“Do I Have What The Lord Is Looking For?” (The Missing Link pt. 2)

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 07/21/24 (2nd Sunday Message)

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{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

Message Title:

“Do I Have What The Lord Is Looking For?” (The Missing Link pt. 2)

Last week we talked about Moses.

Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites because he became afraid of them.

They are multiplying too fast. He said to kill all the new boys.

Exodus Chap 2 talks about the birth of Moses. Moses was hidden for 3 months.

He was placed in a basket and the basket was placed in the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter found the basket and raised Moses as her own. Moses was a Hebrew who was given the title of “Egyptian.”

Why did Moses leave Egypt?

Remember Moses was a Hebrew/Israelite.

But something happened…

Exodus 2:11-15

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” 14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.

Let’s look at all that again.

Verse 11

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.

One day when Moses had grown up…he went out to where his REAL people were.

It says in Acts 7:23 when he was around 40 it came into his heart…or he was “led” to where HIS people were.

The bible makes it clear twice he was NOT an Egyptian.

The Lord placed something on his heart that he needed to see. this is consistent with how the bible operates.

Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.

We know that The Lord doesn’t introduce himself to Moses until Chap 3.

Moses didn’t know the Lord.

yet he was leading Moses to see something.

The Lord Can Order Our Steps Even When We Don’t Know It’s Him!

Sometimes the Lord may be taking us somewhere and we don’t know it’s him. he may place something on our hearts…

something we need to SEE for ourselves.

What does Moses see?

He sees the Egyptian beating the Hebrew.

Why is this important?

We’ll see shortly…

but FIRST what happens?

Moses kills the Egyptian. Why did Moses kill him?

He was torturing the Israelite.

The Israelite was suffering as a result.

Was the killing justified?

No

Exodus 2:12

12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

He saw NO ONE.

Also:

Verse 13-14

13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” 14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

Moses thought no one knew.

It’s not a secret and he leaves the WHOLE area. So years later we get to Exodus 3.

The Lord appears in a burning bush.

Moses goes to see why the bush doesn’t burn up.

When he gets closer to where God is…God calls him.

Moses has a name…God let’s him know that HE knows who Moses is. I explained last week that God knows each of you by name.

He knows WHERE you are.

He knows WHAT you are doing.

He knows everything about you.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

We are his.

{repeat}

“God Knows Me And Has A Purpose For Me!”

God knows who we are!

He isn’t the person you have to “introduce yourself to.”

This is the God who knows all about you…and he has called you also. He is waiting on us to respond.

So he calls Moses.

Exodus 3:7-9

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

God tells Moses that he has seen what has been happening.

God tells Moses that he has heard them crying… because of their slave drivers.

God tells Moses that they are suffering. they are oppressed.

Why Does The Lord Use These Words In Describing Israel’s Suffering?

Because Moses has shown himself to be compassionate. He clearly cared about the suffering of ONE Israelite.

Enough to commit a crime in response. What would he do about millions suffering?

The Lord knew Moses cared deeply about his people.

The Lord knew it was something in Moses to DO something about injustice.

Therefore, the Lord calls him.

Verse 10

10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

He does the same things for us.

God Knows You And Has A Work For YOU To Do!

{repeat}

“God Has Something For Me To Do!”

He calls us according to things we have within us.

It would be a difficult job for someone else who wasn’t as compassionate. but the job was perfect for Moses.

There are things the Lord has for us…

it would be difficult for others to do.

because the things the job requires are in us.

John 15:16

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit

—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

God chose us… He appointed us…

He gave us what is necessary.

To DO something!

We have it in us!

God gives us directives to “serve” for him. So the question:

How Are You Serving For God?

To fully serve…

like God wants you to serve… You have to care about people.

To Be A Servant Of God, You Have To Care For People!

We have to care about the needs of others.

Philippians 2:3-4

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

“Not only”

This means you can have things you look out for on your own.

You can have interests you look out for…but you should also look to something else… The INTERESTS of others.

{repeat:}

God Called Me To Serve!

Here’s a story:

Mark 10:17-25

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Many people talk of this story from face value…

Face value looks at this to say that people with money can’t get into heaven. That would mean that you have to be poor to get into heaven.

But many of the people of God were wealthy. David was a King.

Abraham was VERY wealthy. Job was VERY wealthy.

Joseph was VERY wealthy.

Solomon was wealthy…he didn’t even pray for it. So it’s not JUST because the man had money.

Let’s look at this story.

Mark 10:17

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

This young guy ran up to Jesus and fell on his knees before him.

• This guy was eager.

  • he ran up! There was urgency here!

• This guy was humble.

  • he fell on his knees before Jesus.

• This guy was respectful.

  • He called him “Good teacher.” This was a sign of respect.

• This guy was concerned about his future.

He believed eternal life existed.

He believed that Jesus could tell him what was necessary to get it.

But what happened was he regarded Jesus as just that…a “good teacher.”

That would be just fine if he were talking to anyone else…but he was talking to Jesus himself. Just like the woman at the well…she didn’t know who she was talking to.

• Jesus attempted to let him know this was a mistake.

Mark 10:18

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Why are you calling me good…only God is good… No man can stand before God in righteousness…

If you’re saying I’m a good teacher…a man…I’m not good.

-or-

If you’re actually saying I’m God..then I AM good as you say.

*hint hint*

so which is it???

2nd thing this guy did was assume eternal life was based on “works.” But Jesus answered him anyway.

Mark 10:19-20

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

All these he has kept??

Really?

He’s a wealthy smooth talker.

Who has ever KEPT God’s commandments perfectly? This guy says he has.

Verse 21

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him.

He told him to go sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come follow him.

What did he lack??

Was it the money specifically??

So this man couldn’t get into heaven with money?

What Did Jesus Tell Him To Do?

Jesus did NOT just tell him to sell everything he had. He also told him to give it away.

Jesus told him to SERVE SOMEONE ELSE.

Jesus told him to HELP SOMEONE ELSE.

He had gotten good at doing for himself.

He had had been good at storing up for himself. He had been good at making a name for himself.

But there was something more he had to do.

Then Jesus told him to come and follow him. What work was Jesus doing?

Jesus spent his ministry “serving others.” Jesus DIED for the sake of others… Follow Jesus and do what he’s doing…

care about someone else. help someone else!

You can’t make it to heaven just taking care of yourself.

It Is Our Duty As Believers To Serve!

To follow Christ means to do what he was doing… Helping and serving others…

Using our gifts for others.

Mark 10:22

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

The man went away sad…because he had great wealth.

His wealth gave him status. His wealth gave him security.

His wealth made him “greater than others.”

It becomes too difficult to let something so defining go. But Jesus only wants servants.

Matthew 23:11-12

11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Serving…

Letting the Lord use you..

ACCORDING to your gifts

it’s a form of humbling yourself before others.

The Rich Man could do anything but put others before himself.

It’s how he got rich.

It’s not about how much money you live with… Or how much you leave behind.

Who Is Your Life More Focused On: You Or Others?

We said last week:

We are called…to do. We are called…to serve.

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Just like last week:

How Are You Serving For God?

GLC is a ministry that serves others.

We not only serve others in need outside the ministry… We work to serve others IN the ministry?

So the question:

Where Am I Serving In Guiding Light To Help Others?

If GLC isn’t your church home…are you serving in THAT place? God called Moses…

God told him of the need a nation had… God told him HE was going to help them. So he sent Moses.

God Is Concerned About People And Needs YOU!

Just like the Israelites…God is concerned about people!

People are going through all types of things…and he is asking YOU to help US help THEM. We are asking for your help here at GLC to meet the needs of our people.

There are many ministries here that actually need help!

www.guidinglight.org/ministries

There are lists of ministries you can get involved with.

We can also help you find a good ministry fit based on your spiritual gifts.

Spiritual Gifts Test:

www.giftstest.com

Who Is The Lord Going To Help Through Us? Let’s Find Out!