Exodus 3 - 4

Hope like no other

Hope like no other

Reaches to me

Lord, we thank you for John

and ask that you will empower him now as he speaks to us

that we will be open to his message and its challenge for our lives

Amen

When I saw my photo at the beginning it was a real inspiration to keep going to the gym

They say when you look like your passport photo it's time for a holiday

When I look like that I think it's probably time for the morgue

Just imagine this

That I get back from church

just after this service

and I've been broken into

For those of you who have been to my house

you'd wonder how would you know you've been broken into

But the doors are jarred, the locks

broken

and

even worse than that

the perpetrator's still in the house

and I've been going to the gym

so I quite fancy myself

in this confrontation

and I guess I've got

four options

I guess the first is

knowing I keep my cricket bat in the cupboard

just by the door

that I get it out

and set about the man

and show

what all the weight training in

Virgin Active has done

to my bodily strength

I would show him vengeance

my first option

My second option is

that I would get my phone

out of my pocket

and I would dial 999

and say

Dear Police Scotland

probably be a bit more hasty than that

please could you send someone round

I'm in the middle of being burgled

and that would be justice

getting what they deserve

Thirdly perhaps

I'd trap them in the kitchen

and I say

you know

you really shouldn't be doing this

this is my house

not yours

this is my things

not yours

please leave

and we'll say no more about it

that would be

mercy

the perpetrator

wouldn't get what he did deserve

but what if I did this

I said

excuse me Mr. Perpetrator

his name actually led to this crime

and I said

do you know

I can see you're under a pretty difficult

you're having a pretty difficult time

why don't you just sit on the sofa

and I'll have a quick tidy up

and then we'll share my

M&S microwave meal for one

and we'll watch the football together

and then perhaps we'll have an afternoon snooze

which is really what Sunday afternoon's for

and then

perhaps you could come back tomorrow

and we'll have breakfast

and

do you know I've got a spare room

why didn't you just move in

and perhaps we can

hang out together

that would be grace

that he would get something

that he absolutely

doesn't

deserve

what we looked at

at the opening video

unmerited favour

God's

unmerited kindness

towards us

that

the perpetrator

did nothing to deserve it

and yet

you pour out grace

into his life

as

we

come and land in

Exodus 3 and 4 today

the absolute passage

hinges on this kind of grace

on the fact that God

has dealt far more kindly

with Moses

than he deserves

that God has

reached out to Moses

and done for Moses

what he doesn't deserve

the big headline

of these passages

is this

God steps forward

in grace

God steps forward

in grace

God repeatedly deals

more kindly with Moses

and his people

than any of them

deserve

and this is very different

to people's conception

of God

that if people think

about God at all

he's some kind of

headmaster

like an evil version

of Rosemary

who sits in the sky

and waits for us

to trip up

so that then he can

call us up

and give us detention

and punish us

that he's some kind

of cosmic scorekeeper

that we're trying to

keep the good stuff

outweighing the bad

but what we see

revealed in this passage

is that he's kind

and he's gracious

and he's repeatedly

stepping forward

towards us

treating us far more

kindly

than we deserve

so if you've got a Bible

please turn with me

to Exodus chapter 3

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

Exodus is the second

book of the Bible

if you're not used

to dealing with the Bible

then the big numbers

they're the chapters

so you're looking

for big number 3

and we're going to

start reading in verse 1

which is a little number

1

you might need

your reading glasses

for

and Moses' life

has been one

of two halves

when we dip into

Exodus 3

he's about 80 years old

is anyone here

80?

exactly 80

close to 80

Gordon and Finlay

about their kind of age

and it's been a life

of two halves

40 years spent in Egypt

40 years in Midian

40 years as the son

of a Pharaoh

40 years looking

after some sheep

and we meet Moses

and the one thing

you'd say about his life

is that it's an epic fail

it's an epic fail

he's a failed prince

a murdering fugitive

a lowly shepherd

he has a broken spirit

and he's in the back

of beyond

the Scottish equivalent

of Alua

and you can imagine

that he's saying

to himself

every day

if only

if only I hadn't

killed that Egyptian

if only I hadn't

covered it up

if only I hadn't

had ideas

above my station

then it might have

been really different

40 years

looking after sheep

no way back

alienated from God

alienated from God's

people

which is always

the result of sin

alienation from God

alienation

from God's people

epic fail

living in the light

of what might

have been

nothing he can do

alone

in the wilderness

with nothing

but sheep

to keep him

company

we're at

Moses lowest

moment

just when he's

thinking this is

all there is

God initiates

God steps

forward

towards Moses

in grace

God steps

forward

towards him

in the desert

so let's read

the first six

verses

together

there's a sermon

outline which you

might find

helpful

says this

now Moses

was tending

the flock

of Jethro

his father-in-law

the priest

of Midian

and he led

the flock

to the far

side of the

wilderness

and came to

Horeb

the mountain

of God

there the

angel of the

Lord appeared

to him

in flames

of fire

from within

a bush

Moses saw

that though

the bush

was on fire

it did not

burn up

so Moses

thought

I will go

over and see

this strange

sight

way the bush

does not

burn up

when the

Lord saw

that he

had gone

over to

look

Moses

God called

to him

from within

the bush

Moses

Moses

and Moses

said here

I am

do not

come any

closer

God said

take off

your sandals

for the place

where you are

standing is

holy ground

then he said

I am the

God of your

father

the God

of Abraham

the God

of Isaac

and the God

of Jacob

at this

Moses

hid his

face

because he

was afraid

I guess

it's one

of probably

one of the

most famous

stories in

the Old

Testament

and I

think what

we see

is that

God steps

forward

towards

Moses

and God

shows his

nature

God

shows his

nature

what he's

like

to Moses

I mean

here's the

first thing

he reveals

himself as

a bush

I mean

unless you're

dead keen

and green

finger

bushes are

just quite

normal

God

could have

revealed himself

as anything

he could have

revealed himself

as the most

resplendent

magisterial

figure that

Moses could

ever dream

of

and yet

he comes

as a

humble

bush

a bush

admittedly

that's on

fire

which is

always

the Old

Testament

symbol

that God

is

present

but a

bush

is

pretty

humble

for the

God

who

created

absolutely

everything

in all

the world

including

the humble

shrub

the second

thing we see

is that

God reveals

himself as

holy

he says

to Moses

don't come

any closer

because the

ground you're

standing on

is holy

ground

not because

this little

backwater

area of

round Horeb

was particularly

sacred

it was because

God was

present

and therefore

this ground

is holy

ground

as God's

absolute

perfection

seeps into

the very

surrounding

area

then we see

that God

reveals himself

as faithful

look at how

he introduces

himself

I am the

God of your

father

the God of

Abraham

the God of

Isaac

and the God

of Jacob

God is

saying I've

been faithful

to all your

descent

all your

ancestors

I've been

faithful to

all the

patriarchs

I am the

God who's

been here

who hasn't

moved

and then we

see also that

he's a God

who is

personal

Moses

walks up to

the bush

and the bush

calls him by

name

Moses

Moses

Moses

Moses was in

a place where

he thought

everyone had

forgotten about

him

where nobody

cared

where nobody

was sending

him a Christmas

card

and he walks

up to the bush

and the bush

says Moses

Moses

that God

knew who

Moses

was

God

initiated

and stepped

forward

towards Moses

all in grace

that Moses

couldn't find

his way back

to God

and God's

people

but God

steps forward

in grace

to find

Moses

now I don't

know what

you look for

in prospective

friends

I don't know

what you're

kind of looking

for for people

that you want

to hang out

with

but I find

that someone

who was

humble

who was not

full of

themselves

who was

leading a

godly

life

somebody

who was

faithful

and somebody

who was

personal

who knew

me

I'd want

to be

their

friend

this is

the god

who meets

Moses

in the burning

bush

and says

Moses

Moses

I'm here

and I've

got a job

for you

not because

you deserve

it

but because

I'm that

gracious

then god

reveals

shares his

plan

with Moses

the next

three

verses

the lord

said I

have

indeed

seen

the

misery

of

my

people

in

Egypt

I

have

heard

them

crying out

because

of their

slave drivers

and I

am convinced

about their

suffering

so I

have come

down to

rescue

them from

the hand

of the

Egyptians

and to

bring

them up

out of

that land

into a

good and

spacious

land

a land

flowing

with milk

and honey

the home

of the

Canaanites

Hittites

Amorites

Perizzites

Hivites

and Jebusites

and now the

cry of the

Israelites

has reached

me

and I

have seen

the way

the Egyptians

are oppressing

them

so now go

I am sending

you to

Pharaoh

to bring

the Israelites

out of

Egypt

I don't know

as you read

that but it

seems a little

bit repetitive

doesn't it

it seems that

God is almost

saying the same

thing twice

look at verse

7

and look at

verse 9

there's not a

great deal of

difference there

that God

reveals his

plan

that he's

come down

to give

his people

an inheritance

seen the

misery

he's heard

them crying

he's concerned

about them

and he says

it twice

in verse

7 and

verse 9

but verses

8 and

10 are

quite different

in verse 8

God says

I have come

down to

rescue my

people

and in

verse 10

God says

to Moses

I'm sending

you to

bring my

people out

that's a

cosmic shift

isn't it

that God

is so

gracious

that he

could

swat the

pharaoh

like that

and lead

the people

free

but his

grace is

so sufficient

that he

can include

Moses

in his

sovereign

plan to

rescue

his people

Moses is

in the

wilderness

with no

way back

and God

steps forward

to him

in grace

and reveals

his nature

he

he

then steps

forward

to him

and says

I've got

a job

for you

I've got

a job

for you

God

steps

forward

you think

you've

messed up

here this

morning

one too

often

one too

many black

marks on

your record

you think

there's no

way back

great

encouragement

from the

first 10

verses of

Exodus 3

is there's

always a

way back

because God

is always

the God

who steps

forward

says I

know

everything

that's

gone

before

I know

all the

mistakes

and the

mess ups

I know

all of the

problems

and the

failings

and I

love you

anyway

and I'm

stepping

forward

towards you

to use

you

to welcome

you

to equip

you for

the work

that I

have

well then

we get to

the real

meat of

the story

you think

that this

is going

to be the

best day

of Moses

life

new purpose

a second

chance

a life

changing

mission

to be

the

rescuer

of God's

people

but Moses

is thinking

to himself

where did I

put my

shoes

because I

want to

run away

we see

don't we

that God

Moses

has a lot

of doubts

if you go

to the cinema

perhaps you

grew up

with Disney

and the

prince of

Egypt

Moses

has a

really

impressive

leader's

jaw

he's like

beautiful

or if you're

a bit older

and you saw

the ten

commandments

with Charlton

Heston

playing

Moses

I mean

cheekbones

you could

cut yourself

on

if you've

been to

see

or unfortunately

been to

see

Exodus

Gods

and Kings

Christian

Baal

impressive

and the

opinion we

have so

readily

is that

Moses

was a

born

leader

and I

think what

we see

here is

that

he wasn't

he was a

little bit

scared

God's

grace

equipped

Moses

for the

work

to do

he makes

five massive

excuses

look at

chapter 3

verse 11

with me

but Moses

said to

God

who am I

that I

should go

to Pharaoh

and bring

the Israelites

out of

Egypt

Moses

says I'm

not worthy

I'm not

worthy

to go

I'm a

nobody

I'm a

lowly

shepherd

then look

at with me

at verse 3

chapter 3

verse 13

Moses

said to

God

suppose I

go to

the Israelites

and say

to them

the God

of your

fathers

has sent

me to

you

and they

ask me

what is

his name

then what

shall I

tell them

Moses

second

excuse

I don't

know

enough

I don't

know

enough

they're

going to

find me

out

they're

going to

ask me

questions

that I

don't

know

the answer

to

look with

me

at chapter

4

verse 1

Moses

answered

what if

they do

not

believe

me

or

listen

to

me

and

say

the

Lord

did

not

appear

to

you

Moses

says

I

don't

want

to

be

rejected

I

don't

want

to

turn

up

with

this

great

message

and

people

say

I

don't

want

to

hear

get

out of

here

you're

just

insane

look at

chapter 4

verse 10

Moses uses

his most

polite

English

Moses

said to

the Lord

pardon

your

servant

Lord

I

have

never

been

eloquent

neither

in the

past

nor since

you have

spoken

to your

servant

I am

slow

of

speech

simply

says I

can't

do

it

I

can't

do

it

and

then

chapter 4

verse 13

but

Moses

said

pardon

your

servant

Lord

please

send

someone

else

fifth

excuse

he

makes

I

don't

want

to

send

someone

else

instead

five

massive

excuses

I'm

not

worthy

I

don't

know

enough

I

don't

want

to

be

rejected

I

can't

do

it

I

don't

want

to

send

someone

else

Moses

steps

back

and we're

going to

see that

God

steps

forward

in grace

towards

him

I

don't

know

Moses

sounds

a lot

like me

most of

the

time

those

excuses

don't

particularly

sound

alien

I

may

have

used

most

of

them

most

days

for

different

things

that God

has asked

me to

do

at the

very

center

isn't

it

the

fear

of

man

Moses

is

full

of

himself

they

all

start

I

still

looking

to

himself

can't

see

beyond

his

own

ability

and

his

own

destiny

Moses

steps

back

and God

steps

forward

and he

reminds

him of

six

massive

things

look at

chapter 3

verse 12

and God

said

I will

be with

you

I will

be with

you

Moses

says

who am

I that

I should

go

and God

doesn't

answer

God

simply

says

I'll

be

with

you

you're

in my

corner

and I'm

the sovereign

God

in me

is everything

that you

need

as you

go to

Pharaoh

it is not

you going

to Pharaoh

it is me

going to

Pharaoh

and I

make

Pharaoh

look like

an ant

I'm

with

you

then look

at the

second half

of the

verse

and this

will be

a sign

to you

that it

is I

who have

sent you

when

you have

brought the

people out

of Egypt

you will

worship

God

on this

mountain

that's the

kind of

mission I

want to

go on

one where

God says

not if

you manage

it

or not

perhaps

you'll

manage

it

he says

when

when

you've

done

it

you'll

worship

me

on

this

mountain

there's

a real

promise

in

that

Moses

I've

heard

your

excuses

this is

what I'm

going to

do

says

God

I'm

going to

promise

you're

on the

winning

team

real

assurance

verse 13

chapter

33

verse 14

God said

to Moses

I am

who I

am

this is

what you

are to

say to

the

Israelites

I

am

has

sent

you

God

reminds

Moses

and reveals

a bit

more of

his

person

says

I am

who I

am

my name

is

I

will

be

what

I

will

be

this

is

a

name

that

sums

up

everything

we

need

to

know

about

God

it

is

the

absolute

meanness

of

God

it

is

the

foundation

of

everything

it

is

the

very

bedrock

of

reality

that

God

says

I

am

me

everyone

else

finds

their

place

in

this

world

depending

on

where

I

am

but

I

am

me

there

is

no

one

like

me

I

am

utterly

distinct

I

am

eternally

sufficient

I

am

absolutely

immutable

I

will

not

change

I

created

everything

I

am

me

I

am

who

I

am

there

is

these

four

letters

that are

called

the

tetragrammaton

YHWH

that we

sometimes

translate

Jehovah

we

sometimes

use the

word

Yahweh

it's

when the

word

Lord

is

big

in

your

Bible

that's

who

we're

talking

about

the

God

who

is

who

he

is

who

was

what

he

was

and

who

will

always

be

what

he

will

be

the

God

who

is

absolutely

everything

we

need

who

is

the

very

center

the

very

reason

the

soul

and

circumference

of

everything

that it

means

to be

anything

God

says

I am

who I

am

he then

tells

Moses

a little

bit more

of his

plan

in

verses

18 to

20

he starts

to map

out a bit

more

what it's

going to

look like

that you're

going to

go to

the elders

and they're

going to

listen

and then

you're

going to

have

them

and you're

going to

go to

Egypt

and they're

going to

listen

and I'm

going to

win

and God's

people

the Israelites

who have

been in

slavery

they're

going to

be

free

and they're

going to

come to

this place

and they're

going to

worship

me

God

reminds

Moses

of his

plan

then I

love this

bit this is

probably the

most dramatic

bit of the

prince of

Egypt for

me

verses

2 to

9

then the

Lord said

to him

what is

that in

your

hand

a

staff

he

replied

the

Lord said

throw it

on the

ground

Moses

threw it

on the

ground

and it

became

a

snake

and he

ran

from

it

then the

Lord

said to

him

reach out

your

hand

and take

it by

the

tail

so Moses

reached

out

and took

hold

of the

snake

and it

turned

back into

a

staff

in his

hand

this

said

the

Lord

is

so

that

they

may

believe

that

the

Lord

the

God

of

their

fathers

the

God

of

Abraham

inside

your

cloak

so

Moses

put

his

hand

into

his

cloak

and

when

he

took

it

out

the

skin

was

leprous

it

had

become

as

white

as

snow

now

put

it

back

in

your

cloak

he

said

so

Moses

put

his

hand

back

into

his

cloak

and

when

he

took

it

out

it

was

restored

like

the

rest

of

his

flesh

then

the

Lord

said

if

they

do

not

believe

you

or

pay

attention

to

the

first

sign

they

may

believe

the

second

but

if

they

do

not

believe

these

two

signs

or

listen

to

you

take

some

water

from

the

Nile

and

pour

it

on

the

dry

ground

the

water

you

take

from

the

river

will

become

blood

on

the

ground

God

reminds

Moses

of

his

power

and

he

gives

them

these

three

examples

of

his

power

the

staff

that

goes

to

a

snake

the

hand

that

becomes

leprous

and

then

not

and

then

the

water

of

the

Nile

becoming

like

blood

now

this

isn't

God

showing

off

his

party

tricks

these

are

very

deliberate

miracles

the

first

one

of

Moses

having

control

over

the

snake

the

actual

snake

is

a

cobra

and

the

cobra

is

the

symbol

of

the

pharaoh

what

a

great

example

of

God's

power

over

the

most

powerful

man

in

Egypt

that

Moses

can

put

him