Sermon Tone Analysis

Yahweh

7 Mins -

o Introduction -

Exciting to be hear.

Let me introduce you to two friends of mine.

This one is Vashti, this one is Xerxes.

These were my dogs.

As you can see, they are sizeable creatures.

We asked Brittany’s parents to look after them and they love them so much, they won’t give them back.

Vashti is the most well-behaved Dog on the planet.

There is patio at Brittany’s parent’s house, right by the back door.

Vashti sits at the door and looks in hoping to come inside, if you open the door and let her in, she gently comes in, and then sits as soon as you tell her to, and then she doesn’t move.

She just stays put and look at you.

Xerxes on the other hand is a naughty dog.

He’s been like that ever since we picked him up.

He also sits at the back door and looks in, but if you open up the back door, you open up a can of chaos.

He will run in, chase the cats, jump on the bed, raid the cupboard, if he can do it, he will do it!

One thing I know about Xerxes, is that he doesn’t listen.

One fine day, Brittany and I decided to go for a walk down the beach with Xerxes.

Now, when he was a puppy, this was no big deal because he didn’t have a whole lot of size to him, so if he decided to try and run off to play with a dog, or chase a ball or whatever, well we could easily hold him back.

But, when he grew and started to become strong, then the ball game changed.

I remember one particular occasion.

We are walking Xerxes down the beach and my wife is holding the reins.

Well, guess what, along comes another Dog.

Xerxes, decides that it’s play time and that he will run down the beach for a game.

My wife feel’s Xerxes taking off and tells him to stop, but Xerxes, you will remember, doesn’t listen!

He just takes off!

Brittany tried to hold onto him, and tried to hold onto him, and tried to hold onto him, but.. before you know it she was face flat in the sand and Xerxes was off!!

The poor Dog owner who seen him coming thought his life was about to end, but don’t worry it all ended well!

Xerxes was a happy camper playing with another Dog, and Brittany managed to get the sand out of her teeth.

Xerxes, is not a good listener.

Have you ever met someone that’s not a good listener?

Xerxes is not a good listener!

Have you ever wondered if God is a good listener?

You know, you have things you are struggling with in your life and you pray about them, and wonder if God has heard you, or if God is leading you, if God is even there?

Is God a good listener?

o Listens –

Let’s have a look in the Bible.

I want to introduce you to a passage of scripture and then we are going to have a chat about it.

.

Old-Testament.

Second book of the Bible.

sets the context for today’s story.

· – describes a group of people.

This group is known as the “the sons of Israel” or the “nation of Israel.”

They are the descendants of three key characters in the Bible, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jacob’s other name was Israel, hence why the people were called the sons of Israel.

· Now, in a previous story, found in Genesis, Jacob’s son Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt.

Through a series of miraculous events, Joseph ends up becoming the Prime-minister of Egypt and then eventually his people, the sons of Israel move down to Egypt.

· After a little while, however, the Egyptians noticed that there were more Israelites than Egyptians and they wanted to do something about it.

Notice the text, I will read it for you.

· .

· The group is getting big.

Let’s deal with them says the Egyptians leaders.

· Now, if you read the rest of the chapter you will notice that the Egyptians forced the Israelites into slavery and treated them terribly, and they even went as far as to attempt to kill the male babies as soon as they were born.

The Egyptians oppressed the Israelites.

· Now, notice what the text says in –

“During that long period, the king of Egypt died.

The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.

God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

So, God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.”

The text tells us that God heard their cry and was concerned about them.

Did you catch that?

The text tells us that God is a good listener.

He’s not like Xerxes.

He’s interested.

Now..here comes the bit I want you to catch.

Today’s theme is Yahweh.

Don’t miss this.

In as the story progresses, we are introduced to this guy by the name of Moses.

You’ve probably heard of him before.

The Bible tells us here that God calls Moses to rescue the Israelite people from slavery.

God’s heard them.

Now he calls Moses to save them from their oppression.

In verse 13 Moses says – but when I get there what shall I say Your name is? So, he speaks to God and says, hey God, what shall I say your name is when I go to Egypt to rescue the people.

Here is how God responds –

“God said to Moses, “I am who I am.

This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘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, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

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, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

Do you know what that word Lord in Hebrew is? Yahweh.

It’s Yahweh.

“The Lord [Yahweh], 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, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

Yahweh.

I am who I am, I am Yahweh.

When I was going through College, my Old Testament professor told me that at scholarly conventions, Jewish scholars in our time won’t say the word Yahweh out loud.

They will use other names to refer to God, but they won’t say Yahweh out loud.

Why?

This is the name God gave himself.

They revere it, its sacred to them.

Yahweh.

What have we learnt about Yahweh so far?

Yahweh listens.

The people cried out in affliction, and Yahweh listened.

He called Moses to rescue the people.

Now, we are going to come back to that.

But for now -

Discussion time – Groups of 3-5 – 7 mins

1.

In your experience, is God a good listener?

Why?

Why not?

2. Do you think its possible that God has heard our prayers and given us an answer, but we haven’t listened for that answer?