Where Would Your Feet Take You?

WHERE WOULD YOUR FEET TAKE YOU?

Cody McCoy

TEXT: “And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground” (Exo. 3:4-5).

THESIS: To investigate where Moses walked after being in the presence of God and apply it to “places” the New Testament Christian should spiritually walk after being in the presence of God’s Word.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Have you heard anyone utter the phrase, “I have to get my steps in”?

a. Doctors tell us a minimum of 10,000 steps a day is a healthy goal.

b. Our phones, watches, and fitbits track every step we take, even flights of stairs.

c. It does not matter where we are going, as long as, we reach the magic number.

2. Over the course of Moses’ life, I can assure you he logged a significant number of steps.

a. Unlike our 10,000 randomly executed steps, Moses’ steps had a purpose.

b. Each journey had a legitimate, God-directed goal that required great effort.

3. We will look at five places Moses was compelled to go after standing on Holy ground:

a. Moses went from Midian to Egypt to confront bondage.

b. He went from Egypt through the Red Sea to convert believers.

c. He went from the Red Sea to the top of Mt. Sinai to communicate the by-laws.

d. He traveled to Sinai and through the wilderness to collect blessings.

e. Finally, he went from the wilderness to Mt. Nebo to consider the great beyond.

f. With each journey, New Testament application will be made.

DISCUSSION:

I. MOSES’ FEET TOOK HIM TO CONFRONT BONDAGE (Exo. 3:9-10).

A. God sent him before Pharaoh and demanded his people’s release (Exo. 3:7-10).

B. Moses made excuses and showed a lack of confidence. (Exo. 3:11,13; 4:1, 10).

C. After assurances from God, Moses did not look back.

1. From the very first meeting, he approached Pharaoh with boldness and was straight to the point, “Let my people go” (Exo. 5:1).

2. Moses delivered God’s message to the Israelites and to Pharaoh and executed the plagues one after the other just as God instructed (Exo. 7:15-12:30).

3. Moses and Israel did all that the LORD commanded (Exo. 12:50).

D. Today, as one studies the scriptures, (he is in God’s presence by looking into His word), one must confront the bondage of sin in his own life (Rom 6:16).

1. All have sinned (Rom 3:23).

2. Sin causes death (Rom. 6:23).

3. Jesus frees us from sin (Rom. 8:1-2).

4. Rom. 6:17-18 – Ye were the servants of sin…made free from sin

5. How bad do we desire to be free from bondage of sin? Israelites bondage was difficult, weary labor. (Exo. 1:14; 3:7,9)

a. Hard bondage – hard = severe, cruel, grievous; bondage = labor of a slave.

b. Rigour = to break apart; to fracture. Labor so tough it is breaking the body.

c. Then labors increase the more – no straw, same number of bricks (Exo. 5:7).

6. Jesus “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mat. 11:28-30).

II. MOSES’ FEET TOOK HIM TO CONVERT THE BELIEVERS (Exo. 14:21-22)

A. Exo. 14:7-12 – FEAR – False Evidence Appears Real – we convince ourselves we were better off in bondage. Trust in God.

B. Moses commanded the people to “see the salvation of the LORD” (v.13).

1. II Chronicles 20:15-17, 22-25 “Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” Jehoshaphat vs. Ammon, Moab, Mt. Seir

2. Luke 3:6 “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

3. God visually demonstrated his salvation to his people when the Red Sea was peeled back and then released over the Egyptian army, when dead bodies of 3 armies piled up without a fight from the Israelites, and when Jesus was lifted up on the cross and rose from the dead.

C. Moses lead the people safely through, surrounded by the waters (v. 21-22).

D. The bondage of Pharaoh was defeated by water once and for all (v. 26-28).

E. Paul wrote to Corinth and explained, that passing through the Red Sea was a type of baptism (1 Cor. 10:1-2). “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”

F. Today, man must be converted by surrounding water and fleeing from the bondage of sin (Mark 16:15-16; I Peter 3:21).

1. We must hear God’s instructions, like Moses did (Rom 10:17).

2. We must believe that God sent us a deliverer (John 8:24).

3. We must be willing to change directions and leave bondage (Acts 17:30).

4. We must confess that the deliverer is the son of the living God (Rom. 10:9-10).

5. And finally, to follow Moses and the Israelites through the Red Sea in baptism, with an immersion of our own for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 22:16).

III. MOSES’ FEET TOOK HIM TO COMMUNICATE THE BYLAWS (Exo. 20-23).

A. “God spake all these words” and gave Moses the law (Exo. 20:1). 158 Times

B. God wanted Moses to take it to the people and expected them to live it (Exo. 19:5-6).

C. Exo. 24:7 “All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient.”

D. He expected them to teach their children (Deut 6:1-9).

1. READ IN BIBLE

E. Today, Jesus has that same expectation of his people.

1. Mat. 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you

2. John 14:15 – If you love me keep my commandments

F. Jesus was elevated above the Old Law and the prophets, “Hear ye him”, not them (Mar. 9:7). Moses and Elijah were there on the mount of transfiguration.

G. God “hath spoken unto us in these last days” by Jesus (Heb 1:1-2).

H. James 1:23-25 – not a hearer only, but a doer of the word.

I. “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

IV. MOSES’ FEET TOOK HIM TO COLLECT THE BLESSINGS (Exo. 15:22-16:4).

A. If an Israelite did not heed the instructions for the Passover or pass through the Red Sea, it would be impossible for him to enjoy the blessings of God.

B. The Israelites found no water (v. 15:22).

1. They could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter (v. 23).

2. God made the waters sweet (v. 25).

3. He brought them to more water and the shade of 70 palm trees (v. 27).

4. At Rephidim, there was again no water to drink, God provided (Exo. 17:1-6).

5. At Kadesh, Num. 20:2 There was no water for the congregation.

a. Num. 20:11 – Moses smote the rock twice and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank and their beasts also.

b. 2-3 million and their herds – do we understand the extent of what abundantly means?

c. Abundantly = multiply, plenteous, populous, more numerous than,

C. The Israelites accused God of killing this whole assembly with hunger (Exo. 16:2).

1. The Lord will rain bread from heaven for them (v. 4).

2. The Lord even provided for the Sabbath with twice as much bread (v. 5).

3. The Lord provided flesh to eat in the evening and bread to the full (v. 8).

a. He did this so they know “I am the LORD your God” (v.12).

b. Quail came up and covered the camp (v. 13) size of the camp.

1.) 36 sq mi.

c. Everyone had Manna to the full (v. 18). ABUNDANTLY

d. Num. 11:31-32 – all that day, all that night, and all the next day they gathered quail. ABUNDANTLY

1.) From the Mediterranean Sea?

2.) The least gathered 10 bushels.

D. Today, all men have received a measure of God’s blessings: the sunshine and the rain (Mat. 5:45), God’s creation itself, even his grace has appeared unto all men (Tit. 2:11). Electricity, a bed, a car, a home, napkins, a fork, dirty dishes.

E. James 1:5 – “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (will not taunt us/rail at us); and it shall be given him”

F. The Christian has received ALL SPIRITUAL blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3).

1. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

G. Forgiveness of sins, access to the father in prayer, a heavenly inheritance of eternal life, peace, God’s providence are just a few.

1. God has stored up great blessings for those who honor him (Psa. 31:19).

2. As noted earlier, you must be in Christ to gain these blessings (Gal. 3:27).

H. Revisit “abundantly” – Eph 3:20 – To him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

1. 1 Tim 1:14 – His grace was exceeding abundant

2. 1 Peter 1:3-4 – according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us unto a lively hope, an incorruptible inheritance.

V. MOSES’ FEET TOOK HIM TO CONTEMPLATE THE GREAT BEYOND (Deu. 34:1-4).

A. Moses went up Mt. Nebo and saw all of the promised land (v. 4).

B. I can only imagine his thoughts of how beautiful and wonderful that land was.

C. A Christian stands on Mt. Nebo, viewing the promised land through scripture now.

1. We sing a song “Won’t It Be Wonderful There”, having no burdens to bear.

2. God wipes away all tears, there is no more death, sorrow or crying (Rev 21:4).

3. I hope you spend time thinking about your eternal home, that prepared place.

CONCLUSION:

1. Moses was courageous, longsuffering, and he showed great leadership, but he was not perfect.

a. He made excuses, he would get angry and lose his patience, he would disobey God and be kept from entering the promise land (Num 20:12).

b. Did you know God made promises Moses would accomplish before he even started (Exo. 6:5-8).

c. Watch how God’s promises trace out Moses’ footsteps:

1.) I will you bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians (v.6).

2.) I will redeem you with a stretched out arm (v.6).

3.) I will take you to me for a people, and I will be your God (v.7).

4.) I will bring you in unto the land which I did swear to give (v.8).

d. Hebrews 11:23-29 forever pays tribute to the faith of Moses.

e. Confront bondage, Convert believers, Collect Blessing, Communicate Christ’s Bylaws, and Contemplate the great beyond.

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2. Bring you out from bondage –

a. Romans 6:17-18 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

b. Rom. 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3. Redeem you – Eph 1:7 - In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Christ bought you back on the Cross.

4. Take for me a people –

a. Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

b. 1 Pet. 2:9 – “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

5. Bring you into a land which I swore to give –

a. John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

6. You may be thinking the same thing Moses did the first time he was standing on Holy ground: I am not worthy, I am not perfect, I am not a great people person, I can’t do it, etc.

a. But, God keeps his promises, he is faithful to provide a way (1 Cor. 10:13).

b. The blood of Jesus continues to cleanse the faithful (1 John 1:7).

1.) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

c. If you are fighting, you are faithful (1 Tim. 6:12).

d. Seek these same journeys Moses sought, and with God’s help…you can do it!

Hear - Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing

Believe – John 8:24 - If you believe not that I am he, you will die in your sins

Confess – Mat. 10:32 – Whosoever will confess Jesus before men, will be confessed before the Father.

Repent – 2 Cor 7:9 – that ye sorrowed to repentance - made sorry after a Godly manner

Be Baptized – Acts 22:16 – baptism will wash away your sins.