Hello I Love You
YAHWEH – Exodus 3:1-15
Intro: My full name is Joseph Italo Rodgers. I was named after my German and Italian grandparents. When I was a boy I didn’t appreciate my name b/c some people gave me a hard time about my middle name. Not only was it mispronounced – “I-talo” or “It-alo”, but I had friends who poked fun calling me “eat-a-lot” or “its-a-load.”
Trans: As I thought about my proper name, I was reminded of God His proper name.
Verse: I am the LORD (Yahweh), that is my name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images. Is. 42:8
Trans: Most Bible scholars agree that Yahweh (Jehovah) is God’s proper name and that all of the other names are simply a further description of His character and activity.
Note: The name Yahweh occurs over 6,800x in Scripture and is distinguished by the word LORD (in caps) – 3x more than Elohim. Its derivation is simple – the Hebrew word means – “to be” as in “to live”. In implies that God in His essence is life and that life is found Him alone – He is the self-existent One who is personal and engaged.
Insert: Originally, Yahweh was written w/ 4 consonants and no vowels – YHWH. The Jews considered the name so holy that they wouldn’t pronounce it for fear they’d profane the holiness of God. When they came upon it in their reading they’d refrain from pronouncing it aloud and the only time God’s name was pronounced aloud was once a year on the Day of Atonement. When scribes would copy Scripture, they’d stop and take a bath before writing the name and use a new pen to write this one name and then destroy the pen afterward.
Trans: Wow! This is a far cry from how God’s name is respected today. We’re too casual w/ God’s name. Instead of hesitating to pronounce it, we use it flippantly. It’s part of our slang. Some people use it to curse. The scary part is that the 3rd commandment tells us to never misuse the name of the LORD. That is, we’re not to treat his name as “empty” or “w/out value”. We’re not to attach it to emptiness.
Trans: I think this lack of respect for God’s name stems from our lack of respect for God’s person – too many people treat His name w/out respect b/c they believe God is insignificant in their lives. Their God is too small.
Insert: The trouble w/ many people today is that they have not found a God big enough for modern needs. J.B. Phillips
Note: This may be b/c many people have a disconcerting misconception of God.
They see Him as the resident policeman out to bust them for bad behavior.
They see Him as a grand old man who just winks at their wrong-doing.
They see Him as their holy vending machine or cosmic bellhop.
Trans: Phillips is right. We’ve put “God in a box” and stuffed him into our pockets imprisoning Him behind bars of unbelief and rebellion. We’ve shrunk Him down so much that our ideas about Him are not close to who He is or what the Bible says.
Insert: How big is your box? The size of your box is proportional to your faith.
Trans: It’s time to break God out of our boxes of preconceived ideas and release Him to be the God of our lives instead of the God of our notions. (Read Ex. 3:1-15)
Recap: Moses has been wandering in the wilderness on the back side of the desert tending another man’s flock. Have you ever been there – alone in the middle of nowhere w/ no sense of purpose seemingly adrift and oblivious to the rest of life? If so, then you have some sense of what Moses felt. Yet God had Moses where He wanted him. Moses is on the back side of nowhere in God’s presence and God is getting ready to make a somebody out of a nobody that everybody has long forgotten.
Note: Let me assure you. As the keeper of life – It doesn’t matter to Yahweh if it’s been 40 hours, 40 days, 40 weeks, or 40 years – He knows where you are and what you’re thinking and feeling – He’s just waiting for you to come to the end of yourself so He can begin a new work in you. (Lets look at Six Truths about Jehovah)
I Yahweh is PERSONAL (vs. 1-4)
Note: Moses has been wandering 40 years unaware that God was at work in His life to prepare him for something greater than himself and now, Moses is finally ready.
Insert: Important Question – Why did God take Moses into the wilderness for 40 years?
• To prepare Moses, Israel, and Pharaoh for the Exodus.
• To humble Moses and to teach Him to put his trust in God alone.
• To take the Egypt out of Moses.
Trans: After 40 yrs. – Moses is ready, Israel is desperate, Pharaoh is hard, and God is able. So enter God – He gets Moses attention thru a burning bush and draws him close.
Note: God could’ve handled this situation in a variety of ways. I’m glad He doesn’t jump out from behind corners and scare the begeebies of us to get our attention. I’m thankful He draws our attention to the fire of His presence and once we’ve given notice He speaks. I’m thankful God calls to us in a specific way when we’re ready to respond. When God believes you’re ready to fulfill the call He makes the call.
Point: God often orchestrates circumstances in our lives to bring us to a place where He can speak to us and use us for His glory. When he knows we’re ready – He calls
II Yahweh is PARTICULAR (vs. 5-6)
Trans: Yahweh is particular b/c He is pure and holy. God is holy, holy, holy and will not allow a self-sufficient and self-willed man into His presence.
Recap: As Moses drew close to God, before he can get too familiar, God stopped him and required that he remove his sandals b/c he was on holy ground.
Point: There are a plethora of spiritual ramifications in that one incident. But the one that sticks out to me is that if you want to step into God’s presence and discover His will, then you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone and into His care. You’ll have to step away from your humanity and into His holiness.
Note: It’s amazing how we think we have something of value to offer to God. Some people think their way is better than His. Somewhere along the way though, God has to humble us and instill w/in us a sense of holy awe, reverence and humility.
III Yahweh is PRESENT (vs. 7-9)
Trans: One of the most difficult Biblical concepts for us to grasp is that God is faithful even when we are faithless. I don’t know if it is man’s nature to seek revenge on those who treat us unfaithful or if it is something else, but the truth is, God is bound to His character and attributes – God cannot be unfaithful b/c by nature He is faithful.
Recap: We’re like Israel. The Jews had been in Egypt so long and had compromised so much that Egypt was now living in them – and they were miserable. Yet despite their compromise, they remained God chosen/covenant people. Thus, while God allowed their sin to overwhelm them w/ grief, He heard their cry and set out to re-establish Himself is Yahweh in their lives. God was faithful in their faithlessness.
Point: God knows what’s going on in every detail of your life and will do whatever it takes to bring you to the place where you are desperate for Him alone.
Song: I think of the song we sing – I’m desperate for you – are you really? Are we as desperate for God as a man who is dying of thirst craves a drink of water?
Note: God knows the truth. God knew as long as the Israelites loved Egypt that they would never love Him. Thus, He allowed the penalty of their sin to bring them to a place of misery and desperation where they had nowhere to turn but to Him.
Note: Sometimes God has to allow the circumstances of our lives to bring us to the end of our ropes so that we have no where else to turn but to Him. If He has to bless (or curse) us to get our attention – He’ll do whatever it takes to get us to turn to Him.
IV Yahweh is PURPOSEFUL (vs. 10)
Insert: This is one of my favorite parts of this story. God is describing His heart and plan for Israel and Moses is excitedly agreeing w/ God’s plan – and then God informs Moses that His plan relies on Moses going in His name.
Act: I can see it – This is what I’m planning Mo… (Alright God that’s awesome!) And Moses, I going to send YOU! What? Have you lost you eternal mind?
Point: God call is specific and it’s always to bring about the redemption of His people. His call upon your life is not about a job, a church, a spouse – it is about how your life can best fulfill His plan to redeem the lost and edify the saved.
Note: God never acts by man’s wishes or on his timetable. God is in the business of redeeming His lost unto salvation and edifying the saved unto holiness and intimacy w/ Him. In God’s estimation – it is His way or the highway.
Note: This means we have no greater call in life than to be on mission w/ God. It is His will that in our marriages, homes, occupation, hobbies, and church, that we are about His business of seeking and saving the lost and edifying the saved. Any and every decision we make must be filtered through the idea of His kingdom.
Insert: Most of us go through life asking the wrong question. We ask, “How is this going to affect me?” We should ask, “How is this going to affect the Kingdom of God?”
Idea: Listen, if a new job, mate, friend, hobby is going to take you away from your relationship w/ God or His ministry for your life – then it is not of God. It’s not about you – your life is about Him! Remember, you were bought at the cross.
V Yahweh is PATIENT (vs. 11-13)
Trans: On the flip side – God know our tendency to be unfaithful and despite our failures, God is patient w/ us. In fact, He is more patient w/ Him then we are w/ one another. Sadly though, many of us move through life committed to God so long as it doesn’t inhibit our plans. All can say is thank God that He is patient.
Trans: God has a plan and a people. His plan is that His people accomplish His plan. He knows we will not be perfect. But He’s not going to give up on us or throw out His plan. He’s going to patiently guide and adjust our lives to His will.
Point: God understands that His call is awesome and beyond our human abilities, yet He will not accept excuses, fears, options, or opinions – only obedience.
Insert: But you say, but how can God use me. God can use anyone or anything. If He can speak through a donkey, then He can work through someone as stubborn as you. But I’m not gifted enough! I’m not smart enough! I’m not qualified!
Quote: God doesn’t call the qualified – He qualifies the called.
Insert: You don’t have to be qualified – just willing and obedient. You have to say, Yes! I think God wants to say to us – get over your self and get on w/ my business.
VI Yahweh is POWERFUL (vs. 14-15)
Point: Whom God calls He supplies – He gives you His name, His power, and His provision to succeed in His mission. (see Ph. 4:19)
Note: Ultimately, following God and putting our trust in Him alone boils down to whether or not we believe that He is who He says that He is – the self-existent One – that all of life and history is truly in his hands and under His care.
Insert: It’s one thing to sing – “He‘s got the whole world in His hands,” but to actually believe Yahweh can handle it – that’s a different story – Is your God in a box?
Trans: If you’ve stuck God in a box, then it’s unlikely that you’re ever going to see how awesome He is. Let Him out! Let Him out! If the grave couldn’t hold Him, what makes you think your lack of faith can? Let go and let God show you who He is.
Insert: It begins w/ you believing that God is large and in charge. If you can accept this truth, then you should not have a problem understanding that ultimately it is got to be God’s way or the highway – YAHWEH OR THE HIGHWAY
