1. 2 3 4 5 6 a quote from a communist – “if i believed, as millions say they do, that a...

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What’s Your Excuse?

The Excuses of Moses – Exodus 3 & 4

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The difference between an EXCUSE

and a REASON.


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No excuse will be acceptable for NOT doing what we ought to be

doing in the eyes of God!


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What’s Your Excuse?God called Moses to lead His people out

of Egyptian bondage:

Moses made excuse after excuse why he wasn’t right for the

job!

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What’s Your Excuse?God has called US to TRY and lead people out of the bondage

of sin:

Have you ever made excuses for your lack

of personal evangelism?

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A quote from a communist –“If I believed, as millions say they do, that a

knowledge and practice of Christianity in this life influenced destiny in another world, Christianity would be to me everything. I would cast aside

earthly thoughts as vanities and earthly feelings as follies. Christianity would be my first waking

thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I would labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for tomorrow and

eternity alone. Earthly consequences would never stay my hands nor seal my lips. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a lifetime of effort. I would go forth and preach Christ to the world, and my theme would be, “What shall it

profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul”.

How many people have I helped lead to Christ?___

Do I ever pray FERVENTLY that I might become a better soul winner?_____

DO I SINCERELY TRY to help that prayer be answered? _____


Am I generally embarrassed to converse with people about Christ? _____

Have I offered the following excuses for NOT trying to lead others to Christ? - “I am not the preacher” - “I don’t know what to say“ – “I am not Able” - “People won’t believe me” - “Others are better at it than I” -


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Exodus 3:10-12 (NKJV) 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the

children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I

should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of

Egypt?"

"Who Am I?" Ex. 3:11

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Exodus 3:10-12 (NKJV) 12 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."

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40 years earlier Moses was “royalty,” (Heb. 11:24), but at the time an 80 year old shepherd – Ex. 3:1

God’s response – “I will certainly be with you.” – (Ex. 3:12)

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Have you ever used the “who am I” excuse?

Thinking that we are insufficient for the task – (Not talented enough - educated enough – experienced enough – etc)

Will God be with us? – 2 Cor. 3:5; Mat. 28:20; Acts 4:13; Rom. 8:31; Phili 4:13

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What’s Your Excuse?“What Shall I Say?” Ex. 3:13

Exodus 3:13-14 (NKJV) 13 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?" 14 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.' "

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Moses knew that IF he went to the children of Israel, there were bound to be questions:

Such as, "Who is this God who sent you to us?“

And perhaps, "Why are we to leave this country we have come to consider our home for over 400 years?"

“What Shall I Say?” Ex. 3:13

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Have you ever used the “What shall I say?” excuse? I don’t know enough –

(What do you know?)

God has told us what to say – (2 Tim 3:16,17)

What are you doing to increase your knowledge & experience? – (1 Pet 3:15)

“What Shall I Say?” Ex. 3:13

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What’s Your Excuse?“Suppose They Will Not Believe Me?” –

Ex. 4:1Exodus 4:1 (NKJV)

1 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.' "

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Ex. 4:1Exodus 4:2-9 (NKJV)

2 So the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?"

He said, "A rod." 3 And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; . . . 5 "that they may believe that

the LORD God of their fathers, . . . has appeared to

you."

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6 Furthermore the LORD said to him, "Now put your hand

in your bosom." . . . 8 "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.

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9 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. And the water

which you take from the river will become blood on the dry

land."

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Now that he knows what to say, he balks saying they may not listen.

God equips him with three signs:

The ROD into a serpent - 4:2-5

His hand turns leprous - 4:6-8

Water would turn to blood when poured out - 4:9

“Suppose They Will Not Believe Me?” –

Ex. 4:1

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Do we allow the fear of failure to keep us from trying? - Rom 1:16; Luke 9:26

What if they don’t believe? Who are they really rejecting? - John 12:48; Luke 10:16

Has God provided enough evidence? - John 10:34-36; 20:30,31; Heb 4:12; 1 Cor 3:6

“Suppose They Will Not Believe Me?” –

Ex. 4:1

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What’s Your Excuse?“I Am Slow of

Speech & Tongue” – Ex. 4:10

Exodus 4:10-12 (NKJV) 10 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."

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What’s Your Excuse?“I Am Slow of

Speech & Tongue” – Ex. 4:10

Exodus 4:10-12 (NKJV) 11 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? 12 Now therefore, go,

and I will be with your mouth and teach you what

you shall say."

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Moses points to his weaknesses as reasons why he is the wrong man for the job . . .

Was God not aware of Moses’ abilities? – Ex. 4:11,12

God had already arranged for Aaron to be his spokesman (4:14-16,27).

“I Am Slow of Speech & Tongue” –

Ex. 4:10

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Can we use our weakness or lack of ability as excuses to not do what we can? – Mat. 25:14-30; 1 Cor 2:1,3,4; 2 Cor 12:7-10

Can we communicate that which we are really interested in? – Acts 4:19,20; Acts 8:4

Teaching God’s word doesn’t require a lot of talent – but interest & enthusiasm – Acts 10:24,33

“I Am Slow of Speech & Tongue” –

Ex. 4:10

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What’s Your Excuse?"Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." – Ex. 4:13

(ESV)Exodus 4:13-16 (ESV) 13 But he said, "Oh, my

Lord, please send someone else."

14 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled

against Moses . . .

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(ESV)Exodus 4:13-16 (ESV) . . . and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother,

the Levite? I know that he can speak well. . . . I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to

do. . . .

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Moses simply did not want to go! - The previous excuses were simply a smokescreen attempt to hide this fact!

God's anger was kindled against Moses - Exo 4:14a

Read verses 15-17 with an emphasis on the word "shall"


(ESV)

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(ESV)Exodus 4:15-17 (NKJV)

15 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. 16 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. 17 And you shall take

this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."

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Is God’s anger kindled against you? – (Mt 25:14-30)

Are we more Like Moses or Isaiah? – (Isaiah 6:8)

Are our excuses merely smokescreens for the real problem – “we do not want to?” – (Rom. 1:15,16)


(ESV)

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(ESV)1 Corinthians 9:16

(NKJV) 16 For if I preach the

gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for

necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I

do not preach the gospel!

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With Moses we know the rest of

the storyHe did what

God commanded –

God used Moses to save Israel

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What will be the rest of your story?Will you do what God expects you

to do? Will you allow God

to use you?

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Or will we continue to make excuses for NOT doing what we

should in the kingdom?

Charts by Don McClainPrepared February 2-4, 2012Preached February 5, 2012

West 65th Street church of ChristP.O. Box 190062

Little Rock AR 72219501-568-1062

Prepared using PPT 2010Email – [email protected]

More PPT & Audio Sermons:http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/donmaccla/2010SermonPage.html

Note – Many of the transition effects used in this presentation may be lost using PPT 2007 Viewer

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Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 15 Now when one of those who

sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were

invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' 18 But they all with

one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask

you to have me excused.'

Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen,

and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me

excused.' 20 Still another said, 'I have married a wife,

and therefore I cannot come.'

Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his

master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his

servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the

city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame

and the blind.'

Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 22 And the servant said,

'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' 23 Then the master said

to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges,

and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Luke 14:15-24 (NKJV) 24 For I say to you that none of those

men who were invited shall taste

my supper.' "

1. 2 3 4 5 6 a quote from a communist – “if i believed, as millions say they do, that a...

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