Sermon Guide: Exodus 2:11 - 2:22 "Christ Alone"

Key Passage(s)

Exodus 2:11–22 ESV

One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

Sermon Overview

In Exodus 2, Moses emerges as a deliverer, a man of faith, and a man of failure. Yet in each of these, he ultimately points us beyond himself to Christ. Moses tries to rescue Israel, but cannot free them from Egypt or from sin. Only Christ delivers fully—from our enemies and from ourselves. Moses chose to identify with God’s people by faith, looking to a greater reward. We strengthen our faith the same way: by fixing our eyes on Christ, who left glory to suffer for us. And Moses sinned and feared, yet God grew him through failure. We must admit, learn, and entrust our failures to Christ, who alone can redeem them for his glory and our good.

Sermon Structure

#1 Moses Shows Us Who Can Deliver Us

• We need deliverance from external & internal oppression

• Moses & the Law was inadequate to deliver us internally

• Christ alone can deliver us from the world, the flesh, and the devil

#2 Moses Shows Us How to Strengthen in Faith

• Faith must have an object

• Three clues to Moses’ faith in Christ (Heb 11:24–26)

• Faith considers Christ

#3 Moses Shows Us What to Do with Our Failures

• Moses’ first failure: murder

• Moses’ second failure: fear

• Christ takes everything in our lives and makes it serve our good

Questions for Discussion & Reflection

1. Jesus taught us in Luke 24 that all the Scriptures are about him — including the stories. What are some ways that Old Testament stories show us Christ? (Give some examples)

   
   

2. Moses was disturbed by injustice, but he took matters into his own hands instead of entrusting it to God. Have there been any wrongs or injustices in your life that you have tried taking into your own hands?

   
   

3. Read Hebrews 11:24–26 again. How can we be strengthened in our faith?

   
   

4. Exodus 2 and Romans 8:28 teach us that God will make everything — even the failures and sorrows — in our life a servant of our ultimate good. What steps can we take when we fail to apply that truth to our lives?