Trinity Sunday
Ex. 3.1-6
Psalm 93
Romans 8.12-17
John 3.1-16

“The Character of God”
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This morning is Trinity Sunday. It was on this same Sunday last year that I preached my first sermon ever, and while I am thankful for the opportunity to preach here once again, I am beginning to think that Fr. John has decided that this is simply a topic on which he no longer wants to preach!

Today’s passage from the OT is perhaps one of the best known stories in the Bible and having read the first few verses of Exodus 3 I am sure that we all think we know the story, but it is in fact a passage that bears close scrutiny since it reveals much to us about the character of God and not a little about our own character.

The passage we just read ends with God’s revealing himself to Moses and identifying himself as the God of his fathers (perhaps the only reference to Father’s day in the sermon!).

Ex. 3.6 He said further, “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 is the God of history – He is the God who promised Abram… Verse 6 goes on to remind Moses of that promise and that he will now fulfill it.

Ex. 3.7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from 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 country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

Moses is a little taken aback by God’s assertion and he objects on 4 counts (3.11-4.17):

I. Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Fair question, don’t you think? Moses’ life had been a curious one and we might expect God to answer, “Can’t you see how I have uniquely prepared you for this? Etc.”

But notice God’s response:

12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

God will be with him. And the sign? “When it is all over you shall worship at this mountain.” Huh? Signs are supposed to happen before not after. God is calling him to act in faith, just as Abram did in getting up and going to the land that God promised him.

II. Moses objects again:

Ex. 3.13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors 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.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:
 
This is my name forever,
and this my title for all generations.

16 Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt.
Moses assumes that the Israelites will be dubious about his claim. Who wouldn’t be? “Sorry, you said you saw a bush that burned and yet was not consumed? What were you consuming at the time?” Moses realizes that they might ask him for some “inside information” about this God, his most private information, his name. Notice what God’s name is: “I AM.” The name we are used to reading and seeing is “the LORD.” Briefly explain YHWH. Notice 2 things:

1) God’s name is first person, vhvt But what kind of name is that?
2) God’s name is the very verb of existence. What does it mean?
    a. God exists, is existing, will continue to exist
    b. God is present, always.
    c. He is the most fundamental “thing” of this world, “he is”

III. Moses objects again!

Ex. 4.1 Then Moses answered, “But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” 2 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 the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail”—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

God recognizes that we like to see signs and wonders. It is in our nature to not be content with the knowledge and reality of God’s existence in our lives, we want a show. God is the god of miracles. He can turn a staff into a snake (and back again!) he can part the waters, he can heal the sick and raise the dead.

This connects with God’s first announcement of his identity: “I am the God of your fathers.” The rest of the OT has a keen historical sense and constantly sets all God’s declarations within the historical context of Israel’s history, “I am the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who has brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” So we too constantly recognize that he is the God of our ancestors, the God who came down to earth as a man to die for our sins and rose from the dead. The God who appeared to Mary and the disciples and has sent his spirit upon us so that we might proclaim this gospel to all the world. This is the same God who acts miraculously throughout history and continues to act.

IV. One more time, Moses objects to God.

Ex. 4.10 But Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.”

Our God is the creator of all things. When he wants to use us to work in this world he can and will provide all that is necessary.
That is all well and good, it is nice to learn these things about God, even if they may seem a bit abstract. But what difference does it make to me? Is the preacher asking me to go home and sit and mediate upon God as “the great I AM?” Well that couldn’t hurt. But I think if we consider all of this from Moses’ position we might realize how often we find ourselves in his sandals.

God is daily calling each of us to serve him in some way. We may not always have a burning bush in front of us, but he is there nonetheless. In prayer we will hear God calling and the question is, how will we respond? All too often we simply put on false humility and ask “Who am I to do this thing?” Even when a moments reflection might reveal that we have been uniquely prepared by God, we do not step forward. We must accept who and how God has made us and that he can and will do anything. The most amazing thing is that he seeks to use us and work through us. And God will not be thwarted. Notice that after everything Moses still complained “O Lord! Please send someone else!” And get sent Aaron for Moses to help him and give him the companionship that Moses needed. We maybe weak, but God will always provide the strength for us, even in spite of ourselves.

Perhaps the most humbling revelation to Moses and ourselves is that it is not who we are is not what is important, it is who God is. And God is. He is the God of our fathers and mothers, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Mary and Peter, Martha and Paul. The creator and redeemer. The one who led his children Israel up out of the house of slavery and into the promise land. And the one who went up on a cross and set us free from the bondage of sin.

Amen.

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