Divine Mission

O.T.#133  "Divine Mission"
Exodus 3-Part 6
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?  Exodus 3:11

LET IT GLOW

What was God's plan for Moses? He was to return to Egypt as the Lord's appointed servant and act as His instrument of deliverance.
When Moses' commission for his divine mission was made by God, how did Moses respond?

• He argued with God's invitation, objecting to the divine summons.
• He didn't immediately agree with God's plan to send him back to Egypt. After all, he left with a murderer's reputation and the Hebrews knew it. However, by the next excuse in verse 13, his heart and mind were changed, it sounds like to me. Hesitation, it was.
• He didn't have the same self-sure confidence that he once had. He didn't jumped up, put sandals on, load the wagon, and got on the road. No, Moses had a "self-esteem" problem 40 years earlier, being confident in his ability to deliver Israel back then.
• He could have half-hearted obeyed, to do it his way instead of God's way. 
• He could have run away from God like Jonah did. (God is ever-present, though.)
• He could have gone home and sharpened his sword for another killing, the king this time.
• Too late, come again another day and we'll talk, immediate refusal, he'd think about it, talk it over with the wife and kids, are so many options for a response.

Bottom line, my friend-How do we respond to God's commission for us to join Him on His divine mission?
Whether it is a big move out of state or just a detour in the day, what's our attitude?
Do we argue, hesitate, half-hearted obeyed, run away, or agree immediately?

LET IT GROW

Moses was more like a stubborn mule rather than as obedient sheep. He tried to convince the Lord that he was not the right person for the job. After each excuse that Moses gave God, God responded with a direct and sufficient answer. We are going to look at each on, a day at a time.

Excuse #1: Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh?

• I am a nobody, just a shepherd.
• I will not have all the answers. He was a learned and mighty in words and in deeds (Acts 7:22).
• I don't want to look foolish, be embarrassed. in front of my family of Hebrews if I can't answer their questions.

God's Response to Excuse #1:

• He would be with Moses.
• He gave Moses token, a sign, that God had sent Moses.
• The sign would be that he and the Israelites would serve (worship) God on that very mountain. (Mt. Sinai, which is where Moses received the law and where the Israelites later walked 40 years in the wilderness.)
• But you have all of Me. God is all-powerful, Almighty God, El Shaddai.

The divine promise, one given also to the three patriarchs, should have been sufficient to calm Moses' fears and inadequacy for the task. (MacArthur)

How does this excuse apply to me today?

• We wonder how God could us, a simple, insignificant person-Who me, Lord?
• We require a sign from God before any step of faith is made.
• We don't know enough of the Bible, not a scholar.
• We don't want to look foolish when we don't know the answer to questions.
• W don't know enough of God's promises to sustain us.

No excuses, God wants our total obedience and faith in him.

LET IT GO

Let go of the past, live in the present, look to the future.

Don't offer any excuses, just do it, being His way.

Live by faith.