Difference between revisions of "Exodus 3:11-17: The Great I Am"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Theological Proposition/Focus: ''' | + | '''Theological Proposition/Focus: God is the one and only eternally existent being.''' |
| − | '''Homiletical Proposition/Application: ''' | + | '''Homiletical Proposition/Application: The existence of God should drive us to regularly take time each week to gaze, search, worship, surrender, examine, confess, cry-out, and celebrate.''' |
=Introduction:= | =Introduction:= | ||
Fundamental to our faith is the doctrine of God. We are going to spend several weeks on the doctrine of God. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 Article 2 states | Fundamental to our faith is the doctrine of God. We are going to spend several weeks on the doctrine of God. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 Article 2 states | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
A few weeks ago Emily and I were talking with another family that had just put on offer on a house. The family was talking about some of the home improvements they wanted to do. Now understand, I don't mind plumbing, electrical or drywall, but I am terrible with a saw. I cannot do carpentry. So when the family mentioned putting in a wood floor, Emily was quick to remind everyone in the room not to place their confidence in my help. She reminded me that the handles on the cabinets at her mom's house are distinctly not straight in line 20 years later... You see, if you are planning to tackle something new and challenging and someone offers to help, you probably want to make sure they are qualified to help and won't just be a liability. | A few weeks ago Emily and I were talking with another family that had just put on offer on a house. The family was talking about some of the home improvements they wanted to do. Now understand, I don't mind plumbing, electrical or drywall, but I am terrible with a saw. I cannot do carpentry. So when the family mentioned putting in a wood floor, Emily was quick to remind everyone in the room not to place their confidence in my help. She reminded me that the handles on the cabinets at her mom's house are distinctly not straight in line 20 years later... You see, if you are planning to tackle something new and challenging and someone offers to help, you probably want to make sure they are qualified to help and won't just be a liability. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
=Body= | =Body= | ||
==We serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God (Exodus 3:11-17)== | ==We serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God (Exodus 3:11-17)== | ||
| + | ====Before Exodus 3:11-17 God calls on Moses to undertake an impossible task.==== | ||
| + | God asks Moses to go against the mighty Egyptian empire and lead the people of Israel out of slavery. The task must have seemed impossible. The question that Moses asks in verse 11 is a natural question to the impossible task that God has presented. Moses asks God Who am I? This is not a statement of no self-confidence but rather a statement of accepting a great honor and an invitation for God to explain that he will be with Moses. You see, fundamentally we serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God. Let's break this down further. First notice carefully verses 11-12. | ||
===Unlike a genie, God does not serve us, we serve God (11-12).=== | ===Unlike a genie, God does not serve us, we serve God (11-12).=== | ||
| − | ===Unlike anything we know, God is pure actuality ( | + | |
| + | Notice what has happened. God has called on Moses to perform a task. Up to this point, Moses is not trying to get out of the task. This is a request by the God of the universe. | ||
| + | ====God gives his servant Moses two key elements.==== | ||
| + | =====A promise to be with him.===== | ||
| + | God's promise to be with Moses is significant, first notice that it is not that God tells Moses, go do whatever you want and if you get yourself into trouble just ru the map and poof I will be there. No God tells Moses go and serve me in this particular way and know that I will be with you. | ||
| + | |||
| + | =====A promise of a fulfillment sign.===== | ||
| + | God did not just promise Moses that he would go with Moses but also promised Moses success. A fulfillment sign is an interesting promise because it requires a great deal of faith. God did not give Moses a tangible touchable guarantee but he did give him a guarantee. The proof was going to follow. Moses was asked to act in faith. We must understand that God is the God of the universe. He does not serve us and is not bound by our desire for evidence. Rather we serve God and are bound by his provision. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Unlike anything we know, God is pure actuality (13-14).=== | ||
| + | We must understand culture to fully understand what is happening in verses 13 and 14. The people of Israel lived in a polytheistic, pantheistic, and syncretistic (an amalgamation of multiple religions) culture. The universal view everywhere was that there were multiple gods and all religions had some validity. Moses is asking a perfectly reasonable question. Which God am I speaking with? If you are calling on me to trust you then tell me who you are. the label God of your fathers may have only narrowed it down so far in the eyes of Moses. After all, after living in pagan culture for their entire life many Israelites had probably adopted some of the foreign Gods. Certainly, based on the events of Exodus, some failed to understand the true nature of God. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====In Verse 14 God responds אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה (I am who I am).==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
===Unlike anything we have experienced, God is immutable (15-17).=== | ===Unlike anything we have experienced, God is immutable (15-17).=== | ||
Revision as of 16:22, 22 September 2022
Theological Proposition/Focus: God is the one and only eternally existent being.
Homiletical Proposition/Application: The existence of God should drive us to regularly take time each week to gaze, search, worship, surrender, examine, confess, cry-out, and celebrate.
Contents
- 1 Introduction:
- 2 Body
- 2.1 We serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God (Exodus 3:11-17)
- 2.1.1 Before Exodus 3:11-17 God calls on Moses to undertake an impossible task.
- 2.1.2 Unlike a genie, God does not serve us, we serve God (11-12).
- 2.1.3 Unlike anything we know, God is pure actuality (13-14).
- 2.1.4 Unlike anything we have experienced, God is immutable (15-17).
- 2.1.5 MTR: Consider the three contrasts above and decide which of these is the hardest for you to put into practice.
- 2.2 God, the most formidable word ever spoken (Psalm 8).[1].
- 2.3 Genuine belief in the Great I Am will change you
- 2.1 We serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God (Exodus 3:11-17)
- 3 Conclusion:
Introduction:
Fundamental to our faith is the doctrine of God. We are going to spend several weeks on the doctrine of God. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 Article 2 states
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all-powerful and all-knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
Setting the Stage:
Image: Talking about remodeling Emily will quickly tell people not to trust in my carpentry.
A few weeks ago Emily and I were talking with another family that had just put on offer on a house. The family was talking about some of the home improvements they wanted to do. Now understand, I don't mind plumbing, electrical or drywall, but I am terrible with a saw. I cannot do carpentry. So when the family mentioned putting in a wood floor, Emily was quick to remind everyone in the room not to place their confidence in my help. She reminded me that the handles on the cabinets at her mom's house are distinctly not straight in line 20 years later... You see, if you are planning to tackle something new and challenging and someone offers to help, you probably want to make sure they are qualified to help and won't just be a liability.
Body
We serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God (Exodus 3:11-17)
Before Exodus 3:11-17 God calls on Moses to undertake an impossible task.
God asks Moses to go against the mighty Egyptian empire and lead the people of Israel out of slavery. The task must have seemed impossible. The question that Moses asks in verse 11 is a natural question to the impossible task that God has presented. Moses asks God Who am I? This is not a statement of no self-confidence but rather a statement of accepting a great honor and an invitation for God to explain that he will be with Moses. You see, fundamentally we serve and worship the eternally immutable self-existent God. Let's break this down further. First notice carefully verses 11-12.
Unlike a genie, God does not serve us, we serve God (11-12).
Notice what has happened. God has called on Moses to perform a task. Up to this point, Moses is not trying to get out of the task. This is a request by the God of the universe.
God gives his servant Moses two key elements.
A promise to be with him.
God's promise to be with Moses is significant, first notice that it is not that God tells Moses, go do whatever you want and if you get yourself into trouble just ru the map and poof I will be there. No God tells Moses go and serve me in this particular way and know that I will be with you.
A promise of a fulfillment sign.
God did not just promise Moses that he would go with Moses but also promised Moses success. A fulfillment sign is an interesting promise because it requires a great deal of faith. God did not give Moses a tangible touchable guarantee but he did give him a guarantee. The proof was going to follow. Moses was asked to act in faith. We must understand that God is the God of the universe. He does not serve us and is not bound by our desire for evidence. Rather we serve God and are bound by his provision.
Unlike anything we know, God is pure actuality (13-14).
We must understand culture to fully understand what is happening in verses 13 and 14. The people of Israel lived in a polytheistic, pantheistic, and syncretistic (an amalgamation of multiple religions) culture. The universal view everywhere was that there were multiple gods and all religions had some validity. Moses is asking a perfectly reasonable question. Which God am I speaking with? If you are calling on me to trust you then tell me who you are. the label God of your fathers may have only narrowed it down so far in the eyes of Moses. After all, after living in pagan culture for their entire life many Israelites had probably adopted some of the foreign Gods. Certainly, based on the events of Exodus, some failed to understand the true nature of God.
In Verse 14 God responds אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה (I am who I am).
Unlike anything we have experienced, God is immutable (15-17).
MTR: Consider the three contrasts above and decide which of these is the hardest for you to put into practice.
God, the most formidable word ever spoken (Psalm 8).[1].
God's majesty is beyond comprehension (1-2).
God's creation is just the tip of the iceberg (3).
Man's significance is only through God (4-8).
MTR: Take a moment and visualize God's majesty as best you can.
Genuine belief in the Great I Am will change you
There are four responses to God's Existence.
There are at least nine actions we should take in light of God's existance.
Gaze
Search
Worship
Surrender
Examine
Confess
Cry-out
Celebrate
Repeat
Belief in God leads to humility.
MTR: Pick one of the actions above and set aside time this week to practice that action.
Conclusion:
Image:
- ↑ Tripp, Paul David. Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life. Crossway, 2021.
