GOD’s CALL FOR SENIOR ADULTS

1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. 9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. 10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

INTRODUCTION:

A - How old are you?

“Age is a quality of mind:

If you have left your dream behind,

If hope is cold,

If you no longer look ahead,

If your ambition fires are dead -- Then you are old.

But if from life you take the best,

and if in life you keep the jest,

If love you hold;

No matter how the years go by,

No matter how the birthdays fly,

you are not old.”

B – God is calling you to golden years.

1- Age has never been a factor in God’s use of His people.

a. God called Abraham to fulfill the call upon his life at the age of 75. (Genesis 12:1-4)

b. Enoch continued to walk with God and point others to God in His senior years. (Genesis 5:22-25)

c. God gave the most glorious view of the Lord Jesus and the prophesies of the end – time to John. When he was past 90 yrs. of age (Revelation 1:10-11)

2- Senior Adults can be a great force for God in our church and community.

The question:

Will you answer His call to fulfill your Senior years?

T. S.: Notice three lessons from the call of Moses.

I - ORDINARY DOES NOT MEAN UNUSABLE (Exodus 3:1-4)

Exodus 3:1–4 NLT

A - Moses was an ordinary man.

1- At one time, he had been in a significant position. (Exodus 2:10)

Exodus 2:10 NLT

10 Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.”

2- Now, he was an ordinary shepherd, tending His Father-in-law’s sheep on the back side of the Midian Desert. (Exodus 3:1)

Exodus 3:1 NLT

1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God.

a. A seemingly insignificant man in a seemingly insignificant place.

b. Moses had spent time (40 years) in God’s Seminary!

B- God has always used ordinary people.

1- It is important to note that Moses was a man who had made mistakes.

a. He had done things that got him in trouble with the most powerful person and nation on earth!

b. He had to run for his life, leaving all that was familiar to him.

c. It was this flawed, ordinary man that God chose to use for a major task.

* The apostles were ordinary men

a. Many were uneducated –such as Peter, James, and John – But they were used of God to impact the world.

C- If you are an ordinary person, God wants You!

(1 Corinthians 1:27)

1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT

27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

1- He can use you to change things!!!

II- AGE IS INSIGNIFICANT TO OUR AGELESS GOD (Exodus 7:7)

Exodus 7:7 NLT

7 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.

A- Moses offered many excuses, but age was not one of them.

1 – He was better than 80 yrs. old when God called him to lead Israel.

2- Spent the next 40 years leading Israel out of bondage and through the wilderness. (Deuteronomy 31:1-3)

Deuteronomy 31:1–3 NLT

1 When Moses had finished giving these instructions to all the people of Israel, 2 he said, “I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.’ 3 But the Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy the nations living there, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will lead you across the river, just as the Lord promised.

3- It is important to note that God’s call entailed that Moses be in an intimate, growing relationship with Himself to accomplish this task. (Hebrews 11:24-27)

Hebrews 11:24–27 NLT

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

B -Some of the greatest work, has been done by people in their senior years.

* Murphy Causey, a Natchitoches man, was called by God to preach and start a church (Little Sparrow Mission) at 80 years of age. He also went to preach in the crusade of the Americas in the Yucatan in 1995. More Yucatecans were saved under his preaching than any other single preacher on the trip.

C - God can use you in a greater way now, than ever before.

1 - Experience is on your side.

2 - You can inspire others.

3- God has much for you to do:

Be a prayer Warrior

Witness and lead others to Jesus

Go on mission for Jesus short term or long term.

Serve actively in specific ministries of the church.

Sometimes, the call of God is even more specific (Like Bro. Causey)

III - GOD’S POWER IS THE ONLY SUFFICIENCY YOU NEED

A- The task God assigned to Moses was not dependent upon Moses’ abilities.

1- Moses was quick to point out his own deficiencies:

personal insufficiency (Exodus 3:10)

Exodus 3:10 NLT

10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

Insufficient knowledge of God (Exodus 3:13)

Exodus 3:13 NLT

13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”

Insufficient persuasive abilities (Exodus 4:1)

Exodus 4:1 NLT

1 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”

Insufficient ability to speak (Exodus 4:10)

Exodus 4:10 NLT

10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”

Anyone else would be better than me (Exodus 4:13)

Exodus 4:13 NLT

13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

B -Moses needed only the Power of God to fulfill His task.

1- God supplied the answers to all of Moses’ insufficiencies.

a. The key to all was the presence and power of the Living God! (Exodus 3:12a; Exodus 3:14)

Exodus 3:12a NLT

12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

Exodus 3:14 NLT

14 God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.”

2 - God performed miracles through Moses that enabled the Israelites to go free.

The staff-to-snake miracle

The Blood to water Miracle.

The 10 Plagues

Sustaining Miracles in the wilderness

C - With God as your strength there is nothing you can’t accomplish for Him!

(Phil.4:13)

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

1- All you need to do is surrender to his call and follow his leadership.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

(Matthew 28:18-20)

Matthew 28:18–20 NLT

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

CONCLUSION:

A - Beating One’s record.

1 - Edward Steichen – Photographing Sculpture in Garden of Museum of Modern Art in New York -- Statue of Balzac, by Rodin. (p.245 KTI)

“Not enjoyment and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to live that each tomorrow, finds us further than today”. WBK-

B -- Challenge to Senior Adults to renew their commitment to follow Christ.

1- You can be like the Apostle Paul.

(Philemon 9)

Philemon 9 NLT

9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.

a. Paul continued to serve Christ through evangelizing and discipling people until his death.

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