Moses: A Matter Of Timing Series

1. The metaphor of the Olympic Games of Rome is key to the NT writers

a. In the Revelation, John (and us) declares that the games of the emperor were not about Domitian but about God and Jesus at work in history

b. Think of the ways he could have said to the world that Jesus is his son; until the second coming he has picked us to be his Olympians to demonstrate his deity in the games; we are the athletes;

2. What would it feel like to be a great athlete to be picked for the Olympic team?

a. Train day and night -- consumed with desire to be the best they could be

b. [One year a pole-vaulter finished with silver medal -- after he received his medal, he began doing pushups in the stadium; when asked what he was doing, he said that he was preparing for the next Olympic contest.

3. We are the Olympians of God's world so RUN!

[Why do we treat discipleship as a walk in the park or a day at the beach? God wants Olympians -- consumed with the desire to live with all their might for him as disciples. NOT just more religious stuff -- being consumed to live for Jesus in everything we do -- our performance declares to the world that Jesus is GOD!

4. Greeks ran with everything they had because the only one who got the wreathed crown was the winner of the race. Paul says Run like you want to win -- 1 Corinthians 9.24.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

a. I just need to give all I have; God grades on effort not performance!!!! (5-2-1 Talents)

b. Don't hold back! Do we want to die, stand before Jesus and have him ask, "Do you have anything left?"; and have to say, yes, I only gave a little?

5. Athletes who performed for the emperor trained hard because he would kill anyone he felt did not perform well;

a. Serious Marathon runners don't have 'fun' while everyone else is lounging -- pain -- difficult but when you sense improvement physically; or improve in competition

b. Discipleship is not about feelings -- it is having the discipline/chutzpah to train and perform with every ounce we have -- ALL OF THE TIME

6. The Witnesses to Our Race

a. Hebrews 12.1-2 -- We follow someone who has run the race; knows the pain; Jesus watches and encourages us on -- "I understand your pain; I know what it is like to lose a parent; to have a friend betray me; to be in pain; Just take one more step; by grace you can do it." Can we say we quit? We are coasting?

b. Hebrews 11 -- List of Runners who have completed the race

1) [Cross Country teams run races; the ones who do not finish first see the ones who have finished gathered at the finish line urging them on

2) The Man, Moses and his Choices -- Hebrews 11.23-28

I. Right Choice -- Wrong Time

A. He Knew His Mission -- Acts 7.23-25

23 "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.

1. He knew His Background -- Hebrew

2. He knew the meaning of his name -- "Drawn (from the River)"

a. His escape from death

b. [Sonograms

In April of 2008, Florida proposed a law that would have required abortion providers to offer pregnant mothers the opportunity to see ultrasounds of their unborn children. That's ALL that law would have required.

In fact, the bill did NOT require the mothers to look at the ultrasounds.

And yet that law died in the Florida senate.

Why? Because we live in a culture that does not value life. We live in a society that decrees that certain children should die. (AP -- David Royse -- May 1, 2008)

3. Interesting point -- Pharaoh wanted to drown the Hebrew boys in the River and himself would be drowned in the Sea of Reeds

4. Important role of women in the story -- Jochabed; Pharaoh's daughter; Miriam

B. He Made His Mistakes and Did not Wait on God

1. Killed the Egyptian -- knew it was wrong -- looked to see who was watching

2. Maybe he thought it was all "up to him" and God wasn't going to act

I recently ran across the following "e-mail from God"