Our hearts can be touched by the hopeless.

Dog rescue from the church last week.

Hearts touched for a dog without hope. Kathy called out to someone who could help – they did.

Peoples hearts can be touched for people as well.

Remember Jessica McClure from October 14, 1987.

Jessica McClure Morales (born March 26, 1986; widely known as "Baby Jessica" in 1987[1]) fell into a well in her aunt's backyard in Midland, Texas, on October 14, 1987, at the age of 18 months.

People called out to those who could help.

Over the next 56 hours, rescuers worked to free her from the 8 in (20 cm) well casing, about 22 ft (7 m) below grade.[1][2]

Local firemen and police developed a plan to drill a parallel shaft to the well where Jessica was lodged—and drill another horizontal cross-tunnel to rescue her. Enlisting the help of local oil drillers, officials hoped to free McClure quickly. But they then discovered that the well was surrounded by rock. The rescuers' jackhammers were also inadequate, as they were designed for downward rather than horizontal drilling.

A mining engineer eventually arrived to help supervise and coordinate the rescue effort, and a relatively new technology, waterjet cutting, was ultimately used to cut through the rock.[3][4]

Forty-five hours after Jessica fell into the well, the adjacent shaft and cross-tunnel were complete. During the drilling, rescuers could hear Jessica singing "Winnie the Pooh."[5]

A roofing contractor, Ron Short, volunteered to go down the shaft. He had been born without collarbones and could collapse his shoulders to work in tight confines. The team considered his offer,[6][7][8] but paramedic Robert O'Donnell was ultimately able to inch his way into the tunnel, wrestle Jessica free from her position pinned inside the well with one leg above her forehead—and hand her to a fellow paramedic, who carried her up to safety before giving her to another paramedic who carried her to a waiting ambulance.

We can engage when hear these types of stories. But the truth is that more serious troubles are every where around us. Millions without hope. Lost without Christ.

Their only hope is for us to see the need and to call out for the One who can really help. And then be ready to be part of the solution.

Let’s look at an example from the Bible of one who saw the problem, called out to God, and became part of the solution.

Exodus 32:1-33:17 Their only chance: Intercession

I. Their only chance - Intercession: For people in spite of their Unworthiness

A. Made their own choice Exodus 32:1a

(ESV) Exodus 32 1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. …

1. Aside: Aaron more talented – but weaker

2. Falling away is no respecter – effects all levels

B. Focused on self gratification Exodus 32:6

(ESV) Exodus 32 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drinkand rose up to play.

1. Not reject religion – reject a form of belief that focused on faith and a God that desires dedication to Him

C. Rejected God Exodus 32:7-8a

(ESV) Exodus 32 7 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. …

1. cp.

(NIV) Exodus 19 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” 7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”

2. Move away from the God that had blessed them

D. Created replacements for God Exodus 32:8b

(ESV) Exodus 32 8 … They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ”

1. Need for something – embrace the false if not the real

E. Obstinatein their rebellion Exodus 32:9

(ESV) Exodus 32 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

1. Persistent at their rebellion

F. Heading toward wrath Exodus 32:10

(ESV) Exodus 32 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hotagainst them and I may consume them,…

1. Will lead to certain destruction – now and later

II. Their only chance Intercession: In spite of the personal cost

A. Unappreciated by them Exodus 32:1b

(ESV) Exodus 32 1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to comedown from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

1. Now and in the past blamed for every problem

a. At Red Sea

(NIV) Exodus 14 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

2. After passing over Red Sea – thirsty (sweetened bitter waters)

(NIV) Exodus 15 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

3. After passing over Red Sea – hungry (Manna)

(NIV) Exodus 16 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

4. Thirsty again (rock)

(NIV) Exodus 17 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

B. Seemed that God was uninterested Exodus 32:10a

(ESV) Exodus 32 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

C. Contrary to own benefit Exodus 32:10b

(ESV) Exodus 32 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

D. Demanded total sacrifice Exodus 32:31-32

(ESV) Exodus 32 31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

1. Recognized their immense sin

2. Offer to pay the cost – any price

3. Offer to take on their sin – only Christ

III. Their only chance - Intercession: On the basis of a Personal relationship with God

Gives us hints as to what is necessary to be an intercessor

A. Favor with God Exodus 33:12

(ESV) Exodus 33 12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, …

B. KnowingHis ways Exodus 33:13a

(ESV) Exodus 33 13 … please show me now your ways, …

C. Knowing Him Exodus 33:13b

(ESV) Exodus 33 13 … that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.”

D. Living in His presence

(ESV) Exodus 33 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

IV. Their only chance - Intercession: Based In God Himself

A. God’s previous work Exodus 32:11

1. God’s investment in them

(ESV) Exodus 32 11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

B. God’s reputation Exodus 32:12

(ESV) Exodus 32 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.

1. God’s reputation / glory

C. God’s faithfulness Exodus 32:13

(ESV) Exodus 32 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspringas the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”

V. Intercession: Results

A. Restrained God’s judgment Exodus 32:10

(ESV) Exodus 32 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burnhot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” 11 But Moses implored (sought favor of) the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hotagainst your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

1. Sought the Lord's favor for them in spite of their sin

2. And God Did not destroy

(ESV) Exodus 32 14 And the Lord relented from the disasterthat he had spoken of bringing on his people.

B. Ensured God’s presence Exodus 33:15-17a

More than just seeking not to destroy them – but that they might enjoy the presence of God

(ESV) Exodus 33 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

1. God’s presence went with them

(ESV) Exodus 33 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

C. As a result of the intercessor Exodus 33:17b

(ESV) Exodus 33 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”