March 28, 2019
Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything
Exodus 6
Mark Nicholson
Central Truth
Jesus is everything we cannot be on our own. You and I are not the sum of our weaknesses, areas for improvement, or failures. Rather, because of Jesus (and nothing we've done), we who have trusted in Jesus have authority and righteousness. Success in fulfilling our God-given mission depends on whether we believe that.
Key Verse | Exodus 6:20
Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father's sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years.
Exodus 6
God Promises Deliverance
1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, 1 6:3 Hebrew El Shaddai but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” 9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
10 So the LORD said to Moses, 11 “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” 12 But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” 13 But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father's sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the clans of the Korahites. 25 Eleazar, Aaron's son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites by their clans.
26 These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” 27 It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.
28 On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 the LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” 30 But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”
Dive Deeper | Exodus 6
"I can't give up this coping strategy. You don't know about the pain I've been through."
"I can't serve in fill-in-the-blank ministry. I don't have the right training."
"Everybody knows what I've done/where I've been. My credibility is shot."
Often, these are my go-to responses when God calls me to some expression of faithfulness. When Moses explains that he can't simply march in to see Pharaoh and demand that he turn loose the Israelites, I hear some of my own rationalizations. (I'd bet Moses is also thinking, "And 40 years later, I still have that murder on my record. Who's going to listen to me?")
Haven't most of us at some point at least wondered what life would have looked like if our experiences had been different? Or, if we'd made more God-honoring choices? Or, if we could just have been someone else altogether? I share my bio as I did because I absolutely have.
However, check out the genealogy in Exodus 6:14-27. Genealogies are tempting to glide past, yet this one is especially significant. God is saying to Moses (and us) in effect, "Not only have I given you miraculous signs, protected your life and forgiven your sin, but I've placed you in the perfect family for this mission. You became a prince through adoption, but you're also a priest by birth. Don't forget it! I've given you everything you need to follow through on my commission."
Now consider your and my genealogy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 tell us that in Christ we are part of a royal priesthood, which means God has given us His Son's authority and holiness.
Only when I started studying, meditating on, and ultimately believing what God said in His Word about me did I begin to experience freedom over my insecurities. As a man who was in Christ, I started to understand whom I had become as part of His family. It has nothing to do with what my bio—or anyone else—says about me.
Jesus is everything we're unable to be. In Jesus I have God's perfect provision for living life and fulfilling His purpose for me (2 Peter 1:3-5).
Discussion Questions
1. What act of faithfulness have you sensed God nudging you toward?
2. Despite knowing God is with me and will empower me to do whatever He's called me to do, often my initial reaction starts with, "God, I can't." But He specifically counters my three go-to excuses:
- "Abide with me. I will give you the grace you need." (John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 9:12)
- "You've experienced my comfort. Now simply pass it along to others." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
- "My Son died for that flame-out you committed." (1 Corinthians 5:9-10)
What excuses keep you from following through? How does Scripture address your excuses?
3. My updated bio: God has given me opportunities to share my story and offer hope to others, which would never have happened if I'd stayed mired in my old identity. When I consider where I was before I found a new life and a new identity in Christ, instead of being discouraged or feeling useless, it allows me to brag on what He has accomplished in my life and reminds me how completely and jealously He loves me. How would you update your bio?
4. If you have trusted Christ for your salvation, the Bible says you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and your old bio is no longer up-to-date. For some of us, though, the concept that Christ in His righteousness and power is actually living through us (Galatians 2:20) can seem foreign or maybe a little outrageous. Think of a mature Christ-follower you know. Would you consider discussing this disconnect with him/her?
6. If you've never trusted Christ and have grown weary of trying to overcome the identity the world has saddled you with, what would keep you from trusting Him for a new life and a new bio today?