This is a song of Moses. The last forty year period of Moses’ life has been spent in the wilderness of Midian tending the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro. While in the wilderness Moses was a witness to the wonders of God in creation. He had been particularly fascinated by the relationship of the mother eagle to her young eaglets. In this he saw a mighty illustration of how God had been dealing with His people the nation of Israel. So you are think that is all fine and good but what does this have to do with me living in the twenty-first century. So the question is, can we find an application in this passage for us? Today we will not only find an application, but we will answer the question, “What God can do with you.”
I. As an eagle stirs up her nest.
A. Why would she resort to such a practice?
1. She has taken such time and care to build a nest in some high lofty place so her young would be safe.
2. She has lined it with feathers and fur to make sure the nest would keep her young warm and comfortable.
3. However, all of a sudden she begins to rip out that comfortable lining with her mighty talons.
4. Why would she resort to such a practice?
B. Because instinctively the mother eagle knows her young are not destined to remain in the nest.
1. They were not created for this purpose.
2. They were meant to soar into the heavens and to be the kings of the sky.
C. By stirring the nest the mother eagle is simply trying to produce within her young a discontent with the old life and desire to move out into the bigger and better world.
II. This also holds true with God.
A. The father of the great nation of Israel can be an example of this.
1. Abraham was doing very well down in Uhr of Chaldeas.
2. Abraham even by today’s standards was a very wealthy man.
3. He had a large family, nice home and very large flocks and herds.
4. Everything was going great until one day God decided to stir up his nest.
5. God told Abraham that I want you to go to this land that I will show and if you do I will bless you.
6. The faith chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11 tell us that by faith Abraham went into a land that He did not know.
B. These same types of events are duplicated in the life of Abraham’s great grandson Joseph.
1. Joseph was one of twelve sons and he was the favorite of the twelve as seen in the costly coat of many colors given to him by his father Jacob.
2. Little brother getting all the attention did not sit well with the other brothers so they began to plot to kill.
3. Rueben his older brother saved him and he was sold into slavery to a passing caravan for twenty pieces of silver.
4. A lesser man would have cursed God, but Joseph was one of those few who have the insight to see that God’s purpose can not be frustrated by adversity, calamity or catastrophe.
5. Sold to the house of Potipher, immediately he saw there was something special about this young man Joseph.
6. Joseph is made head over all Potipher’s possessions and he begins to feel comfortable until God stirs up his nest.
7. Pothipher’s wife begins setting her affections on Joseph and after a staged act Joseph finds himself in prison once again the future becomes dark.
8. Even in prison Joseph’s character shines through and he is made the head over all the prisoners.
9. While in prison he meets to of the king’s servants and they have been having dreams.
a. By the power of God Joseph interprets those dreams
b. One would be restored to Pharaoh’s favor and the other would be executed.
10. Joseph stays in prison another two seemingly a forgotten man until Pharaoh begins to have dreams that no one could interpret.
11. By the power of God Joseph interprets the dreams and Pharaoh makes him second in command over all of Egypt.
C. God’s people were made slaves, their cry went up before the Lord, “Where was the man of the hour?”
1. He had fled the land and was tending flocks in the land of Midian.
2. While Moses was watching the flocks he saw a very peculiar sight it was a bush on fire but it was not being burned up.
3. As Moses arrives to investigate he begins to hear voices and to make matters worse the voices were calling Him by name.
4. Finally Moses figures out it is the Lord calling to him from the bush and Moses gives Him his undivided attention.
5. Like most Christians when drafted into service, Moses begins to make excuses.
6. Finally Moses makes His way to Egypt and appears in front of Pharaoh and after 10 plagues Moses leaves the land with God’s people.
7. The story begins to heat up as the Israelites come to the Red Sea and look to see Pharaoh’s army coming up the rear.
8. A pillar of cloud by day and pillar fire by night lead the Israelites toward the Promised Land.
9. They witness Moses receiving the law from God’s hand but do they worship God? Instead they build a golden calf and worship it.
10. Finally after forty years of wondering in the wilderness as a result of their disobedience they make it to the Promised Land.
11. Once again we see that God’s purpose can not be frustrated by adversity, calamity or catastrophe.
III. Now arrive at a time for transition.
A. Some 1400 years later on the Day of Pentecost.
1. The Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples.
2. The Gospel message is preached for the first time.
3. More than 3,000 souls respond to the first invitation.
4. The Church is set into motion and everyone is feeling comfortable in Jerusalem until God stirs up their nest.
5. Persecution comes upon the church and the believers are scattered.
6. Does that stop the Church?
B. Some 2,000 years later, what about the church of today?
1. It seems as though we have more excuses why we can’t serve then reasons why we should.
2. We live with all types of excuses until many times God stirs up our nest.
3. It is said that we often get our best view of God when we are lying flat on our back.
IV. Let’s return to take one more look at the mother eagle.
A. The mother eagle flutters above her young and squawks to get their attention and so with God.
1. The mother eagle wants her young to look up and see her so she can teach them.
2. God wants us to be able to shut out the distractions and to give Him our undivided attention.
3. The biggest need of the church of the twenty-first century is to change our angle of vision and look up to see God.
4. When God gets our undivided attention things will begin to change drastically.
B. The mother eagle then spreads her wings out to their fullest.
1. For the first time in their young lives they discover how big and majestic their mother really is.
2. What about God when He has His wings spread?
3. Do we realize how majestic and powerful our heavenly Father really is?
4. God is still as powerful as He was when he created the universe.
5. Right now is the time for all the foot draggers, all the pessimists all those walking by sight to start walking by faith so the church can soar like God has intended it to.
C. The eagle then snatches her young from the nest and flies up and drops them.
1. Right at the last moment she swoops down and picks them and flies up and does it again.
2. By doing this she is simply trying to teach her young how to fly.
3. God works with us the same way?
4. God simply wants to teach us to be able to fly through the storms of life.
It was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
Hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three",
But, No,
From the room far back a grey haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its’ bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don’t understand."
"What changed its’ worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
All battered with bourbon and gin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master’s Hand.
