Exodus 2 “15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.”
I want to share a story with all you… the story of my call to ministry. Before I turned 12, my home church – Magnolia UMC – received a new pastor. His name was Glen Kellam and only later did I realize he was an evangelical. We started to having altar calls and folks were getting saved. At the age of 12, I went to the altar, accepted Christ as my Savior, and repented of all the horrible sins of a 12 year old. (That’s a joke – I grew up on a farm in Nansemond County, VA – there’s only so much trouble I could get into!)
Then I went through some junk (no details this morning) and by the age of 15 I was well on my way to becoming an alcoholic and drug addict. Fast forward – 1985 – I got clean and sober. I leave CA and move back to Radford, VA to help with a production that I used to be in called “The Long Way Home Outdoor Historical Drama.” Someone mentioned a Christian book that I might enjoy so when I stopped at the store in town to buy my cigarettes (that’s another story – my miraculous deliverance from smoking) I asked the guy at the counter if they had Christian books. He directed me to the back of the store.
My eyes immediately locked onto a small book. While looking for the suggested title I kept coming back to the one I saw – “The Gift of Acabar” by Og Mandino. I bought it and went back to my apartment to read it. By the time I finished, I was in tears. I wondered how God could use all the parts of my life? There were good parts – early life in the church, debate team/public speaking, and many years teaching swimming lessons. So I cried out to God and He answered – “I want you to be a United Methodist minister.” It was perfect… it was too perfect. I remembered that I did not know any ministers who were recovered alcoholics or drug addicts. So within 10 minutes I convinced myself that God had made a mistake and I ran from my call for 2 more years.
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So let’s look at Moses. Tradition holds that Moses was 40 years old at this point and rest of his life is divided into thirds - leaves Egypt at age 40 - returns to Egypt at age 80 - dies just before entering the Promised Land at age 120. That’s tradition and not in God’s Word – just like most of the stuff in that little movie with Charlton Heston!
These events in Exodus 2 cause us to look backwards – into the book of Genesis – and forward – into Exodus and the events that will free Israel from bondage.
Back in Genesis
We read about Jacob, a person God names Israel – who is the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. He will become the father of 12 sons – the 12 tribes of Israel.
Jacob:
• Flees for his life – Genesis 27:41-46 – Just like Moses
• Meets future wife at a well – Genesis 29:1-10 – Just like Moses
(The servant of Abraham also finds a wife for Isaac at a well – “Jewish Mingle”)
• Meets his future father-in-law – Genesis 29:13-14 – Just like Moses
• Works as a shepherd – Genesis 30:29 – Just like Moses
• Returns to his people – Genesis chp. 31-33 – Just like Moses
So what can we gather from these two stories in the One Great Story? God uses flawed people to make a way for His people. Jacob cheats and lies to steal from his brother. Moses commits a murder. So God is going to use a murderer… are you ok with that? I have struggled to understand God using Jacob, but God can see beyond today – right now. God sees in flawed folks exactly what He needs to make a way – to accomplish His plans.
Forward in Exodus
• Moses leaving Egypt is like Israel leaving (like Christ – Matt. 2:19-21)
• Moses as a shepherd is preparing him to be the guide and protector of a people (like Christ – John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”)
• Even as he is rejected by his people in Egypt, Moses will be rejected by Israel (like Christ – Matt. 21:42)
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Exodus 2 “23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”
God is not surprised by the bondage of the Israelites – “their cries came up to God” – rather we discover that God hears us in our suffering, in our times of need.
In verse 24 – “God remembered” – does not mean that God forgot. That’s what we do! In Jeremiah 31:34 we read, “…their sin I will remember no more.”
One of the attributes of God is that He is All Knowing – Omniscient. So we understand that an all knowing God can’t forget. He chooses not to remember our forgiven sins. All those things from our past that have been covered by the blood of Jesus. WE CHOOSE TO REMEMBER! That’s how we stay in bondage to shame and regret. Why should we remember – like I did when I received my call to ministry?
In verse 24 – God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and that rascal, Jacob. I believe God remembered His covenant with me at the altar of Magnolia UMC some 45 years ago. Two years after my adult call in Radford, I was living back in Suffolk and teaching swimming lessons at the YMCA. After filling-in for a Water Aerobics class, I checked on the ladies in the hot tub. A Baptist minister’s wife said, “You have a real gift for teaching. Have you ever considered going into the ministry?” I had a pat answer to that question after years of running from my call, but I kept hearing her voice in my head all day. That night – I surrendered and stopped running. It would be a few years before I started serving churches, but I really understood that God can use this flawed guy to do a new thing.
Isaiah 43
16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
God’s way is always new – not what we conceive/imagine. So what might God be calling all of us flawed folks to do here at Swansonville UMC? I’m excited to find out!!!!!
TEACHING SHEET: (I usually do this half page and 2 sided)
(Date)
Sermon Series: Exodus
Exodus 2:15-17
“God Makes a Way”
Tradition holds that Moses was 40 years old at this point
Leaves Egypt Returns to Egypt Dies at Promised Land
Age 40 Age 80 Age 120
These are events in the life of Moses that cause us to look:
• Backwards – into the book of Genesis
• Forward – into the events that will free Israel from bondage
Back in Genesis
Jacob (person God names Israel)
• Flees for his life – Genesis 27:41-46
• Meets future wife at a well – Genesis 29:1-10
• Meets his future father-in-law – Genesis 29:13-14
• Works as a shepherd – Genesis 30:29
• Returns to his people – Genesis chp. 31-33
So what can we gather from these two stories in the One Great Story? God uses flawed people to make a way for His people. Jacob cheats and lies to steal from his brother. Moses commits a murder.
God sees in flawed folks exactly what He needs to make a way – to accomplish His plans.
Forward in Exodus
• Moses leaving Egypt is like Israel leaving (like Christ)
• Moses as a shepherd is preparing him to be the guide and protector of a people (like Christ)
• Even as he is rejected by his people in Egypt, Moses will be rejected by Israel (like Christ)
Exodus 2 “23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”
God hears us in our suffering, in our times of need
Isaiah 43
16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
God’s way is always new – not what we conceive/imagine
