Exodus 3:13 And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you… I. SHALL I SAY UNTO THEM TRUTHS THAT ARE IN HARMONY WITH THEIR DEPRAVED CONDITION? No; ministers are not to preach doctrines in harmony with the depraved tastes of men — but to awaken them from their sin, by the proclamation of the Divine name and freedom. II. SHALL I GIVE THEM AN ARGUMENTATIVE DISCOURSE? It would be necessary for Moses to convince the Israelites that he was divinely commissioned — and the chief use that a minister can make of logic is to prove the divinity of his call to the ministry. III. SHALL I GIVE THEM A SENSATIONAL DISCOURSE? Had Moses done this he might have aroused a wave of feeling, but it would soon have subsided into calm. The freedom of the nation would not have been achieved in this way. The sensational preachers of the world are not doing the most towards the moral freedom of the race. IV. SHALL I SAY UNTO THEM HOW CLEVER I AM? Moses had humbled himself before God. And men humble before God are generally so before their fellows. Ministers should not make a display of their learning-such conduct will never accomplish the freedom of souls. V. SHALL I TELL THEM ABOUT THE CROSS OF JESUS? "Yes," replies the penitent sinner; "that is what I want." "Yes," replies the aged believer; "that is the charm of my soul." Preach the Cross as the emancipation of the world. Not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? |
    |