EXCUSES

It started with Eve in the Garden of Eden, and it has been surviving for thousands of years, generation after generation. Without even noticing, we become experts on it;

Great men of God gave excuses, like Gedeon for example, but the case we see here with Moses is perhaps the most intriguing.

The five excuses Moses gives to the Lord are classic, and they have survived for over 3500 years.

Theme for today:

EXCUSES

MAIN TEXT

Exodus 3:1–10 NKJV

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Preliminary thoughts:

All the excuses given by Moses were based upon his IGNORANCE about certain facts;

The ignorance we see here is that, despite the fact that Moses was a Hebrew and even fought killing an Egyptian to defend one of his fellow brothers, 40 years in the palace and 40 years tending for the flock of his father-in-law were not enough to make him acquainted with the Lord Who would deliver Israel from bondage;

Moses, the burning bush and his call;

Afraid, Moses gives 5 excuses to God;

For each excuse, God had an answer!

EXCUSE #1

“WHO AM I?”

(Ignorance about himself)

There are hundreds of book in the category of the so-called “self-help”, and even so, many do not have a grip on the subject;

The problem of IDENTITY is the root of the majority of the social issues and even mental health we face today, thousands of people don’t know their purpose in life. Moses was facing something similar here, when he says:

Exodus 3:11 NKJV

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

GOD’S ANSWER:

“IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!”

So, who are you? You are what the Lord says you are:

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

EXCUSE #2

“WHAT IS YOUR NAME?”

(Ignorance about Who God is)

GOD’S ANSWER:

“I AM WHAT I AM”

EXCUSE #3

“THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME”

(Ignorance about Available Resources)

GOD’S ANSWER: “USE THE TOOLS YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS”

EXCUSE #4. “I AM NOT ELOQUENT”

(Ignorance about Gifts & Talents)

GOD’S ANSWER: “I ENABLE THOSE I CALL”

EXCUSE #5. “SEND SOMEONE ELSE”

(Ignorance about the Individuality of the call)

GOD’S ANSWER: ANGER

FINAL APPLICATIONS

With all these questions answered, there are no more excuses left for us;

dsasf

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