"Who am I?"

A man was awakened one Sunday morning by his wife, and decided he just didn't want to go to church. She replied— “you give me three good reasons not to go this morning...”He told his wife, "I’ve got three good reasons:

1. I'm tired and just worn out. I need a rest.

2. I just don’t get anything out of it anymore.

3. All those people are whiny and mean, and no fun to be around.

His wife, knowing better, replied, "Now dear, come now, get dressed, you need to go to church."

The man insisted, "Give me three good reasons why I should go."

His wife thought for a moment and said,

"Well, first, you're 55 years old, not 5.

Second, God wants you to be there.

Because number three, you're the pastor!"

"You know, sometimes we all feel like that pastor – reluctant to answer the call of God. But today, we're going to look at a much more dramatic call – one involving a burning bush and a man named Moses who also had his doubts about answering God's call on his life."

Big idea: God’s call is rooted in His compassion for His community.

Exodus 3:1 NIV

1 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 wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Exodus 3:2 NIV

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.

Exodus 3:3 NIV

3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

God’s call is unique (v. 1-3)

He does in fact have what scholars and theologians call a “general will”— but these same scholars and theologians acknowledge a “specific will”, or “special will” for our lives. Given Moses’ experience and life up to this point—

God’s call here to Moses was most definitely unexpected! It’s a display of God using something seemingly ordinary (bush) in an extraordinary way!

God can use everything you have experienced for His purpose.

Moses had a tremendous life experience up to this point:

He had a dual cultural background- Raised as a son of Pharaoh, yet still a Hebrew by family heritage

He was educated by the Egyptians:

Acts 7:22 NIV

22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

He understood the plight of the Israelites— even trying to protect them, he murders an Egyptian.

He had “insider knowledge and outsider status”. Egyptian enough to confront Pharaoh, but Hebrew enough to love God’s people.

He had been a shepherd in the desert for 40 years after committing murder. Patience, knowledge, wisdom.

Genesis 46:33–34 NIV

33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

These are the words of Joseph, son of Jacob— who is telling his brothers what to say to Pharaoh at the very beginning of their migration to Egypt in the first place!

He had family support- Aaron his brother was a communicator!

He was wise with age, and humble— years contemplating his move from being a prince— to being a lowly shepherd.

Exodus 7:7 NIV

7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

He had tried to defend his people once before and failed.

Everything Moses had experienced— Moses probably thought it was all in the past— all a blur of his traumatic past. But once we reflect upon our experience— we realize that God may have allowed the past to inform the future.

Three ingredients for a call from God:

Affinity: What we are attracted to?

Aptitude: What are we skilled to do?

Availability: What are the opportunities for me?

Moses’ call does include these three elements:

He is a leader— he was trained in the household of a leader, and now has been a shepherd in the desert for 40 years.

He loves God, and He truly loves God’s people.

So God has prepared Moses his entire life for this moment and for this task--- He then

God intervened to get Moses’ attention.

How might God get your attention? Moses thought this was probably like any other day.

Are we living lives that are so busy and full— that we can’t hear from God? There is value in a wilderness experience. This can give us perspective to approach and re-envision the world we inhabit everyday. A retreat is just that— an exit from the regular routine.

Scholars believe Moses was actually taking his families sheep herd to a different or new pasturing location when this occurs. It happens to be Mount Horeb, which is also the region of Mount Sinai.

Moses’ natural response was a great choice— he investigates and answers the call by saying: I’m listening! God speaks in unusual ways— be open to hearing from God.

Exodus 3:4 NIV

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.”

God calls Moses by name. (v.4)

This was personal, it was unique, and it got Moses’ attention. But why a burning bush? You need to know that the presence of God is often portrayed as fire.

Moses was also pretty hot with anger back when he tried to protect his people the first time. And that didn’t go very well. God is teaching all of us right now, that HE is a fire that will never burn out. He’s symbolizing to Moses that He is kindling something inside Moses THIS TIME that will never flame out.

We read in scholarly books and history volumes that this was most likely the desert Acacia bush or the thorn bush of the desert. Thorns and thistles — back in Genesis 3 became the symbols of the cursed earth. God is speaking to Moses, about to set him on a journey and assignment to free his people from the curse of slavery— THROUGH the symbol of the fallen sinful earth… Jesus wears a crown of ? Thorns—and scholars believe the crown was made from --- the Desert Acacia bush--- for the very same reason— a symbol of the pain, suffering, and sin— literally USED by God as the object lesson to free us from the curse that enslaves us.

Nothing is wasted— nothing is immaterial, or inconsequential!

Exodus 3:5 NIV

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

God’s call is holy.

What makes this so holy now? Moses had been walking around places like this for years— just a dried up old desert. The place wasn’t holy because a bush was burning— it was holy because God was present.

This calling from God is actually holy as well, but because He is present in the call. God is preparing Moses by showing him how important this interaction is going to be.

The shoes weren’t unholy— they just represented a barrier to be removed. There might be something in that for you today— each time we come into God’s presence, we need to remove the barriers— take off your shoes, so Jesus may wash your feet! This is a holy place— God is about to speak to you--- get yourself ready to receive.

The word in Hebrew here for Holy— is Kodesh— it means set aside— set apart— not for common use. This place is no longer common— You Moses are in an uncommon place. You are receiving an uncommon instruction from God.

God’s presence gives ordinary surroundings extraordinary status. (v. 5)

Sometimes we forget that. I have a confession. Sometimes while I was on the track at my college— as a student-athlete, I worked extremely hard. And I wasn’t always successful. I would complain. I would grumble. Why Lord— why is this so hard… One day though, He corrected me much like he does Moses here and said— stop, this is Holy Ground. Yeah— that Long Jump runway, or javelin throwing runway, this shot put circle, that pole vault pit— it’s HOLY, because I’m present here, and I’ve called you here—

That was a huge shift in my motivation, my attitude, and my understanding of my calling— and it was a great preparation for my coaching career.

This is a holy place— our gathering— our work, our home, our life— because God is in it.

Exodus 3:6 NIV

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 introduces himself in a unique way for Moses. This is not lost on Moses at all. He introduces himself as the God of Moses’ father— Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three patriarchs were the heart of the history of God’s people.

Exodus 3:7 NIV

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’s call is rooted in compassionate care. (v.7)

Exodus 3:8 NIV

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.

Do you see the progression here:

I’ve seen it.

I’ve heard it.

I’m concerned about it.

I’m going to relieve it.

Very specifically. He restates the promise that He gave to Abraham so long ago!

Exodus 3:9 NIV

9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.

Exodus 3:10 NIV

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

Now we get the whole picture— after 40 years raised in Pharaoh’s household— then 40 more years doing what the Egyptians hate— a Shepherd who was once a member of the Pharaoh’s family is being sent to release the people— and free them from oppression.

God clearly states to Moses— “I’m sending you to be the one NOW to care for my people”.

Exodus 3:11 NIV

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Moses asks a very important question in verse 11. “Who am I”?

The self-righteous prince from 40 years ago is now fearing this assignment. Who am I?

Have you ever asked that question>? I’m mean deeply asked that question? Not just your name, which is significant, not just your past experiences, which are also powerful to who you are— but I want us this morning to really wrestle— just like Moses did.

Really? I’ll tell you who you are—

You’re the person God is choosing to take this on! That you are equipped with affinity, aptitude or availability is just a bonus in my opinion.

But Moses is a normal human— he looks at himself first. But God’s calling, requires us to look at God for the execution— not ourselves.

To accomplish God’s calling, you must look to God, not yourself. (v.12)

Exodus 3:12 NIV

12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

This word “worship”— is translated from Hebrew in two common ways— Worship means to commune with, to be with, to praise and be in close relationship with.

But it is also sometimes translated as “serve”. To work with, to partner with— to love and obey Him.

Later in the history— Moses successor, Joshua will make a huge declaration to the descendents of these people:

Joshua 24:15 NIV

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

What might God be calling you to step into for Him?

What are you attracted to? What are you passionate about?

What are you skilled at? What are you good at?

Do you live a life such that God can get your attention?

Yes— He is calling you to be faithful, to understand His love for all people— and for you to answer His call with “Here I am”.

We will sing a song ABIDE.

New Name Written Down in Glory- Charity Gayle

“I am who I am because the I AM tells me who I am.”