Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19941030.htm

THE MAN MOSES: LEARNING HOW TO BE USED BY GOD
Part III: After Ministry Failure, Being Mightily Used By God
D. Step Four - Staying "On Line" During Ministry Trouble
(Exodus 4:29-7:7)
  1. Introduction
    1. Serving God when things are smooth and productive is a sheer delight! People believe in Christ, people grow in Him and in turn begin discipling others!
    2. However, sin natures, the devil and the world all teem up at times making God's servant feel like, "Whoops, this was a mistake! How do I get out of this service effort now -- NOW?!"
    3. Exodus 4:29-7:7 gives us direction on facing trouble productively in Christian service!
  2. Staying "On Line" During Ministry Trouble, Exodus 4:29-7:7.
    1. Having been encouraged, equipped and directed by God, Moses and Aaron at first enjoyed great ministry success in returning to Egypt, Ex. 4:29-31:
      1. They successfully returned and gathered the elders of Israel together for a meeting, Ex. 4:29.
      2. They showed the miraculous signs which the Lord had granted for Moses' ministry, and the people actually believed and worshipped the Lord, Ex. 4:30-31!
    2. However, when Moses took this momentum a step further in visiting Pharaoh to request a Hebrew departure from Egypt, trouble blew up in Moses' face, Ex. 5:1-21!
      1. Pharaoh predictably rejected God's words through Moses to let the people go, Ex. 5:1-2 with 3:19.
      2. What Moses did not count on was the heightened expression of Pharaoh's anger at this point!
        1. Pharaoh was upset with Moses, believing that Moses was diluting the work of the people, 5:4.
        2. Accordingly, Pharaoh withheld straw from the Hebrews so that their work multiplied, Ex. 5:6-14.
      3. This trouble led to an outcry of the Hebrews against Pharaoh, Ex. 5:15-16.
      4. Pharaoh withstood this outcry, convinced that Moses was trying to produce insurrection, Ex. 5:17-18.
      5. This trouble from Pharaoh led to the leaders of Israel coming back at Moses in wrath, 5:19-21:
        1. Upset at the deaf ear from Pharaoh, the leaders of Israel withstood Moses and Aaron, 5:19-20.
        2. They put a theological guilt trip on Moses and Aaron, asking God to judge them for the trouble they had wrought against the Hebrew people for ever going to Pharaoh in the first place, Ex. 5:21!
    3. Upset at being criticized for the whole crisis, Moses blamed GOD, Ex. 5:22-23!
      1. He complained about God's treating the Hebrew people roughly with these new work rules, v. 22a.
      2. He complained about his being sent by God into this troublesome ministry in the first place, v. 22b.
      3. He complained that not only had Pharaoh only done worse to the people, but that God had failed to deliver the people as promised, v. 23!
    4. God then put the whole situation into the broad perspective for Moses: God said that He was allowing the trouble to arise to demonstrate His power as His great power could be demonstrated only in the case of great trouble, Ex. 6:1-9.
    5. God then directed Moses to keep after Pharaoh's case about letting Israel leave the land, Ex. 6:10-11.
    6. Moses complained that since the Hebrews hadn't listened to him, how could he expect Pharaoh to let the people leave Egypt, Ex. 6:12.
    7. God encouraged him with what exact words to say, and that He would up the heat on Pharaoh until His great power could be displayed, Ex. 6:13; 7:1-5. Thus, Moses and Aaron returned to Pharaoh, 7:6-7!
Lesson: Trouble in serving the Lord, whether it comes from unsaved parties (Pharaoh) or believers who are supposed to be supportive (officers of the Hebrews) is handled as follows: (a) look to God to supply an encouraging broad overview of His plan into which the current crisis can be neatly understood, Ex. 6:1-9; (b) keep doing what you have been doing, Ex. 6:10-11 and (c) use a moment-by-moment, word-by-word direction from the Lord to handle times when it is tough even to think in the crisis, Ex. 6:13; 7:1-5!