(Exodus 4:10-17) God's Will Through God's Help!

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Paul declared this of himself -

Ephesians 6:20 ESV

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Every Christian - is representing God to lost people and to fellow believers every day.

- whether we realize it or not.

- whether we acknowledge it or not.

We are as God to somebody.

The idea that Moses was as God to Aaron - means Moses was the representative who conveyed the word of God to Aaron and the people of Israel.

And we do that everyday as Christians -

By the way we live.

By the words we say.

By what we do with the witnessing opportunities we take advantage of.

We do this to -

The electrician who comes in our house.

The customer I work with on the phone.

The neighbor who love to prune his trees.

The children God has called me to raise.

I as a father - represent God to my children.

I as a mother - represent God to my children.

And the grand children God has called me to influence as I represent God to.

We are as God to them - Ambassadors of Christ.

And that is an awesome responsibility isn’t it?

To think that I represent God someone else.

But that is what Moses is called to.

And in one of the most profound ways.

Because ultimately - he will confront Pharoah as God as well.

He will confront him with signs and wonders unlike anything else we have ever seen.

Exodus 7:1 ESV

1 And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.

And he is a little scared.

Consider - Ex 4:10-17

Exodus 4:10–17 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.” 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.”

As we understand what Moses is teaching us

when he describes his encounter with God.

I want you believe this morning that -

God helps us to accomplish every task he calls us too.

And this text teaches two ways for how we should follow the will of God.

We should,

1) Trust God to enable us to do his will. (Ex 4:10-12)

As we have worked our way through Exodus 3 and the first part of Exodus 4, we have encountered the fears of Moses.

Moses has said -

I am a nobody.

I don’t know your name.

They won’t believe me.

Moses gives us one more

Moses understandable fear - I am not eloquent.

Do you feel like that?

I am not gifted with Words.

Exodus 4:10 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.”

Moses says – I am not a man of words.

Most of our Bibles will say - I am not eloquent.

But the most basic translation is - I’m not a man of words.

He says I’m not a man who is skilled and gifted with words.

He says I’m actually man of few words.

ILLUSTRATION:

There are people in our world who are just gifted with words.

Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Allan Poe … And the list could go on.

These people are famous because they are gifted with words.

They are men of words.

Moses admits the opposite.

He protests, he’s not a man of words.

He saying I am no Shakespeare,

and these miracles are great,

but at some point I have to say what these miracles mean.

And he’s afraid.

a) Moses Confession: I have a heavy mouth and tongue. (Ex 4:10)

Our ESV translates this -

“slow to speak and a slow tongue”.

That is great translation of the meaning,

but the word actually says - I have a heavy mouth and a heave tongue.

My mouth is weighty and heavy.

My tounge is weighty and heavy.

In other words,

He is not very skilled with his words.

He doesn’t think very fast on his feet.

And he certainly not qualified to explain the wonders of God

to Israel and Pharoah.

We can understand this error.

- Many of us would admit we are no Allen Poe.

- Our wives would confess that we are no Shakespeare.

That seems like a reasonable excuse not to do the will of God.

God just hasn’t given me the talent for that.

But God reminds Moses that he doesn't need Moses to have natural speaking ability and Charisma.

Observe –

b) Moses Error:

Exodus 4:11 ESV

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?

God says, who created your mouth?

Is it the burning bush that sitting before you - proclaiming that God is the self-sustaining one.

Is it the God who transformed your staff, transformed your hand, and transformed the water.

Who makes people mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind?

In other words –

who is the one who allows you to be a man of few words,

and to have a heavy mouth in a heavy tongue.

God.

Moses may not be eloquent -

(1) BUT God is the creator and sustainer of the world. (Ex 4:11)

- If God can manifest himself as a perpetually burning bush.

- If God's very name – LORD - means self-sustaining one.

- If God is the one who can perform those miracles.

Then he demonstrates himself as the creator and sustainer of the world.

And that means God has the power, to help Moses, say exactly what he needs to say.

To have the Words Moses doesn’t have.

You could say – God has the power to turn Moses into a Shakespeare.

A man whose words are wise and convicting to Israel.

And man whose words are wise and convicting to Pharaoh.

The second error Moses makes - he forgets:

(2) God promises to be with Moses. (Ex 3:12, 4:12)

He has forgotten what God has already told him.

When he said I am a nobody - God said,

Exodus 3:12 ESV

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.”

In mercy and Grace, God repeats himself.

It is like teachers say -

the key to learning is Repetition, repetition.

And Moses needs some repetition.

Exodus 4:12 ESV

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Essentially- God is telling Moses this.

I know that I am asking you to do something that is greater than what you can do.

- Moses by himself could never be the great leader God called him be on his own.

But God is the creator and sustainer of this world and God would be with him.

God would be with his words and help him be a man of words.

In other words –

God was telling Moses that he would give him everything he needed to do the will of God in his life.

This passage teaches us how to do the will of God.

We do the will of God,

by trusting God to equip us and enable us to do everything he has called us to do.

How do we do the will of God in our lives?

We take one step at a time,

and we trust God to enable us to do his will.

Are you doing the will of God by placing your trust in him?

But we must be careful.

May I caution you about a danger in doing the will of God.

Because we have a tendency not only to fail trust God.

We also have a tendency to try to avoid following the will of God.

We are creatures who desire comfort and peace

ILLUSTRATION:

When marketers advertise vacations,

they don’t show long, hard back laboring work.

No one would ever take that kind of vacation.

They show fun and relaxation

They show you at the beach lounging.

Because we are creatures who desire comfort and peace.

But is often been said, being a Christian is the hardest thing you will ever do.

It’s not because God is not with us

- giving us everything we need.

God has repeatedly said I have all the power that you need Moses.

Often it is not because we do not know the will of God.

How many times as God told Moses he has called him to rescue and deliver his people from Israel?

In fact,

he is given a detailed description of what to do to carry out God’s plan.

It is because we don’t want to do the work.

We want peace and comfort.

I know we can relate to understandable excuses of Moses.

But Exodus 4:13 – 17 help us understand the real motivation of Moses.

Moses real motivation is he wants to avoid doing the will of God.

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.”

Moses gave a number of understandable excuses,

but we learn that the ultimate motive of his heart is he doesn’t want to the job.

He wants God to pick someone else.

The second way we do the will of God -

2) Don’t seek to avoid the will of God. (Ex 4:13-17)

As we read our text, we could summarize Moses’s attitude this way.

a) Send anyone BUT me - Moses true motive is revealed. (Ex 4:13)

Exodus 4:13 ESV

13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

After all that Moses has observed.

The miracles that God has performed.

Why would Moses not want to do the will of God?

The text doesn’t give us the exact reasons – But we can use a little bit of imagination here.

I don’t want the responsibility.

That sound like a lot of hard work.

I’m afraid I will fail.

I am afraid of Pharoah.

I don’t want to go back to Egypt – that’s why I fled.

and a host of other reasons.

Moses will rise from this point and become one of the greatest leaders in human history.

But here Moses shows that he is a sinner just like you and me – and he wants to avoid doing the will of God.

Let me ask you this - Are you avoiding God’s will in your life?

How does God respond?

The text then tells us about -

b) God’s righteous anger is kindled. (Ex 4:14a)

Exodus 4:14 ESV

At this point – God understandably becomes angry.

He has answered every excuse.

He has given Moses one of the most amazing sight of the Bible = the burning bush.

He has helped him perform incredible miracles.

And Moses finally tips his hat to why he really won’t go to Egypt - he doesn’t want to do it.

Preaching the Word: Exodus—Saved for God's Glory Send Someone Else!

The real issue was not that he lacked the stature to persuade Pharaoh, or that he was ignorant of God’s name, or that the Israelites would not believe him, or that he was a poor public speaker. God had answered all of those objections. The real issue was that Moses refused to trust and obey.

And so God’s anger is kindled.

If we had been God - we will blasted Moses to Kingdom come.

Are you kidding me.

But even the book of Exodus is filled with mercy.

Exodus 34:6 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Instead of destroying Moses - God gives a

b) The patient, merciful solution - Aaron. (Ex 4:14-17)

Exodus 4:14–17 ESV

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.”

God promises to be with Moses,

and to send Moses with his brother Moses.

And God will be with Aaron as well.

Moses does not have to walk alone.

Because God in his mercy gives him someone to walk with.

What do we learn from Moses?

Don’t run from the will of God.

Remember Jonah

- he tried to run from God and he got caught in a storm and swallowed by a whale.

Don’t avoid the will of God.

APPLICATION:

From Exodus 4:10-17,

Remember - God helps us to accomplish every task he calls us too.

And our text reminds us two simple truths for how to do the will of God.

1) Trust God to enable us to do his will. (Ex 4:10-12)

2) Don’t seek to avoid the will of God. (Ex 4:13-17)

And as we finish up here,

I want to take a moment to help you understand the scope of God’s will in your life.

First,

If you don’t know Christ -

you are not doing God’s will.

Hebrews 2:2–3 ESV

2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

>>>> The will of God has to start with a trust in Jesus Chris as your savior.

But for those who already know Jesus - what is God’s will for your life?

Often we equate God’s will with trying to figure out

what job we are to have

where we are to live

who we are to marry.

And the problem with that -

is we get older and have those things figured out - and assume we are have accomplished the will of God.

Or worse - we missed the will of God.

And I live in deep regret over sin Jesus has paid for.

But Romans 12:1-2 reminds us that everyone us, everyday, should be doing the will of God

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God’s will for your life is to everyday - wake up and make every moment an offering to Jesus.

God’s will for your life is to everyday to become more like Jesus. - a living sacrifice who God is transforming into Christlikeness.

God’s will for you life is to speak truth into others lives - unbelievers and believers, your children and neighbors. Be an ambassador for Christ.

And I remind you - Don’t avoid this task.

We can be just like Moses and avoid God’s will in our life.

And that was wrong of Moses, and that would be wrong for us.

But I encourage you - Trust God to equip you every good work.

God will help you accomplish every task he calls you too.

Response:

a) What is the will of God for the Christian in the NT? List at least five.

b) How do you avoid doing the will of God? Why?

c) How does the burning bush, the miracles, and v. 12-13 remind us that God equips us to do his will? In what ways does God equip you for his will?

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