Dig Deeper - Sunday 3rd May

Sermon Reflection Questions - Courage begins with God’s presence

Exodus 3:1-12

Link to service

Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 3rd May service:

Summary

Moses was lucky to survive childhood. The Israelites were seen as a threat by a new

Pharoah and enslaved and oppressed. Even the Hebrew midwives were instructed to kill

all the male babies at birth. Moses was hidden in bulrushes to avoid this fate and then

adopted by an Egyptian princess. That gave him a really good education.

This passage starts with Moses in a remote location working as a shepherd. He’d fled

here to escape from Egypt where he’d killed a taskmaster who was beating an Israelite.

While shepherding his flock, he saw an unusual burning bush; it was on fire but not

burning up. Amazingly God speaks to Moses from the bush and calls him bring the

Israelites out of oppression in Egypt. God does this because with the upbringing in the

Royal household he has the right abilities to do the task. He also anticipates that Moses

will have the courage to do this. Courage anticipated. This turns into Courage

required, with God was asking him to take on a seemingly Mission Impossible. Go back

to Pharoah the king of Egypt where he was wanted for murder.

In verse 4, Moses initial response is ‘Here I am’ in v4, but it changes to ‘Who am I’ in v11.

Here we see Courage questioned. If God is calling us to do something well out of our

comfort zone, then we might feel the same. In fact, Moses goes on to introduce a series

of reasons, well excuses really, in chapters 3 & 4 why he is not the right person to do

this job.

But the thing to notice is how God deals with Moses’ question ‘Who am I’. First of all he is

immensely patient and then reassures with the promise of his presence with Moses. V12

‘I am with you’. It’s here we see Courage supported. In v12 gives us the first sign of this

support – ‘you will worship God on this mountain.’ (Horeb is another for Mount Sinai)

Further on in the chapter he details other signs; in v18 he tells him the Israelite elders

will listen to you; in v19 he tells him Pharaoh will let them go; in v20 he tells him God will

demonstrate his power and then in v22 he tells him that the Egyptians will donate Gold

and Silver to the Israelites as they leave.

Moses still needs to have the courage to make the initial step in faith. But when things

start to happen, he can see God’s hand at work as predicted. Moses’ courage is

supported by God’s presence and action.

That’s the same for us today. It often requires us to take a nervous first step of faith, but

then we can see God’s hand in action which confirms we are on the right path. You see

Courage isn’t about feeling strong - it’s trusting that God is with you.

Courage begins with the presence of God in our lives. And God’s presence in our lives

comes first of all from our own relationship with God in Jesus Christ. And when it comes

to God’s support, there may be indicators for us on our journey, but there is also from

support from other Christians and from being part of the wider family of God’s people.

Questions to pause for reflection/group discussion:

1. Bearing in mind Moses start in life and now his nomadic shepherding off the beaten

track, what do you think was his mindset and what did he think about his future?

2. In the 21st century it’s unlikely that God will speak to us from a burning bush. In what

ways do you think God might break into our lives and speak to us today?

3. Consider what signs of encouragement that we have seen in our lives that underline

God’s presence with us on our journey.

4. God provides support for Moses in the task to which he is being called. Might we be

the provider of support to others who are serving God? What might that support look

like?

5. One of Moses concerns was what name he was going to use to speak about God.

Meditate on the meaning and implications that flow from the name God choses in v14.

A Short Prayer

Father God, thank you that you walk alongside us through your Holy Spirit. As we

journey through our lives may we be increasingly aware of your presence with us. And

as you promised Moses, may we too draw courage from your presence with us.

Particularly for those of us you may be calling to step out in faith, we pray for courage,

not just courage from your presence with us, but courage from knowing that for those

you call, you also equip and provide support for that courage. In all of this, Father, we

seek to serve you and bring glory to your name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.