The Challenge Of God's Call-5 Series

The CHALLENGE OF GOD's CALL-V—Exodus 3:1-22

Assistance/Availability/Discovering/Significance

Attention:

Whenever we travel to NC(where our kids live) I absolutely hate taking the interstate.

But because of that, we have to use the mapping programs on our mobile phones—& not really having ‘the big picture’ ahead of time, we are prone to take wrong turns or trust our ‘instincts’ rather than the mapping program.

I can remember one place in GA which is above Cochran...We were on GA 112 heading north—we had crossed I-10 & US 441—& the mapping program told us we were supposed to turn off to the right onto Long Branch Rd. We were in the ‘boonies’ & suddenly came upon Long Branch Rd. which bore off to the right on the outside of a curve among some trees so we passed it without realizing it until it was too late. We wrangled over whether we should turn around because to me, Long Branch looked like a cattle trail compared to 112...no traffic light or noticeable intersection, so we passed it. I thought, that can’t be the way. Well, we kept driving & trying to get our bearings, finally picking up a decent Verizon signal & discovered that taking Long Branch Rd. would have shaved somewhere around 15-20 miles off of our trek!

I faced the Challenge of listening to myself versus the truth!

All Christians deal with the realization that God’s Call presents a Challenge to our flesh! If we heed His call, then God can work in our lives. But if we trust ourselves rather than God, He is not working in our lives.

Exodus records the significance of God’s call to Moses.

Answering God’s call presents a significant challenge.

To What does God’s call present a challenge?

16 challenges of/to God’s call.

We have found earlier that,

God’s call presents a challenge to...

1. Our OCCUPATION(:1)

2. Our OBSERVATION(:2-3)

3. Our AVAILABILITY(:4)

4. Our APPROACH(:5)

5. Our AWE(:6)

6. Our COMPASSION(:7-9)

7—God’s call presents a challenge to...

Our INABILITY(:10-11)

Explanation:(:10-11)

:10—“Come now, therefore, & I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.””

Moses is God’s solution to Israel’s need for deliverance.

Moses is told that he is being sent to the most powerful man/king/“Pharaoh” of all “Egypt”(~ the time of the Shang Dynasty in China) It will be Moses’ task to rescue(“bring out”) God’s “people” from “Egypt.” Such a charge, even though intimated by God Himself, is a daunting & fear inducing burden for Moses(:11).

God calls His servant after having offered them enough evidence to bring conviction to the one He calls.

“Come”(See :11, 16, 21—“Go”)—Kly yaw-lak’—Qal Imperative—1) To go, walk, come. Strong—a primitive root; To walk (literally or figuratively); causatively--To carry(in various senses).

“Now”—hte at-taw’—Adverb—1) Now. Strong—from te ayth;[Time, especially(adverb with preposition)--Now, when, etc.] At this time(whether adverb, conjunction or expletive). Used 9X.

“Send”(See :20—“let...go”)—xlv shaw-lakh’—Qal Imperfect—1) To send, send away, let go, stretch out. Strong—a primitive root; To send away, for, or out(in a great variety of applications).

“Pharaoh”(See :11)—herp Par`oh—Pharaoh = "great house”—1) The common title of the king of Egypt. Strong—of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings.

“Bring...out”(See :8—hle“Bring up”)—auy yaw-tsaw’—Hiphil Imperative—1) To go out, come out, exit, go forth—1b) (Hiphil)—1b1) To cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out, 1b2) To bring out of, 1b3) To lead out, 1b4) To deliver. Strong—a primitive root; To go(causatively--Bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally & figuratively, direct & proximal.

“People”(See :7)—Me `am—1) Nation, people—1a) People, nation, 1b) Persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men; 2) Kinsman, kindred. Strong—A people(as a congregated unit); specifically--A tribe(as those of Israel); hence collectively--Troops or attendants; figuratively--A flock. :11—“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, & that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” ”

Moses was a very unassuming man(Num. 12:3).

Num. 12:3—“(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)”

Moses sees himself as insufficient & unequal(low self-esteem) to the task— which he rightly is not. Unbeknownst to him, at this time(4:10-13), Moses is only able/equal to the task if God has declared it & only by God’s equipping & empowerment.

Moses has the correct approach to God in seeing himself as weak. Unfortunately Moses is on the verge of missing an opportunity to serve God rightly. Moses is tempted to make so much of his own weaknesses, so that he makes himself unable to be used of God. Such an attitude can actually be an outwardly inverted form of arrogance & means of control.

2Cor. 12:1-10—“It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions & revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- how he was caught up into Paradise & heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”