Can you imagine saying, “No,” to God? It seems crazy! Outrageous! But that’s exactly what Moses did in our reading today. Over and over again, Moses tried to get out of being sent back to Egypt, even to the point when he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Having made multiple excuses, he finally just asks, “Can’t someone else do it?”
As shocking as that may be, we too say, “No,” to God in a wide variety of ways. We’re usually not as blunt about it as Moses was, but we do it. When God puts people in our lives that need to hear his Good News and we never talk about Jesus; never even invite them to church, we say, “No.” When we participate in behaviors that are clearly against God’s will in our entertainment and recreation choices, we say, “No.” When we decide that worshipping once or twice a month is enough, we’re saying, “No,” to God. When we put together our budgets and keep the tithe for ourselves we tell God, “No.” Any time we put ourselves, our priorities, or anything before God, we are telling him, “No.”
God was not about to let Moses get away with this. I love it when Moses complains, “I don’t speak very well!” (v. 10 paraphrased) and God replies, “Who do you think made your mouth? Do you think I can do something about your poor speaking?” (again paraphrased.)
Sometimes I wish that God would take my excuses away like that; force me to do his will. Instead he did something far more remarkable. He gave his Son to be obedient for me.
Jesus kept God’s Law perfectly on our behalf. Every time God said, “I want you to . . . ,” Jesus said, “Yes.” All through his life he was obedient; all the way to the point of death, even death on a cross, the most shameful death possible. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “If it be your will, let this cup pass from me.” In other word, he did not want to suffer; did not want to die. Yet he also prayed, “but not my will, but Yours be done.” And for the joy set before him he obediently endured the cross, scorning its shame and became our savior.
The blood of the Son is our salvation.
There is strange section in our reading today where God seeks to kill Moses, and Zipporah (his wife) circumcises his son and casts the foreskin at Moses feet, and at the blood of the son, God relents. There is a lot of speculation behind why God wanted to kill Moses at this point, but the bigger point is that the son’s obedience (he may have been an adult by this point and allowed himself to be circumcised) and his blood saved Moses from God’s wrath. There is a striking parallel here for us as Jesus (the Son) is obedient and his blood saves us from God’s wrath.
Ultimately, Jesus’, “Yes,” and his death and resurrection are our salvation. And this salvation sets us free from our, “No’s.” In Christ we are free to say, “Yes,” to God’s call. He gives us faith so we can believe, new life to live for him, and a new heart to love as he does. And just as God gave Moses signs to show He had Called him, we too have a sign that we are saved. It is the cross.
Father in heaven, thank you for rescuing us by Your Son’s blood. Let me life in that salvation so that my response to you will always be, “Yes,” and I may share the hope You have given me in Jesus. Amen.
As shocking as that may be, we too say, “No,” to God in a wide variety of ways. We’re usually not as blunt about it as Moses was, but we do it. When God puts people in our lives that need to hear his Good News and we never talk about Jesus; never even invite them to church, we say, “No.” When we participate in behaviors that are clearly against God’s will in our entertainment and recreation choices, we say, “No.” When we decide that worshipping once or twice a month is enough, we’re saying, “No,” to God. When we put together our budgets and keep the tithe for ourselves we tell God, “No.” Any time we put ourselves, our priorities, or anything before God, we are telling him, “No.”
God was not about to let Moses get away with this. I love it when Moses complains, “I don’t speak very well!” (v. 10 paraphrased) and God replies, “Who do you think made your mouth? Do you think I can do something about your poor speaking?” (again paraphrased.)
Sometimes I wish that God would take my excuses away like that; force me to do his will. Instead he did something far more remarkable. He gave his Son to be obedient for me.
Jesus kept God’s Law perfectly on our behalf. Every time God said, “I want you to . . . ,” Jesus said, “Yes.” All through his life he was obedient; all the way to the point of death, even death on a cross, the most shameful death possible. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “If it be your will, let this cup pass from me.” In other word, he did not want to suffer; did not want to die. Yet he also prayed, “but not my will, but Yours be done.” And for the joy set before him he obediently endured the cross, scorning its shame and became our savior.
The blood of the Son is our salvation.
There is strange section in our reading today where God seeks to kill Moses, and Zipporah (his wife) circumcises his son and casts the foreskin at Moses feet, and at the blood of the son, God relents. There is a lot of speculation behind why God wanted to kill Moses at this point, but the bigger point is that the son’s obedience (he may have been an adult by this point and allowed himself to be circumcised) and his blood saved Moses from God’s wrath. There is a striking parallel here for us as Jesus (the Son) is obedient and his blood saves us from God’s wrath.
Ultimately, Jesus’, “Yes,” and his death and resurrection are our salvation. And this salvation sets us free from our, “No’s.” In Christ we are free to say, “Yes,” to God’s call. He gives us faith so we can believe, new life to live for him, and a new heart to love as he does. And just as God gave Moses signs to show He had Called him, we too have a sign that we are saved. It is the cross.
Father in heaven, thank you for rescuing us by Your Son’s blood. Let me life in that salvation so that my response to you will always be, “Yes,” and I may share the hope You have given me in Jesus. Amen.
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