Moses: From Prince to Leader

Introduction:

(1)    What do you think of when someone mentions Moses?

Ten Commandments?

Ten Plagues?

(2)    Let us note the man Moses:

Discussion:

I.                   His Life in Egypt:

A.    Due to the Pharaoh’s command to have all of the Israelite’s sons drowned, Amram and Jochabed hid Moses in a basket on the Nile River in a location where he would most likely be found.

1.      He was found by Pharaoh’s daughter and by the persuasion of Moses’ sister, Miriam, she decided to care for Moses and had Jochabed to nurse him.

2.      He grew up in the house of Pharaoh and received the best available education (cf. Acts 7.22).

B.     He never forgot who he was and the God whom he served.

1.      One day, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew and made the decision to protect the Hebrew and as a result of that, he killed the Egyptian (Exod. 2.11-12).

2.      Word got back to Pharaoh and Moses had to flee to Midian for fear of his life (cf. Exod. 2.15).

3.      As the Hebrew author wrote, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Heb. 11.24-26).

II.                His life in Midian:

A.    Here, he comes into the presence of God Almighty.

1.      At the burning bush, God addresses him and tells him of the job planned for his life (Exod. 3).

2.      Moses was hesitant to accept the job and makes several excuses (Exod. 3.11ff.; E.g., “Who am I?”, “Who sent me?”, “What if they don’t listen?”, “I am not eloquent”, etc.).

3.      God answers each excuse and Moses has no alternative but to accept the job.

B.     Moses and Aaron makes plans to carry out the task of freeing God’s people.

III.             His life in the Wilderness:

A.    He goes to the Pharaoh and speaks God’s message.

1.      The Pharaoh is unwilling to listen.

2.      Therefore, God sends ten plaques upon Egypt.

3.      Finally, Pharaoh agrees to let the Israelites leave Egypt only quickly to change his mind and go after them.

a.       At this point, Moses and the Israelites are fleeing from the Egyptians.

b.      They have to cross the Red Sea in order to be free.

B.     As they cross over the Red Sea, they make their way to the Promised Land.

C.     Along the way, God, through Moses, gives the Israelites the 10 commandments (Exod. 12).

D.    They continue toward the Promised Land.

1.      At the verge of entering in, they send out 12 spies to the land.

2.      Because of a heart of unbelief, they do not get to enter in and are forced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.

a.       During this time, the Israelites complained often and tested Moses and God.

b.      Nevertheless, Moses remains a confident leader.

(1)    He is commended in Scripture: “(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)” (Num. 12.3).

(2)    Yet, he is not without fault.

(a)    He was commanded to speak to a rock in order that water may flow from it to quench the Israelites’ thirst (Num. 20).

(b)    Instead, he strikes the rock with his rod.

(c)    Because of this, he is punished by not being able to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

E.     Moses dies at the age of 120.

Conclusion:

(1)    Moses was a man of faith who emerged as a great leader for God’s people.

(a)    He became a great leader because he choose God over earthly wealth.

(b)    He became a great leader because he stayed committed to God even when God’s people let him down.

(c)    He became a great leader because he continually and faithfully proclaimed God’s message regardless of consequences.

(2)  Will you choose God tonight?