Welcome to the sermon. Last week, we explored Moses's question, "Who am I?" Today, we tackle the other great question from the burning bush: "Who are you, God?" We're diving into Exodus 3 to explore the profound meaning behind the name God reveals for Himself—a name full of mystery and power, which is ultimately and most clearly revealed in the person of Jesus.

Scripture References

• Exodus 3:13-15: Moses asks for God's name, and God reveals Himself as "I AM WHO I AM."
• John 8:56-59: Jesus declares, "Before Abraham was, I AM," identifying Himself as Yahweh.
• Hebrews 12:29: "For our God is a consuming fire."
• Colossians 1:15-20: A description of Jesus as the supreme and exact image of the invisible God.

Key Points

1. Why Moses Asks for a Name

Moses wasn't just asking for a label. In a world of many gods, he needed more than a title; he was asking for God's character and power. He needed to understand who this God was so he could confidently lead the Israelites. It was a request for a deeper revelation of God's very nature.

2. The Mysterious Name: "I AM" (YHWH)

God's answer is a profound riddle: "I AM WHO I AM." This reveals His personal name, YHWH (often translated as "the LORD"), which points to His self-existence, His eternal and unchangeable nature, and His power as Creator. Like the burning bush itself, God's name is both inviting and holy—the fire draws us in with fascination but also warns us with its power. It's an invitation to spend a lifetime getting to know this mysterious, all-powerful God.

3. Jesus is the Answer to the Riddle

The mystery of God's name finds its ultimate answer in Jesus. In the New Testament, Jesus repeatedly uses "I AM" statements ("I am the good shepherd," "I am the vine," etc.) and makes the staggering declaration, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). He wasn't just pointing to Yahweh; He was identifying Himself as Yahweh in the flesh. If the name YHWH was the introduction, Jesus is the full story.

Conclusion

The name of God, Yahweh, is not just an ancient fact; it's an invitation into a relationship with the self-existent, all-powerful Creator. Jesus is the final and clearest revelation of this name. He is Yahweh in the flesh, the perfect image of the invisible God, making the mysterious known. To truly know the great "I AM," we must know Jesus.

Calls to Action

1. Bow to Jesus: If you have never surrendered to Him, recognize Him today as the one true God, Yahweh in the flesh.
2. Ask for the Fire: If your faith has grown stagnant, pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn away your boredom and fascinate you with God's presence anew.
3. Go Deeper: Move beyond knowing facts about God to pursuing an experiential relationship with God through Jesus.

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Welcome to the sermon. Today we're in Exodus 3 & 4, exploring one of life's most foundational questions: "Who am I?" Through Moses's encounter at the burning bush, we'll confront the shame and insecurity that so often writes our life's story. We'll see how God's answer to our feelings of inadequacy is profoundly different from the world's, shifting our focus from our weakness to His powerful presence.

Scripture References

• Exodus 3:1-14: The Burning Bush, God's call, and Moses's first question, "Who am I?"
• Exodus 4:1-17: Moses's excuses, God's provision of signs, and His promise of help.

Key Points

1. Unredeemed Shame Writes Our Story

Our behavior is rooted in what we believe about ourselves. While guilt says "I did something bad," shame says "I am bad." If this shame isn't redeemed, it becomes the author of our story, creating vows that dictate our actions. Moses was crippled by shame: he felt he belonged nowhere, was a failure rejected by everyone, was too old, and was disabled by a speech impediment. His shame was about to make him miss his destiny.

2. The World's Answer vs. God's Answer

How does God respond to Moses's crippling insecurity? Our culture—and even AI—advises self-reflection, validation, and positive reinforcement. The goal is self-love. God's approach is completely different. When Moses asks, "Who am I?", God doesn't list Moses's qualifications or tell him "You've got this." Instead, He gives a radically different answer that changes the entire equation: "I will be with you."

3. God's Presence is the Antidote to Pride

God's answer isn't a non-answer; it's the only answer. Focusing on ourselves leads to one of two places: pride ("I am adequate") or insecurity ("I am inadequate"). Both are forms of pride because they are self-obsessed. The way out is to stop looking inward, which leads to depression, and to look at God, which leads to rest. God's presence, not our adequacy, is the foundation for our calling.

Conclusion

God's promise, "I will be with you," is the definitive answer to our deepest insecurities. He doesn't call the adequate; He makes Himself present to the inadequate. Even God's anger at Moses's final excuse was the protective love of a Father, angry for him, not wanting him to miss his destiny. God wants to take the pen from the hand of your shame and become the true Author of your story.

Calls to Action

1. Identify the Script: Recognize where shame, rather than God's truth, is writing the script for your life.
2. Shift Your Focus: When you feel inadequate, intentionally shift your question from "Who am I?" to "Who is the God that is with me?"
3. Rest in His Presence: Stop striving to become adequate. Instead, receive the promise that He is with you as your all-sufficient help.

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Welcome to the sermon. Today we're in Exodus chapter two. We often think of the Exodus as a "movement of the people," but it's not an uprising. The people are stuck. This is a move of God. He is the one who steps in to rescue the oppressed. As we study the life of Moses, remember this: God will do something in you before He does something through you. Moses's life is a mini-exodus that sets the pattern for the entire nation.
Scripture References

• Exodus 2: The birth, rescue, failure, and flight of Moses.
• Acts 7:21-22: Describes Moses's education and power in Egypt.
• Hebrews 11:24-26: Explains Moses's faith in choosing to identify with God's people.
• Song of Songs 8:5: "Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?"

Key Points

1. God Delivers the Deliverer

Against the dark backdrop of infanticide, God sovereignly rescues Moses. His mother places him in a basket—described by the Hebrew word for "ark"—and he is saved through the very waters meant for judgment. In an incredible twist, the Pharaoh who ordered Moses's death ends up paying for his upbringing. God was preparing a deliverer right under the nose of the enemy. This is a move of God, not of people.

2. God Gets Egypt Out of Moses

Moses, mighty in the wisdom and power of Egypt, tries to be a deliverer in his own strength. He murders an Egyptian, only to be rejected by his own people. This failure teaches a crucial lesson: our own strength, status, and timing are not enough. God led Moses out of Egypt and into the wilderness to get the pride and self-reliance of Egypt out of him.

3. The Wilderness Teaches Dependence

The wilderness is where we learn the prayer, "He must become more, and I must become less." For 40 years, the prince of Egypt became a humble shepherd. The wilderness is where God strips away what we lean on so that we come out leaning only on Him. He uses these mundane, difficult seasons to prepare us for what's next.

Conclusion

Moses's story points to Jesus, the greater Deliverer. Moses saw his people's suffering; God saw and knew. Moses identified with his people at great cost; Jesus identified with us by leaving heaven. God's goal is not just to get you out of bondage, but to bring you to Himself. He is leading a cosmic exodus to rescue you from sin and bring you into a covenant relationship with Him.

Calls to Action

1. Embrace God's Sovereignty: Recognize that your salvation and deliverance are a move of God, not your own works.
2. Trust the Process: Allow God to work in you, even in frustrating seasons of preparation, before you expect Him to work through you.
3. Lean on Him: In your wilderness, ask God what props you're leaning on and learn to lean on Him alone.

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