For those not familiar with an Anglican Service; there a four Scripture readings prior to the Message. The assigned readings for this day are: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 63:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 and Luke 13:1-9.
Did you receive the message?
Did you receive the message I left you on your answering machine?
Did you receive the message I left for you ... on your cell phone?
Did you receive my e-mail?
We live in an information age where messages are constantly being sent back and forth with great speed and in a variety of ways.
A missed message ... could mean ... a loss of business.
A missed message ... could result in confusion ... about where and when ... to meet.
A missed message ... could result ... in a loss of life.
But a missed message from God ... is the worst kind of message ... to miss.
For Beloved... A missed message God ... is a missed ... blessing.
I am convinced .... that God gives His people messages, ... and these "messages" are instructions ... revelations ... to equip us, .... to encourage us ... to do His will.... And to walk in His ways.
Our text today from Exodus ... is the story of Moses and the burning bush, ... it is a story about a message ... a message from God ... to Moses.
A message ... that, Moses ... dose not miss.
Imagine you are walking on a hillside on a hot summer afternoon... lost in your thoughts.
It is another scorching hot and humid day in Midian ... again watching over your father in law Jethro's ...flock of sheep.
Suddenly a bush ... on The barren landscape ... catches on fire.
You move a little closer in order to watch ... as the bush is consumed.
Have you ever been lost in your thoughts ... as you gazed ... into a fire?
But instead of burning up ... instead of being consumed ... the bush keeps on burning.
The fire in the bush ... is not consuming the bush!
Now That ...... would get your attention.
How can this be?
A fire that does not consume.
The Scriptures tell us that Moses moves in even closer.
And as he does .... He hears a voice that sounded as if it was coming from the bush ... Moses... Moses! (Exodus 3:4)
Can you imagine his thoughts ...... he is staring at the bush ... and hears his name ......He sees no one ... surely he turns in all directions ... looking ... for who called out ... his name?
Yet no one is there.
Am I imagining this... is it ... heat stroke?
Moses, ... not knowing where the voice came from simply replied ... "Here I am." (Exodus 3:4)
I wonder if Moses gave any thought ... to the consequences ... of him staying ... to check out that burning bush... and the voices ... he was hearing.
You know ... People of passion and faith ... rarely count the consequences.... They just move forward.
You see, ... if Moses had really thought about it, ... he probably would have put as much distance as possible ... between himself ... and that flaming bush
Although ... we all know ... or should know ... that ... "you can run ... but you can't hide" ... from God.
So put yourselves in Moses' place.
Have you ever heard a call from someone to go far beyond ...your usual pattern of life?
To move on from the ordinary.
A call ... an event ... an encounter ... that takes you out of ... your comfort zone.
What happened?
What were the consequences?
As Moses moved even closer ... the voice commands Moses to come no closer... to remove his sandals ... for the place you are standing ... is Holy Ground.
The voice from the bush ... went on:
BIBLE "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." END (Exodus 3:6)
Now beloved ... to hear the voice of God... to encounter his direct presence ... how would you react?
Moses stops and immediately hides his face ... for he was afraid to look at God... to be in his presence.
Unbeknownst to Moses at that time ... was that the burning bush ... was symbolic.
The bush represented Israel, .... the fire the persecution, ... the burning without consumption ... represented, ... that in spite the persecution of Israel ... they ... were not ... destroyed.
The message was ... regardless of what the nation of Israel had done ... God was ... and will be present ... in the midst ... of their affliction.
Beloved ... God Never left!
And he is with us today ... in the midst ... of our afflictions.
Then the Lord God said to Moses; ... come! ... I will send you to Pharaoh ... to bring my people out of Egypt." (Exodus 3:10-11)
Well, being the "hip" sheepherder that Moses was ... he whips out his papyrus pad says; ... "wait, I need to check my schedule.
Nope, ... can't do it, ... I'm busy that day.
I've got at 10 AM meeting with my father-in-law Jethro to discuss new shepherding techniques,
And at noon I have a custom sheep shearing lesson,
And at 2 o'clock I am getting my staff aligned and balanced.
And later that night .... I have to help the kids .... with their Torah memorization."
I am just a shepherd.
BIBLE "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelite's out of Egypt?" END (Exodus 3:11)
Moses proclaims to God "Who ... am I?"
Earlier Moses said ... "I am here"
God turns the "Who Am I" question said in weakness.
Into the all-powerful proclamation... "I AM WHO I AM" .... Tell them I Am ... has sent you. (Exodus 3:14)
Moses looks at his papyrus pad ... and it is suddenly blank.
Moses schedule and his life .... have suddenly been changed.
And thanks to Charlton Heston, ... we know the rest of the story.
So ...What is God's message to us this day ... what message can we glean from this encounter Moses experienced with God ... at the burning bush?
It seems to me ... That there are two major themes:
(1 Finger) first ... No matter what God has called us to do or endure ... trust in him... do it!
God tells Moses ... "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12)
Beloved... what you lack ... God will supply.
It does not matter what God has called you to do or to endure... you can do it ... if you trust in his strength.
If You trust in his provision
It may be moving to a new city to begin a new job.
It may be the prospect of facing a serious illness like cancer and the ramifications of Chemotherapy or radiation.
It may be the opportunity to serve in ministry.
It may be the reality of standing before death's door.
It may be a special encounter with the spiritual presence of God.
It does not matter.
Whatever God has called you to experience ... or to endure, .... he assures you .... as he assured Moses, "what you lack, I will supply" ... "I will be with you."
Beloved ... When you say... Who am I ... The Lord God responds .... I am who I Am .... I am has sent you.
(1 Finger) No matter what God has called us to do or endure ... trust in him... do it!
(2 Fingers) Secondly ...Pay attention to the burning bushes.
Are you paying attention to the "burning bushes" ... that God has placed in your life?
God often gets our attention by allowing uncommon events ... to occur in our lives.
They are God's way ... of tapping us on the shoulder .... so that we will "take notice" ... and to listen to what he ... has to say.
Think of these events ... of these encounters .... as opportunities to move closer to God.... To experience his presence ... in your life.
View them ... As opportunities to be transformed .... into the image of ... his son.
A burning bush.... can be represented by a variety of signs:
A newsflash on television or radio,
An accident or illness,
An un-welcomed change such as being laid off from your job,
A brush with death,
A manifestation of the Holy Spirt.
The miracle of childbirth
God will use whatever it takes... to get our attention, ... even a scraggly, ... dried up ... old bush.
Now ... There wasn't anything special about that bush ... yet God used it.
And if God wants your attention,
If he wants you to wake up,
If he wants you to leave the path you are stuck on,
Then any old bush ... will do.
And like Moses ... we best have our eyes open ... and respond ...to the message ... He is sending.
Think of how many burning bushes you have confronted in your life .... how did you react?
A burning bush ... can even be ...the faith ... of a small child.
Early in our Christian life together as husband and wife ... My wife Lee and I ... were very involved ... with a ministry called ... Faith Alive.
Faith Alive ... is a wonderful organization .... that sends a group of men, ... women ... and youth ....to a church .... to share their relationship .... with their Lord.
But, .... the weekend does far more than that; .... it helps the parish .... really begin communicating ......at a spiritual level .... with each other.
During these weekends, ... there is a program not only for adults .... but also for youth ... and for small children.
Lee and I had the privilege ... to be the children's coordinators ... for many of these programs ... throughout the mid-west.
During the weekends ... I would play my guitar and we would sing, .... We cut out snowflakes to show how God makes each of us different and special.
We talked about how much Jesus loves us ....and watches over each of us... and how important it is ... to bring everything to God ... in prayer.
Well ... One weekend ... as we were doing a craft .... one of the little boys ... cut himself with his scissors.
Even though they were the scissors with the rounded tips... that doesn't stop little boys ... from finding a way .... to cut themselves.
Well since it was a boy ... it was my duty ...to take him to the bathroom .... to clean up blood ... and the cut.
I had just finished cleaning it ... and was about to put a band aid on .... when I thought .... well this is a Christian weekend ... and a good opportunity to show him .... that we should pray... about everything.
So I said ... lets pray that your finger will heal and get better. "OK"
As soon as I started to pray ... we watched together as new skin covered slit in his finger... and there was no sign ... that there was ever a cut.
He went out of the bathroom ... and down to the room ... I covered my face ... and knelt my head against the mirror and lamented:
Lord forgive me ... for my lack of faith.
Maybe that is why God says ... we are to come to him ... as a little child.
To have a childlike .... Faith.
I have witnessed many burning bushes over the years .... And each one has helped me ... to be more of the man ... that God has called me ... to be.
They have helped me to trust Him ... and in his provision.
Beloved ...... You need to keep your spiritual eyes open ...so you do not miss ... your burning bush.
You need to trust God .... to trust his word.... And to trust in ... his provision.
Like Moses ... we need to remain faithful servants ... to place our trust in him ... so that we too may be transformed.
And taken ... from Glory to Glory.
Amen and Amen!
I received much insight for a portion of this Message from a Sermon by John Beehler titled "Barefoot & Blessed" and from a Sermon by Rege Turocy titled "The Message" I commend both to you.
Help: I retired in November 2017 and am attempting to supplement my income by sharing on Sermoncentral. If this Message has been helpful to you, please consider a nominal donation: Send to The Rev. Jeff Smead 11725 Regent Park Drive Chardon Ohio 44024. Blessed To Be A Blessing.
Dear Reader: So I can better help you, if this Message was not helpful and you rated it low, Please let me know what it lacked or why it was not helpful. You can search by contributor Smead (Constructive Criticism is very helpful) and contact me there. Blessings in Christ. Jeff
