Introduction

Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. What a joy it is to see each one of you here today, gathered in the house of the Lord, ready to receive His word. We are here today, not by accident, but by divine appointment. We are here because God has a message for us, a message that is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago when it was first delivered to a humble shepherd on the backside of a desert.

Today, we are going to focus on a theme that is at the very heart of our Christian faith, a theme that is as old as the church itself, yet as fresh as the morning dew. That theme is service. Specifically, we are going to talk about the divine calling of pastors to serve. Our sermon title today is "Called to Serve."

Now, when we talk about service, we are not talking about something that is optional or secondary. No, service is at the very core of our Christian faith. It is the essence of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

So, if service was central to the life and ministry of Jesus, it must also be central to our lives and ministries as well. And this is especially true for those of us who have been called to pastoral ministry. We have been called, not to be served, but to serve. We have been called, not to sit on thrones, but to wash feet. We have been called, not to lord it over others, but to lay down our lives for others.

To help us understand this calling to serve, we are going to turn our attention to a very familiar passage of Scripture. It's found in the book of Exodus, chapter 3. This is the story of Moses and the burning bush. It's a story that many of us have heard since we were children, but it's also a story that has much to teach us about our calling to serve.

Before we read the Scripture, let's bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the privilege of gathering together in Your name. We ask that You would open our hearts and minds to Your word today. Help us to understand what it means to be called to serve. And may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Now, let's read together from Exodus 3:1-12 (NIV):

"Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.'

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' And Moses said, 'Here I am.' 'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.' Then he said, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.'

But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' And God said, 'I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'"

Now, I want you to imagine for a moment that you are Moses. You are out in the desert, tending your father-in-law's sheep, minding your own business, when suddenly you see a bush that is on fire but is not being consumed. It's like a candle that never burns down, a light bulb that never goes out. It's a mystery, a paradox, a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

And then, out of this burning bush, you hear a voice. It's not just any voice. It's the voice of God Himself. And what does God say? He says, "Moses, Moses, I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them. And I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt."

Can you imagine how Moses must have felt? He was just a shepherd, an ordinary man with no special skills or abilities. And yet, God was calling him to do something extraordinary. God was calling him to serve.

And that, my dear brothers and sisters, is what God is calling us to do as well. He is calling us to serve. He is calling us to be His hands and feet in a world that is crying out for help. He is calling us to be a light in the darkness, a voice for the voiceless, a beacon of hope in a sea of despair.

So, as we continue our worship service today, let's keep this in mind. Let's remember that we have been called to serve. And let's ask God to give us the courage, the strength, and the wisdom to answer that call. Amen.

The Encounter with God's Presence

In the third chapter of Exodus, we find Moses in a divine encounter with God through a bush that was burning but not consumed. This is not just an ordinary event. It's a sacred moment, a holy ground experience. It's a vivid illustration of the calling of a pastor.

Pastors are not just fulfilling a job description. They are not just doing a task. They are not just performing a role. They are called to serve in the presence of God. They are called to stand on holy ground. They are called to engage in a divine encounter.

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro when he saw a bush on fire. But the bush was not burning up. This was not a natural phenomenon. This was a supernatural event. This was a divine manifestation. This was God revealing Himself to Moses.

The burning bush is a symbol of the divine presence. It's a symbol of the holy ground where pastors are called to serve. It's a symbol of the sacred space where pastors are called to minister.

The Hebrew word for bush is "seneh." It's used only here in the entire Old Testament. It's a unique word for a unique event. It's a special word for a special encounter. It's a holy word for a holy ground.

Theologian Karl Barth once said, "The pastor must not be a person who simply presides over a congregation, but one who lives in the presence of God." This quote captures the essence of the burning bush experience. Pastors are not just presiding over a congregation. They are living in the presence of God. They are serving on holy ground.

When God called Moses, He didn't just give him a task. He gave him a mission. He didn't just give him a role. He gave him a purpose. He didn't just give him a job. He gave him a calling.

The call to serve is not just about doing something for God. It's about being something for God. It's not just about performing a task. It's about fulfilling a purpose. It's not just about completing a job. It's about accomplishing a mission.

When Moses heard the call, he didn't just listen. He responded. He didn't just hear. He obeyed. He didn't just understand. He acted.

The response to the call is not just about hearing the voice of God. It's about obeying the voice of God. It's not just about understanding the will of God. It's about doing the will of God. It's not just about knowing the purpose of God. It's about fulfilling the purpose of God.

In conclusion, the encounter with God's presence in Exodus 3 is a powerful reminder that pastors are called to serve in the presence of God. They are called to stand on holy ground. They are called to engage in a divine encounter. They are called to live in the presence of God. They are called to fulfill a divine purpose. They are called to respond to a divine call. They are called to serve.

Called to Serve: The Pastoral Mandate

The call of Moses in Exodus 3 is a vivid illustration of the divine summons that pastors receive. It's a call to service, a call to leadership, and a call to deliverance. Pastors, like Moses, are called to lead God's people out of spiritual bondage and into the freedom and fullness of life in Christ.

In Exodus 3, God calls Moses to a task that is bigger than himself. He is to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, out of slavery, and into the Promised Land. This is a daunting task, but God assures Moses that He will be with him.

Similarly, pastors are called to a task that is bigger than themselves. They are called to shepherd God's people, to guide them in their spiritual journey, to feed them with the Word of God, and to care for their souls. This is a daunting task, but God assures pastors that He will be with them.

In Exodus 3, God calls Moses to be a leader. He is to confront Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the world at that time, and demand the release of the Israelites. This requires courage, wisdom, and strength.

Similarly, pastors are called to be leaders. They are to confront the powers of this world that hold people in spiritual bondage. They are to demand the release of those who are held captive by sin, addiction, fear, and despair. This requires courage, wisdom, and strength.

In Exodus 3, God calls Moses to be an agent of deliverance. He is to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, out of slavery, and into the Promised Land. This is a picture of spiritual deliverance, of leading people out of the bondage of sin and into the freedom and fullness of life in Christ.

Similarly, pastors are called to be agents of deliverance. They are to lead people out of spiritual bondage and into the freedom and fullness of life in Christ. This is the heart of the pastoral calling.

In the New Testament, we see a similar theme in the calling of the apostle Paul. In Acts 26:16-18, Jesus appears to Paul and says, "I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."

Like Moses, Paul is called to a task that is bigger than himself. He is called to be a leader, confronting the powers of this world. He is called to be an agent of deliverance, leading people out of spiritual darkness and into the light of Christ.

The call of Moses in Exodus 3 and the call of Paul in Acts 26 provide a clear mandate for pastors today. We are called to serve, to lead, and to deliver. We are called to a task that is bigger than ourselves. We are called to confront the powers of this world. We are called to lead people out of spiritual bondage and into the freedom and fullness of life in Christ.

This is a daunting task, but we are not alone. God assures us, as He assured Moses and Paul, that He will be with us. He will give us the courage, the wisdom, and the strength we need. He will equip us for the task. He will empower us to serve, to lead, and to deliver.

The call to serve is a call to surrender, to sacrifice, and to selflessness. It is a call to put the needs of others before our own. It is a call to love as Christ loved us.

The call to lead is a call to courage, to conviction, and to commitment. It is a call to stand up for truth, to stand against injustice, and to stand with those who are marginalized and oppressed.

The call to deliver is a call to compassion, to care, and to Christlikeness. It is a call to bring hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless, and healing to the hurting.

This is the call. This is the mandate. This is the mission. Pastors, we are called to serve, to lead, and to deliver. May we respond to this call with faith, with obedience, and with love.

The Provision of God

As we journey through the narrative of Moses in Exodus 3, we find ourselves standing shoulder to shoulder with a man who, like us, had his fair share of doubts and insecurities. Moses, standing before the burning bush, was in conversation with God Himself. And in this divine dialogue, we find a reassurance that is as relevant to us today as it was to Moses thousands of years ago. God, in His infinite wisdom and boundless love, assured Moses of His provision.

Now, let's pause for a moment and consider what this means for us, especially for those of us who have been called to serve as pastors. We, like Moses, may find ourselves wrestling with doubts and insecurities. We may question our abilities, our worthiness, our readiness to take on the monumental task of shepherding a flock. But here's the beautiful truth that we find in Exodus 3: God equips those He calls.

This is not a promise that we will never face challenges or uncertainties in our ministry. Far from it. But it is a promise that we can trust in God's faithfulness to sustain us. Our role, our calling, is not dependent on our own abilities but on the strength and provision of our Heavenly Father.

In the words of renowned theologian A.W. Tozer, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves."

Now, let's consider this in the context of our calling as pastors. We are not called to do the possible. The possible is what we can do in our own strength, with our own resources. But God calls us to do the impossible - to shepherd His flock, to guide them in the ways of righteousness, to lead them into a deeper relationship with Him. This is not something we can do in our own strength. But with God's provision, the impossible becomes possible.

This brings us to another aspect of God's provision - His equipping. When God called Moses, He didn't just give him a task and leave him to figure it out on his own. No, He equipped Moses with everything he needed to fulfill his calling. And He does the same for us.

As pastors, we are not left to our own devices. God equips us with His Word, with His Spirit, with the gifts and talents we need to effectively minister to His people. He equips us with the wisdom to navigate difficult situations, the patience to deal with challenging people, the love to care for His flock, and the courage to stand firm in the face of opposition.

So, dear pastors, as we consider our calling, let us remember the provision of God. Let us remember that we serve not in our own strength, but in the strength that God provides. Let us remember that we are not alone in our ministry, but are equipped and sustained by a God who is faithful to His promises. And let us remember that our calling is not about what we can do, but about what God can do through us.

Conclusion

Dear pastors, brothers, and sisters in Christ, we have spent this time together, reflecting on the call to serve that we have received from God. This call, as we have seen, is not a casual invitation. It is a divine mandate, a sacred duty that we have been entrusted with. It is a call that echoes from the burning bush in Exodus 3, reaching out to us across the centuries.

We are called to serve in the presence of God. This is not a metaphorical presence, but a real, tangible presence that we can experience in our daily lives. We are not alone in our service. God is with us, guiding us, supporting us, and empowering us. He is our constant companion, our ever-present help in times of need.

We are also called to be agents of deliverance. Just as Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, we too are called to lead people out of their spiritual bondage. We are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to bring hope to the hopeless, comfort to the afflicted, and freedom to the captives. This is a great responsibility, but it is also a great privilege.

Moreover, we are called to rely on God's provision. We are not expected to serve in our own strength or to provide for ourselves. God is our provider. He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. We can trust Him to take care of us as we serve Him faithfully.

This, dear pastors, is our calling. It is a high calling, a holy calling, a calling that demands our utmost dedication and commitment. But it is also a rewarding calling, a fulfilling calling, a calling that brings us closer to God and transforms us into the image of Christ.

As we go into the coming week, let us strive to be more like Jesus in our service. Let us serve with humility, with compassion, with love. Let us serve not out of obligation, but out of gratitude for what Jesus has done for us. Let us serve not for our own glory, but for the glory of God.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the call to serve that You have placed on our lives. We thank You for the privilege of serving in Your presence, of being agents of deliverance, and of relying on Your provision. As we go into the coming week, help us to be more like Jesus in our service. Help us to serve with humility, with compassion, with love. Help us to serve not for our own glory, but for Your glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

And now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forevermore. As we go forth to serve, may we do so with joy, with courage, and with faith, knowing that we are serving in the presence of God, that we are agents of deliverance, and that we can rely on God's provision. Amen.

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