The Supernatural Dimension: Caught Between Two Worlds
The Supernatural Dimension • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
48 Then the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying: 49 “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; 50 and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people;
On Sunday mornings for a while we’ve discussed [The Supernatural Dimension]. I want to stay on this thought and share a word I feel is timely entitled, [Caught Between Two Worlds].
When I was in elementary school I learned about Christopher Columbus and his discovery of the New World. I remember telling my Grandpa Kilgore who taught me a saying he learned in school: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
I was fascinated by the story of the Europeans discovering what they called the New World. To think, after years of planning, Columbus set sail and expecting to find a new route to the Asia.
Even though Columbus did not realize it, while he sailed with the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria, he was caught between two worlds, the Old World and the New World.
It took time to grasp the fact that they left
Instead of meeting people from Asia, he met my ancestors, or at least their relatives!
Imagine the surprise when they finally realized
Instead of a new passage, people discovered a new continent, filled with land they never explored, mountains the never climbed, rivers they never crossed, and people they never met.
He didn’t discover a new route to Asia, instead he began a period of time where people left the Old World because they wanted to get to the New World.
As I read my bible this week, I finished Deuteronomy and got to the end of Moses’ life. As I thought of his story, I told Bekah, “As odd as it sounds, I think I am supposed to talk about Moses this morning.”
After 120 years on earth, God instructed Moses to walk to the top of Mount Nebo to the summit called Pisgah. This was 4500 feet in the air, and Moses was 120.
I am twenty-eight, I don’t want to walk the hill to my house, I can’t imagine being a centenarian walking a mile up a mountain.
But for Moses, it was not a problem. He knew what awaited him. The Lord told him that when he reached the top of the mountain he would see the Promised Land and then his time on earth would end.
I have thought of Moses’ life this week and I have thought over and over, he was caught between two worlds. This morning, let’s keep this thought in our minds as we look at the parallel stories.
Moses had two perspectives, he saw what took place on earth, but the Lord also allowed him precious encounters with God’s presence, the atmosphere of heaven.
I have two points, [Moses’ Earthly Story] and [Moses’ Heavenly Story].
Let’s begin
1. Moses’ Earthly Story
1. Moses’ Earthly Story
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
If we were to study Moses’ life, we could divide it into three parts. Each part lasted forty years.
Born in as a Hebrews slave, God directed his path and he was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. His first forty years was spent learning in the most prestigious schools in Egypt.
He was set to live a life of ease and luxury. Until one day he saw an Egyptian soldier beating a Hebrew slave. Something in Moses snapped and he killed the Egyptian Soldier.
He expected the Israelites to love him and instead they despised him and called him out for killing the Egyptian soldier. He fled from Egypt worried Pharoah may find out what happened.
For the next forty years, he lived in the backside of the desert tending to his father-in-law’s sheep. He was content, he married, had a few kids and planned on retiring in the country.
Until one day, Moses saw a bush that burned, but was not consumed. From the bush God spoke to him and informed him, your life is about to change because YOU are going to get my people of our slavery in Egypt.
Moses argued with God, giving God every opportunity NOT to use him. With every excuse Moses gave, God had a solution. Finally, Moses gave in and agreed.
The Lord helped him and the Israelites left Egypt, headed to the Promised Land. The journey should have taken a few weeks, instead it consumed the final forty years of his life.
The Israelites complained about EVERYTHING.
They got to the Red Sea and wanted to return to Egypt. God parted the waters.
They got hungry and wanted to return to Egypt. God sent them Manna from heaven.
They got thirty and wanted to return to Egypt. God gave them water to drink.
They faced enemies in battle and wanted to return to Egypt. God helped them win their battles.
Moses was stuck with a group of rebellious people. Even when the spies entered the Promised Land and confirmed:
There are homes we will not have to build
Vineyards we will not have to plant
Gardens we will not have to work
and plenty of milk and honey for everyone, they still didn’t believe they could ACTUALLY enter the Promised Land.
Their rebellion pushed Moses to the point where God said, Moses speak to the rock and I will provide water for My people. In frustration, he hit the rock instead of speaking to the rock.
As a result, the Lord told him he would not enter the Promised Land. Now, it is the end of his life, he stands on a mountain looking into a land he will never enter.
And there, his earthly story comes to a close. From the outside looking in, it almost seems incomplete and sad. Now, let’s look at...
2. Moses’ Heavenly Story
2. Moses’ Heavenly Story
9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
I gave a brief overview of what Moses faced on earth. There have been times I have read his story and thought to myself, “Moses, why didn’t you just quit?”
Even when God told Moses, “I will kill the Israelites and start over.” Moses prayed for their protection. Why did he do this? What was the secret to Moses’ success?
If Moses had an obituary, verses 10-12 would describe him. Why was he an unparalleled prophet in Israel?
THE LORD KNEW HIM FACE TO FACE!
Moses understood the secret to his spiritual success. The strength of Moses’ character and integrity was his understanding of drawing closer to God.
Moses had a personal relationship with God. When the Israelites complained, rebelled, and conspired against Moses, he would retreat from his surroundings and enter into this supernatural dimension of God’s presence.
Two different times he climbed the mountain and spent forty days on top, surrounded by the presence of God.
20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
On top of the mountain, it was almost like he was caught between two worlds. He was on earth, but the atmosphere of heaven surrounded him.
After forty days with God he went down the mountain only to find Israel in rebellion and his brother Aaron gave them permission. Once again Moses retreated and drew close to God.
11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
Exodus 33:
Moses was on earth, but the presence of God came down and the Lord spoke to Moses. He was caught between two worlds.
The next day, God called him back to the mountain top to speak to him again. On his way down something peculiar happened to him:
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
This was Moses’ life story. He faced difficulties, but God’s presence sustained him. That is why I like to think Moses had a different perspective of his death than we do.
I feel bad Moses didn’t get to go to the Promised Land. But I wonder if Moses felt bad? By the end of his life, he once more climbed to the top of a mountain.
There, God spoke to him. Here is the Promised Land. You will not cross over to this promised land, but I will let you enter a land of promise, it is a place called heaven.
In this land, you can see my face and live.
In this land, sin is absent.
In this land, sickness is gone.
In this land, there is perfect peace.
Moses, what you’ve felt and seen on earth is just a taste of what I have promised for you. You’re not going to this earthly Promised Land, but trust me, what you’re about to recieve is so much better!
And with that, his life ended and he went to be with the Lord.
Close:
In the last forty years of his life, Moses was caught between two worlds. When Israel was in a mess, Moses would retreat to God’s presence and find peace and safety.
I have really prayed about what we’re facing as a nation right now. And I believe there are really two stories happening right now, there is an earthly story and a heavenly story.
What is the earthly story:
Less than three months ago a handful of people on the other side of the world contracted the Coronavirus. Like many others, I assumed this disease was so far away we wouldn’t have to worry.
Now, COVID-19 has reached its invisible hands into our nation and changed the way we live.
Schools, businesses, and church buildings are closed.
Some states and many cities are under a lockdown for thirty days.
And day-by-day cases continue to grow.
That is the earthly story, but we must remember the words of Paul in:
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
As people of the Spirit, we are caught between two worlds. We SEE what is going on around us, but God wants to SHOW us what He can do in and through us.
Around us is chaos, confusion, and concern.
But within us is peace, confidence, and hope.
Because in these uncertain times, God wants us to do what Moses did. He wants to speak to us as His friend.
This world has come to a halt, but not that world!
Church buildings are closed, but the church is still alive.
We must remember Jesus’ promise in
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
We do not know what the future holds. I have prayed for God to stop the virus and to protect our community. We are not exempt from what is going on around us.
Even in the Assemblies of God, there missionaries and church members who are sick with this disease.
But through it all, I believe God wants to awaken us to the reality that we are caught between two worlds.
He can give us joy for the sadness
He can give us peace for the confusion
He can give us hope for the dismal state of affairs
Now is not the time to give up, it is the hour where we remember we are a part of His church and He will work in and through us!
As life has slowed down, let’s intensify our prayers, our worship, our reading of the word, our witness, and our deep desire that we might KNOW THE LORD MORE!
Right now, we are caught between two worlds. We see what is happening around us, but God wants to show Himself real and powerful to us!