"Excuses or Obedience?"
"Prayer Life of Moses" series part 3 of 5
Text: Ex. 4:1-20 & Selected
Cross Creek Community Church
Pastor Dave Martin - March 18, 2001
www.crosscreekcc.org
God’s Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Life Changing!
1. "Called to Holy Ground!" (Ex. 3:1-10)
2. "Trusting God!" (Ex. 3:11-22)
3. "Excuses or Obedience?" (Ex. 4:1-20)
4. "Exercise Faith Walking!" (Ex. 4:29-5:2, 7-22)
5. "Mountain Moving Adventures!" (Ex. 7-14)
The foundation for a vibrant prayer life, a vibrant life filled with joy begins with standing on "Holy Ground". That of entering into a new Spiritual relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. "Trusting God" to work through us for without Him we are dead in the water with no paddles. This morning we will look at two key truths which Moses, you and I struggled over, that of excuses or obedience.
According to a UPI news item, the Metropolitan Insurance Company received some unusual explanations for accidents from its automobile policyholders. The following are just a few:
* "An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished."
* "The other car collided with mine without warning me of its intention."
* "I had been driving my car for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had the accident."
* "As I reached an intersection, a hedge sprang up, obscuring my vision."
* "I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment."
* "The telephone pole was approaching fast. I attempted to swerve out of its path when it struck my front end."
* "The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him."
* "The indirect cause of this accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth."
"The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him."
UPI News Item
We all go through life many times making excuse for our poor performance, our family members or spouse, or why we’re unable to serve the Lord.
God searches for those whose heart is right to do His work. When we are asked to get involved or to commit to something, be obedient.
How does God speak to us today?
God spoke in the O.T. - Burning bush, visions, gentle whisper, angels, miraculous signs, etc.
God speaks to us today - The Holy Spirit, God’s Word, Prayer, Circumstances, The Church.
God spoke, Moses responded...
1. The WHAT IF Excuse.
Exodus 4:1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ’The LORD did not appear to you’?"
* I believe we’re seeing a worrier in action. Playing the hypothetical game.
* Moses was worrying what might happen and not what God said would happen.
* Moses lacked a firm vision and trust in what God told him. He didn’t fully trust God.
* What if - I don’t have the answer? What if they don’t respect me? Don’t believe or listen to me?
* God, I’m only a shepherd from the wilderness, I can handle animals and can live under the stars, but to go to Egypt and stand before the Israelites leaders and then the most powerful man in the world, Pharaoh himself - you must be kidding! "What if they don’t listen to me....".
* An old man like me, with my rugged, tattered desert clothes, my smell, my demeanor. What if? What if? Moses started whining to God - making excuses.
* What ifs are victory killers, zeal quenchers. Excuses will relegate us to second best.
* Gloom and doom, being negative. Do we have anyone here this morning like Moses?
* Always worrying, always saying, WHAT IF.
God gives Moses three proofs:
1. Staff turns to a serpent then back. Vs 3-4
2. Hand made leprous then clean again. Vs 6-7
3. Water turned to blood. Vs 8-9
God tells Moses, these three proofs will more than make up for your what ifs.
2. The INCAPABLE Excuse.
Exodus 4:10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
* Moses downplays his abilities. I’m no good at speaking. My mind is dull and I get tongue-tied.
* Perhaps Moses had a stuttering problem, he just wasn’t up to speed to do the job.
* I get scared talking in public, especially with rulers and kings. I get butterflies in my stomach Lord.
* I can handle my family and sheep but to stand before the most powerful men in the world Lord.
* The highly educated, the highly trained religious experts, the top economists, and me eloquent?
* No way God, you have crossed the line in wanting me, I’m not capable.
* Do we feel incapable in some area of ministry? No God, I can’t teach, I can’t read good....?
* God alone determines our abilities or disabilities. He knows what He is doing - trust Him.
* Prayer is neglected because we really don’t think God hears or answers them, I don’t know how.
* I’m a terrible reader so I can’t read my Bible.
* I’m incapable - hogwash! You are capable - get busy! God wants to use you - let Him!
Look what Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
* No way, Paul was an Apostle, a giant of a Christian - totally under control and cool, right? Wrong.
* Paul said he came with weakness and fear, with much trembling, no eloquence or special wisdom, knowing nothing except Jesus.
* I will be with you Moses, I will be with you Paul, I will be with you Christian - trust me, obey me!
* Stop making excuse of I can’t - you can. Cross the word can’t from your dictionary. You can.
* You are capable Moses - WHY? - Because God says, "I will be with you"!
Philip. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
* Is your excuse is I can’t or I won’t? The issue is an attitude of the heart God calls4 sin.
* God has given you His blessed Holy Spirit, He has uniquely gifted you, Now it’s up to you to obey.
What can I do through Christ? All things! Let your imagination run. What would the Lord do at Cross Creek with a Church full of obedient servants without excuses? Our community would be turned upside down for Christ! Families would be strong, marriages will last, we would see a repentance of sin. A revival would breakout, God’s people getting right, souls getting saved!
3. The NOT ME Excuse.
Exodus 4:13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
* God, I’m not as qualified as so and so over there, they’re better then me. Get them God.
* Lord it comes down to this, There are too many variables, I’m not capable - get someone else.
* Someone else who knows the culture better, someone who is more in vogue. Keep looking God.
* Why come out here in this desolate wilderness and bother me? I don’t really want to get involved.
* Do we ever feel this way?
* You’re asked to teach Jr. Church - the excuses start.
* You’re asked to serve in the nursery - the excuses start.
* You’re asked to mow the lawn - the excuses start.
* You’re asked to clean the church - the excuses start.
* You’re asked to do any extra little thing for the Lord - the excuses start.
* I’m too busy, I’m already doing this, get someone else.
T.E.A.M. = Together - Everyone - Accomplishes - More
Dr. B. J. Miller once said, "It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it." - MBI’s Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.11
* Hard time making a commitment, habitually late always with an excuse. My kids, my dog, I overslept. Serving half-heartedly, always whining about how busy we are - excuses.
* I believe we become self-satisfied and lazy for Jesus. We do not want to be held accountable.
* We do not want to make a commitment to get involved in the Church. We walk around keeping an arms length away from everyone. We just don’t want to get too involved. Making excuses.
* Someone else will do it Lord. They don’t need me.
* There are more qualified people God. So we just sit out and do Church via osmosis.
I read a humorious story about some GI’s on furlough...
The commanding officer was furious when nine GIs who had been out on passes failed to show up for morning roll call. Not until 7 p.m. did the first man straggle in. "I’m sorry, sir," the soldier explained, "but I had a date and lost track of time, and I missed the bus back. Being determined to get in on time, I hired a cab. Halfway here, the cab broke down. I went to a farmhouse and persuaded the farmer to sell me a horse. I was riding to camp when the animal fell over dead. I walked the last ten miles, and just got here."
Though skeptical, the colonel let the young man off with a reprimand. However, after him, seven other stragglers in a row came in with the same story-had a date, missed the bus, hired a cab, bought a horse, etc. By the time the ninth man reported in, the colonel had grown weary of it. "Okay," he growled, "now what happened to you?"
"Sir, I had this date and missed the bus back, so I hired a cab ."
"Wait!" the colonel screeched at him. "don’t tell me the cab broke down."
"No, sir," replied the soldier. "The cab didn’t break down. It was just that there were so many dead horses in the road, we had trouble getting through." Excuses!
Contributed by John F. King
God spoke and Moses responded with excuses, now
Moses speaks, God responded...
1. Excuses cause God to become ANGRY.
Exodus 4:14 Then the LORD’S anger burned against Moses...
* Put this down in your notes, get it in your head, sink this truth into your heart.
* God becomes angry at our excuses. His blessings are withdrawn from those who whine.
* The Lord’s anger burned against Moses. The sin of excuses will someday come to judgment.
* Standing before our Judge - our excuses will be all gone; we will be standing in naked truth.
* Not only do excuses angers God, they also cause discouragement within the body of Christ.
* Excuses force the few to carry the weight of the many.
* Satan will use this as a wedge to bring division and discouragement.
* Excuses cause our Lord to become angry.
Now we see the breakthrough...
Moses finally responds in Obedience!
Exodus 4:20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
Now some practical application
When God speaks to us, we...
1. Trust God to TEACH and EQUIP us.
Exodus 4:15 &17 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ...17But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."
* Being teachable, having the right attitude to learn. Knowing you don’t have all the answers.
* Where God leads, God provides. Use the staff he has placed in your hand.
* Whatever is in your hands to do - then do it. Start seeing miracles in your life.
2. Stop RESISTING.
Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
* We can resist God speaking to us: Holy Spirit, God’s Word, Prayer, Circumstances, Church.
* My brothers and sisters don’t quench or grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells within you when He speaks.
* If God says to be faithful to pray or read His Word and you aren’t - you’re resisting the Holy Spirit.
* Caution - Resisting God brings many extra burdens, family problems, bitterness, love disappears, self-centeredness, I’m always right attitude, I know best to everyone and God - stop resisting.
3. Start YIELDING.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
* When you stop resisting, you need to replace this with a yielded spirit. A servant of obedience.
* A yieldedness to obedience. Yes Lord, I will serve you, Yes Lord I will commit to the Church.
* Being yielded to the Spirit of Christ will totally revolutionize your life and the world around you.
I thought about bringing our dog Cody this morning (a Labrador) to show you her obedience, instead here’s an illustration.
How we admire the obedience, a dog shows to its master! Archibald Rutledge wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked out-of-doors, he often took his dog with him. That morning, he left the animal in a clearing and gave him a command to stay and watch his lunch bucket while he went into the forest. His faithful friend understood, for that’s exactly what he did. Then a fire started in the woods, and soon the blaze spread to the spot where the dog had been left. But he didn’t move. He stayed right where he was, in perfect obedience to his master’s word.
With tearful eyes, the dog’s owner said, "I always had to be careful what I told him to do, because I knew he would do it." Our Daily Bread, January
* God says for us to be yielded in obedience to Him. God knows best, He has a purpose.
4. Walk in OBEDIENCE.
2 John 1:6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.
Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from Grace. - Thomas a Kempis
* Moses ultimately did as the Lord asked. Look at the lives touched because of his obedience.
* Over 2 million Israelites eventually under Moses, the obedient servants hand.
* When we walk in obedience, lives around us will also be touched by God.
* The cost of obedience is nothing compared with the cost of disobedience. - Anon
* Obedience to the Lord ALWAYS produces fruit, excellent benefits and rewards.
* I challenge you this morning to begin walking in obedience and to stop making excuses!
Let’s Pray
