When God Calls

WHEN GOD CALLS

Text: Exodus 3:1-12

PPHC – 7/08/2007 PM

I. INTRODUCTION

 A The Setting of This Text

  1. Moses is in Midian.

  2. Israel is in misery.

 B. God Calls Moses to Deliver His People

  1. Moses is now 80 years old.

  2. He is tending sheep.

  3. He is startled a bush ablaze.

   a. The bush is not consumed.

   b. God speaks to Moses from the burning bush.

·         The mandate (call) comes to Moses from God.

·         We all know that Moses had reservations about THAT call…like many of us when God places something on our hearts.

·         Let’s look at why Moses may have questioned God’s call….

II. BODY

 A. God Called Moses When His Schedule Was Busy (v 1)

  1. Moses was tending a great flock of sheep.

   a. He had grown up in the home of Pharaoh.

   b. His early years had been times of ease.

   c. Now he is a working shepherd and God calls him.

  2. Does your schedule seem to full?

  3. You are the one God is calling to serve.

  4. God always calls when we are busy…

   a. Elisha in the field plowing.

   b. Peter in the boat fishing.

  5. Satan calls when your schedule is idle.

 B. God Called Moses When the Situation was Bleak (v 7)

  1. In Egypt, things were bad for Israel.

   a. The cruel taskmasters; low morale.

  2. Forty years earlier things were different.

   a. Moses then had political power; the ability to persuade those in authority.

   b. Now he is but a shepherd in a desert.

  3. Moses thinks the obstacles are too great.

  4. God delights to deliver in difficult times.

  5. On the darkest day, God makes a way.

 C. God Called Moses When His Previous Efforts Had Been Barren (v 11)

  1. “Who am I that I should go..?”

   a. He had tried before and failed.  (Acts 7:20-25)

    1. At 40, he made his bid as Israelite leader when he killed one of the Egyptian slave drivers who were making life miserable for his people. a

   2. But while Moses was certain of who he was, the Israelites, whom he had hoped to rescue, were not.

·         “Who are you? Are you going to kill us like you killed that Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14)

   b. He had no self-confidence left…(We don’t need SELF-Confidence; we need GOD-Confidence.)

    1. Over the next 40 years the question was pondered many times…”Who Am I?”

     a. He was a political failure, a murderer, and now a loner…yet, God is calling him now…WHY?!

·         The difference: God’s TIME and God’s POWER.

·         Moses HAD BEEN high and mighty; NOW humble and meek.

·         ILLUS. - We must rely upon the shape and size of a stone if we want to successfully skip it across the river.

·         However, God is not dependant on us to accomplish his will…

·         It didn’t matter who Moses was. Moses could have been a cripple. He could have been blind. He could have been a child. What was important is Who God was. God said, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12).

  2. He is God’s man for the occasion.

III. Conclusion

 A. God Calls Those Who Are Weak: Who Have Failed

 B. Respond to His Call Today

Adapted from: Preach for a Year, Vol. 2 - "When God Called Moses"