Reference

Exodus 3

Sermon Slides

Sermon Notes

I. A holy God who __________ near (v. 1-5)

II. A  __________ God (v. 6-10)

A. The God of the  __________ (v. 6)

B. The God who __________ v. 7-8)

C. The God of  __________ (v. 9-10)

III. A God who __________ (v. 11-15)

A.  __________ am I? (v. 11-12)

B. Who are  __________ ? (v. 13-15)

IV.  A God who  __________ (v. 16-22)

A. Go to the __________ (v. 16-18a)

B. Go to __________ (v. 18b-22)

Going Deeper

  1. Burning bush: According to Gregory of Nyssa (330-c.395), what Moses saw in the burning bush was nothing less than “the transcendent essence and cause of the universe, on which everything depends, alone subsists.” R. Kent Hughes adds: “The burning bush revealed the power and the glory, the eternity and the self-sufficiency of God.”
  2. Read v. 5. A. W. Tozer: “I tell you this: I want God to be what God is: the impeccably holy, unapproachable Holy Thing, the All-Holy One. I want Him to be and remain THE HOLY. I want His heaven to be holy and His throne to be holy. I don’t want Him to change or modify His requirements. Even if it shuts me out, I want something holy left in the universe.”
  3. Read v. 6. Now read Mark 12:26-27 what point is Jesus making?
  4. Read v. 7-8. How is God responding to His people? If God does this for Israel, what do you think He will do for you, who are in Christ (Col. 3:3-4)? Charles Spurgeon: “Sinner, tell God your misery even now, and he will hear your story. He is willing to listen, even to that sad and wretched tale of yours about your multiplied transgressions, your hardness of heart, your rejections of Christ. Tell him all, for he will hear it. Tell him what it is you want, — what large mercy, — what great forgiveness; just lay your
    whole case before him. Do not hesitate for a single moment; he will hear it, he will be attentive to the voice of your cry.”
  5. What is God doing in v. 9-10? R. Kent Hughes: “The God who saves is the God who sends. Thus every follower of Christ receives two callings: first to salvation, and then to service.” To whom is God sending you? Is God central in your life? Is He central in your marriage? Is He central in your ministry? Is He central in your work? Is He central in your friendships?
  6. Cotton Mather (1663-1728) said: “Every Christian ordinarily should have a calling. That is to say, there should be some special business . . . wherein a Christian should for the most part spend the most of his time; and this, that so he may glorify God.”
  7. Verse 12 is key! R. Kent Hughes: “When Joshua inherited the mantle of spiritual leadership, God promised him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). God made the same promise to Gideon, who was too timid to lead the troops into battle. God said, “I will be with you” (Judg. 6:16). God also promised to be with Jeremiah, who was only a youngster when he became a prophet: “Do not be afraid . . . for I am with you” (Jer. 1:8). But this promise is not just for prophets like Moses and Joshua — it is for all God’s people.”
  8. V. 14 I am: “God is that which he calls himself, and he calls himself that which he is.” -Herman Bavinck Matthew Henry says: “The greatest and best man in the world must say, By the grace of God I am what I am; but God says absolutely — and it is more than any creature, man or angel, can say — I am that I am.”
  9. John Piper provides 12 points on God as the I AM. YWH means:
    1. Never had a beginning.
    2. God will never end. He is being.
    3. God is absolute reality.
    4. God is utterly independent.
    5. Everything that is not God is dependent on God. Utterly secondary. God is primary!
    6. All the universe compared to God is nothing (Isa. 40:17).
    7. God is constant – the same yesterday, today and forever. He cannot improve!
    8. He is the standard for all that is true, good and beautiful.
    9. God does whatever He pleases.
    10. He is the most important and most valuable thing in the universe.
    11. Jesus Christ is absolute being (Jn. 8:56).
    12. God became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14). Jesus is absolute being united with human being. -Notes from the Gospel Coalition National Conference 2023
  10. Read v. 20. Peter Enns says: “Pharaoh ‘sends’ the Israelites away in response to God’s ‘sending’ the plagues.”
  11. Read v. 18-22b. Question to ponder: Does Pharaoh have free will in this matter? Could Pharaoh, on first request, say, “Yes, I will let Israel go.” God has said exactly what would happen before it has happened. We will delve into this more, as it is brought up in Romans 9:14-18.
  12. Read v. 22. What will the women ask for and receive? How is this ironic? How does it show the goodness of God?