2 December 2007
Redemption
is one of the compelling themes of the Bible.
We are all born in bondage and under the rule of a cruel and powerful
Pharaoh. God liberates us and smashes
him. The picture of this in the Old
Testament is in the Book of Exodus. I
want to show that it is our story too (shadow/reality). The Book has its title from the LXX. Exodus means departure. But the MT is entitled these are the
names. It links us to Genesis which
closes with the twelve sons of Jacob in
A. Introduction 1:1-22
C. The
contest with Pharaoh ends in his destruction and
5:1-15:21 [Strong man]
1. God convinces Moses. 5:1-7:7
2. The execution: The ten plagues defeat Pharaoh. 7:8-11:10
a. The prologue:
Moses presents himself at court.
7:8-13
b. The epilogue:
Moses mediates the defeat of the court.
7:14-11:10
3. The
exodus: The nation departs, experiences
deliverance, and celebrates
the
destruction of the court. 12:1-15:21
a. The Passover is instituted as a
perpetual remembrance of divine power
and their
redemption. 12:1-13:16 [Lord’s Table/I
Corinthians 5:7]
[Sovereignty]
b. The pursuit by Pharaoh results in the destruction of
the court in the Red
Sea and
the nation’s deliverance through the red Sea. 13:17-14:31 Appl:
c. The Song of Moses celebrates the divine deliverance. 15:1-21
A. Journey to Sinai: God tests the people, they fail, and he graciously
provides for Them. 15:22-18:27
1. Prelude: God proclaims the necessity of obedience through Moses. 19:1-25
2. God issues the moral law. 20:1-17
3. God expands the covenant 20:18-23:33
4. The covenant is ratified by the people 24:1-18 Appl: law/grace and the
necessity of obedience (old/new covenant/if/then)
[Ability]
D. Aaron and the people rebel and counterfeit
the place of the divine
presence and God judges them. 32:1-34:35 [They choose a different way.
Appl: Today]
E. The people repent and follow God’s plan for
the place of the divine
presence, and God fills the tabernacle with his glory. 35:1-40:38 Appl:
the cultus was at the center of the nation (three tribes on each side).
Tragically,
the nation forsakes its calling as priests, falls into idolatry, and repudiates
its covenant loyalty. The divine
presence departs. The result is bondage
and the promise of a second exodus from
The
importance for us is that we need a greater Moses to effectually lead us. We need the divine presence to empower
us. But we must learn from their
failure. See I
Corinthians 10:11-12. Our redemption
means that God makes us holy that he might abide with us and manifest his
presence. It is grace that makes us so
but the evidence is obedience to the covenant.
Illus: Matthew 28:20. It is critical that we embrace that a holy
God presses us to holy living for which we will be persecuted. See Revelation 12:6, 14-16. As such, we manifest that we too fulfill the
purpose of Exodus. See Revelation 1:6.
Exodus 1:1-22
I. Introduction
Two of the great themes in the Bible are oppression of God’s people and their deliverance. It is a theme that dominates the first part Exodus and our advent season.
II.
The Egyptians persecute
1. Our text this
morning is an introduction. The first half of our book has us in
2. Thus, it is good to look at the past as a key to divine deliverance today.
3. We learn that
4. The formation of the
nation is highlighted in verse 7. There are four verbs that suggest immense
growth: fruitful, swarm, become many, and are vast. The first and
third verbs (prh, rbh) mark
this verse as an allusion to Genesis 1:28 where the same verbs are used.
This is Adam’s commission to expand the boundaries of
5. The change to
oppression comes in vs. 8. Pharaoh will attempt to counter the blessing
of God. The previous kings saw Joseph as a blessing to
6. The covenant blessing
is engaged in 8-14 when oppression takes the form of enslavement. See
10-11. He uses slave labor to build his kingdom at the expense of the
7. The covenant blessing is engaged in 15-22 when oppression will take the form of genocide. Read 15-16. By application, this is a perversion of the role of civil government. Slavery and state sponsored genocide are outside the proper role of government. As such, it is proper for the Church to cry out against moral evil using non-violent civil disobedience. This is a proper and necessary role of the Church. In our text, God counters him. The midwives fear Elohim. We must fear God above the fear of man. This is a great illustration of the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man; specifically, God uses means to accomplish his purposes; in our case, the faithful midwives. But behind them is God who has set fear in their hearts. Read vs. 17-19. There is further irony here. The Hebrew women thwart the word of Pharaoh by not acting upon it because they know the word of God is greater. Appl: for us (word over our peers, colleagues, etc.). And God blesses them (vs. 20). And two of our verbs from vs. 7 reappear meaning blessing is occurring during oppression.
8. In desperation,
Pharaoh commands his people to throw the newborn babes into the
9. Thus, God counteracts Pharaoh at every turn. Pharaoh incites oppression. God turns it into blessing. Appl: sovereignty in hardship/oppression.
10. The greatest story
of covenant blessing from oppression is Christ. See Matthew 2:13.
Jesus, the true
Exodus 2:1-10
I. Introduction
The
Advent season turns our thoughts to deliverance. And this morning we have the great story of
God providing a deliverer for us from a watery grave. The fact is plain to see. But the way that God does it is just as
important.
1. Our passage is part of the larger section in
which God calls and commissions Moses as a deliverer (2:1-4:31). It is the wonderful reminder that when the
people of God are in distress, God acts to deliver them, and that he uses men
and faith to affect the deliverance. We
will begin by looking at the fact of deliverance.
2. The remarkable thing about the fact of
deliverance is that the name of God is nowhere to be found and yet is found
everywhere. It is subtle yet deafening. The first instance of his presence is vs. 2
with the phrase “that he was beautiful.”
The Hebrew is ki tob. Literally, that (ki)
he was good (tob).
See Genesis 3:6 and 6:2. This is
the reminder that appearances are deceiving.
But the phrase is also used in Genesis one (4, 10, 18, 21, & 31
[very good]). And the latter is more
informative for our text because it is the creation story of God’s sovereign
power. This is a creation story of
redemption by God’s sovereign power. The
reader of the MT would make this connection and see the hand of God in
providing for the nation in the birth of the child. It is subtle yet profound for God is now on
stage orchestrating salvation history.
He is present with us too! The
second instance of his presence is in vs. 3 with the word “basket.” It seems inconsequential and innocuous. But it is the same word used in Genesis 6:18
(ark). God is going to re-create the
world from the watery chaos of the flood.
It brings to mind the original creation.
See Genesis 1:2. Yet, God will
preserve Noah and his family in a basket because of his covenant. As the water prevailed, the ark floated on
the surface of the water. And the
climax is in 8:1. God remembered
Noah. It is not that he had forgotten
him. But that God is now moving to
re-create to fill the earth with Noah.
It is so with our story. The
young child is preserved from the watery chaos by God’s sovereign hand, and God
will create the nation and fill Egypt with her presence. The final instance of the divine presence is
in the word for reeds. The ark is placed
among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.
The word “reeds” is used in the name of the Sea from which the nation is
delivered. Literally, the name is the
Sea of Reeds. See Exodus 13:18. As God delivered the infant from the Nile, he
will deliver the nation from the watery grave of the Sea. God delivers us as well. See Revelation 13:1 & 17:1.
3. Yet, as important as the fact of deliverance
is, so too is the way in which God delivers.
Appl:
Sovereignty and faith.
4. The great object of redemption and salvation
is the God of grace who acts to deliver.
But it is always apprehended by faith.
Men and women must trust God. And
this is another reason that this story is so grand. It is the lesson that God uses means. And that means is faith. Appl: Calvinism.
5. The first great instance of faith is the
mother of Moses who refuses to give in to the edict of Pharaoh. See Hebrews 11:23. The mother acts on faith. And her faith leads her to take specific
steps. This is so critical. We can trust God, but we must also apprehend
that our faith must be active. She could
have said God will somehow work it out.
But this is not the beauty of the story.
It is that she acts. Her faith
informs action. She hides Moses. When this is no longer practical, she builds
an ark and places him in the Nile. This
is a profound act of faith; yet, she is doing all she can do in recognizing
that God uses means. I think the
placement of the ark is not fortuitous.
It is not chance. She knew that
the women of the court often used this place to bathe. Therefore, it was a calculated act of
faith. Too, she is willing to commend
her child to the hand of the enemy trusting that the women would have
compassion as they saw her beautiful child.
It happens. It is a great expression
of sovereignty. We must know that the
place of danger can be made by God to be a place of safety. The child was already in danger of death. There can be no greater danger in the camp of
the enemy. The court knew he was a
Hebrew by his circumcision. God is
sovereign in overruling the hearts of men.
Ironically, he will use one from the court of Pharaoh to destroy the
court. The court will preside over its
own executioner. I think the daughter of
Pharaoh wanted a son perhaps because she could not have one. And God gave her one. And the mother stations her daughter to watch
and to appeal to the princess with the logic that a nurse could be found among
the Hebrew women. And then Moses is
taken back into his home, and we should well suspect that his parents trained
him in the way that he should go. In
other words, she is taking every precaution, using every means possible, and
leaving it all in the hands of God. Appl: we often err
here. See Philippians 2:12-13. Thus, God will use a child to beat Pharaoh at
his own game. It is the object of faith
and also the way of faith.
6. We too must trust in a child during the
advent season. He comes out of Egypt
(Cf. Matthew 2). And he rules over the
chaotic waters. See Mark 4:37-41. Christ is not frantic with worry. He is the sovereign creator of the
storm. See also Mark 6:45ff. Christ dispatches his disciples. He sends a storm. They are fearful of a watery grave. But he conquers it (48-51). Thus, the advent season is the fact of a
birth and faith in what it means.
Exodus 2:11-22
I. Introduction
Our
text this morning is the anatomy of a success and a failure, and the faith that
it takes to handle both.
II.
God prepares the deliverer.
1. The passage has two movements. The first occurs in
2. We know that Moses was approximately forty
years of age at the beginning of vs. 11.
We also know that he had received a classical court education (in
paganism) but rejects it. See Acts
7:22-23 & Hebrews 11:24-26. While in
the court, he is not of the court. He
rejects his adopted identity. By faith,
he does not forget who he is. Appl: You are in the world but you cannot buy into
the world system and adopt its conduct.
You are different. Faith makes
you so. And you must be ready to say no
when that system tries to make you over or compromise your conduct. I suspect Moses had a sense that God was
going to use him; a sense gathered from his deliverance (2:1-10). Appl: It
is so with us. Thus, it is a positive
that Moses is by faith rejecting his worldly identity and is willing to suffer
loss. We fail here. The second positive is that he identifies
with his people. Read 2:11 and notice
the verbs he went out and he saw. There
is a sense of finality here. Moses is
going to take a stand. Appl: Some people try to straddle the fence all of
their lives; it will ruin you. God will
put you in a circumstance in which you must take a stand. And what Moses sees is the injustice borne by
his people. The text reads by his
brothers. Appl: Identification with God’s people; this is
family so get involved. I remind you
that Christianity is not your own private affair; it is a corporate one. You are placed in the body of Christ to
serve.
3. But the positives are not total. Moses rejects the court to identify with the
oppressed. These are great and
commendable, but they are not comprehensive and total. Successes are neither final or total in this
life. We are flawed human beings. Moses, in an attempt to break with the past
and forge a link with his people, fails by overreaching. He takes a path of violence which is
forbidden. When Christians see
injustice, they should cry out and use non-violent means. Read 2:12.
Appl: In the Church today, we are
using worldly means to achieve divine motives.
It does not work. See 2
Corinthians 10:4 & Zechariah 4:6.
Illus: Abraham and Hagar & Rebekah deceives Isaac.
It is a less to never forget who you are.
4. And when Moses tries to use his violence to
help his brothers, he is rejected and has to flee. There is a dispute over whether Moses failed
here or not. I obviously think he
did. The author of Hebrews says he fled
not fearing the king’s anger; therefore, the flight had to be based on his
rejection by his countrymen. See Hebrews
11:27. Regardless, the author is not
validating the act of violence. I am
merely affirming that he failed in the means he used. Appl: rejection is part of preparation.
5. The second part of the movement begins in vs.
16. The reference to Midian
is a tribal one. They were nomadic and
lived in the desert. Moses flees there,
takes a wife, and has sons. He is there
some forty years. See Acts 7:30. But I love what the author of the Book of
Hebrews says. He fled there by
faith. He still believed God had a plan
for him. I think the years were
hard. I suspect they were troubled and
lonely years of confusion and dismay.
Appl: reality of life. But it is here that we learn that the failure
is not final for God is not finished with him.
He is on the backside of a question mark playing what if games. But he continues to trust God. We think otherwise. O my!
Times are hard. I guess God has
forgotten me or this is not the Christianity I want for myself. In contrast, we are to walk by faith
regardless of the times because they are in the hand of God. The dynamic reference to the wilderness (Acts
7:30) means, for me, that despite his failure, God is not finished with
him. It is here that God will test and
refine him. It is here that God will
prepare him. We are much too fragile for
this. Who waits forty years for
anything? But by faith, we look to God
and not the circumstances. Faith is a
conviction of things not seen.
6. It is hard to be rejected. It is hard to be forgotten. Once again, the writer of Hebrews is
instructive. See Hebrews 11:27. The NAS reads endured. The verb can also be translated to be patient
or steadfast. In other words, he waited
upon God for his time and his way. Even
Moses’ failure will not obviate God’s providence for God is not finished with
him. Ironically, he too is despised and
rejected which is part of the resume of every deliverer. Thus, God is at in a dark time in the life of
his servant. Illus: Calvin, Pink.
I am reminded of the metaphor from the photographic studio that pictures
are developed in the dark. It is a good
reminder. It is a wonderful and
redeeming thing to know that our failures are neither final nor terminal. Moses knows this for he names his son Gershom meaning stranger or alien. It is our heritage. We too must wait upon the purposes of God.
7. Lastly, it is instructive that our Lord was
led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. See Matthew 4:1. It was a foreboding place. But God led him there. He is there for 40 days. By faith in his Father and the word, he
conquers. He is the ultimate deliverer!
Exodus 2:23-25
I. Introduction
There are many questions that perplex us as Christians. “Why” is certainly one of them. Why does God act? The answer is here.
II. God remembers his covenant with Abraham.
1. We have seen no explicit reference to God in the provision and preparation of a deliverer. This text will change that. God will now take center stage. It is really a summary text that turns us backward to God’s promise to Abraham, and with this, forward with the basis of his promise to deliver. The promise is the Abrahamic covenant. The act of deliverance is but his promise to Abraham.
2. The first part of the text begins with actions by the sons of Abraham. Read vs. 23. They cry out … and their cry rose up to God. It is a great picture of petition or prayer. They are in distress. They turn to Elohim. The name is particularly tied to God as Creator (contra Yahweh). In other words, he can create deliverance. It is of particular significance because Moses is indisposed. He tried and failed at deliverance. God can and will, and he will re-create Moses to be the agent of his deliverance. The initiative of Moses failed. The divine will not. This text enforces this simple truth.
3. The text also reads
the sons of
4. The covenant, therefore, is central to deliverance. We find it everywhere. In Genesis, Moses is tracing the lineage of the sons of God. It is particularized with Abraham. See Genesis 12:1-3 and 15:12-18. The latter text is significant because the contract made between the two parties is executed by just one of them to insure a perpetual unbroken promise of fulfillment. The words of vs. 18 made a covenant are literally cut a covenant. In the ANE, animals were divided. See vs. 10. The parties would walk between the two halves to seal the contract. The symbolism was that whoever broke the contract would be cut just like the animals. Before the two parties sign, God puts Abraham to sleep (vs. 12). And God ratifies the covenant himself and makes Abraham the heir unconditionally. The covenant is rehearsed with Isaac (26:3-4), Jacob (28:13), and Joseph (49:22ff). It skips to the successive generations of the sons of Abraham. See Psalm 105:8-9, 42. It comes to us through Jesus Christ. See Luke 1:54-55 (Christ) 72-73, Galatians 3:7-9, 4:28, and Ephesians 2:12f. Abraham stops at Christ. The covenant is now between Son and Father. Appl: Gospel.
5. In our text (24-25), what follows are four verbs with the same subject repeated for emphasis. God (Elohim) heard, remembered, saw, and took notice or literally knew. The appearance is that God is detached and aloof. He has forgotten and needs to be updated on their condition. Once he learns it, he will act. But this is the human perspective from which Moses wrote. We must impose the whole of the divine person upon it to see its beauty. He hears their prayer not because he is ignorant of their distress and needs their information. He remembers the covenant words he spoke to Abraham and says now is the time. God does not forget. He knows all things actual and possible in one eternal act. Therefore, he remembers not because he has forgotten but only because now is the time for him to begin to fulfill his covenant through Moses. He saw and knows not because he looks down from his throne and gains information about their plight. He knows because he decreed deliverance to Abraham and now undertakes to act upon his decree. It is written this way as if heaven is saying “now.” And it all serves as a prelude to the call of Moses in chapter three.
6. Now, I do not wish to minimize the human perspective. God’s people are always praying for deliverance. We ask God to remember us. We now know that it is not because he has forgotten us. We must engage the human. But the divine governs reality. And God has answered our prayers in Christ and because of our covenantal identity in him.
7. But the greater
reality is why he remembers us at all? The answer is his covenant.
See Genesis 8:1 (covenant with Noah/symbolism of re-creation), Genesis 19:29
(saves
8. And this morning we will remember his grace to us in the new covenant inaugurated by his Son. Why does he save us? Christ. What is the basis of his salvation to us? Christ. He remembers us in him, and we in turn remember him in his sacrament!
Exodus 3:1-12
I. Introduction
Our
passage is the historic call of Moses with a promise. But it is living history for each of us
because the same person and word come to us.
II.
God calls Moses with a promise.
1. Our text is a part of the larger section
continuing through chapter four of the commission of Moses as the deliverer of
the people of God. I take these verses
to represent the call of God. The text
is divided in vs. 1-6 with the divine presence and identity (what and who); vs.
7-12 is the proclamation of the presence (said).
2. It is instructive for each of us that Moses
has been in the wilderness for forty years.
I think the years were hard on Moses.
I think he has abandoned any sense that he is the deliverer he once
thought he was. I think the years have
stripped him of his confidence. It is
the way of God. God does not need Moses’
strength, court education, or strategy because God does not compete with our
identity. See I
Corinthians 1:26-29. Appl: humility.
3. What is this?
The text reads an angel of the Lord appears in a blazing fire in the
midst of a bush. The miracle is that the
bush was not consumed (literally eaten).
It turns Moses to investigate.
4. The messenger calls to Moses. And Moses responds. Here I am.
What does the bush represent? I
take it as a mobile temple in microcosm perhaps foreshadowing the tabernacle
(AF1). First, there is the holy
ground.
5. The covenant God is breaking into history in
the pre-incarnate Christ.
And
Moses responds with worship. He hides
his face in fear. It is
instinctive. Appl: we are losing the fear of the Lord.
6. We now know who and what has confronted
Moses. God has called from a mobile
temple representing the heavenly court.
And what follows in 7-12 is the proclamation of the court. In vs. 7, there are three verbs: seen, heard, know. They are the exact verbs of 2:24-25 meaning
the same God that appeared to Abraham.
Illus: no change in person or
form. Thus, God has come down to deliver
and to bring them to the covenant land of promise. It confirms that deliverance is tied to the
covenant. The deliverance is from
7. In 11, Moses responds in abject
humility. Who am I? I am a nobody. In other words, I cannot deliver. I am unable, ill equipped, ill clad, mal
educated, and ill suited to go up against the most powerful man in the world.
8. And the last proclamation is the climax. I will be with you. I will bring you back here to worship at this
same mountain. It is a twofold promise
breaching present and future. But the
key is the divine presence. Moses does
not need any ability, equipment, clothing and stature, a new education, and
training to take on Pharaoh. All he needs
is God because God is going to do it with Moses as the means or instrument of
the divine power; a man forgotten by the nation but not by God. And God says, serve me! Appl:
9. The crowning
proof that this is Christ is that he is the lampstand. I am the light of the world. In 3:14, he identifies himself as I am. John continually uses this. Lastly, the promise in Matthew 28:20, “I am
with you,” is an allusion to the theophany to Moses
in Exodus 3:12. The contexts are
parallel: call and commission with
promise. When Moses responds in Exodus 3
with “who am I that I should bring . . . , God answers, “I will be with
you.” Moses is about to go into the
court of Pharaoh to secure deliverance by the divine word. But he goes with the promise (2:23-25) that
is unalterable and unassailable by the court of man. It does not mean that he will not experience
trouble. But he will not fail;
deliverance is certain. Likewise, the
apostles are sent to the court of the world to deliver their commission. The promise is the same. As Yahweh was with Moses, Jesus is with us;
furthermore, they are one and the same.
The success of Moses is predictive of ours. The word will have success, and the reason is
the divine presence. In and of
ourselves, we are, like Moses, not able, but the divine presence enables
us. I find it immensely satisfying that
Jesus has gone before us and is now with us; the greater Moses who will not
fail himself. In
Exodus 3:13-22
I. Introduction
The
call of God to Moses is parallel to our calling. The Great Commission is confirmation of
this. Like Moses, we have
questions. And God has answers.
II.
God answers Moses’ objection with divine attributes, name, & promises.
1. Moses objects to the call of God; it may be
that it began in vs. 11 with the question “who am I?” Regardless, there is resistance here, and it
will continue. It is not a good
thing! It is the way of man. We turn slowly. We are consumed with thoughts of
self-interest. We have our own
agenda. But God is gracious. He answers Moses. They answer our questions as well.
2. The answer to this objection is twofold. The first is the identity of God (13-15) and
the second is the promises of God (16-22).
3. The identity of God is essential as an
answer. Really, the “who” is
paramount. God must be greater than
anything we could ever imagine. His
identity must be compelling and riveting.
When times are hard and the answers are no, it is this that that dispels
discouragement and incites perseverance.
God calls us to be ambassadors to a hostile court, to witness, to
disciple, to teach, and to baptize. And
knowing who God is sustains us. See
Daniel 11:32.
4. The answer God gives to “who” is also
twofold. The first part is the nature of
God. Read vs. 14. The Hebrew verb used here is the basis for
what we call the Tetragrammaton or YHWH (4
letters). When we add the vowels, we
have the name Yahweh or the name most used to reference to covenant God of
Israel. The name was considered so
sacred that the ancients would recite Adonai or Lord
in its place. But really it is a
verb. “I am” is the 1st
person singular present tense of the “to be” verb. In the MT, it is in the future tense although
translated as a present because the future can also delineate continuous
action. In this sense, the statement
conveys the nature of our God or essential attributes of God. The verb expresses the self-existence of
God. No one but God self exists. It expresses the independent existence of
God. All save him have a dependent
existence. It expresses the immutable
and eternal existence of God. God does
not change. We mutate and exist
physically but for a season. God is
forever. As such, the nature of God
commands and compels us. Appl: Attributes of
God.
5. In vs. 15, we have the name of God: Yahweh Elohim of
your fathers and the patriarchs of the nation.
It is a summons of covenantal identity and the promises made to
Abraham. As such, the revelation means
they are on the eve of fulfillment. The
long wait is over. The text references
the eternality of the name and timeless identity. As such, it conveys his faithfulness to
fulfill what he promises. The verbal
form is identical to that of 3:12; thus, presence is equated with
identity. And this is the God who will
be with Moses as he prosecutes his call.
It is so with us. See Matthew 28:20.
6. If this is who God is, then what will he
do. In 16-22, he promises Moses. The connection is imperative. Because who he is, he will do what he
says. This is not a maybe or I’ll try
with my best shot. The future is his as
he alone can will what he promises.
Fulfillment is certain. In rapid
fire order, he promises deliverance from
7. For us, Moses is gone. But God is not. Our summons is not on the strategic level as
Moses, but God nonetheless calls and commission us to represent him. What will sustain us in the hardship? The same as Moses: the nature and identity of Christ and his promises
to us. In fact, Christ is the one
speaking with Moses. The LXX of Exodus
3:14 reads ego eimi.
I am. It is a favorite
designation of Christ to refer to himself.
I am. Anyone familiar with the
encounter in Exodus would make this association. In effect, we should come away from this text
with the fact that Christ was the theophany of Exodus
3. He is the ultimate deliverer, and
cause of it all. Then and now. See John 4:25-26 (woman at the well), John
6:20 (walking on sea!), John 6:35 (living bread/manna), John 8:12 (light of
world [pillar of fire]), John 8:58 (explicit claim to deity), John 9:5 (healing
of the blind man/evidence of the new creation), John 11:25 (resurrection now
and hereafter), John 14:6 (true Israel), John 18:5-6 (at his arrest the
identity initially presses the soldiers to retreat), and 18:37 (king).
8. And what does he promises. The divine presence. But there is a land promise as well. See Hebrews 11:10, 16. If the power of Christ was displayed in the
plagues of
9. So what objections do we have? The questions have a way of dissolving in
light of who Christ is and what he is and will do. It is enough.
Let us depart and be faithful to his calling. And when we are weary, let us remember this
as God’s identity and promise are the answer to our objections.