Extraordinary Call
Series: ORDINARY PEOPLE EXTRAORDINARY GOD
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 2nd May 2021
Passage: Exodus 3:1-15
00:00:00 --> 00:00:08 I can't do it. I'm not the right person. I don't have the skills. Get someone else to do it.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:17 All of these thoughts ran through my head as Alyssa and I stood on the doorstep of Westmead
00:00:17 --> 00:00:23 Hospital when our son Isaac had been born and we were about to leave the hospital.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:29 How could we be responsible for this person? Did the people in the hospital realise that we had
00:00:29 --> 00:00:37 no idea what we were doing? Now we've figured out most parts of what it means to parent,
00:00:37 --> 00:00:45 at least parent small children, and we still have many left to learn. But in that moment,
00:00:46 --> 00:00:54 Alyssa and I had a moment where we were filled with, plagued with doubts and fears. We can fear
00:00:54 --> 00:00:59 failing because we're ill-equipped. We don't have the right knowledge. We can fear failing because
00:00:59 --> 00:01:05 we think we're just the wrong person for the task. Maybe I don't want to fail, so I'll just say I'm not
00:01:05 --> 00:01:11 the right person. Alyssa, I'm not the right person to change a nappy. I don't know how to do that.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:15 Unfortunately, she didn't let me get out of the one and I had to learn how to do that.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:23 But when somebody else asks for help, when somebody calls for help outside of our comfort zone,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:32 we can respond, I can't do that. I don't know how. I'm not the right person. And I wonder if we can do
00:01:32 --> 00:01:38 the same thing with God. God calls us to follow Jesus. He calls us into his family and he also
00:01:38 --> 00:01:45 calls us out. He sends us out to love and serve other people. But I wonder if we can hear that call
00:01:45 --> 00:01:54 of God and say, no. No, no, God, I'm not the right person to go out. I'm not equipped to share my faith.
00:01:55 --> 00:02:03 I can't help that person over there. God, send someone else. My friend needs help. They're grieving,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:08 but somebody else can comfort them with the gospel. That person over there, they're asking for help.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:16 God, can you send someone else to fix this problem? And the reality is, we are all faced with situations
00:02:16 --> 00:02:23 like this. Moses was in a similar position, which Nolene has just read for us. Last week,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:30 we started our series in the book of Exodus. And this book shows us that we are very ordinary,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:38 but we have an extraordinary God. And Moses, he'd fled out of Egypt out of fear of Pharaoh.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:46 And he's fleeing his own people as well. And he's living in a place called Midian. He's been there
00:02:46 --> 00:02:53 for around 40 years. He's gotten married, but he's still plagued by his past failure. He's lonely
00:02:53 --> 00:03:03 and lost. So much so that he names his son Gershon. Gershon means foreigner. This is how Moses is feeling.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:11 He's in a distant land. He's feeling like a foreigner. And into this context, God is going to call him.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:17 God's going to give him a new identity, not one based on being a prince in Egypt.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:27 But Moses, he's still plagued by his fear to follow God's call. And so as we have a look at chapters 3 and 4
00:03:27 --> 00:03:35 today, we're going to see how God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And how he calls
00:03:35 --> 00:03:43 and prepares and sends us out. So please, let's pray as we jump in. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I thank you
00:03:43 --> 00:03:53 that you, as I thank you every week, that you are a good and kind and loving God. God, help us to hear
00:03:53 --> 00:04:01 this morning about your love for us and about how you want to use us, Lord, because you are extraordinary.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:09 Amen. So today, we have three points. First of all, we're going to see an encounter with God.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:16 Then we're going to see Moses called out by God. And then what it actually means to follow God's call.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:21 An encounter with God, called out by God. And then what it actually means to follow, to follow that
00:04:21 --> 00:04:29 call of God. So Moses is tending a flock of sheep on a mountain called Horeb. Its other name is Sinai.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:39 And God appears in a burning bush. Now fire is something that we are all just instinctively
00:04:39 --> 00:04:43 drawn to. I don't know, there's just something marvelous about fire. Have you ever been camping
00:04:43 --> 00:04:50 and you just want to sit around that fire, even though it's going to make you stink with smoke?
00:04:50 --> 00:04:59 We're just instinctively drawn to fire. But also, we don't go and sit in the fire. We keep our
00:04:59 --> 00:05:06 distance from fire. It is attractive, but it's also dangerous. It gets Moses' attention.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:15 And perhaps God is using a fire itself to draw Moses to him, but also remind him that there is
00:05:15 --> 00:05:22 difference between God and man. Now Moses goes over thinking that this is a strange sight. This bush,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:27 it should have been burnt up by an hour. But that's not the only strange thing about this bush.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:35 The bush starts speaking. God calls to Moses through this bush. And God reveals who he is.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 Have a look, Exodus chapter 3, verse 5.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:45 Do not come any closer, God said. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:52 Then he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
00:05:52 --> 00:06:01 At this, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. God speaks to Moses. He reveals who he is.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:09 And this God is awesome, but also terrifying to behold. The space around the bush was holy because
00:06:09 --> 00:06:15 God was speaking. And so when Moses hears it, he falls flat on the ground. He hides his face
00:06:15 --> 00:06:27 because he is terrified. And there is a rightness to this response. God is not our mate. He is not our
00:06:27 --> 00:06:35 buddy. He is not our friend. He's not even the type of God who's a vending machine that we put our
00:06:35 --> 00:06:44 prayers into and we get the things that we want out of. If we met this God face to face, we would fall
00:06:44 --> 00:06:50 in our feet just like Moses does. And look at what this God says in verse 7. The Lord said,
00:06:50 --> 00:07:20 God says he knows what has been going on for his people. His people have been enslaved in Egypt,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:25 because there was a Pharaoh who feared them. God had blessed Israel. They had grown large
00:07:25 --> 00:07:33 and they'd been enslaved. And God says, I see your misery. I've heard your crying. I'm concerned
00:07:33 --> 00:07:43 about your suffering. And God has come down to deal with this situation. It is easy for us to take for
00:07:43 --> 00:07:51 granted God being among us when we forget how above us he is. It's easy to take for granted that God would
00:07:51 --> 00:07:59 come down when we forget how far he comes down and how awesome he is. He is so far above us. He is
00:07:59 --> 00:08:08 holy and perfect. Moses couldn't even stand before God speaking through a bush, let alone God himself.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:19 But this God who is different and holy and good and perfect and awesome, he also comes down. He is present.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:26 And the wonderful encouragement for Moses here is, I know your condition. I know the suffering you're going
00:08:26 --> 00:08:33 through. This is a God who does not remain separate. He knows our problems. He rolls up his sleeves and he's
00:08:33 --> 00:08:39 going to get involved. He has appeared to Moses in a bush to say, I'm with you. He's going to appear to
00:08:39 --> 00:08:45 Israel in a pillar of smoke and a pillar of fire to say, I am with you. I know you're suffering.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:53 And he ultimately appears as Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, who we get to encounter
00:08:53 --> 00:08:58 through the words of the Bible to meet. And we get to meet this God face to face.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:05 And so God says he will do something. This God is going to get involved. He's going to deal with
00:09:05 --> 00:09:12 this situation. Verse 10, so now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:18 out of Egypt. God is going to deal with this situation. He's encountered Moses so that Moses
00:09:18 --> 00:09:23 can be the one that God uses to deal with this situation.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:31 God is going to use Moses to bring them out of slavery. And I can imagine at this moment,
00:09:31 --> 00:09:38 Moses thinking, do you know what, God? I've tried that. I've tried to save Israel in the past.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:44 And look where it's gotten me. I'm in exile now in Midian. I've been here for about 40 years.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:51 What Moses had done was he saw an Israelite being abused and beaten by an Egyptian.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 And so Moses got involved and he killed the Egyptian.
00:09:56 --> 00:10:00 And so Moses looks at the situation and goes, I've tried to save Israel before.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:06 It didn't do so well. And so Moses has five different excuses for God.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:13 This is our second point today, God's call to Moses. But Moses has five different excuses.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:22 He says he's unfit. He says he lacks knowledge. He's not going to be effective. He can't speak.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:27 And do you know what? He just does not want to do it. Five different excuses of Moses.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 We didn't read all of these out. We're going to have a look at these now.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:35 But God answers these and his promises are wonderful.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 And so we're going to go through Moses' responses here.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 But I wonder, as we do this, have a think.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 Which of these responses would I give to God?
00:10:45 --> 00:10:50 If God spoke to me right now through a burning bush or spoke to me over coffee through someone at church
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 and said, hey, can you go and do this?
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 Can you go and love this person?
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 Can you go and speak the gospel to this person into their life?
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 Which of these five excuses do we default to?
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 How do we answer God's call?
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 Do we say, I'm not the right person?
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 I lack knowledge.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 You know, I don't have the words.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 Do you know, God, I could do that, but I'm not going to be effective.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 Or maybe, God, I just don't want to.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 As we go through this, have a think.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 Which of these do I default to?
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 We'll come back to that at the end.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 First of all, we're going to see Moses' fear of failure.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 As him being unfit.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 He just thinks he's unfit for the role.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 Verse 11.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 Moses said to God,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:45 Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 Who am I?
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 Now, the reality is,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 Moses is the perfect person for it.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:55 He was raised in the Egyptian court.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 He knows the Egyptian situation.
00:11:57 --> 00:12:02 He knows how to deal with them politically because he was raised in that situation.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 He's also an Israelite so he can speak for them.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 There is no one like Moses for this situation.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 And yet he says,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 Who am I, God?
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 Who am I?
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 He feels inadequate for the task.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 He's already tried to save Israel once before.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 He's had to flee Egypt.
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 And he's saying,
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 God, you've got the wrong person.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 And God responds,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 I love God's answers here.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 God's answers are just truly wonderful.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 And what he does,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 he actually doesn't answer the question,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 but also gives the best answer to the question.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 Moses asks,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 Who am I?
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 And God says in verse 12,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 I will be with you.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:48 Your identity is a former child of the Egyptian royal family.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 That's actually not important.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 Your identity as a lost son of Israel.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 That's not important.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 What is important is my identity.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 I am God.
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 And I am with you.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 Despite God's promise that he'll be with him,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 Moses is not convinced.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 He comes back to God with his second fear.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 Verse 13,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 effectively asks,
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 Well, who are you?
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 Verse 13,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them,
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 The God of your fathers has sent me to you.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 And they ask me,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 What is his name?
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 Then what do I tell them?
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 Moses' first question was about his own fear of his identity.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 Who am I to do this?
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 Now, in questioning God,
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 he says,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 Well, who are you, God?
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 Who am I to explain who you are?
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 I don't have knowledge of who you are
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 to explain that to the Israelite leaders.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:49 And God's response is one of the most studied parts of the Old Testament.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 God answers with his name.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 What is known as Yahweh.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 Verse 14,
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 God said to Moses,
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 I am who I am.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 That's the word Yahweh.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 This is what you are to say to the Israelites.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 I am has sent me to you.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:14 Now, this is a name that is meant to burst our definitions.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:19 When we meet people and introduce ourselves,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 we define ourselves by other things.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 So, you know,
00:14:22 --> 00:14:26 when I met, you know,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 Nick,
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 it's,
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 Hi, Nick.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 I'm James.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 I'm a father.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 I'm a husband.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 I'm a teacher,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 an accountant.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 We communicate who we are
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 by the things around us.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 We give ourselves titles
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 to help other people understand us.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 We define ourselves
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 by other things.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 But God does not do that.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 His argument actually circles back on itself.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:02 I am who I am.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 God is not defined by anything else.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 He doesn't need to say,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 you know,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 for me,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 I am Alyssa's husband.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 I explain who I am
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 by reference to somebody else.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 God doesn't do that.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 He says,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 I am who I am.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 God,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 he's not constrained by external factors.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 He doesn't depend upon other people.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 And that means that when he makes promises,
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 he can keep them.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 I am who I am
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 can also be translated as,
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 I will be who I will be.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 And so,
00:15:41 --> 00:15:45 in four out of five of Moses' questions and objections,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 God actually answers,
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 I will be with you.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:53 The God of the universe is with you.
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 But this God of the universe
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 has also made himself known
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 to a specific group of people.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 Verse 15,
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 Say to the Israelites,
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 the God of your fathers,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 the God of Abraham,
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 the God of Isaac,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 and the God of Jacob
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 has sent me to you.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 This God,
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 who's not defined by other people,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 has come to know and love
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 a particular people.
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 This is not a new God.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 This is the God of Israel.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:24 Moses had questioned who he was,
00:16:25 --> 00:16:28 and then he had questioned who God is,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 and now Moses asks,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 well,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 how are you going to be with me?
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 God has,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 and God sets out this wonderful plan.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 You're going to go and speak to the elders.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 They will listen.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 Pharaoh,
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 his heart will be hardened.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 He won't want to let you out of Egypt,
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 but I will work miracles through you,
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and you will go,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 and you will plunder Egypt.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 You will have obstacles,
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 but no matter how big they are,
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 you will get through them,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 not because of you,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 but because of me,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 because I am is with you.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 Moses has heard God's wonderful plan.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 He has heard about who this God is.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 He's heard these assurances from God,
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 but he still isn't willing to give up.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 He fears that he won't be effective.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 He has his third fear here,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 in chapter 4, verse 1.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:27 What if they don't believe me,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 or listen to me,
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 and say,
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 the Lord did not appear to you?
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 Moses still has a lot of issues
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 trusting in God,
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 and trusting in other people.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 But more seriously,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:42 he's just disagreed with God himself.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 God has said,
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 this is the plan,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 this is what's going to happen,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 and this is how it's going to work out.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 And Moses stands back and goes,
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 I just want to,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 God,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 I just want to clarify point 2.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 I don't think that one's going to work.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 Can you imagine Moses' audacity here
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 to do that to God?
00:18:00 --> 00:18:04 It appears that verbal assurances
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 are just not good enough.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 And so God gives him an immediate sign.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 God says,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 Moses,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 throw down your staff that you've got.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 Moses throws it down,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 and it turns into a snake.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 And Moses runs away
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 out of fear of a snake.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 God says,
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 go and pick the snake up by the tail,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 and he picks it up by the tail,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 and it turns back into a staff.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:28 God calls him to overcome his fear.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 And this shows that God is more powerful
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 than Moses' fear,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 but it also validates his authority.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 You are sent by God,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 you have my authority.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 God tells Moses to put his hand into his cloak,
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 and it comes out covered in leprosy.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 It goes back in,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 and comes out clean,
00:18:49 --> 00:18:52 because this God is in control
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 of life and death and disease.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 God promises Moses,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 Moses,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 take water out of the Nile
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 and pour it out,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 and it will turn into blood
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 because this God is in control
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 of the Nile,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 which gave life to the people of Egypt.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 These three signs
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 were to give confidence to Moses
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 that God is in control,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 and that God was with him.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 His name himself,
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 I am,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 is with you.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 But somehow,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 Moses has a fourth excuse.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 If you're not getting frustrated
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 with Moses at this point,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:30 you are far more patient than I am.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 I'm getting quite frustrated
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 with Moses here.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 His fear comes up.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 His fear is that he just,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 I don't have the right gifting.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 I can't do this
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 because I don't have the right gifting.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 Chapter 4, verse 10.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 Moses said to the Lord,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 pardon your servant, Lord.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 I have never been eloquent,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 neither in the past
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 nor since you have spoken
00:19:55 --> 00:19:55 to your servant.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 I am slow of speech and tongue.
00:19:58 --> 00:20:01 I don't have the gifting of words.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 So somehow he has the ability
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 to speak to a burning bush,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 and that's been fine,
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 but he can't go and speak to Pharaoh.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 He's seen a staff turn into a snake
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 and pick that up.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 He's turned his hand leprous and back,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 and yet he says,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 God,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 I don't have the gift to do this.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 And God reminds him
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 that God is the one
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 who made mouths
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 and speech.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 Verse 12,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 now go,
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 I will help you speak.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 I will teach you what to say.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 Again,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 God is promising
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 based on who he is,
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 I am with you.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 Moses' fifth
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 and last excuse.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 Verse 13,
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 send someone else.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 He's just unwilling.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 I just don't want to do this, God.
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 God appears to have a tone of irritation,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 if not rebuke,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 in verse 14.
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 Then the Lord's anger
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 burned against Moses,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 and he said,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 what about your brother,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 Aaron the Levite?
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 Verse 15,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 you shall speak to him
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 and put words in his mouth.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 I will help both of you speak
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 and will teach you what to do.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 God is going to use Moses to speak.
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 Moses is going to be the one who speaks,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 but Moses is going to speak to Aaron
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 and then Aaron will speak.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 And God's anger here,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 it's tinged with mercy.
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 He doesn't get rid of him.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 He doesn't use someone else,
00:21:33 --> 00:21:36 but he appoints a spokesperson for Moses.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:41 Moses could not shrink away from God any longer.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 Someone else was going to do the talking,
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 but Moses was going to be the one
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 leading Israel out of Egypt.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 God has defeated every single one
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 of Moses' excuses.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:56 Moses has been plagued by fear,
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 and that's influenced his desire
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 not to return to Egypt.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 And really,
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 this example of Moses
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 just highlights
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 how unimpressive people are
00:22:07 --> 00:22:11 and how God chooses to use them anyway.
00:22:11 --> 00:22:14 It's really wonderful here
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 because God doesn't encourage Moses
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 with nice words or platitudes.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 God doesn't say to Moses,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 everything will be fine.
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 You can do this.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 Moses, actually,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 you're a great speaker.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 You've just got to start doing it.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 You're going to be great.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 You're going to go there,
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 and you're actually going to be really convincing.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 Pharaoh's going to hear you,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 and it's going to be awesome.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 You can do this, Moses.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 I believe in you.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 God doesn't do that at all.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:45 God doesn't try and puff him up at all.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 This is not an issue of Moses
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 having more self-esteem.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 This is an issue of Moses
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 having more God-esteem.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:57 As Moses lists his list of excuses,
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 I imagine the burning bush just nodding.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 Yeah.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 Yeah, no, you are not gifted.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 Yeah, you do really suck.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 You are quite unimpressive.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 No, that's right, Moses.
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 You can't actually do this.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 But none of this depends on Moses.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 God's answers all the way through are,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 I am with you.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 This is all about God and not Moses.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 The joy of our God
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 is that when he calls us to follow him
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 and sends us out,
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33 he doesn't leave us on our own.
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 God answers every single one
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 of Moses' questions
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 with power and strength
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 that is from God.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:43 When God calls someone
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 like a prophet or Moses here
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 in this situation or us,
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 he gives us our resources
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 to do what we've been called to do.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 And God is with us.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:59 God uses unimpressive people
00:23:59 --> 00:24:01 to do impressive things
00:24:01 --> 00:24:04 because we are ordinary people
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 with an extraordinary God.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 This is how God calls people.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:12 He calls us to the same thing.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 He calls us to follow and serve him.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17 He doesn't bring people into him
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 without also sending them out
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 with love and compassion
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 and the words of the gospel.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:27 And he equips us
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 and resources us
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 to be on about his ministry.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 And most importantly,
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 he is with us.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 So what does it look like
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 to follow God's call?
00:24:38 --> 00:24:41 When Jesus is about to ascend to heaven
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 after the resurrection,
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 he says in Matthew 28,
00:24:44 --> 00:25:11 Jesus sends his disciples out,
00:25:11 --> 00:25:14 just like God sent Moses out,
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 go out against the authorities
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 of the land
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 because Jesus has all authority.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 Jesus calls the disciples to go
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 and promises,
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 I am with you.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:31 This is Jesus using God's name.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 It's a direct reference
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 to Exodus 3.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 God said,
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 this is who I am.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 This is the name of God.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 And Jesus said,
00:25:38 --> 00:25:41 I am with you.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 You can go up against rulers
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 and nations.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 You can go up against
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 the Jewish church disciples.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 You will be persecuted.
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 You will share the good news
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 that I am alive
00:25:51 --> 00:25:54 all because Jesus was with them.
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 Not only was he with them,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:59 he also gives them what they need.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 They're given the Holy Spirit
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 so that they don't go out empty
00:26:03 --> 00:26:06 and they don't have to go out
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 with fear like Moses was.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:10 Jesus said in Luke 12
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 that when they're confronted
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 with authorities,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 don't worry how to respond.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 Don't worry about what you have to say.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:19 The Holy Spirit will give you
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 the words to say
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21 at the moment when you need them.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 Moses was given a staff.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 We have been given the Holy Spirit
00:26:27 --> 00:26:30 equipping us
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 and enabling us to serve God.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:35 He gives us the courage to speak
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 and he gives us the words.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 And yet,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41 despite God's call to us,
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 resourcing us through the power
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 of the Holy Spirit
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 and promises from Jesus
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 that he is still with us,
00:26:47 --> 00:26:50 we can be like Moses.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 Out of our fear,
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 we can say,
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 I can't do that.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 I'm not the right person.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 And our fear of the situation
00:27:01 --> 00:27:03 can be larger than our fear of God.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 Our concern,
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 as Kel said for us before,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 our concern will be,
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 oh,
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 what happens when I speak
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 these words about Jesus?
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 What happens when I just
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 drop that into a sentence?
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19 How are they going to respond?
00:27:20 --> 00:27:22 These problems we face
00:27:22 --> 00:27:24 are larger than our God
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 in our eyes too often.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:30 I asked you earlier
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 how you'd think you'd respond
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33 if you were in Moses' shoes.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 Which one of those
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 do you think you'd default to?
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 Do you think you would
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 just say,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 oh,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 I can't do this,
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 I'm not the right person,
00:27:45 --> 00:27:47 I don't have the knowledge?
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 Maybe,
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 maybe you don't.
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 And so,
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 do you know what,
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 as Kel has encouraged us,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 we need to have information,
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 and we need to have tactics.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 And so,
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 come along to the
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 How to Share Your Faith course
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 starting in a couple of weeks.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 Because,
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 we will have those then.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 God has worked salvation
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 through Jesus,
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 and when we are saved,
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 we are called
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 to go out
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 to serve Him.
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 We're called to
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 serve each other with love,
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 to serve the world.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 And God wonderfully
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 gives us all
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 different gifts.
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25 calls some of us
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 to preach
00:28:25 --> 00:28:27 on the stage
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 like this,
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 and He calls some of us
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 to preach
00:28:30 --> 00:28:32 over coffee,
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 over the fence,
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 to our neighbours.
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 Some
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 to go out
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 to other nations
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 to love
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 and serve people,
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 and some to go
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 across the road
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 to serve
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 and love
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 other people.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 He calls
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 all of us
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 to give
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 out of compassion.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 He calls
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 some of us
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 to evangelise
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 with a capital E,
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 to congregations
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 of 10
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 in stadiums
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 like
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 has happened
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 years ago.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 But He calls
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 us all
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 to evangelise.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 And so,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 a question is,
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 well,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 how do I know
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 what God
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 has called me to?
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 I don't want
00:29:11 --> 00:29:13 to do the wrong thing.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 You know,
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 it was easy for Moses.
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 He had God speak
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 directly to him
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 through a burning bush.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 Where's my burning bush?
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 God,
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 I want to know
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 what you want me to do.
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 Tell me what to do.
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 We all have a desire
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 to be purposeful
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 and to make a difference.
00:29:29 --> 00:29:31 Let me encourage you,
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 start where you are.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 God has placed you
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 where you are
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 for a reason.
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 He wants you there
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 and you can make
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 a difference for God
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 where you are.
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 So begin where you are.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 If you are a parent,
00:29:45 --> 00:29:47 disciple your kids.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 Imagine the impact
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 you can have
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 through your kids
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 and your kids'
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 friendship group,
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 let alone
00:29:54 --> 00:29:56 your kids'
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 friends'
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 parents.
00:29:58 --> 00:30:00 If you are at school,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 the impact you can have
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 on friends
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 and teachers.
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 If you are part
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 of a family,
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 if you have friends,
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 ask God,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 God,
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 you have me
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 in this situation
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 where I am.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 It is unique
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 to me.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:18 How can I
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 be serving
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 and loving
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 these people here?
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 God,
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 how are you
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 calling me
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 right now
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 to do this
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 in this situation?
00:30:26 --> 00:30:28 Even before we think,
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 oh,
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 God's calling me
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 to go overseas,
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 which is quite difficult
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 at this moment.
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 God's calling me
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 to go and serve
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 another people.
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 How is God
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 calling us
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 to serve the people
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 he has placed
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 around us now?
00:30:38 --> 00:30:41 And yet,
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44 even when we know
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 exactly what we are
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 to do,
00:30:46 --> 00:30:48 we can still struggle.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:52 In the 2013
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54 Superman film,
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 Man of Steel,
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 I'm not sure
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 if you've seen it.
00:30:58 --> 00:31:00 It's a fine movie
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 if you like Superman.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 In this movie,
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 Superman is confronted
00:31:04 --> 00:31:06 with a large challenge.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 He's got to go
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 and fight the villains.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:10 But he's wracked
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 with fear
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 of what he should do.
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 He doesn't know
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 what he should do.
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 And he goes to church.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 It's really interesting
00:31:16 --> 00:31:18 that Superman
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 would go to church.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 He goes to church
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 and he talks
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 to the pastor there.
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 And he's trying
00:31:24 --> 00:31:26 to work through
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 his doubt
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 and his fear
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 and to understand
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 what he needs
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 to do next.
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 What is he called
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 to do to fight
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 these villains?
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 And it's quite
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 interesting
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 because this is a guy
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 who has
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 all of the skills.
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 He can fly.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 He's bulletproof.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:43 He's got laser eyes.
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 And yet,
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 he's still sitting
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 in a position of,
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 I don't know
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 what I should do next.
00:31:54 --> 00:31:56 We can have
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 all the gifting.
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 We can have
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 all of the ability.
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 And we can just sit there
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 like Moses'
00:32:00 --> 00:32:02 very first
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04 and last response
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 and go,
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 who am I?
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 And I just
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 don't want to do it.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:13 We can have
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 all the training
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 in evangelism
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 and discipleship
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 and care
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 and compassion.
00:32:17 --> 00:32:19 We can sit
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 with Kel.
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 We can get
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 all the words.
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 We can know
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 how to evangelize.
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 We can have
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 the ability
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 to do it
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 and we can
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 also just
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 pull back
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 and say,
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 I don't want
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 to do it.
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 God
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 sends someone else.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 What helps us
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 in that situation
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 is not more knowledge.
00:32:39 --> 00:32:41 It is not more training.
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 It's not more self-esteem.
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 It's not more courage.
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 I just need to pull up
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 my socks and do it.
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 It is not more self-esteem.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 It is more
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 God
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 esteem.
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 The insurmountable,
00:32:53 --> 00:32:55 unfathomable,
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 incalculable
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 God
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 encounters us
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 in Jesus.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 The Jesus
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 we see
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 in the Bible.
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 We can know
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 him not because
00:33:03 --> 00:33:05 our minds
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 can understand
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 the infinite
00:33:06 --> 00:33:08 but because
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 he made himself
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 low.
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 Bound by skin
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 and muscles
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 and bone
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 which could be
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 pierced and whipped.
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 This God
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 chooses us
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 unimpressive people
00:33:21 --> 00:33:23 to achieve
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 his extraordinary work.
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 He finds us
00:33:26 --> 00:33:28 I'll describe
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 I'll talk about me
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 because I don't want to say
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 you're all unimpressive
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 and ordinary
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 even though I think
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 I already have.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 He finds people
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 like me
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 ordinary people
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 and says
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 I am
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 with you.
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 I have got this.
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 It actually doesn't
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 depend on you.
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 I have got this.
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 got this.
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 You follow me
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51 when I call you
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 obey me.
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 In the coming weeks
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 we're going to see
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 that God does
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 some amazing things
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 through Moses.
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 But he also
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 promises to do
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 amazing things
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 through us.
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 That he would
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 first of all
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 save us.
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 God's plan for us
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 is that he would
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 sanctify us.
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 He is making us
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 more like Jesus
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 today.
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 And God also
00:34:16 --> 00:34:18 chooses to use
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 people like us
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 to do his amazing
00:34:20 --> 00:34:22 miraculous work
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 of seeing people
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 saved to come
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 to know and love him.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:28 When we trust him
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 and know he is
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 with us
00:34:29 --> 00:34:31 we can obey
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 his call.
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 Let me pray.
00:34:33 --> 00:34:37 dear heavenly
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 father
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 I thank you so
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 much that
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 you do choose
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 to use
00:34:41 --> 00:34:43 unimpressive
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 normal people
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 like us.
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 Lord
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 that is
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 in and of
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 itself
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 a wonderful
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 miracle.
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 Lord
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 you have done
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 so much
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 for us
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 in Jesus
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 and Lord
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 we want
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 to see
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 you do
00:34:56 --> 00:34:59 wonderful miracles
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 in our lives
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 and through
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 us.
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 Lord
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 help us
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 to hear
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 your call
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 to listen
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 to what you
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 have to say
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 to us.
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 Make it
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 obvious
00:35:11 --> 00:35:13 so that
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 we can
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 obey.
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 Lord
00:35:14 --> 00:35:16 with our
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 fears
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 with our
00:35:17 --> 00:35:19 desires
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 to pull
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 back
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 and avoid
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 doing this
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 Lord
00:35:23 --> 00:35:25 don't give us
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 courage
00:35:25 --> 00:35:27 give us
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 trust in you
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 Lord.
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 Amen.