The Staff
A Study of Exodus 4:1-5
An Introduction to the series
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH
I goggled “The purpose of the church.” There were only 22,600,000 results. Here is one I liked.
“It has been taught that the purpose of the church can be broken up into the three E’s—evangelization of the lost, exaltation of God and the edification of the believer. There needs to be a balance between these three areas. For example, if a church places all of its emphasis on evangelizing non-believers, then it will become a body of immature believers because there isn’t the edification of believers. Likewise, if a church focuses all of its energy on the worship of God, then it will become a shallow assembly and will be prey for false teachers. Finally, if a church places all of its emphasis on edification of the saints, it will quickly become a stagnant and lukewarm body, since new believers bring enthusiasm and life into the church.” Today is just an introduction to this series. Much of what we will study and learn over the next weeks will be from Ephesians.
Paul wrote the book of Ephesians to encourage the church and to define the purpose of the church. So during these next few weeks, I would encourage you to do a study of Ephesians during your daily Bible reading. We have only this Sunday and next Sunday before our planning meeting. We need to really pray and ask God to direct us so we will be on the path that He has chosen for our church. We need to fulfill the purpose that God has given White Stone Chapel. Eph. 4:12 gives a short message of the purpose of the church; “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” Our journey however will begin in the Old Testament.
Let’s read Ex. 4:1-5 together.
1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"
2 Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?"
"A staff," he replied.
3 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground. Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake and he ran from it.
4 Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
5 "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has appeared to you." Ex 4:1-5 (NIV)
Introduction
Exodus is a fascinating book. I read through Exodus a couple of months ago and I am always awed by the way God works. As you may know the chapters previous to our text, tell the Moses story of how he was saved from death, raised for the Pharos’s daughter by his own mother, grew up, killed an Egyptian in defense of a Jew and ended up running away. He was taken in by Jethro and married one of his daughters. He took care of Jethro’s flocks and I am sure had a comfortable life. But God had other plans for Moses.
Cue the burning bush. Moses had a choice when the bush was burning. He did not have to go and see the bush, although how many people can ignore a fire. I remember as a youth we would hear the siren wail off in the distance from the volunteer fire department and my mother would have us get in the car and we would search out the fire. Fire fascinates people. Even sometimes when I would be with the scouts or men’s group camping we would sit around that campfire and you would almost go into a trance looking into the fire. It could make you reflective on your life.
Adam Clark says: “Fire was, not only among the Hebrews but also among many other ancient nations, a very significant emblem of the Deity.” -A Commentary and Critical Notes.
Any way Moses had a one on one with God. We read in Ex 3:4-5 (NIV)
4 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."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
Imagine the moment. Here is this Egyptian trained Israelite having his first one on one with God.
I got chills during the writing of this message when I reflected on the statement, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
We have a problem in the church today. We have lost the concept of Holy Ground. I do not mean this building or anything like that. There are times when the ground is Holy around this Alter. It is Holy because we are present when God makes a special presence. The kitchen sink can become Holy Ground if you are standing there in prayer and the special manifestation of God appears and blesses you at that moment. I would admonish you to seek out times when you sense and feel God’s presence and you can experience the need to “take off your shoes”.
So before we get to The Staff, we have a life changing moment with God. Take just a moment right now and think of your burning bush experience with God. Would some one like to share it with me?
I believe every person that will be judged by God will have a burning bush moment with God. This includes the most backward uneducated heathen right up to our General Superintendents. God is faithful to all.
Let’s continue our story. Moses hears the words of God and a conversation ensues. Ultimately and reluctantly Moses agrees to do what God has asked him to do. And that brings us to today’s portion of scripture and my first point.
1) God calls each of us at some point in our lives.
1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?" Exodus 4:1
The tendency of our human make up when we become Christians is to fear what others think. The Life Application Bible notes put it this way:
“Moses’ reluctance and fear were caused by over anticipation. He was worried about how the people might respond to him. We often build up events in our minds and then panic over what might go wrong. God does not ask us to go where he has not provided the means to help. Go where he leads, trusting him to supply courage, confidence, and resources at the right moment.”
Where would we be today if men and women gave in to their fears? Through out the years it has be individuals who conquered their fears to do what no one before them has done, paving the way for others to follow. Think what it would take for you to pack everything you own into a wooden wagon and travel 3000 miles through lands that have no roads, where you have to ford Rivers, cut your way through forest, fight off not just the owners of the land, the Indians, but the evil men who would steal everything you owned and leave you for dead. Yet many did just that. We called them pioneers. And yes, many of them died but more survived.
Moses showed fear here, but let’s see how God deals with that fear.
While each of us are called at some point in out lives,
2) God uses us as he created us.
God will use what ever you have to bring about the work He has called you to do. Notice that God did not say “Here use this staff”, but rather "What is that in your hand?" He used what Moses already had in his hand. When God calls us he is perfectly able to use what he has already provided in us to do the work he calls us to do. Let me repeat that, “When God calls us he is perfectly able to use what he has already provided in us to do the work he calls us to do.” Remember, even though Moses had been trained in the Pharaoh’s court and probably had a great education, it was the shepherds staff that God choose to use in his hand. Something that Moses was familiar with and already had in his possession. A note here, don’t be surprised what God will do with your staff.
So understand this, while each of us are called, and God uses what we have to His service,
3) It is alright to be afraid, as long as you still grab the snake. Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake and he ran from it.
-Exodus 4:3b.
I personally hate snakes. I didn’t like the fake ones we had here for Vacation Bible School. I have always equated snakes with evil because it was a serpent that lured Adam and Eve away from their walk with God. But to equate evil with snakes is the same as saying because evil men flew a plane into the World Trade Center, Planes are evil.
The first time God showed Moses what he could do with his staff he ran. It takes time for us to understand the power God can give us when we are willing to obey his commands. I am not sure what I would do in that situation. As I have already said, I hate snakes, and I don’t even like to watch them on TV. The only person I know that hates snakes more than I do is my wife. So I don’t have to imagine what Moses felt when God told him to grab that snake by the tail, I can only think of those words of Bill Cosby when he imitated Noah. “Yeah, Riiiigggghhhhhttt.” However we need to take note that Moses was obedient. We know that there was fear when he saw the snake because he ran, but the text goes on to say: “So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.”
In spite of his fear he still obeyed God’s command.
This series is about the purpose of the church. Dr. Carr sent out a questionnaire to each of us in the district to fill out prior to the pastors and wives retreat, and even though I knew I could not go this year, I still wanted to fill it out. It was the question, “What is the purpose of the Church,” that I remember of them all. It is important for us to understand why we are here. (read what you wrote)
Far too often we go through life and never know why we exist. Mankind is unique. We have the ability to think abstractly. We can ask ourselves questions like, “Why do I exist.” Or we may ask a question, “why does He/she exist?” With that questioning nature, we must ask at times, “why does the Church Exist?”
It is not enough just to say “to glorify God.” While this is true, there is so much more to the question; “What is the purpose of the church?”
I have prepared a few questions that I will hand out to you. I have also prepared an e-mail that I will send out this afternoon with the same questions. I really am asking you to take some time and consider these questions. I have prayed over them and sought God’s leading over them. I would also ask that each of you work through them independent of your spouse. There is no right or wrong answer, but if we are going to fulfill the purpose of God in our individual lives, we also need to understand the purpose God has for our corporate spiritual lives. They are linked together.
Next week we will be looking at 1 Cor 3:10-15 (NIV) we will be focusing on verse 12-15.
12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)
11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
