SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2025 | PENTECOST 27C
Exodus 3:1–15 | Psalm 148 | 2 Thessalonians 2:1–8, 13–17 | Luke 20:27–40
Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the beginning, mankind belonged to God. We were made in Him image, His likeness. We were meant to reflect His goodness and love in all that we thought, said, and did. But when sin entered into the world we rejected God’s image in us and instead we put on the image of our tempter, the devil.
And when we did, we fell. Our whole human family fell, and the creation along with it, into the bondage of sin. So that we are broken and the world is broken and suffering.
But despite our willful disobedience, God has never stopped His work to redeem and reclaim His people, who were made in His image.
Our Old Testament reading for today, in Exodus chapter 3, begins the story of the freeing of God’s people from bondage and oppression in Egypt. And we know that this story is our story too. In fact, the Exodus is the primary redemption story in the Old Testament. And we know that this redemption story points to the redemption story — the story of our salvation in Christ.
The reading today begins with God’s people enslaved. We read back in the previous chapter that the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. (Exodus 2:23)
Here’s what slavery does: it makes us miserable. It dehumanizes us and makes our lives unbearable. And it destroys every joy and takes away all peace. So that we’re left crying.
But I’m speaking of the slavery of sin. In the confession from Divine Service III, we say, I a poor miserable sinner, confess to you all my sins. In the old green hymnal, which we used at my grandmother’s church when I was growing up, we would say we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.
This is all the groaning, the lament, of God’s people who are desperate for help. And we are told here in Exodus 3, that God hears our groaning.
In fact, look at what God does here in this chapter. He who appears with the fire of His glory declares in verse 7,
I have seen the affliction of my people.
I have heard their cry.
I know their sufferings.
and verse 8
I have come down to deliver them.
Now apply that to your groaning. Apply that to your affliction. And remember that the Lord sees you and hears you. He knows what you’re going through and He has come to deliver you. And he come to set you free from bondage to sin, by unlocking the doors of heaven with the words of absolution.
That’s what absolution does. It opens to heaven to you. Apart from the forgiveness of your sins, you remain imprisoned by them, miserable under them. But this is not what God desires for you. He desires your whole life to be one of repentance. And repentance happens as you come confessing your sins, and you hear and believe that for the sake of Christ your sin are forgiven. And there is peace between you and God.
Really, pastor? This again? Pastor, is that really all you have to say? Didn’t you just say the same thing last week? Yes, that’s it.
Dear people of God, don’t expect your pastors to say something new. Rather, expect them to say the same old thing over and over and over again, because this is the thing you need. That we need. In the Christian church our Lord daily and richly forgives the sins of all believers. Because this is freedom, this is life, this is peace with God.
And repetition is the mother of memory. We easily forget. Either pride takes over in our hearts and we believe we are above and beyond this simple message of forgiveness for the sake of Christ. Or despondency takes over. We see that we keep on sinning and we lose all hope. Why can’t I do better? Why can’t I overcome this sin? I’m an awful, unlovable person!
But the preaching of the Law and the Gospel is the antidote to these poisonous lies. The Law demands that you look in the mirror and see yourself for who you really are. And you are a sinner. You are not perfect. You are not above and beyond the need for forgiveness.
Nor are you the one who will overcome sin. Christ alone overcomes sin through His blood shed on the cross. And this same blood of Christ, which overcomes your sin, together with His true body, our Lord serves you this day. Here your sin is defeated. Here you are granted peace.
So repent. Hear the Law and know that you are a poor miserable sinner, in bondage to sin. And hear and believe the Gospel, that Christ has set you free. He hears your cry. He knows your suffering. And He has redeemed you, purchased you by His own holy, innocent, bitter suffering and death. Yes, he has reclaimed you, a lost and condemned person, as His very own.
…And He also sends you. Wait. What?
Remember all those things that God does. He told Moses
I have seen the affliction of my people.
I have heard their cry.
I know their sufferings.
and verse 8
I have come down to deliver them.
That’s great news for Moses and for you and for me.
But then, in verse 10, He says to Moses,
I will send you.
And immediately Moses hits the brakes, hard. Up to this point he has been silent. He has been listening. With his face hidden because he was afraid to look at God.
But the moment God says He’s sending Moses, Moses talks back.
Notice what he says to God. What He asks God. First in verse 11:
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11)
Who am I God? I’m not worthy to go. I’m not strong enough to stand before the Pharaoh. I’m not brave enough to set your people free. Who am I to do all this?
And God responds to first question. I say, He responds. He doesn’t answer the question. He doesn’t give Moses any reason to trust in himself. I chose you Moses, because you’re especially handsome, and wise, and strong. No. The reason that Moses should go and be confident is found in verse 12:
God said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Be confident, not in yourself, but in God. He has sent you. And He will be with you.
And then in verse 13 Moses talks back again. He says. If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
I know you said you’d be with me, God. But who are you? Can I trust you? Will you really keep your promise and be with me and save me?
And God responds:
“Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. (Exodus 3:14-15)
I’m the God that always was and always is and always will be. I rely on no one else. I AM. And yet, I am also the God of your Fathers. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God who makes and keeps His promises. Forever.
Yes, you can trust me.
Friends if we have this right. If we know who God is and we know who we are, then all the other things will flow out of it. We’ll be able to face suffering and tragedy and conflict with a view to what is true about us, and true about God. We’ll not be taken in by pride or hopelessness. We’ll not be wooed by false hopes of glory. Instead we’ll be empowered by God’s Spirit to live simply and holy lives of repentance. We’ll confess our sins to the holy one, and we’ll receive His forgiveness. And we’ll lives of love and good deeds, according to His call and plan and purpose for us.
For He has reclaimed us from the clutches of the devil. In the waters of Baptism He has spoken His own name over us. We are marked by His holy Word and invited to feast at His table. And by this we know who He is. And we know who we are. We are children of God. And He is our dear Father, who loves us and forgives for the sake of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Peace of God, which surpasses understanding, guard your hearts and minds in the one true faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.