What Is That In Your Hand?

Scripture: Exodus 4:1-5

Sermon preached at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
on 19 March 2000

Introduction: Moses is one of the most well-known persons in history. Millions have seen the movie, The Ten Commandments, in which he is featured. In that movie, Moses is seen doing awesome miracles with his rod as he delivers three million Jews from slavery. Today's scripture passage describes how his rod was "recruited" by God for His service. Though Moses was born of slaves, he was adopted in his infancy, by Pharaoh's daughter (EXO 2:56). Pharaoh's daughter employed Moses’ own mother to take care of him during his infancy and early childhood (EXO 2:7-9). When he was of school-age, he received the best education available and mixed with the Egyptian elite (EXO 2: 10). Secular history says that he became the general of the Egyptian armed forces. He therefore became one of the most powerful men in the most powerful kingdom of the world. At the age of forty, he felt led to relieve the oppression of his enslaved people, the Jews. When he saw an Egyptian oppressing a Jew, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand (EXO 2:11-13). As a murderer, he had to flee from Egypt - and he spent the next forty years in the wilderness, minding his father-in-law's sheep (EXO 3: 1). During this long exile, he lost most of his Egyptian education and connections and become a "nobody." As a "nobody," he was now fit to serve God and deliver His people from slavery! If Moses had delivered them from slavery when he was the general of the Egyptian army, then the glory would have gone to him rather than to God. God is a jealous God (EXO 20:5) and will not share His glory with another. If we think that we are greatly talented and that God needs our service, then God will not use us. However, if we think that we are unworthy to serve God, then He will use us. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty... That no flesh should glory in his presence" (I CO 1:27-29)

v.1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee - In EXO 3:18 God had told Moses that the Jews would hearken unto him. But Moses replies (in this verse) that they would not hearken unto him! When God gives a promise, we often do not believe it and grieve Him greatly. " Without faith it is impossible to please him" (HEB 11: 6). Moses felt totally inadequate to serve God-because he was "not eloquent .... slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (v. 10). As a military man he was not required to be eloquent. Furthermore, he had lost whatever eloquence he had during his forty years as a shepherd. Many Christians feel that they cannot really be used by God because they are not good talkers. They fall to realize that teaching and preaching are just two of the many spiritual gifts required in the "body of Christ," ie, the church.

v.2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod - In replying, God does not mention anything about his speech. He simply asks "What is that in thine hand?" In other words, God says "If you cannot speak well, that's fine. But what are you capable of doing?" Moses was shocked with God's question because all that he had in his hand was a simple shepherd's rod. He probably thought that a simple shepherd's rod could not be used to serve God. Many Christians do not realize that their simple talents, gifts, time, resources and connections may be greatly used by God for the furtherance of His kingdom on earth. For example, a simple smile can be used to make a newcomer feel welcome. Some available free time may be used to clean God's house and make it beautiful. A car may be used to transport newcomers to church. A friendship may be used to invite someone to a Gospel meeting. An influence over an employee may be used to lend him a Christian audio-tape. A desire to pray for someone may be the means by which he trusts in Christ.

v.3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it - God tells Moses to cast the rod on the ground and the dead piece of wood immediately becomes a powerful serpent. In Egypt, the serpent was a symbol of great power. If we are willing to "part" with our gifts and resources, and "cast" them to God for His use, then God can make our "powerless" gifts powerful instruments for the furtherance of His kingdom. The main problem in churches today is not the lack of available gifts and resources to serve God, but the reluctance to use them to serve Him.

v.4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand - When Moses took the serpent back into his hand, it became a dead piece of wood again! As long as our gifts and resources are offered to God, they are powerful instruments for God's service. But when we do not use them for His glory, they become ordinary unproductive things in our own hands.