God Uses Inadequate People 

To be Used with Session #5: Stewarding Our Story

Scripture: Exodus 3:11-15 & 4:10-17

Connection with Unit Theme: To complement the Bible study “Stewarding Our Story” this sermon will explore the story of Moses, by observing the imperfections of Moses as revealed in his story along with the provisions of God, based on Moses’ imperfections.

Introduction: We learned in our groups this morning the story of Paul. He went from a persecutor of Christians to a missionary for Christ. In today’s sermon, we will look at the story of Moses. We will see his imperfections and how God provided for his imperfections. If we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we too have a story and we too can be used by God. If, however, you do not know Jesus yet, then can you be challenged to observe what is taking place around you and see how God is wanting to write your story and use you in spite of your imperfections.

1. Moses’ question: Who am I? (Ex. 3:11-15)
   1. Moses’ background: If we are to understand this message, then we must once again start with context. Moses grew up in privilege, in that he grew up in Pharaoh’s household. His privilege, however, did not stop him from being concerned about his people, the Hebrews. One day he observed an Egyptian striking a Hebrew. In response to this, Moses killed the Egyptian. His actions were later discovered (Ex. 2:11-14).  

Fast-forward 40 years and we find Moses as a shepherd and encountering God via a burning bush. A conversation between Moses and God ensues. God tells Moses that He is aware of the suffering of the Hebrew people and is calling Moses to return to Egypt to set the Hebrews free. Moses’ response to this calling is, “Who am I. . .?.”

A good question for us today is, how would we have responded if we were in Moses’ position? How many of us may have recalled past actions and quickly eliminated ourselves from any such calling? Yes, each of us today have a story from our past that we do not want others to know. God was aware of Moses’ story and still called him. God is aware of our story too and wants to use us.

• God’s response: We can quickly discern two points of encouragement from God’s response to Moses. First, God promised to be with Moses. One of the worst feelings for anyone to have is to feel alone. God created us for relationships and we long for this, especially when we are embarking on anything of significance. We see throughout Scripture that God is always faithful to be with us no matter what we may be experiencing.

The second point of encouragement is that God is the God of the living and not the dead. When God said to tell everyone that I AM sent him, this was a definitive statement testifying to the eternal nature of God. Part of stewarding our story is to not live in the past. If we live in the past, we struggle to get beyond our inadequacies. If, however, we understand that God is with us and wants to use us beyond our faults, we like Moses can see the future through God’s eyes and not just our own.

1. Moses’ concern: Who will listen? (Ex. 4:10-17)
   1. Moses’ problem: As we move along in the story, God has confirmed several times that He is sufficient and is more than able to do miraculous things. Yet, Moses still does not seem convinced that he is fit for the job. Now, he points out that he has a speech problem as his mouth and tongue are sluggish. We can’t help but wonder if Moses said that phrase a little slower to make his point.

Before we roll our eyes too much, maybe we should consider the responses we offer God today. Some of us may tell God we do not know enough, when we know He is calling us to lead a group. Others may tell God they do not want to say the wrong thing to a lost friend; therefore, they are going to say nothing. If we are being honest, we can identify with Moses all too easily.

• God’s provision: God once again provides at least two assurances from this exchange. First, He reminded Moses that He is the creator and that He would be with Moses. If our car breaks down, one of the best people to take it to is the group that created it. The reason for this is because the creator knows how it works and is best qualified to make it right. God, who created us, is the best qualified to fix us and He also promises to be with us as we walk in obedience.

Second, God also provided Aaron, who would help Moses in his journey. The passage also indicates that Aaron was able to speak well. Therefore, Aaron’s strength was Moses’ weakness. The two of them coming together would yield an even stronger team than if they served separately.

Conclusion: We learned in our groups today the importance of stewarding our story. If we know Jesus, then we have a story. Our story consists of our life before Jesus, an encounter with Jesus, and then how He has changed and is changing us. If we have a story, then He wants to use us. He used Paul, David, Peter, and even Moses. We need not offer excuses as He will provide and always be with us.

Our story, however, truly begins when we come to Jesus and acknowledge our need for Him to be our Lord and Savior. If you do not have this part in your story, then let today be the day you say yes to His invitation to a lifelong journey that results in spending eternity with Him.  

Written By Tod Tanner