Message Notes

YAG 12th  RETREAT
Session #4
Friday, 5 November 2010
Theme: “Spiritual Leadership I ”

COMMON FEARS OF MINISTRY
1. Expressed in doubts
2. Expressed in feelings of uncertainty
3. Expressed in reluctance
4. Expressed in diffidence
5. Expressed in timidity
6. Expressed in fear of inadequacy
7. Fear of incompetence

INTENSIVE INTERACTION WITH GOD
1. Moses’ 1st question

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Exodus 3:11

a) Fear of Pharaoh and the might of Egypt (a world power in those days)

b) Fear of the great (seemingly impossible) task given by God

c) Fear of failure

d) Fear of personal lack of the necessary wherewithal to succeed

2. God’s answer

So He said, ‘I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’

Exodus 3:12

a) Promise of God’s presence

b) Promise of a “sign”

i) Power behind the sign

ii) Person behind the sign

c) Promise of certain success

3. Moses’ 2nd Question

Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is His name?” what shall I say to them?’

Exodus 3:13

a) Problem of a lack of knowledge of God

b) Fear of not being able to give an adequate answer

c) Fear of being unable to answer a profound question “What is His Name?”

d) Fear that this question concerning God’s name cannot be fully answered!

4. God’s long answer

a) Part 1 – Word concerning the Name of God          Exodus 3:14-15

And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.

Exodus 3:14-15

i) A tough question to answer… God’s Name

ii) God’s profound answer… I AM WHO I AM

iii) The old Name… Historical name… The LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

iv) My Name forever

b) Part 2 – Word to the Elders          Exodus 3:16-18

Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; And I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”‘ Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’

Exodus 3:16-18

i) The elders were the recognized leaders of Israel

ii) These were the people to be contacted

iii) They would have known about God’s Covenant promise to the patriarchs

iv) They would listen to Moses if he were to speak of the Lord and His promise

v) They are invited to go with Moses to see the Pharaoh

vi) They may present this petition to the Pharaoh together with Moses

c) Part 3 – Word to Moses concerning Pharaoh’s response          Exodus 3:19-22

i) He will not listen to Moses

ii) God will stretch out His hand to perform mighty signs and wonders

iii) And only after Pharaoh had seen the power of God would he release Israel

iv) Israel would be respected by the Egyptians and be given many gifts

v) Egypt would be plundered!

5. Moses’ 3rd question

Then Moses answered and said, ‘But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’

Exodus 4:1

a) A valid question

b) An anticipative question

c) Skepticism

d) Possible rejection

6. God’s answer

a) Transforming Moses’ shepherd rod into a serpent          Exodus 4:3-4

b) Hand diseased and then healed          Exodus 4:6-7

c) Turning water into blood          Exodus 4:9

That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.

Exodus 4:5

Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.
Exodus 4:8

And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.

Exodus 4:9

7. Moses’ 4th question

Then Moses said to the LORD, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’

Exodus 4:10

a) Issue of eloquence

b) Problem of having actual difficulty in speaking

c) Moses appears to have lost focus as to who the LORD really is!

d) The sense of awe and reverence seems to have dimmed a little

8. God’s answer

So the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.’

Exodus 4:11-12

a) God emphasizes an important truth – He is the LORD, the Creator!

b) He promises to be with Moses

c) He will teach Moses what he is to say

d) He expects full compliance from Moses!

9. Moses’ negative response

But he said, ‘O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.’

Exodus 4:13

a) An anticlimax

b) All questions answered

c) A disappointing response

d) Moses was reluctant to be sent out even after all his questions were fully answered

e) This response was unacceptable!

10. God’s anger

So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: ‘Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.’

Exodus 4:14-17

a) God’s anger is justified

b) He gives Aaron to Moses as his spokesman

c) Moses will continue to be the man whom God had called and commissioned

d) The rod of Moses would be the symbol of power to perform great signs

e) Moses’ role would be “as God” to Aaron