Why would we pay attention to a story 3,500 years old in a land far removed from us? Because it is our story too. In this 5 week series from Exodus, Dr. John teaches that the themes of deliverence and covenant are our themes as well.

As day shifts to night, the story of Israel takes a dark turn at the beginning of Exodus. The nation moves from a favoured position to a bitter experience. They are enslaved, oppressed and threatened. Where is God as this happens? In this second message from Exodus, Dr. John points us to the involvement of God in every detail. God not only sees the state of His people, He is present and active at every turn.

Can God be trusted as His people suffer? Why doesn’t God do something? Dr. John moves us through the story of Exodus and reveals the saving actions of God. God will redeem His people through the birth of a Hebrew boy. Not only will God rescue this child, but He will shape an ironic twist. Egypian royalty will pay for his keep! God will ensure that the boy receives the best of Egyptian and Hebrew culture. The boy is given the name Moses.

Some choices are pivotal. At the age of 40, Moses makes a decision that will re-route his life. Dr. John teaches on the early life of Moses and the critical choice he faced. Ultimately Moses becomes a man without a people. Hunted by Egyptians and rejected by Hebrews, in the desert he is being prepared to meet his God.

Forty years is a long time to wait. For four decades Moses had built a life in the desert, radically different from the life he had in Egypt. In this message, Dr. John will point to the qualities of Moses that reveal the fruit of his desert wait. They will surface at a burning bush. We will see Moses as He has become, but moreso, we will see God as He is.

An introduction is an exchange of names. When God met Moses at a burning bush, He called Moses by name. But Moses had yet to learn the Name of God. In this message, Dr. John highlights the significance and centrality of God’s Name – “I am.” Knowing the Name of God is more than holding information about Him. We are shaped by our understanding of God.

A “commission” is the transfer of responsibility upon someone. It carries the authority of the one who grants it, along with obligation and accountability. Dr. John speaks of the commission God lays upon Moses and the fourfold description of his task. This was not a recruitment, but a commission. God does not simply look for volunteers, He calls and commissions.

Even in the glow of a burning bush, Moses had doubts. He questioned the plans of God and his own ability to participate. In this message, Dr. John teaches on the signs that God gave to solidify Moses’ faith. These were more than miracles; they were demonstrations of power pointing to deeper truths, truths meant to solidify our own faith.

It is understandable that Moses questioned his own ability to fulfill the plans of God. Who could measure up to an impossible task? But as Dr. John teaches in this message, the excuses of Moses did not disqualify him from the call of God. God not only knew where Mose fell short; God made him that way. Rather than being discouraged by our weakness, we can trust God’s Hand upon us for His purposes.