Finding God in the wilderness
Exodus chapter 3
Introduction-
Last week as I came to this pulpit, there was a medical emergency and Norma almost lost her life. She was one step from CPR and I believe is a miracle to be here this morning. The lesson of last week service was God still does miracles and God still cares what is going on in our lives. Even when we feel like we are in the wilderness and things are overwhelming.
This morning if you would turn to Exodus chapter 3, we are going to look at Moses encounter with God.
Moses was doing his own thing, living life as best he could and God shows up and it becomes a God thing.
Anyone here this morning come expecting a God thing?
Anyone here want to experience God fresh and new?
As we get closer to the cross- reflecting and looking to the cross, we will see that we have to follow Jesus to the cross.
We cannot experience the cross of Christ from a distance.
Because it is a journey, we are blessed as we come to the cross and we are blessed as we reach out and experience the cross.
You determine, wither you want to see it from a distance or experience it. Most will keep their distance but some will be blessed and experience it.
Most people are in a rut, and what I mean by that is they live day to day fighting to get out of life trials, few live in the moment of experiencing God and the ones that do are accused of being holy rollers, fanatics, out of touch, or even hypocrites because when they see things displeasing to God, they actually bring them into the light of God and want to make a change.
One person has said that a rut is a grave with the dirt kicked out of it- Most live there their whole lives- Some want more!
Moses life was not easy
Born a Hebrew child and raised as an Egyptian prince.
Floated down a river at birth and didn’t even realize the sacrifice made for his life until he was older.
As a young adult fought for the life of a Hebrew, and became on the run of the Egyptians and not trusted by the Hebrews.
That’s the quick version- most of us have a story to tell and a story to share with those we encounter everyday.
We pick up his life as a sheep herder for his father-in-law Jethro
We all want that Aha moment when it comes to God- Am I right?
We want to experience God and we want to know that what we experience is truly him.
Turn to Exodus chapter 3:1-12
Gods plan was to punish Egypt, deliver the Israelites, and bring His people to the Promised land.
God punishes sin, wants to deliver his people and bring them to their eternal home of heaven.
Great leaders of God’s people are often those who have lived out life experiences and then serve God though them. Repeat
Great leaders for God are often those that want justice and righteousness in the world and God uses their passion to do it.
God, (Yahweh) initiates the special relationship with Moses.
Moses was commissioned to lead God’s people from the wilderness of sin and the mountain of God. (He was on the back side of the dessert)
He is minding his business and the angel of the Lord gets his attention. (Bush burning)
Moses goes to investigate- (see why it does not burn up) God gets his attention.
God speaks to him from the bush (Initiates the relationship)
God calls him by name- Moses, Moses- twice to get his attention (Urgency)
Here I am- (Response) readiness to answer the person that called.
Yahweh sets a boundary- do not come any closer-
God’s holiness- Do not come any closer- This is holy ground.
Moses dare not move closer because even the ground is now holy
Take off your sandals- humility, submission, respect.
God identifies himself- God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The same God who his ancestors worshipped.
Moses recognizes who he is talking to and hides his face because he knows death comes to those who see the face of holy God.
The commission of Moses 7-10
I see the Egyptians oppression on Israel
I see and hear the cry of the people of Israel
I am sending you to bring my people out of Egypt.
Everything was good until God says Moses you are the person to bring these people out of oppression and you are the one to step up to the plate and make a difference.
Moses raises two objectives-
Inadequacy of being a leader
Authenticity of an encounter with God
The same excuses people use today why they cannot do what God has asked them to do-
On the run like Moses was.
Running like Jonah from Nineveh because He did not really want to see the people of Nineveh saved because he had a thing against them.
All of us as believers find ourselves with a burning bush experience as we serve God because each and every one of us has a purpose in the kingdom of God… now and for eternity.
Oh it may not be a dramatic as a literal burning bush but we have these encounters with God where we cannot deny that God has spoken a word to us and we need to respond.
For me, the first one was 14 years old laughing at Billy Graham on television as I watched and waited for a baseball game to come on. I went from laughing at him to experiencing the love of God and a calling that I was to give my life to him.
I did not know all that that meant but I knew it was real and I had to respond.
I ran from it many years as I fought God and what I was to do.
I made some bad decisions and I believe it cost me from achieving all that God wanted from me.
The next time was in my living room in Corpus Christi Texas in 1983 as I served God and was beginning my course of study and I experienced God again like never before and He sanctified my heart and cleansed me from the desire to blatantly sin against him and felt the Holy Spirit of God change my life forever.
I would never be the same again.
Once you have an encounter with God, you will never be the same-
We don’t talk enough about sanctification in the church- where God changes us from who we were to who He wants us to be and we can live that life everyday- here while we are on this earth that gives God glory in our lives.
Make disciples is not only referring to converts- (each one of us) talking to others about Christ and his salvation, but also about followers of Christ following! Amen!
Believing without following is not following- it is a religion that talks about a religious figure but no transformation.
We are teaching a religion sometimes that says come and be safe and secure rather than a faith that says follow and be like me.
Salvation is a starting point toward sanctification not justification and an end.
Perhaps we have made it too easy to just come to church- to be entertained and go home.
God called Moses to a task that was humanly impossible, but God promises to be with Him.
God does not call all of us to be pastors, up front leaders of organizations, he calls us to be who he has called us to be.
I am not called to be you and you are not called to be me- We are called to be ourselves and do what He has called us to do.
Moses gave excuses and we use them today- God, you don’t understand, I am not qualified to do that!
They won’t believe me
They won’t listen to me
I’m not a good speaker
There are a lot of better people than me
40 years Moses was in the dessert, 80 years old sheep herding for his Father-in-law. (Talk about a bad retirement plan) He expected that day to be no different than any other day.
Normal just became abnormal.
Ordinary just became extra-ordinary.
Usual became unusual.
WHY! BECAUSE God showed up!
His attitude was to change.
His purpose was to change.
When God shows up- hallelujah, your life can changed!
He went from a shy backward shepherd to a man God would use to change a nation!
His life was never the same because
Hearing God (Sensitive)
Responding to God (obedient)
Fulfilling our purpose
Close,
Moses was on the backside of the dessert. It is where life and journey has taken him. Some his fault and some just because life is life. He thinks this day is normal- if normal is being broken, running from God and your country is normal. Today may be normal for you too.
The great thing about God is God uses broken things and fixes broken things.
Fact is, if you are not broken, God will probably have to break you in some areas of your life so you can be used of Him.
Less of self and more of God.
Think about this a moment-
Some of us have had a burning bush moment in our lives- we cannot out run God and He has said to us what he has said to us. We need to respond. Some need to stop running and be sensitive to what He is saying this morning.
For some, you say that you have never had a burning bush moment- I would ask you, have you allowed God to speak to you? Have you taken the time to get into God’s word and let his written word speak to you?
If you have never responded to salvation, now would be good time because we are never promised tomorrow.
you will not hear the voice of God regarding your life and purpose until He gets your heart
Be sensitive this morning, I believe that the Lord is speaking to each one of us this morning.
Moses discovered and each one of us needs to discover that he desires to have an intimate relationship with each of us.
He desires to speak to each one of us. God will use and He desires to use each one of us for his honor and glory.
Psalm 51 is the Psalm where Nathan comes to David with the sins he has committed and he has a change of heart
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(10) “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take the Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
(17) “My sacrifice, O God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God will not despise.”
Moses first objection of the call and commission reveals the difficulty of the task- “Who am I” to be able to do these things-
Unworthiness
Unpreparedness
Inadequacy
Fear
If we only knew and understand who we are in Christ!
Impossible things are God’s specialty. That He says “I Will be with You”
God’s willingness and commitment to us as well as the call.
God will accomplish the mission and take care of us as we serve Him. We do not have to live on the backside of the dessert.
