KEYSTONES OF GOD MOMENTS
EXODUS 12:1-16
INTRODUCTION:
THIS IS THE FINAL MESSAGE IN A SERIES WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ENTITLED GOD MOMENTS. WHAT I HOPE HAS HAPPENED IS THAT YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT YOUR LIVES AND SEE THE WAY GOD HAS ACTED IN THEM TO CREATE SPECIAL MOMENTS BETWEEN YOU AND HIM. I KNOW I HAVE.
I HOPE WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE VARIOUS KEY POINTS IN DIAGNOSING GOD MOMENTS AND TO REALIZE THAT GOD MOMENTS CAN COME FROM BOTH POSITIVIE AND NEGATIVE SITUATIONS IN LIFE.
RECENTLY LESLIE AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFICIATE AT A WEDDING AT MY FORMER CHURCH IN TEMPERANCE VALE. WHILE THERE WAS NOTING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS, THE GRANDMOTHER OF THE BRIDE CERTAINLY CAN ATTEST TO A GOD-MOMENT OF VALUABLE ADVERSITY IN HER LIFE. SHE WAS VERY FAITHFUL IN LOOKING AFTER HER FIRST HUSBAND WHO HAD EMPHAZEMA BUT EVENTUALLY SHE WENT THROUGH THE ADVERSITY OF HAVING HIM PASS AWAY. AS I SAID THOUGH GOD WORKED POWERFULLY TO BRING A VERY NICE MAN INTO HER LIFE AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF OFFICIATING AT THEIR CEREMONY. NOW HERE IS THE TOTALLY AWESOME THING. SHE MET HER SECOND HUSBAND AT THE VISITATION OF THE FIRST. HOW’S THAT FOR A GOD MOMENT OF VALUABLE ADVERSITY.
TODAY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IN CONCLUSION TO THIS SERIES IS GO OVER A FEW THOUGHTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING IF YOUR SITUATION WAS TRULY A GOD MOMENT AND WILL ALLOW YOU TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.
POINT ONE: THE CONNECTION KEYSTONE
I’M SURE YOU’VE HEARD IT SAID THAT HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20-20. WELL THIS SAYING ISN’T ALWAYS TRUE. WHEN IT COMES TO GOD MOMENTS YOU MIGHT NOT SEE YOUR PAST CLEARLY, AND SOME REMARKABLE, EVEN MIRACULOUS GOD MOMENTS MAY SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH THE EVENT TO TRULY REMEMBER THE GOD MOMENT OVER TIME.
WE ALL WANT TO KNOW THAT WE’VE CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER, SOMETIMES IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS. THERE ARE TIMES OF CASUAL CONTACT WHEN WE MEET AND EXCHANGE GREETINGS, BUT NOT MUCH IS SHARED. BUT THERE ARE OTHER SIGNIFICANT TIMES OF SHARING WHERE WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE PERSON WE ARE TALKING TO HAS HEARD US. WE LOOK FOR CLUES, BOTH VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL CLUES TO REASSURE US THAT THE PERSON WE’RE SHARING WITH HAS REALLY TAKEN IN WHAT WE’VE SHARED. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT AS A PASTOR WE HAVE HAD CLASSES IN DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS TO ASSIST US IN COUNSELLING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROVES THAT OUR BRAIN FILTERS MEMORIES, SOMETIMES CAUSING THEM TO BE INACCURATE. INTEREST, EMOTION, AND DISTORTION ALL CAN AFFECT OUR MEMORY. A TIME IN WHICH YOU FELT UNCONNECTED TO GOD IS ACTUALLY A TIME IN WHICH YOUR INTEREST OR EMOTION PREDISPOSED YOU TO SHUT YOUR EARS TO GOD REASSURING VOICE.
INTEREST AND EMOTIONS INFLUENCE WHAT THE BRAIN SIFTS OUT TO SAVE AND HOW IT WOULD SAVE IT. IF YOU DON’T TKINK THIS IS TRUE, AS A MAN WHAT THE SCORE OF THE HOCKEY GAME WAS LAST NIGHT. MOST OF THE MEN WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU. NOW ASK THEM THEIR WIFE’S DRESS SIZE AND FAVORITE COLOR. IN MANY CASES IT’S A DIFFERENT STORY. WHILE WE DON’T WANT TO SAY IT, BUT IT’S TRUE, INTEREST IS A DETERMINING FACTOR IN WHAT WE REMEMBER.
THE SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN LIFE WE REMEMBER CAN ALSO BE DETERMINED BY OUR EMOTIONS. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HEARD IT SAID “THAT HURT ME SO MUCH” “THAT MADE ME SO ANGRY” “HE WAS SO GOOD TO US” AND THEN RIGHT AFTER IT WOULD COME THESE WORDS “I’LL NEVER FORGET IT.” IT’S EMBEDDED IN OUR MEMORY.
DISTORTION IS ALSO A WAEPON THAT THE ENEMY WILL USE TO CONFUSE US ABOUT MOMENTS WITH GOD. MEDICAL STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT YOUR BRAIN WILL ACTUALLY DISTORT A MEMORY BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE. THUS YOU CAN UNCONSCIOUSLY, CHANGE A MEMORY’S SHAPE TO FIT A SHAPE ALREADY PRECONCEIVED BY YOUR EXPERIENCE OR ENVIRONMENT.
IF I WERE TO LINE UP TEN PEOPLE ON THE PLATFORM, AND THEN WHISPER A STORY TO THE FIRST, BY THE TIME IT GOT TO THE TENTH, THE STORY WOULD CHANGE. IT COULD CHANGE BECAUSE OF DETAILS THAT WERE OR WERE NOT REMEMBERED. IT COULD CHANGE BECAUSE OF CULTURE. STORIES WILL SOMETIMES BE DISTORTED TO ASSUME THE CULTURE OF THE PERSON TELLING IT. ALL THESE ARE TOOLS SATAN USES TO TRY TO KEEP US FROM SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS WITH GOD.
THE CONNECTION CORNERSTONE BASICALLY SAYS THAT A CONNECTION HAS TO BE MADE BETWEEN GOD AND YOU, AND GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. ASK THE QUESTION: HOW HAS THIS SITUATION EFFECTED GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE? REMEMBER A GOD MOMENT IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER WAYS THAT GOD IS LOOKING AFTER US IN THAT IT WILL HAVE A LIFE-LONG IMPACT TO OUR LIVES.
ILLUSTRATE:
MOSES MADE AN INTERESTING FORECAST ABOUT THE PASSOVER, WHEN HE SAID THIS
EXODUS 11:6-8:
There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8 All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.
LATER GOD ADDS THESE WORDS
EXODUS 12:13: The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
WHY THE BLOOD ON THE DOORPOSTS? CERTAINLY WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE, THE PASSOVER MEAL, WOULD BE ENOUGH TO REMEMBER IT. THE BLOOD WASN’T A SIGN FOR GOD, IT WAS FOR THE HEBREWS. THE ACTION ALLOWED THE PEOPLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTION THAT EVERY HOME THAT WAS COVERED BY THE BLOOD WOULD BE SAFE. TODAY IT REMINDS US THAT WE WHO ARE COVERED UNDER JESUS’ BLOOD ARE SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS.
ILLUSTRATE WITH HANNAH’S STORY OF THE DEATH OF HER FATHER.
THE FIRST KEYSTONE OF HARNESSING YOUR GOD MOMENTS IS MAKING THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, TO GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
POINT TWO: THE COMMORATION KEYSTONE
LAST WEEK LESLIE AND I CELEBRATED OUR TWELTH ANNIVERSARY AND LESLIE’S BIRTHDAY. WE DID SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN PLANNING FOR YEARS AND HAD SUPPER AT THE SALMON LODGE RESTAURANT. IT WAS SUCH A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT MAKING THAT ONE OF OUR TRADITIONS, TO CELEBRATE OUR ANNIVERSARY WITH A SPECIAL DINNER, APART FROM OTHER TIMES WHEN WE GO OUT.
WHAT WE WANT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO, THAT IS SPECIAL JUST FOR US. SOMETHING THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW, WILL TELL US THAT IN A FEW WEEKS THAT A WONDERFUL TIME IS COMING. IN SHORT, WHAT WE REMEMBERED IN TIMES PAST, AND OFTEN RELIVED IN OUR MINDS WILL GET US THROUGH OUR PRESENT STRUGGLES.
COMMEMORATION IS ABOUT RELIVING GOD MOMENTS. WHEN YOU REVISIT YOUR POSITIVE MEMORIES, YOU REACTIVATE THE BLESSING OF THAT MOMENT. YESTERDAY’S BLESSING IS RECLAIMED AS A TREASURE FOR TODAY. IT CAN BECOME A GOD-GIVEN SECRET FOR GENUINE JOY AND EXPLOSIVE FAITH. WHAT GOT US THROUGH THINGS IN OUR PAST BECOMES THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR FAITH NOT ONLY TOMORROW, BUT ALSO TODAY.
WHAT DID MOSES SAY ABOUT THE PASSOVER?
EXODUS 12;14: “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.
EXODUS 13:3: Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast.
NOTICE THAT THIS COMMERATION IS SPECIAL IN THAT IT IS TO BE A CELEBRATION. EVEN THE MOST SOBERING OF THE FEASTS, STILL HAD OVERTONES OF CELEBRATION. GOD’S PLAN IS FOR US TO CELEBRATE HIS EVERY BLESSING. IN CELEBRATION WE WILL INVITE EVEN MORE BLESSING. OUR PRAISE, INVITES GOD’S HABITATION.
ILLUSTRATE WITH ANNE AND ALL HER GOOD FORTUNE
NOW IT BEGS THE QUESTION: DO SOME PEOPLE REALLY GET ALL THE BREAKS AND THUS HAVE CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION? OR DO SOME PEOPLE REALLY KNOW HOW TO CELEBRATE AND THUS FIND MORE REASONS TO CELEBRATE?
ILLUSTRATE WITH ELMA HARE AND HER NEW HIP
REAL JOY IS NOT THE PRODUCT OF BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES, OR EVEN MORE VICTORIES, IT IS THE PRODUCT OF A HEART THAT HAS CHOSEN TO CELEBRATE GOD.
COMMEMORATION REQUIRES REPETITION. GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO DEVELOP A “MUSCLE MEMORY.” WHEN YOU PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT YOU DEVELOP WHAT IS CALLED MUSCLE OR FINGER MEMORY. AFTER YOU HAVE PLAYED A CHORD FOR A NUMBER OF TIMES, WHEN YOU SEE THAT CHORD IN MUSIC IT JUST BECOMES A NATURAL INSTINCT TO GO TO THE CHORD. IN FACT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THE NEXT CHORD BY WHAT IS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED AS MOST CHORDS HAVE PATTERNS.
NOW MOST OLD TESTAMENT GOD MOMENTS WERE CELEBRATED BY FEASTS. THERE WERE SEVEN A YEAR, EVERY YEAR, FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD. IF YOU LIVED TO BE EIGHTY YOU WOULD CELEBRATE 560 TIMES. MOST OF THESE FEASTSS AND CELEBRATIONS WOULD LAST AT LEAST A WEEK.
COMMERATION ALSO REQUIRES DETAIL. ACCORDING TO MEDICAL STUDIES, YOUR BRAIN SYSTEMATICALLY FILTERS OUT WHAT IT CONSIDERS TO BE NEEDLESS DETAILS. THEY ARE STILL THERE, BUT THE BRAIN DOESN’T FOCUS ON THEM OR ASSIGN THEM VALUE.
IF YOU ARE NOT REMEMBERING THE DETAILS OF GOD’S ACTIVITY IN YOUR PAST, YOU ARE NOT REMEMBERING RIGHTLY. GOD IS IN THE LITTLE STUFF TOO. THE PASSOVER WAS FILLED WITH SPECIFIC DETAILS TO MAKE IT SPECIAL
CONSIDER THIS STORY AND SEE WHICH YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER.
“YEARS AGO WE WERE IN A TIGHT SPOT FINANCIALLY, BUT GOD HELPED US GET THROUGH IT.”
OR
“ MARCH 13, 1994 WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM FINANCIALLY. WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW WE WERE GOING TO PAY THE OVERDUE ELECTRIC BILL. THEN A LETTER ARRIVED FROM AN OLD FRIEND ON MARCH 14. HE’D HEARD THAT I LOST MY JOB. HE ENCLOSED A CHEQUE FOR $150.00, $2.00 MORE THAN THE ELECTRIC BILL
THE MORE POWERFULLY YOU COMMEMORATE YOUR GOD MOMENTS, THE MORE POWERFUL THEY WILL BE IN STRENGTHENING YOU FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT IS OUR MOST TANGIBLE TIME OF COMMEMORATION. WHAT WE ARE CELEBRATING TODAY. LOOK AT THE TABLE AND DOES IT NOT BEAR THE POSSIBILITY OF A SGINFICANT GOD MOMENT. DO WE NOT RELIVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION? IS IT NOT SOMETHING THAT WE REPEAT? DOES IT NOT HAVE DETAIL?
GOD WANTS US TO CELEBRATE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND THAT’S WHAT THE LORD’S SUPPER IS ALL ABOUT. IT’S ABOUT HIS LOVE THAT SENT HIM TO THE CROSS. THAT IS WHAT WE CELEBRATE. IN HIS BLOOD AND STRIPES THAT DAY, WE SHOULD SEE HIS LOVE.
POINT THREE: THE COMMUNICATION KEYSTONE
PEOPLE REMEMBER:
10 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY READ
20 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY HEAR
30 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY SEE
50 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY SEE AND HEAR
70 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY SAY
90 PER CENT OF WHAT THEY SAY AS THEY DO A RELATED ACTIVITY.
LOOK AT THIS ASPECT OF THE PASSOVER.
EXODUS 12:26-27:
And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron.
THERE IS SOMETHING POWERFUL ABOUT THE SPOKEN WORD. PAUL SAYS THIS ABOUT THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING
1 CORINTHIANS 1:21: For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
THE VARIOUS THINGS WE DO PROVIDE NATURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVANGELISM. SUPPOSE A PERSON WAKLKED IN HERE WHO DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CHURCH. AFTER THE SERVICE THEY ASK WHAT THE BREAD AND GRAPE JUICE WAS ABOUT. THAT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SALVATION.
GOD MOMENTS ARE NOT SPECIAL MOMENTS TO BE LOCKED AWAY IN THE HEARTS OF THE SPIRITUALLY ELITE. THEY ARE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OF GOD’S GOODNESS FOR ANYONE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR.
COMMUNICATING GOD MOMENTS SEALS THEM UPON YOUR MEMORY, BUILDS YOUR FAITH FOR THE FUTURE, AND HONORS GOD AMONG THOSE WHO HEAR YOU. THE DISCOVERY OF YOUR GOD MOMENTS IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR WITNESS.
A REAL TESTIMONY IS BUILT UPON A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT IS NOT A RECITATION OF SPIRITUAL TRUTHS OR GIVING A LIST OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. A REAL TESTIMONY IS NOT A RECITATION OF YOUR WEEKLY ACTIVITIES. A REAL TESTIMONY IS ABOUT HOW YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED BY YOUR INTERACTION WITH GOD IN REAL HISTORY.
WE NEED TO TELL OTHERS HOW WE HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY IMPACTED, CHANGED, AND TOUCHED BY GOD. AN EFFECTIVE TESTIMONY ALWAYS BUILDS UPON A REAL RELATIONSHIP.
CONCLUSION:
WHAT IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? SURPRISINGLY FOR THE CHRISTIAN WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO SAY THE SAME THING. “I’VE REALLY SEEN GOD AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE”
ILLUSTRATE HOW GOD WAS AT WORK IN HIS FATHER’S LIFE AND IN BENNETT’S WHEN HE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
THIS COMMUNION TABLE COULD BE A GOD MOMENT FOR YOU TODAY. PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOT BEEN LIVING AS YOU SHOULD AND GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU. PERHAPS YOU HAVN’T GOT THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HE’S CALLING YOU?
PERHAPS YOU HAVE DECIDED NOT TO ROB GOD OF THE GLORY FOR THE WAY HE’S BEEN MINISTERING IN YOUR LIFE. YOU CAN CHANGE THAT AS WE COME TO THE TABLE AND LET THE TABLE BE YOUR CONNECTION, COMMEMORATION, CELEBRATION, AND COMMUNICAGTION WHAT GOD MEANS TO YOU.
