Let's Start with That...
Notes
Transcript
Let's Start with That...
Let's Start with That...
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
A Rod - Moses
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
A simple everyday shepherds tool
A tool that Moses was comfortable with
Simple
Secure
Safe
leadership, growth, expansion is exciting, but it is also fearful
New calling
New opportunity
New direction - Moses wasn’t comfortable with that...
“What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.”
Let’s Start With That...
A Rod
A Voice - John
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
God had a job for John to do, but he wasn’t one who had much to offer
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
he didn’t have:
A good self image
A grand presentation -
he didn’t come on the scene with a $7,500 suit / or a $10,700 Jacket from Brioni
Burberry was not his designer of choice...
John was not picked as the cover for a GQ magazine...
Wealth
Worldly possessions
But what he did have - was a voice...
Not everyone would like his voice
not everyone would like his message
his voice - brought the skeptics to him
his voice - brought the criticism of the world
his voice - brought conviction to the heart of the hearers -
his voice - brought condemnation from those convicted… -
But he had something to offer his God… A Voice...
Let’s Start With That...
A Rod
A Voice
Commitment - Hebrew Boys
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
These 3 Hebrew boys were committed to their God...
More than their peers
more than the princes
more then the people of the land...
They were committed to their God...
A God they could not see
A God that had allowed them to be:
ripped from their homes
taken as slaves
A God who they loved, served and remained faithful to - all through the extreme pressures of their lives...
What can I give to God?
I have nothing of value to offer...
Let’s Start With That...
A Rod
A Voice
Commitment
Loyalty - Jonathan
30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
Jonathan and David had a great friendship -
There was a loyalty that was mutual...
Jonathan - rightful heir to the throne -
David - the son of Jesse -
The one who had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king
Loyalty
loyalty that went beyond self promotion
Loyalty that was purpose driven
Jonathan knew that David was to be the next king
David was not the enemy, why because Jonathan was looking at the plan of God...
Loyalty - a great trait - but it has to be properly placed...
loyalty - goes both ways...
Jonathan was loyal to David in his life -
David was loyal to Jonathan even after Jonathan’s death - Mephibosheth...
Let’s Start With That...
A Rod
A Voice
Commitment
Loyalty
Influence - Daniel
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Daniel had his own conviction
Daniel had his own strengths
Daniel had made his own decisions… and that gave him something that he could use and give to his God...
INFLUENCE
Influence to lead himself
Influence to lead his friends
Influence to lead his master
Influence...
we all have it -
do we use it for our own good or for God
do we use it for our self promotion or for God’s purposes to prevail
do we use this influence to encourage others, or to discourage others...
Daniel could have used his influence:
to push his own agenda
to promote himself
to prove his view…
Yet he used what He had - For the Lord...
The influence he had would later grow
The influence he had would prove viable
The influence he had would help others to succeed...
He didn’t have any great position -
he didn’t have great power
he didn’t have much to use for God, but he used what he had - he had influence...
Let’s Start With That...
A Rod
A Voice
Commitment
Loyalty
Influence
If I had a title
if I had a position
if I had the… I could serve God...
What do you have?
a wrench, a hammer, a computer, an apron, a book, - a rod...
A message - an amen, agreement - testimony - a voice -
A trial - pressure, problems, - faithfulness? failure? - Commitment
A battle between self promotion, pride and God’s purposes -
Loyalty to the person, principles - ultimately to God
Influence - for good and for God/ for sin and for self...
Pastor - I don’t have much to offer...
that’s ok -
What’s in your hand?
Let’s start with that - God can handle the rest.