Answering God's Call by Faith

Introduction

The last two weeks we have examined Abraham’s obedience by faith, and his endurance amidst the trial of his faith.

The next three verses (Vs. 20-22) record the transference of faith from Abraham to Isaac and then from Isaac to Jacob and then from Jacob to Joseph and his children.

Each successive generation believed the promise of God and filled their role in its ultimate fulfilment.

Finally in verse 23 we arrive at Moses who would be the one chosen by God to lead the nation of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and into the promised land.

God called Moses and, by faith Moses answered the call. God is also calling each of us to fill our role in His plan for the redemption of mankind. Will you do as Moses did and by faith answer God’s call?

Moses certainly may have found it hard to imagine how he would be able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt but by faith he was able to accomplish the task.

It was faith that gave Moses the courage to:

Refuse the Call of Egypt (Vs. 24)

Moses was on track to be a man of great power and influence in Egypt. He could have been someone who was highly regarded and highly respected in Egypt.

Moses’s life could certainly have turned out much differently if he had remained in Pharaoh’s house. Moses had the opportunity to live out his days as the grandson to the most wealthy and powerful man upon earth.

There must surely have been some part of Moses which considered remaining in Pharaoh’s house. A part of him that must have considered what it would be like to be a part of the ruling class rather than the servant class.

If you are going to answer the call of God, you must first reject the call of Egypt. Egypt is a picture of the world and its allure. Satan will certainly attempt to draw you away from God’s call upon your life with the promise of wealth and prestige.

You must refuse to answer the call of the world if you will answer the call of God.

Gates Manufacturing- Opportunity to get an engineering degree and to be promoted to a position with financial security and influence.

Satan would love to have you chasing after wealth and power and utterly ignoring God’s call upon your life. One of Satan’s most useful strategies is simply to busy us with things and pursuits that would take us away from the call of God.

D.L. Moody once said “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn't really matter.”

In the eyes of the world Moses would have been considered to be a great success living in the house of Pharaoh treated as a member of the royal family, but in the eyes of God this would have been regarded as utter failure.

Exchange Temporary Pleasures for Eternal Rewards (Vs. 25-26)

Moses was willing to give up all the pleasures of Egypt to suffer affliction with the people of God

Moses certainly could have enjoyed a life of comfort and ease in Egypt as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter but he chose instead to identify himself with the people of Israel knowing that he would suffer for this choice.

By faith Moses chose to lay aside all the power and riches that could have been his. He chose suffering and affliction because his eye was on eternity.

If you choose to answer God’s call you will be asked to identify yourself with Christ and you can expect suffering and persecution.

If you choose to serve the Lord and to yield to his call for your life, you will be mocked, ridiculed, and mistreated. You will “miss out” on many of the “pleasures” this life has to offer.

We have often become so obsessed with enjoying all that this life has to offer that we forget that this life is but a “vapor” (James 4:14)

Moses was not afraid of “missing out” on the pleasures of Egypt because he saw through the eyes of faith the eternal rewards that would one day be his.

I Peter 4:14- reproached for Christ happy are ye

You can be sure that whatever you may “miss out” on in this life will not even begin to compare with what you will gain in the life to come.

Conquer His Fears (Vs. 27)

Moses had every reason to be fearful as he considered the task that God was calling him to accomplish. He had fled Egypt many years prior because of crimes that he had committed in his youth.

Now God was calling him to return and to address the new Pharaoh demanding that he let the children of Israel go out free. Moses had every right to expect that Pharaoh would have him killed or cast into prison for making such an audacious request.

Moses feared Pharaoh and was hesitant to embark on what seemed to be a life-threatening mission, yet God promised Moses that He would be with him as he stood before Pharaoh. Exodus 3:10-12- Moses fearful response and God’s answer

Maybe you have not answered God’s call because of fear. Another of Satan’s most effective strategies is to use fear to prevent us from answering God’s call.

It may be that God is calling you to take a leadership role in ministry, it may be that God is calling you to witness to your neighbor or to a co-worker, it may be that God is calling you to surrender your life to him for full-time service, it may be simply that God is calling you to get back in church, it may be that God is calling you to make a decision that would alter the course of your life.

Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, you must not let fear stand in the way! It was Moses faith in almighty God that gave him the courage to conquer his fears.

Hebrews 13:5-6- he hath said/ so that we may say

If God is calling, you must by faith, answer His call, trusting His sovereign plan for your life. You may be afraid that you do not have sufficient ability to carry out God’s call, you may be fearful of the opposition and difficulty you will face, you may tremble at the thought of stepping out into the unknown, but by faith in God, you can conquer your fears.

Accomplish the Unimaginable (Vs. 28-29)

Through faith Moses continued to follow God’s instructions and by faith, he was enabled to accomplish the unimaginable task of delivering the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage.

It was impossible to imagine how God could take a lowly sheep herder from the backside of the desert and use him to deliver the children of Israel from the most powerful nation on earth. Yet by faith Moses followed God and was able to accomplish the unimaginable!

Who could have imagined that by slaying a lamb and painting the door posts with its blood, the children of Israel could be spared while every family in Egypt experienced the judgment of God!

Who could have imagined what God would do when it seemed that all hope was lost as the armies of Egypt surrounded the Israelites on the shores of the Red Sea!

Who could have imagined that these unarmed Israelites would defeat the mighty armies of Pharaoh!

The truth is only God knows today the potential that exists here amongst the congregation of High Plains Baptist Church this morning.

You probably could not imagine how God could use your life from this point forward if you would only answer His call. This morning He is calling each and every one of us to fill a role in His eternal plan. It is His desire to take your life and to use it for His glory if you will but answer the call.

Can you imagine leading your neighbors, your coworkers, your family members to Christ? It could happen if you will answer God’s call!

Can you imagine Clovis, NM experiencing a great spiritual awakening? It could happen if we will answer God’s call!

Could you imagine America experiencing a nationwide revival once more? It could and would happen if every professing Christian would yield to God’s call for their life!

If God can part the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could walk through the midst of it on dry ground and then cause the armies of Egypt to be swallowed up in its depths, He can surely work today in ways that we cannot even imagine.

Conclusion

It may be that God is calling you to salvation today. Jesus Christ died for your sins and through faith in Him you can be delivered from the penalty of sin and made and heir of eternal life.

John 6:44 & John 6:47- is the father drawing you to himself today?

John 8:24-warning for those who refuse to answer the call to salvation