The Rod Of God In The Hand Of Man

THE ROD OF GOD IN THE HAND OF MAN

Exodus 3 & 4

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HOW THEY HANDLED DONATIONS

1. A rabbi, a priest, and a pastor were discussing what they do with donations.

2. The pastor said that he drew a circle on the floor, threw the money up in the air, and whatever landed in the circle, he gave to God, and whatever landed outside the circle, he kept.

3. The priest used a similar method, but reversed; whatever landed outside the circle, he gave to God, and whatever landed inside, he kept.

4. The rabbi said his method was different. “I throw all the money up in the air and whatever God wants, He keeps, and whatever falls back down is for me.”

B. TEXT

1. 3:9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you….” 13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am….” 4:1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and tongue.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”16 [Aaron] will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.

17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” Exodus 3:9-14; 4:1-4,10-12,16-17

C. THESIS

1. We’re going to look this morning at how to take hold of the supernatural and put it into action. We look at the history of the Rod of Moses and how it symbolized the Name of Jesus.

2. Next we will examine the power of the Name of Jesus and see the keys to its effective use.

3. The title of this message is “The Rod of God in the Hand of Man.”

I. HISTORY OF THE ROD OF GOD

A. MOSES PROBABLY HAD IT FOR YEARS

1. Moses had been 40 years in the desert. He was a shepherd with sheep and goats. He probably found a particular tree to fashion into a stout walking stick. Even more, it had to be a shepherd’s rod. He probably had had that rod for years.

2. Moses was familiar with it, but didn’t realize the power that was possible with it. Christians already have God’s power available to them, but they don’t know it, so they don’t use it.

3. It wasn’t just a “staff;” I believe “rod” is a better translation. This rod had to be very solid, solid enough to wield like a club against larger predators (lions, bears, etc.). They had no guns, and swords were too expensive and heavy.

4. While Moses was tending the flocks, he led them to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush. God called him to go to Egypt and deliver the Israelites.

5. Moses let his doubts of himself make him try to get out of his assignment. Sometimes we do the same thing.

B. MOSES’ INFERIORITY COMPLEX & EXCUSES

1. I’M A NOBODY. Ex. 3:11, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

2. THEY WON’T BELIEVE ME. Ex. 4:1, “Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

3. I’M NOT A GOOD SPEAKER. Ex. 4:10, “Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and tongue.”