EXCUSES, EXCUSES

READ:   Exodus 3  Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”  ⁴ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

 And Moses said, “Here I am.” ⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

"God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14)

THINK:  Moses was terrified. First he had spent forty years in Egypt- the most powerful nation on earth- as a prince. Popular, revered, and held in the highest esteem. Add to his resume forty years in the desert as a shepherd working for his father-in-law. Lonely, unappreciated, and punching the clock at smelly job central.

Now he kneels trembling before Jesus in the burning bush being commissioned for a holy cause. He was being sent by God Himself to set the Israelites free from the Egyptians. Promotion? Sure. Chance to be restored to greatness? Absolutely!

Only - he didn't want to go.

He fired excuse after excuse at the blazing King. Christ had an answer for every one of them. One of Moses' excuses was "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

Jesus had an answer... "I AM who I AM."

In the same way Moses was a master of excuses when it came to delivering the Jews, aren't we the excuse experts when it comes to delivering the gospel? God Himself has commissioned us (Matthew 28) to "go and make disciples of all nations..."

But God - what if I don't I know what to say? What if they reject me? What if they ask me a question I don't have the answer to?" Blah. Blah. Blah.
The bottom line is this... the great "I AM" has sent us. Excuses fade into oblivion when it comes to Christ. When we realize who God is- excuses fall flat.

So who is God? Who is this "I AM"?

First - we know that He is "one God". Deuteronomy 6:4 reminds us, "The LORD our God, the LORD is one." Christianity is a monothesitic faith. "Mono" means one. "Theo" means "God." We believe in one God.

Second - we believe in one God who is comprised of three persons... the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God. Each is fully unique. Three persons: one essence.

The title some have given this truth is "The Trinity." One God (unity)- comprised of three persons (Trinity)

Get it? Neither do I. Neither does anyone, except God. God is infinite. We are finite. As one expert said, "For us to try to comprehend God is like a gnat trying to drink in the ocean."

But get this. This triune God is sending you on a mission. This holy mission is to spread the Gospel to a dying world. Just like Moses, our excuses fail. Why? Because the "I AM" has sent us. We are on a mission from God- let's get busy!

Further study- Read all of Exodus 3, 1 Peter 3:15, Daniel 3, Hebrews 11, Matthew 28:16,