Throughout
this series, we will be looking at 8 of the greatest Bible stories forever told
as chosen by many of you.
Last
week, Pastor Mike spoke to us about the life of Joseph, and how God took the
bad that happened to Joseph and redeemed it into something good, illustrating
once again the truth found in Romans 8:28, which says:
“And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.” (NIV)
God
is always at work in the lives of His people, even in difficult circumstances.
This
morning we’re going to look at the 2nd most popular story forever
told as chosen by you: Moses.
Many
of the suggestions that were submitted spanned the life of Moses; from his birth,
to the burning bush, to the Exodus—all excellent stories that could, and
should, be retold.
As
I’ve prayed about what aspect of Moses’ life to share with you today, two
different events came to mind, and as I prayed a little more, one passage stood
out above the other passage, and we’ll get to that passage in a moment, but
first, allow me to give you a very brief history on this man we call Moses.
Numbers
chapter 12:3 gives us a snapshot into the kind of man Moses was. This verse
tells us that: “Moses
was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” (NIV)
Don’t
let this verse deceive you! While Moses was a very humble man, he was also a
very important man.
He
broke free from a life in Egypt to deliver his people from the ruthless hand of
oppression from Pharaoh; he guided the children of Israel though 40 years of
wilderness wandering and led them to the brink of the Promised Land.
Not
only did he do all of that; he also received the Ten Commandments from God on
Mount Sinai and instituted the covenant and the Laws and regulations that the
people of Israel were to live by.
Moses
might have been a humble man, but he was the man God used to display His glory
throughout the earth.
Moses’
life was not without its ups and downs. In one moment, he was alone with God,
lost in absolute worship, and the next moment he was pleading to God asking Him
not to destroy the very people God had sent Moses to rescue.
Moses’
life can be broken down into three 40 year periods.
The first 40 years were spent living in
Egypt, living as an Egyptian prince, but also being taught like a Hebrew.
The second 40 years were spent in the land
of Midian—It was during this 40 year period that Moses married and learned
much about living and surviving in the wilderness of Sinai (I don’t think
marriage and living in the wilderness were connected.. but they could be)
It
was also during this 40 year period that Moses received his “call” into the
ministry, by God at the burning bush.
The third 40 year period had Moses leading
the People of Israel in the wilderness.
It
was during this 40 year period that God did many amazing things to show His
people that He was with them, and was looking after them.
This
is a very brief account of the life of Moses, which brings us to our lesson for
today.
It
comes a short time after Moses descended from a 40 day God visit on Mount Sinai.
It
was during this 40 day visit with God that Moses received the Covenant that
God’s people were to live by, and when Moses was a little longer coming down
from the mountain than the people liked, they became impatient and asked Moses’
brother, Aaron, to make a god for them; someone who could lead them.
Unfortunately,
Aaron listened to the people and he had them remove all their articles of gold
and he forged them into a golden calf, which the people worshiped and claimed
had led them out of Egypt.
After
Moses pleaded with God not to destroy the people He had led out of Egypt, he descended
from the mountain and confronted his brother and asked him why he let this
happen.
Aaron
responded by saying “the people made me do it” and
then Moses ordered an extermination of all those who were against the Lord, and
about 3000 people died that day because of their rebellion.
A
short while after the golden calf experiment, Moses was in the Tent of Meeting—which
was the precursor to the Tabernacle-- talking to God about how God wanted Moses
to lead the people into the Promised Land; but God had yet to reveal to Moses
who would go with him as he led the people…
We’ll
pick up our story in the latter half of verse 12 of Exodus 33: “You (God) have
told me (Moses), ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’
13 If it is true
that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you
more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is
your very own people.”
14 The Lord
replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you
rest—everything will be fine for you.” (Exodus 33:12-14, NLT2)
God assured
Moses that He would go with him as he led the people into the Promised Land,
and things would be just fine.
The response
Moses gave back to God is among some of the sweetest words in all of Scripture,
and they are the words that are supposed to set Christ followers apart from
non-Christ followers.
If you have a
pen and a piece of paper, you’ll want to write these words down, if you have a
smartphone, you’ll want to highlight these words; or if you have two stone
tablets, you’ll want to pick up a chisel and carve these words in them…
In response to
God telling Moses he would personally go with Moses as Moses led the people
into the Promised Land:
“…Moses said, “If
you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.
16 How will anyone
know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go
with us?
For your presence
among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”
(Exodus 33:15-16, NLT2)
What an incredible
portion of Scripture. Moses was telling God that if He didn’t go with them,
they would not be leaving that place.
It was God’s
presence among His people that would separate them from every other person on
planet earth at that time.
This is still
true today. God dwelling inside of the people who have received Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior, through the Presence of the Holy Spirit, is still what
separates us from all people everywhere.
It’s not that
we’re better than anyone else; because we’re not.
It’s not that
we’ve got life all figured out; because we don’t.
What we do have
is God’s Holy Spirit living inside of us, guiding us on the path that we are to
take.
ILLUSTRATION- I was ordained at Beulah Camp
in 2005. It was a moment I will remember forever.
If
you’ve never been to Beulah Camp and witnessed an ordination service, you’re
missing out on a holy moment.
It
was at the altar of Beulah Camp in the summer of 2005 that my colleagues laid
their hands on my shoulders and set me apart as an ordained minister in the
Wesleyan Church.
As
the ordination service was nearing completion, I was asked to bring the
gathering to a close with a word of prayer.
While
I don’t remember the exact words that I prayed, I do remember both of the
Scripture verses that I recited.
If
you were to come into my office today, one of these verses would be one of the
first things you would see tacked to my wall.
They are the
words that David wrote in Psalm 32:8. This is God speaking to His people:
“I will instruct
you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over
you.” (NIV)
This
has to be one of my favourite Bible verses; it reminds me that it is God who
guides, leads and instructs me.
If
I don’t have God leading me in the path He wants me to take, I’m sunk! I need
God’s presence to go with me.
So
do you, dear friend. Unless you have God Himself living inside of you, guiding,
leading, changing, instructing and going before you, you’ve got nothing that
truly matters.
It
was Jesus who said in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me
and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
(NIV)
As
we remain connected to the vine, we will have God’s presence living inside of
us, and we will have God going before us.
But
if we refuse to remain connected to the vine, we will not have God’s presence
living inside of us; God will not be going before us.
So
the question I would like for us to consider today is this: “How do I apply
the Presence Prayer of Moses to my life?”
The
first thing you can do is Surrender.
ILLUSTRATION- As some of you may know, I have a man cave in the basement of
our home.
It’s in this man-cave that I have made benches, bookcases, night stands,
TV stands and tables just to name a few.
Most
of the time I enjoy being in the shop. The part that really frustrates me is
when I can’t make sense of the directions.
After
I read the directions over several times, I will go to the piece of wood, and
look at it over and over, and imagine it looking like it does in the
directions, and then I’ll hum and haw, and try to make a cut or two, usually
leaving me frustrated at my lack of progress.
But
when I call for my wife to come in and help me, I am able to continue on in my
woodworking.
Just
as I have to surrender to my wife’s knowledge of how to interpret directions,
if we want God’s presence to go with and lead us, we will have to surrender our
lives into His hands.
In
case you are slightly tentative of turning your life over to a God you can’t
really see, hear these words, given to God’s people at a low period in their
history:
“For I know the
plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)
God
knows what He is doing, and He can be trusted with your life; and in order to
experience His presence in your life, you will have to surrender to His plan
for your life.
But
there’s one more thing we can do, and that is pray the presence prayer of Moses.
We
need to pray these words: “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this
place.
16 How will anyone
know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go
with us?
For your presence
among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”
(Exodus 33:15-16, NLT2)
As we’re praying
these words, we are asking God to lead and guide us in the path that He wants
us to take.
We won’t be
satisfied with anything less than God’s presence as we go about our daily lives.
So, who’s with
me? Who’s bold enough to
step up and surrender their life into God’s hands? And who’s bold enough to
pray the presence prayer of Moses?
If you’re with
me, I would invite you to come up to the front and grab a card off the alter,
and keep it with you, and let it serve as a reminder that you’re asking for
God’s presence to go with you.
