The Ordinary.
Exodus 3:1-5NIV
Moses had a pretty, ordinary occupation, tending sheep. Most of us have ordinary lives.
Can you imagine a more routine existence? Moses must have felt like he had been put out to pasture. He once dreamed of delivering the people of Israel out of captivity. He had the means and opportunity to bring forth change living in Pharaohs palace. However, that dream died when Moses killed an Egyptian Task Master and fled the country as a fugitive.
“God knows how to resurrect dead dreams.” PH
Moses spent the next 40 years on the backside of the desert shearing sheep. “And I have a feeling that Moses got up this particular morning, put on his sandals and picked up his staff and figured it would be an ordinary day just like the day before… And the day before the day before… And the day before that.”
Therefore, this takes us to:
Exodus 3:1-5NIV Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 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.”
What mountain is this? Mount Horeb, also called Mount Sinai, and called the Mountain of God, is where God appeared a number of times. (Back to that later).
Have you ever experienced an Epiphany, a moment when God unexpectedly and unforgettably, invaded the monotony of your life? “I’ve had several.- life changing.”
Exodus 3, Moses going up the mountain of God on the backside of the desert. This became a pivotal moment and place for Moses. God showed up.
Therefore an ordinary place, a bush on the backside of the desert, became holy ground.
God loves to anoint the common.
That seems to be the way the Holy Spirit works, doesn’t it? He loves to show up and surprise.
Paul writes in, 1 Corinthians 2:2-4NIV For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
Jewish scholars used to debate why God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. A thunderclap or lightning-bolt would have been more impressive.
And why scale Mount Horeb on the far side of the desert? These scholars concluded that God appeared to Moses in a burning bush to show that no place is devoid of God’s presence, not even a bush on the backside of the desert.
This became Moses’ personal altar. Have you ever wondered why we quit building altars?
We need altars that renew our faith by reminding us of the faithfulness of God. We need to go back to those sacred places to repent of our sin, and renew our covenant with God. Also we should celebrate what God has done.
Once again, have you ever noticed how often people in the Old Testament built altars?
It got me to thinking, I wonder if Peter ever rowed out to that spot on the sea of Galilee, where he walked on water? Did Zacchaeus ever take his grandchildren back to climb the sycamore tree, where he caught the first glimpse of Jesus? Did Lazarus ever revisit the tomb where he was buried for four days? Did Paul ever ride out to the mile marker on the road to Damascus where God knocked him off his high horse? Did Abraham ever take Isaac back to Mount Moriah, where God provided a ram in the Thicket?
And I wonder if Moses ever returned to the burning bush, took off his sandals, and thanked God for interrupting the 40 year routine of his life by giving him a second chance to make a difference.
The answer to that is, yes he did. This altar led Moses up!
Mark 9:2NIV After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
Notice when Jesus led Peter James and John up the Mount of Transfiguration? We don’t give the elevation issue a second thought, right?
But scripture states that this was a high mountain. This wasn’t a bunny hill. So what? Well, here’s what I know about mountains, the higher they are the harder they are to climb.
Can you imagine Peter, James, and John trying to keep up with Jesus to reach the top, and when they finally get to the top of that mountain, they were exhausted from the climb, but if you ever scaled a mountain peak you know that the view from the top is worth every ounce of energy you expended to get there.
What Peter, James, and John experienced on that high Mountain, forever changed the way they saw Jesus.
Mark 9:7-8NIV Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
One thing I have learned is, it’s not how you start a race, it’s how you finish. I ran in a midnight 10K run in Anderson SC. I started well, in-fact for a few minutes I was up in the pack. However I didn’t factor in 100% humidity. About halfway in the race sweat filled my shoes and they began to squeak. It slowed me down and made me miserable. I finished but didn’t place. P.H
Again, “It’s not how you start a race. It’s how you finish it.”
In Genesis 12, through 22, you will read time and time again everywhere Abraham traveled he built altars and worshipped. Even the highlight- Genesis 22, As Abraham built an altar on Mount Moriah to fasten his only son, Isaac to the altar as a sacrifice.
God said, “Abraham, I remember the altars you’ve built to worship Me in the past and I see this sacrifice of your only son. Look to the right, see the ram caught in the thicket.”
I believe this with my whole heart. When we live to give God a sacrifice of praise, in-return, He will give us a sacrifice of praise.
Romans 12:1TPT “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship.”
4 things Altars do:
1. Altars keep us humble.
Altars produce submission, one who willingly bows to God there is no limit.
Altars point that there is a God! Results occur at the altar.
2. Altars produce fire. Fire burns away the dross.
Job 23:10AMP “But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].”
Therefore I proclaim, “Fire of God shine forth in you.”
These altars of fire help you proclaim along with Peter, Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” Altars make you fearless!
Testimony- My life was changed at the altars of God. I was saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and received the call to ministry! I love the altars of God!
Mark 10:46-52NIV Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Again, Jesus stopped in His tracks as He heard His name called. -God loves to anoint the common.
3. Altars produce spiritual disciplines.
When trouble arises the altar is available, when victories and celebration come, the altar of God is available. The altar of God is favored for every occasion.
“Some of you might want to consider building an altar. P.H
4. An Altar becomes your God spot.
Why did God tell Moses to takeoff his sandals? I think it was God’s way of saying, “Be still, and know that I am God, Psalm 46:10.”
Altars are where you meet God. Altars are sacred and personal.
5. An Altar get sweeter with time.
Altars produce, “Remember when moments.” Altars build legacy’s. Altars change lives.
When Moses traveled up the mountain of God, to Mount Sini, this would become the same Altar that Moses would travel upward and he would receive the 10 commandments!
Remember, God anoints the ordinary.
For Moses, Mount Sini became his God spot. His place of refuge.
Benediction. Once more, God loves to anoint the common. Give Him your common, surrender your times into His hands.
