Untitled Sermon (2)

Recap

LAST WEEK - PR ERIKA - 

EXPLORED THE CALL STORIES...

- OF MOSES & OF MARY & OF OUR OWN

WE PONDERED MARY’S CALL

HOW SHE WAS PERPLEXED

BUT THEN ACCEPTED GOD’S CALL

TALKED ABOUT MOSES’ CALL .. 

MOSES OFFERS OBJECTIONS

w/ HIS CREDIBILITYw/ HIS SPEACH

HE GETS THE ASSURANCE

AND HOW MOSES WILL NOT BE ABANDONED BY GOD

AARON GIVEN AS A COMPANION FOR MOSES

NOW GO 

- AND I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH AND TEACH YOU WAHT TO SPEAK

AND WE REFLECTED ON OUR OWN CALLING….

IN THESE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES / CHALLENGES

NOW WE PICK UP AT VERSE 18 - in CHAPTER 4

Exodus 4:18 NRSV

Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me go back to my kindred in Egypt and see whether they are still living.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

NOTE - DOESN’T DIVULGE THE MISSION HE IS ON TO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW

…MAKES YOU WONDER - WOULD JETHRO HAVE GIVEN HIS BLESSING - GO IN PEACE … IF HE KNEW THE MISSION THAT MOSES HAD BEEN GIVEN

ALSO - DOES THE WORD: GO IN PEACE - SOUND FAMILIAR

THE WORDS THAT WE USE AT THE END OF WORSHIP

LITURGY = ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY USES SCRIPTURE VERSES

WHEN - GO IN PEACE HAS BEEN SAID … THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT...

CHRUCH IS THE PLACE WHERE WE RECEIVE THE MISSION...

…THEN AS FAMILY - WE SAY: GO IN PEACE

GO - TO CARRY OUT THAT CALLING

GO - TO CARRY OUT OUR MISSION INTO THE WORLD

GO - TO BE IN PEACE … AND ALSO TO BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD

Exodus 4:19 NRSV

The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt; for all those who were seeking your life are dead.”

YOU REMEMBER THAT THE REASON MOSES IS IN MIDIAN IS BECAUSE HE IS A FUGITIVE

HE WITNESSED A BRUTAL BEATING...

… RESPONDED BY

Exodus 4:20 NRSV

So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt; and Moses carried the staff of God in his hand.

…the STAFF THAT MOSES HAS - HAS A NEW NAME:

THE STAFF OF GOD

…the STAFF MOSES THREW TO THE GROUND AND IT BECAME A SERPENT

… IT WILL BECOME - AS THE STORY UNFOLDS - THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH WHICH BOTH MOSES AND AARON WIELD DEVINE POWER

MOSES WILL USE IT TO TURN THE NILE INTO BLOOD

MOSES WILL USE IT TO CALL DOWN HAIL FROM THE HEAVENS

MOSES WILL USE IT TO BRING LOCUSTS UPON THE LAND

THOUGH PHAROAHS MAGICIANS CAN ALSO CONJURE A SNAKE FROM A STAFF

MOSES’ WILL EAT ALL OF THEIRS

MOSES RAISES THE STAFF IN BATTLE - AND THE ISRAELITES PREVAIL AGAINST THE AMELEKITS

BUT - THAT STAFF WILL ALSO PLAY A PART IN KEEPING MOSES FROM REACHING THE PROMISED LAND

LATER IN THE WILDERNESS - 

GOD WILL TELL MOSES TO SPEAK TO A ROCK 

THAT IT MIGHT PRODUCE WATER FOR THE PEOPLE- AND

 INSTEAD>>>MOSES DISOBEDIENT

 STRIKES THE ROCK TWICE WITH HIS STAFF

GOD WILL BAR MOSES FROM THE PROMISED LAND FOR THIS DISOBEDIENCE....

Exodus 4:21 NRSV

And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

THIS FORESHADOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN

Exodus 4:22 NRSV

Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: Israel is my firstborn son.

Exodus 4:23 NRSV

I said to you, “Let my son go that he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; now I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

THIS BEGINS A CURIOUS - CURIOUS STORY;

NOT ONE I’M INCLINED TO GO MUCH INTO IN VIDEO;

STORIES LIKE THESE LEND THEMSELVES FAR BETTER FOR IN-PERSON BIBLE STUDIES

Exodus 4:24 NRSV

On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him.

Exodus 4:25 NRSV

But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ feet with it, and said, “Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”

Exodus 4:26 NRSV

So he let him alone. It was then she said, “A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.”

Exodus 4:27 NRSV

The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went; and he met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.

Exodus 4:28 NRSV

Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had charged him.

Exodus 4:29 NRSV

Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites.

Exodus 4:30 NRSV

Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and performed the signs in the sight of the people.

AARON BECOMES THE INTERMEDIARY

Exodus 4:31 NRSV

The people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had given heed to the Israelites and that he had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.