There is a difference between reasons and excuses. A reason is a statement offered in explanation or justification; a sufficient ground of explanation or of logical defense. An excuse is an attempt to remove blame; attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense); seek to defend or justify; an explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense. George Washington said, “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” Benjamin Franklin stated “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” George Washington Carver offered, “Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” Someone said, “The trouble with excuses is that they become inevitably difficult to believe after they’ve been used a couple of times.” Whatever our excuse, I’m sure the Lord has heard it before. The life of Moses can be divided into three 40 year periods -- The first 40 - His life in Egypt, the second 40 - His life in the wilderness, and the final 40 - leading Israel to the Promised Land. Notice, 2/3 of Moses’ life was spent preparing him for this one task. Just because you have years on you does not mean that God is ready for you to retire. In Exodus 3 we see the beginning of the final forty years of his life. We find him on the “backside of the desert.” (Exodus 3:1: “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” This is where he encountered the burning bush and the call of God to lead Israel into Canaan. God clearly stated what He wanted Moses to do and even promised His presence with him. But Moses, like us, offered excuses as to why he could not perform God’s will for him. The excuses Moses offered were just that - excuses, attempts to lessen the blame for his failure and refusal to serve God as God intended. In all of his excuses (and we do the same) Moses was effectively telling God, “You don’t know what you are doing calling me.” Here is a problem in the Lord’s churches today, so many members know about God, but they don't really know God. Many believe only pastors and missionaries are supposed to leave the place where they grew up, quit their jobs, sell their homes, leave their family and friends and move their wife and children to some unfamiliar place where they know no one, and depend on God to take care of them. How many of us, if God so led, would be willing to leave all behind to go and serve God on an unfamiliar field? We’re going to take a look at Moses’ excuses in Exodus 3 and see if they remind us of some we have used or warn us against excuses we might use for not serving God . . . faithfully!

I. THE “UNWORTHY” EXCUSE - “I AM A NOBODY” - VS. 11.

II. THE “UNLEARNED” EXCUSE - “I HAVE NO MESSAGE” - VS. 13.

III. THE “UNAUTHORIZED” EXCUSE - “THEY WON’T BELIEVE ME” - 4:1.

IV. THE “UNABLE” EXCUSE - “I AM NOT ELOQUENT . . . I AM SLOW OF SPEECH” - 4:10.

V. THE “UNAVAILABLE” EXCUSE - “LORD, SEND SOMEONE ELSE” - 4:13.