Speaker: Pastor Neil Lindwall

Additional Resources: Extra readings and details are available and appear on this page indented like this. Additional Resources and Study Material are available here.

ESV Exodus 2:11-15 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.  

ESV Exodus 2:23-24 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. 

ESV Exodus 3:1-6 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

God Desires Proximity.  

ESV Exodus 3:7-10 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

ESV Exodus 3:11-14 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 

The Identity Barrier. 

“Who Am I?” Really Asking Is: “Am I Too Far Gone?”

God’s Answer: I Will Be With You!

“Who Is God?” Really Asking Is: “Can I Trust You?”  

God’s Answer: I AM WHO I AM!

“Name” = shem – name, which also stands for inner character in Scripture. Indeed knowing a person's name opened access (personal knowledge) to them. It preeminently applies to the Lord – revealing His only name is Yahweh (cf. Ex 3:13-15). – HELPS Lexicon

G. Adam Smith, "One of God's methods of self-revelation is through the name by which He has permitted Himself to be called." God revealed His name to show His desire to be known. By giving His name, He makes Himself accessible, identifiable, with infinite desire for intimacy (communion with man). – HELPS Lexicon 

ESV Exodus 4:1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’”

The Inadequate Barrier.  

What Moses Really Asked: “How Could I Be Worthy?” 

ESV Exodus 4:2-3 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.  

God’s Answer: I Will Empower You!  

ESV Exodus 4:10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”  

The Grasshopper Barrier.  

He Meant: “They Won’t Listen, They’ll Laugh.”

ESV Exodus 4:11-12 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

God’s Answer: I Made You, I’ll Be With You, & I’ll Help You!  

ESV Exodus 4:13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 

Really Saying: “I Don’t Want To Go.”  

The Willful Barrier.  

ESV Exodus 4:14-17 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

God’s Answer: I Know & I’ll Go With You!  

PRACTICE PROXIMITY

Surrender Your Space – Let God Take His Rightful "Place" In Your Life.

Occupy Holy Space – Enter God’s Presence & Find Your Purpose.