Delivered By
Kevin Huber

Delivered On
October 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM

Subject
Burning Bush: Calling of Moses

Description

Moses was busy doing something else when God called him.   You may think you are too busy, think again.

  Busy people: Gideon, threshing floor (Judge 6), Samuel, working in the temple ( 1 Sam 3) Elisha, plowing a field (1 Kings 19) David, attending sheep (1 Sam 17).

God called Moses when he was 80 years old.  Do you think you are too old, think again, God can use you at any age.

What dis Moses see? An insignificant bush being ignited but not consumed. A miracle. God wants to do the same miracle with Moses and us. God is in the business of using the insignificant to amaze and wonder the rest of the world.  We are the weak bush while God is the powerful fire.

The Bush is also symbolic picture of what Israel is meant to be to the world. A light that is persecuted but not consumed.  With God we can accomplish anything is what we are supposed to learn from a burning bush.

V4 The Lord waited for Moses to respond to what he saw before he spoke to him.  Often times the Lord is waiting to speak because we haven’t taking that step in the right direction yet.  He sets the stage for us to look in the right direction, but it is up to us to go toward the place God is at work. We are given the choice to ignore what he doing or be compelled by it.

What do you do when someone calls your name 2x? Here I am? Or run away?

V5 we are invited to be next to the holy, but don’t bring the unholy with you. Something like leaving your shoes at the door.  He hid his face which is also a reverent response. Later he wants to see his face, as we all should, one day we will. Pure in heart will see God.

V6 I am that God you heard about, the God of the Hebrews. We don’t know what faith Moses practiced at this point, this could have been a conversion moment as well.

V7 Seen, heard, and concerned about suffering.  Never is God blind to what is going on.  His delay is not permission or approval.  Evil is a result of sin and God is patient with all sinners to an extent. 

V8 God’s intent is clear. Mission statement… he will do something about their hand, the reach, the control, the manipulation of the Egyptians leaders. He will give them the opposite of what they are experiencing.  Flowing, spacious.  They are not in flowing place or spacious place now. One gotcha, someone else is living there now, and apparently their sin has not reached the full measure for God to use Israel to drive them out. Gen 15:16 Promise. Full measure of our sin is never what we want to experience for ourselves. This is what Christ endure, full wrath for our sin.  The ites receive full wrath with Israel because they sin.

V9 reiterates He knows what is going on.

V10 curve ball, I’m sending you to bring them out.  God is going to bring the fire, Moses brings the weak little bush. Go to Pharaoh probably not the words he wanted to hear. Go face your biggest fears? IF he had true faith would he rejoice at these words?

Objection #1, Who am I? a striking lack of confidence. Why choose a failure like me? He had already faced Egyptians and Hebrews, it did not go well. Why not, here I am, send me?

God says your asking the wrong question, or you are looking at the wrong source for your confidence.  Looking to yourself would end badly, looking to me is another story. God is patient with him.  Moses is discovering the One true God.  God breaks the ice and reveals himself to Moses. Like 2 strangers meeting.  God is trying to tell what you think of yourself is irrelevant if I’m with you.  What I think of you is all that should matter.  I am with you is all the assurance we all should ever need.  God with us!! Baby Jesus amen.

Objection #2: got a name other than the God of my fathers.  These Hebrew names mean nothing to Egypt. 

God says you don’t need more of a name than “I AM”, simply put, “to be”, or I exist, in the other words all other gods don’t exist. I AM is the true creator and maker of all.

Jesus laid the came of being God with this same title, reference His existence prior to Abraham, who was the first one chosen by God to start the Jewish or Hebrew race. The only one more Jewish the Abraham is God himself.

God, reiterates I AM is sufficient and so is telling them the story of the God of your fathers, one and the same.  Don’t let people get confused about who I AM. Those events in your fathers lives to the story of who I AM is.  Remind the Hebrews of the God of their fathers.  Remind them I AM watching and have seen what has happened.

V17 Promise to change fortunes,

V18 Convince the people that I AM has heard you and it is time to sacrifice to me. Hebrews turned on him before, but now they will listen to him. The elders will be emboldened to ask for 3 days journey to worship and sacrifice.  Why 3? Maybe because God likes the number 3?

3 days? Regardless he knew that it would be rejected and ultimately God was providing a path to freedom for all their days and not just 3 days.  Our path to spiritual freedom for all of eternity was consummated over 3 days in tomb. God gave Pharaoh a small baby step choice, and he would not even do that. A soft merciful step for the king. We are all given a choice to follow him.  Tenderly calling us. Take that first step. A test of attitude and faith.

Egypt hold the Hebrews by a hand, but a mightier hand is coming. When his hand strikes good things will happen for the Hebrews. Back pay for all that labor.

Objection #3: What if what you just said about them listening to me isn’t true? In other words, I don’t believe you God.  Did Moses forget who he was talking to? Or how he was talking to a bush?

God is patient, shows him some miracles. Give him confidence.  God won’t let us go into battle without some faith building moments in our lives.  He is patient, and works on us. Moses will use that stick repeatedly.  An instrument to keep sheep in line will now be a miracle stick to help build faith.

Sometimes we just need a stick to keep us in line. A reminder.

V4 grab it by the tail, took some faith, give him a chance to work it out right now.  You are given chances all the time to faithfully grab things God is moving us toward by the tail. New meaning to grab life by the tail. 

V5 God is willing to allow Moses to question him and he gives him the ability to help the elders believe the same way he is helping Moses believe.  This is not blind faith.   God is showing them reasons to be confident after all, what do they have to loose at this point?

A snake is the reminder of the sin that we have in our life, a trick in the garden.  Jesus will strike the head of the snake one day and we will no longer have sin.  God exercises control over the snake and our sin.  He gives us power to resist sin.

Another proof, leper to non-leper.  God who controls health and well being.  God of sticks to snakes, and our health.  God over all flesh!

Jesus showed he is the same God over all flesh by healing lepers.  God can restore

Again Moses had to perform an action, our faith requires actions at time to see God’s power. If we don’t listen we don’t get to see his power at work.  Pray that we will all listen.

Water to blood.  3 signs, God like the number 3. 3 in 1. Jesus body blood and water flowed.  Jesus will turn water into wine. Which looks like blood. Same God.

Moses has 3 examples to prove God is with Him.

Objection #4: I don’t speak splainly.  Back to who am I essentially. 

V11 God reminds him of who is with Him, by what power His tongue exists. Who dat?

Hebrews says Moses is mighty in speech and actions.  No one thinks they capable until they’ve done it the first time usually.  There has to be a first step in everything. Who dat? God dat.

Objection #5: Send another? Really? Not a question, but a statement. Someone else can do it better, you got the wrong guy? God does not chose wrong

God is not angry with any other objection but this one.  He is overly gracious on all others.

The Lord provided an Aaron.  Sometimes God knows we just need a tangible friend to go with us. Despite the bush and the miracles. God was saying fine, if my words and miracles aren’t enough have a brother who can speak for you.  Here comes your mouth now take your stick and go to him or else you won’t have your signs.  You will be like God to him.  As I give you what to say, you give him what to say. God’s help extends to both.

At conversion we are inexperienced, God will give us what we need ultimately for His purposes for our life.  Just follow when He calls.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. The will of God will never take your where the power of God can’t enable you.