Lessons From Moses: What To Take Into 2022

 

Sunday Morning

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream

12/05/21 (1st Sunday Message)

 

 

 

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

 

We are in the final month of 2021!

 

As I was praying for the topic of today’s message…

 

 it hit me in the middle of the night.

 

Exodus 3

 

Exodus 3:1-3

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

 

Moses was out tending the flock of Jethro.

 

He led them across the desert and came to Horeb.

 

There he sees the angel of the Lord in flames of fire in a bush.

 

The bush was on fire but it didn’t burn up.

 

Moses goes to check to see why this is happening.

 

Exodus 3:4-6

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

 

God sees Moses is headed to check the bush out.

 

He calls him.

 

God says to take your shoes off because you’re on holy ground.

 

God identifies himself to Moses.

 

Exodus 3:7-10

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. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

 

God tells Moses that he is sending him to bring his people out of Egypt.

 

This is what we’re talking about today!

 

For something that happened so long ago…

 

What can we take into 2022?

 

As we try to walk in purpose.

 

As we try to seek more the things of God.

 

As we try to be more about God’s business.

 

We can learn from Moses!

 

There is a LOT here!!

 

Let’s look and examine some of the things we just read more closely.

 

Lessons From Moses:

 

Exodus 3:1-2

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.

 

So Moses was at Horeb, the mountain of God.

 

It was here the Lord revealed himself to Moses.

 

If it’s called the mountain of God.

 

…the place of God…

 

…the house of God…

 

Lessons From Moses:

1. If You’re Looking For God To Reveal Himself, You Should Go To Where God Is!

 

Covid has caused many people to drift away from the church.

 

While we may have God in our hearts…

 

The House of God is called the House of God for a reason.

 

In John 20 the bible talks about after Jesus was crucified…he appeared to the disciples when    they were all together.

 

Thomas was not there.

 

The disciples went to tell Thomas Jesus showed up…but he didn’t believe them.

 

Thomas Didn’t See Jesus Until Thomas Showed Up To Where Jesus Was!

 

If you are home watching…welcome!

 

If you don’t live here and unable to attend….we are glad you are spending time with us!

 

But if you are ABLE to be here…

 

I believe there is something HERE for you.

 

God had something for Moses at the Mountain of God.

 

God has something for you in the House of God.

 

But God didn’t JUST speak to Moses at the place of God.

It’s HOW he did it.

 

The bible talks about how the bush was on fire…it didn’t burn up.

 

This goes against what we expect something to do.

 

We expect fire to burn!

 

The bible talks about the presence of God “living” in this bush.

 

The hebrew word for “living/dwelling” in this way is called “shakan.”

 

Sound familiar?

 

Shekinah Glory

 

On God’s mountain…in his place…he showed up in a special way.

 

He showed his very presence to Moses.

 

God Does Special Things In His Place!

 

If you’re considering coming more often…

 

Now is the time.

 

If you’ve been considering coming back…

 

Now is the time.

 

Exodus 3:3-4

3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

 

One of the first and most obvious things we look over.

 

V4:

 

God called Moses by name.

 

Lessons From Moses:

2. Remember God Knows You By Name!

 

Don’t forget you are God’s people!

 

Exodus 3:7-10

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.

 

God heard his people then.

 

He hears you now.

 

Some of us have had a rough 2021.

 

Some of us have been tested and stretched.

 

Some of us have been heartbroken.

 

Some of us have felt destroyed the last few years.

 

Studies have shown that most if not ALL of us have dealt with some psychological trauma over COVID.

 

But even with all that…

 

No matter how alone we feel sometimes…

 

God knows us by name.

 

Exodus 33:17

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

 

“I know you by name.”

 

Isaiah 43:1

But now, this is what the Lord says— 

he who created you, O Jacob, 

he who formed you, O Israel: 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 

By name…

 

Jeremiah 1:5

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.”

 

You aren’t just living without a design.

 

You aren’t just living without a plan.

 

God knows you by name.

 

God loves you.

 

God calls you his!

 

God Takes Joy In The Thought Of You!

 

God knows us.

 

 

 

Lessons From Moses:

3. When God Calls, Be Ready!

 

Exodus 3:4

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

 

What did the Lord see?

 

He saw that Moses had taken an interest in the burning bush.

 

The Lord saw that Moses had a desire to get closer to what “God was doing.”

 

God calls to him.

 

And Moses is ready.

 

Do We Respond When God Calls?

 

Many of us God has been calling for a while…

 

God might be feeling like he has the wrong number calling us!

 

When God showed us his plan for us…

 

When he showed us his purpose for us…

 

How did we respond?

 

Abraham - “Here I Am” (Genesis 22:1)

Samuel - “Here I Am” (1 Samuel 3:4)

Isaiah - “Here am I” (Isaiah 6:8)

Paul - “What Can I Do?” (Acts 9:6 NKJV)

 

Acts 9:1-6 (NKJV)

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 

Paul…the man who used to be named Saul…

 

He was on his way to Damascus to search the synagogues with an arrest warrant.

 

He was going to throw any believers in prison.

 

He persecuted believers!

 

Yet as soon as he has an encounter with God…

 

Everything changes.

 

He is now not only changed…

 

But he’s ready for the call of God.

 

Are You Ready For When God Calls You?

 

Not only does he know you by name.

 

He’s calling…

 

Are you ready for the call?

 

The last thing for today:

 

Exodus 3:4-6

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

 

Moses goes to look at the bush.

 

God calls to him from within the bush.

 

Moses responds.

 

God says stop…

 

You are on holy ground.

 

Take off your sandals.

 

God is saying don’t come closer.

 

You are on Holy Ground.

 

Take your shoes off.

 

Lessons From Moses:

4. If You Want To Get Closer To God, You Have To Remove Some Things!

 

Question:

 

Why Is The Ground Holy?

 

The ground is holy because of the presence of God.

 

God is holy.

 

The Presence of God is what makes the area holy.

 

He is pure, righteous, moral, just…he is eternal.

 

We are NONE of those things.

 

Exodus 15:11-12

“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 12 You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them. 

 

We are not on the same level as God.

 

We are NOT God.

 

We have to remember that.

 

Although God loves us…

 

We can’t go to God any type of way.

 

Many times people forget this.

 

In your closet:

 

Many of us have dress codes.

 

We can’t wear just anything in front of anyone!

 

We know certain things may be inappropriate for certain things.

 

God is saying there are things that are inappropriate if we want to be in his presence.

 

There are things we need to take off!

 

1 Peter 1:15-16

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

 

If you are trying to be closer to God…

 

There are some things you will have to remove.

 

When it comes to taking things off…let’s start with some of the sins we’ve been carrying.

 

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

 

There are some sins we KNOW we need to get rid of.

 

In 2022…Let’s start removing some of those sins that so EASILY entangle us.

 

But it’s not JUST the sin…it can also be the people.

 

1 Corinthians 15:33

33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

 

 

You Can’t Take Everyone And Everything With You!

 

We have to start separating ourselves…

 

We have to start removing things from us.

 

Moses’ shoes could have been amazing shoes.

 

But if he wanted to be close to a holy God…

 

He had to remove them.

 

What are we learning from Moses??

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons From Moses:

1. If You’re Looking For God To Reveal Himself, You Should Go To Where God Is!

 

God is doing things here.

 

No matter how good it looks at home, it’s always better in person.

 

Lessons From Moses:

2. Remember God Knows You By Name!

 

You haven’t been living the last years alone.

 

God is real.

 

God cares about you.

 

Lessons From Moses:

3. When God Calls, Be Ready!

 

God has been calling on some of us for too long.

 

Are you ready?

 

If we haven’t stepped out this year…let’s do it in THIS year!

 

Lessons From Moses:

4. If You Want To Get Closer To God, You Have To Remove Some Things!

 

Moses had to take off his sandals because he was on Holy ground.

 

There are things we need to take off if we want a true encounter with God.

 

We have a few weeks left in 2021.

 

Keep these things in mind as you finish out this year.

 

Let’s finish strong and start even stronger!!