When God Speaks - Moses Series

“WHEN GOD SPEAKS – MOSES”

Exodus 3:1-22

CWBC – 2/10/19

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Let’s begin today by reading the Scripture passage for the sermon. Tomm Wilson & Farrell Boyd are going to help me w/ the public reading of the Scriptures today. Open your Bibles or your Bible app to Exodus 3:1-22 (page 46 in the pew Bible) as Tomm & Farrell come forward.

Sometime in 1981, I had a “burning bush” experience. I was a junior in high school & was sitting in a morning worship service at my home church, Immanuel Baptist Church in Cleveland, MS. My pastor, Bro. James Hurt, was preaching on the passage of Scripture that we are going to look at today. I don’t remember a lot of things that he said in his sermons over the course of my childhood & teenage years when he was my pastor (he was the only pastor I ever had from the time I was 4 years old until I graduated from high school & went to college at MC), but I do remember this: During the sermon, Bro. Hurt made a statement similar to this: “God could have chosen anyone he wanted to do the job, but He wanted Moses. Moses could have turned him down, & God would have gotten someone else. But God wanted Moses for the job.” When Bro. Hurt said that, I realized that God was speaking through Bro. Hurt to ME, Jonnie Daniels, sitting in church at IBC in Cleveland, MS, & saying to me, “Jonnie, I want YOU to serve me for the rest of your life. I’m calling YOU!” I remember my heart beating stronger & faster as I realized that this was a huge moment of decision for me. Would I listen to the Lord’s voice & respond in obedience? Would I say yes to Him? When the invitation was given that morning, I stood w/ my hymnal in my hand & began to sing. But I didn’t sing much as I surrendered my will to His will. I closed that green 1956 edition of the Baptist Hymnal (there was sweat on the back of that hymnal), placed it back in the rack, stepped out into the aisle, & walked down to my pastor to tell him about the commitment that God was leading me to make that morning. And my life has never been the same since.

We started a series of messages last week entitled, “When God Speaks.” We looked at when God spoke to Abraham & told him to go & sacrifice his son, Isaac. The last point of my sermon last week was this: When God speaks, it’s a moment that changes the course of your life. That moment that took place sometime shortly before noon on that Sunday in 1981 definitely changed the course of my life forever.

Today, the course of your life can change forever, too, as God speaks to you. It may not be a call to be a pastor or a missionary, but, when He speaks to you, it will be a huge moment of decision, faith, courage, & obedience. Maybe it’s a call to come to Jesus & be saved – that’ll definitely change the course of your life forever! Whatever it is, when God calls, we need to listen & obey NO MATTER WHAT!

- No delay – Moses saw the bush & went over there. Responded to God immediately when God spoke to him from the burning bush – v. 2-4

- No casual attitude – Removed his shoes & covered his face – v. 5-6 – Common practice for Egyptian priests in Moses’ day to remove shoes when entering temple. Common practice today in Muslim mosques (Van & I in Kazakhstan). It shows an awareness of personal defilement & unworthiness to stand in the presence of perfect holiness. It wasn’t the dirt that Moses stood on that was holy – it was the God Almighty in whose presence he was standing that was holy.

- No confusion – v. 7-12 – God gave Moses very clear directions about the job He was calling him to do.

- No excuses – 4:1ff – Moses began a typical human response to God’s call. He began making excuses as to why he couldn’t do what God was calling him to do.

o “They won’t believe me.” – v. 1

o “They won’t listen to me.” – v. 1

o “I’m not a good speaker.” – v. 10

o “There’s someone better suited than me.” – v. 13

God responded to every one of these excuses w/ His perfect solution, His perfect plan, & His perfect wisdom. So, whatever excuse you’re going to throw at God today WHEN – NOT IF – He calls is flimsy, flawed, & will fall apart when it comes up against God’s perfect plan for your life. May as well go ahead & realize right now that you’re not going to win that debate w/ the Almighty Creator of the Universe who is calling you into an eternal relationship w/ Himself, & into a lifetime of obedient service to Him.