (found in our focal passage for this morning )

“What if they do not believe me or listen to me?”

God’s answer: (He responds to Moses with a question): “What is in your hand?”

This statement is profound if you think about it.

It is really a heart-searching question.

Each of God’s previous responses to Moses’s excuses were about what God has going to do for Moses, and who God waw, but this is different.

You see, God answers Moses’s question with another question.

God says simply: “What is in your hand?”

This morning I want to examine the call that God has given to Moses in light of Exodus chapter 4:2.

So we are actually going to spend most of our time camping out on this one verse because I believe that God’s answer to Moses applies to each of us sitting here this morning too.

This morning I ant to examine this call that God has given to Moses in light of Exodus chapter 4:2.

I believe that God’s answer (in the form of a question) to Moses “What is in your hand?” applies to each of us sitting her this morning too.

I want us to look together at three ways we need to consider God’s reply to Moses in verse 2.

First we see in God’s reply to Moses’s question in the form of an Appeal.

God Appeals to Moses:

God has already called Moses to serve him and lead His people Israel out of Egypt and now God seeks to clarify that call and stir up faith in Moses.

God has been very clear about his call and even given Moses numerous reasons why he can trust the Great I AM, but Moses unsure of his own abilities and gifts then starts to ask “what if”.

Have you ever played the “what if” game with God?

We will get back to that thought more in a moment.

Anyone ever played the “what if” game with God?

We do this today: We have numerous openings to serve in various miniseries around our church and sometimes we ask and ask for folks to step up and serve in these areas...

We say things like: “I just don’t think I can commit to serve here or there - what if something comes up?” God, I know you are calling me to do this or that, but “what if” another opportunity comes my way and I feel like I need to do that instead?

God, I know you want to to share you Gospel message with people around me but what if they won’t listen?”

The Lord says to Moses :"What is in your hand?”

When God calls you - He wants all of you, and He will use all of you.

God’s appeal to Moses has two parts:

The first part is an appeal to surrender the physical.

God wants to use what Moses physically has in his hand.

God wants Moses to surrender this to him.

Moses, o course was a shepherd and most likely had an shepherd staff in his hand.

(Show hiking staff and use as illustration)

Now most of us are not running around with staffs in our hands today like Moses a shepherd would have been, but rest assured we do have things in our hands.

Sometimes we have our hands quite full with what we have going on in life.

We have jobs, families, responsibilities, we have hobbies, commitments, hopefully we have areas of the church we serve in, and let’s not forget the talents, and gifts that God has given us that we each have in our hands.

When we acknowledge this it leads us to ask ourselves two questions:

The first is this: What do I have in my hands?

What in my life consumes me and takes up my time?

What do I find myself staying busy with?

The second is: “Am I willing to surrender what I have in my hands to God? Am I willing to lay these things down before Him?”

If we are not careful the very things we have in our hands are the things that keep us for effectively serving God.

Listen, these things we have in our hands can be really good things!

They can even things that we are using to serve God.

God’s call to Moses is also God’s call to each of us sitting here today.