“Your Great Name”
Introduction:
There is a quote that I used all the time during my young adult years. You may be familiar with it. The quote is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi and it says: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
I think the main point of this quote is valid…if all we do is ‘talk’, and our actions never reflect our beliefs…it is difficult to effectively preach the gospel or show the love of Jesus. We saw this type of teaching during our study in James. The problem with the way that I had often applied this quote…is that I would use it as a ‘cop out’ when it came to verbally sharing the gospel. I was typically comfortable going on work-based mission trips, helping with a service project or giving up some time to physically help someone in need…those things admittedly didn’t stress me out very much, because I felt like they were things I could do adequately.
Where I felt severely inadequate was opening my mouth and ‘speaking’ the good news of Jesus to someone. I felt like I never knew what to say or how to say it. What if they get angry or uncomfortable? What if they ask me a difficult question that I can’t answer? Will that turn them off to the gospel altogether? All these questions and fears would race through my head. I would misapply and hide behind that quote: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary”. This coming Sunday, Adam will be sharing more about the practice of ‘opening our mouth’ and sharing the gospel. Let’s look at an example from scripture that helped me personally…
Devotional:
When it comes to feeling like we cannot speak adequately, one of the first examples that may pop into our head is Moses. When God calls him, Moses expresses this feeling of inadequacy multiple times…
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.’” 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 it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” – Exodus 4:1-6 ESV
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.” 11 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.” – Exodus 4:10-12 ESV
Moses objects here on 2 counts. 1.) The people will not believe me. 2.) I am not eloquent. I am slow of speech and of tongue. On both counts, God gives provision. He will give signs so that the people may believe, and he will be with his mouth and teach him what to speak. When Moses objects again, God provides Aaron…
But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 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. – Exodus 4:13-14 ESV
God provides Aaron to be Moses’ mouth. God even says ‘Behold, he is coming out to meet you’…He’s on his way! God already made this provision before Moses even objected. Why is God angry with Moses in this moment? For one, He has already made several provisions for Moses when he expressed his inadequacy. The other reason why I believe God becomes angry with Moses, is because of Moses’ background prior to this conversation.
Another quote that we typically hear as it relates to this passage is: ‘God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” There is certainly truth to this quote. Moses doesn’t feel qualified when it comes to speaking, so God makes several provisions to cover this feeling of inadequacy. However, this provision goes much deeper than just speech. Let’s look at some of the ways God had already provided for Moses…making Moses almost a perfect candidate for this job…
- Moses was arguably more educated than other Hebrews
- Moses grew up in the house of Pharoah as the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter (Exodus 2:5-10)
- Growing up in the house of Pharoah, he would have received the very best of education. This would have also meant he was more qualified than any other Hebrew to be able to relate or speak to those in Pharaoh’s presence.
- Moses boldly fought against oppression and injustice on two occasions
- He strikes down an Egyptian who was beating a fellow Hebrew (Exodus 2:11-12)
- He saved the daughters of the priest of Midian from Shepherds who attacked and attempted to drive them away from the well. Moses saves them and waters their flock. (Exodus 2:16-19)
- Moses is showing the character of the ‘Good Shepherd’
This was all prior to God calling him to this mission in Chapter 4. God sees a man who He placed in a position to be well versed in Egyptian culture, religion and political structure. More importantly He sees a man who has the character of justice and of a Good Shepherd who hates oppression and is willing to put his life at risk to fight for those being oppressed.
So on the other hand, all this makes Moses the PRIME candidate to carry out this mission! And where Moses lacks, God shows He will provide. This is further reason why God becomes angry with Moses…because he knows him and knows his character. He knows how He has made provision for Moses leading up to this point.
What do we take away from this?
-Like Moses, God has gifted each of us with unique background, skills and character that he can use to carry out his work. Not by our own doing, but by his provision. The only reason Moses was able to receive his education and show these acts of justice was because the Lord delivered him as a baby through the waters of death in a basket made from bulrushes…into the hands of Pharoah’s daughter. If God can do that, then He can give Moses the words to speak.
-Where we lack…God provides. If we feel like we can’t adequately open our mouth to preach the gospel…We have His Word that was given to us. May we be in Scripture consistently.
-We have our leaders, Pastors and Shepherds…lean on them and lean on each other, bearing one another’s burdens.
-and finally, may we pray as Paul did in Ephesians 6…
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. – Ephesians 6:18-20 ESV