NOW THEREFORE GO
Text Exodus 3 1-14, 4;12
I. Moses Could Not Go Until He Knew That God Was Real To Him.
A. God becomes real when we hear what he say’s.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only...”
B. God becomes real when we have felt His presence.
Note these facts:
God’s voice called out to Moses from within the burning bush (Exodus 3:4).
God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:6).
The Lord continued to speak to Moses from within the burning bush. In fact, the Lord alone spoke from Exodus 3:4 to the end of this passage, Exodus 3:10.
Note that the Lord appeared as a blazing fire from within the bush, a flame of fire that just kept on burning and did not consume the bush (Exodus 3:2).
God has often used fire to symbolize and represent His presence (Exodus 13:21; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17; Judges 13:20; 1 Kings 18:24, 38; 2 Chron. 7:1-3; Ezekiel 1:4-28; Daniel 7:9-10; Hebrews 12:29).
This was the Shekinah glory, the very presence of God Himself shining and blazing forth in the bush.
The point to see is this: God Himself was meeting Moses. He was manifesting and revealing Himself, meeting Moses in a very special way. Moses needed a deep, intense, unforgettable experience with God. He needed an experience with God that he would never forget as he launched out for God.
God becomes real when we see His presence in the fire.
II. Moses Could Not Go Until He Knew That He Was Real To God.
Did you know that God calls you by your name when he wants you!!
John 1:48 “Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”
Isaiah 43:1 “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”
Think about the different ones in the Bible God called out to...
Turn to 1 Samuel 3:4 “That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.”
What about Zacchaeus In Luke 19:5 “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”
What about Paul Turn to Acts 9:4-5 “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
And we can go on and on, the point is this
A. God knew who Moses was!
B. God knew what Moses was!
C. God knew Where Moses was!
And God knows us!
III. Moses Could Not Go Until He Knew That God Cared About Hurting People.
Does Jesus Care?
In Mark 4:36-41, the disciples asked Jesus, “do you care if we parish.”
There are times when we wonder if anyone really cares.
We can know that He cares by...
A. Seeing what Jesus did by His coming.
1. He gave up the glory He had from the beginning.
2. He assumed the limitations of humanity.
B. Seeing what Jesus did while he was here.
C. Seeing what Jesus did on Calvary.
IV. Moses Could Not Go Until He Knew That God Could Use What he Had
Look At 4:10
Some of the best preachers that I have ever heard was those who where handicapped, but when I think about it we are all handicapped in some way or another. It is only by God’s grace that we are what we are!!
If it was not for God’s hand upon our lives where would we be?
A young boy was waiting after church for his family. The pastor saw him standing around and struck up a conversation. Since the boy had just come from Sunday School, the pastor decided to ask him some questions to determine just how much the children were learning there. He said, “Young man, if you can tell me something God can do, I’ll give you a big shiny apple.” Thoughtfully the boy replied, “Sir, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I’ll give you a whole box of apples.”
V. Moses Could Not Go Until He Knew That God Would Be With Him.
Look at 3:12
The great promise of God’s presence has been given time and again throughout Scripture. God will be with us as we go forth serving and bearing witness for Him.
God promised to be with Isaac.
“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” (Genesis 28:15).
God promised to be with Joshua.
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5).
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Joshua 3:7).
“And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee” (Deut. 31:23).
God promised to be with Jeremiah.
“Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:8).
God promised to be with Israel.
“Then spoke Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD” (Haggai 1:13).
God promised to be with all believers who bear witness for Christ.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).
