Leave An Inheritance of Courage. Live Out God’s Calling. (Exodus 3:1-12)

Sermon on 24 August 2025 by Pastor Justin Chia

An inheritance rooted in the fear of the Lord, love for His word, and a life of righteousness. We learnt last week that faith requires obedience, and obedience requires action. A theological truth is that obedience comes before understanding. The faith that we have will bless the next generation. Let our faith be so evident in our life that our children will see your faith. God is calling you to be courageous and take a leap of faith in many aspects of your life. We do not want to leave material inheritance only. This series is about setting priorities and leaving an inheritance of courage that will protect and stir up faith of the next generation.  

Exodus 3:1-12 - “One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.””

Moses was 40 years old in this passage. When Moses encountered the burning bush, God gave him an extraordinary mission to go to the Pharoah and deliver the Israelites out of Egypt into the promised land.

Exodus 3:11 - “But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?””

Exodus 3:12 - “God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.””

Matthew 28:20 - “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

‭‭When Moses was 120, in his last sermon, he told the Israelites to be strong and courageous. Do not be dismayed. Go forward as the Lord is with them. He went from doubting his own strength to trusting God fully. Courage comes from knowing that God is with us, not from our own abilities. God will never give us fear. Fear is a spirit. This spirit will not just haunt you but speak to you. It will speak in a language that you can understand. It will want you to fear things that are beyond your understanding. God is with us everyday so do not worry about tomorrow. Live every day to our fullest.

Deuteronomy 31:8 - “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.””

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2 Timothy 1:7 - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Matthew 6:24 - ““No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

Courage isn’t about knowing all the answers but trusting the one who does.

Isaiah 41:10 - “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

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Philippians 4:9 - “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

If you seek God, you must believe that He is God. You must trust God and what was put up for you. You must trust God even if you don’t have knowledge about what is going to happen. The word of God is just like rain and snow coming down to nourish the Earth. The word of God will not return to you void, but to accomplish its purpose. When you absolutely trust God, God grants you peace. The victory you have in this world is your faith.  

Isaiah 26:3 - “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

John 16:33 - “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.””

Courage begins with trusting and saying ‘yes’ to God. Trusting is not only knowing, but believing with absolute faith. When the spirit nudges you, step up in faith and be very courageous. If God wants you to have strong faith in this season, it’s to equip us to shift this season as soon as possible. As we go into the new season, we are able to bear fruit and a more intimate relationship with God. It is the best opportunity to build a testimony with God.

Philippians 1:6 - “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Joshua 1:9 - “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

Abraham’s inheritance of faith is to only believe, always obey. Moses’ inheritance of courage is to only be strong and always be courageous.

1. Courage remains strong despite fear

Moses’ courage was tested to the maximum. The people of Israel were not only rebellious but doubted God. When they crossed the Red Sea, they rather died in Egypt than to die crossing the Red Sea.

Exodus 14:13 - “But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.”

Psalm 46:10 - ““Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.””

Courage is not the absence of fear; Courage is obedience in the face of fear! How do we stay courageous and strong despite fear? We should hold on to God’s truth. When we don’t have peace, the devil walks over every area of our life. Courage is about trusting God, about choosing faith, and about leaving an inheritance.

Exodus 14:14 - “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.””

Isaiah 26:3 - “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Philippians 4:6-9 - “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

‘Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.’ - Winston Churchill

2 Timothy 1:7 - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

‭‭2. Courage leaves an inheritance of deliverance

The courage you show today will bring faith and blessings to the next generation. Courage provides a spiritual cover for the next generation to walk in God’s protection. Living a courageous and faithful life can inspire those around you. You will see for yourself how faith and courage impact future generations. Moses’ courage led the Israelites to experience deliverance from slavery.

Matthew 6:13 - “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

1 Timothy 4:12 - “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”

‭‭Hebrews 11:27-29 - “It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.”

A single act of courage in this generation can lead to victory for the next. What you act with courage today will influence the future of the next generation. Respond to God’s call, stay strong despite fear, and leave an inheritance of courage. Where is God asking you to be courageous? Consider how passing on courage to your children and the next veneration can inspire them to trust God and transform lives.

Amen.