SUNDAY SERVICE JULY 13, 2008

 YOU’RE SPECIAL---CALLED FOR A PUPOSE PART 8

 FROM THE RED SEA TO THE MOUNTAIN

song service

This is lesson 8 in the series and, by now, you must have Romans 8:28 coming out of your pores but, for the sake of those who’ve joined us for the first time today, let me quote the scripture: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

WE ARE STUDYING OUR OWN CALLING AND PURPOSE THROUGH THE LIFE OF MOSES.

MOSES HAD A CALLING. He was called to shepherd the people of Israel—God’s people. Whatever our calling is, it will be connected to God’s people. We are ALL called to be God’s ambassadors; to lead people to Jesus and also to bless those who know Him.

MOSES NOT ONLY HAD A CALLING, HE HAD A PURPOSE.

First, he was to lead Israel out of the slavery of Egypt---to show them how to come under God's protection and be saved from death through the Blood of the Lamb. We are called to lead people out of the slavery of sin and turn them to God that they be saved from death through the Blood of the Lamb—God’s Son, Jesus.

But there was more to the purpose that God had called him to; he had to receive the Law from God and give this law to Israel so Israel might live a good and abundant life. The Law would teach them how to survive—both in the desert and in the Promised Land.

We are called not only to bring people to salvation, but to turn them toward the Word of God so that they might live an abundant life---so they (and we) may survive in the desert and in the place of blessing.

And, then, Moses had to lead Israel to the Promised Land. He would do that, but he would not lead them INTO the promised land. Joshua would. More about that in a later lesson.

Now, after Israel left the Red Sea, Moses led them to Mt. Sinai, where God would give them the ten commandments. In order to serve God, they needed to know what God expected of them. In order to serve God, we need to know what He expects of us!

God called Moses up to the mountain to give him the ten Commandments. He said to him, "Tell this to the sons of Israel, ‘If you will hear My voice, you will be My people.’"

But, while Moses was up on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments from God so that Israel could be blessed, Israel was at the foot of the mountain, busy building a golden calf to worship as their god instead of the God of Israel who had done all the miracles and brought them out of Egypt.

 MOSES WAS FURIOUS AND SHOWED HIS ANGER BY BREAKING THE STONE TABLETS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Exodus 32:19-20"And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it."

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP MOSES FROM LOVING THEM AND PRAYING FOR THEM!

Right then and there, God could have wiped them out and created a people for himself through Moses, but Moses, though he was angry, had a shepherd’s heart. He loved his people and he wept and prayed for them.

GOD DOESN’T CALL US TO AVOID PEOPLE OR WRITE THEM OFF BECAUSE OF THEIR SINS; HE CALLS US TO PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY MAY BE FORGIVEN. We may be angry at their sin, but we are to love them and pray for them. God tells us that we are to pick up our own cross and carry it. Carrying our cross does not mean bearing some personal pain just for the sake of hurting. What was the Cross of Jesus for? It was to bring sinners to God. While Moses was receiving the law, the people rebelled against God and Moses. While Jesus was on the cross atoning for our sins, the people were mocking him—hurling insults. But, what did Jesus do? He said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

OUR CROSS MAY BE PAINFUL, BUT IT’S PURPOSE IS TO BRING FORGIVENESS. REMEMBER, WE EACH NEED FORGIVENESS OURSELVES. WE RECEIVE IT WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS, BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE. We are given a way to receive daily forgiveness by confessing our sins to God and we need this because we all sin. Just because we're saved doesn't mean we're sinless. We're not perfect, we're forgiven!

1 John 1:8-10  8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

BACK TO ISRAEL AND MOSES.

Exodus 32:30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."  31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."  33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."  35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

WHAT A HEART OF COMPASSION MOSES HAD!

As a result of Moses’s prayer God did not wipe out the people who had so grievously sinned against Him. Though many died because of the plague, God continued to bless the people with His presence.

Romans 3:23 says that ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT GOD MADE A WAY FOR US TO BE WITH HIM.

23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[Christ Jesus our Lord.

BUT GETTING SAVED IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Israel getting out of Egypt was just the beginning...and the ten commandments were just a beginning. Moses knew that they needed a detailed plan in order to serve God and he needed a detailed plan in order to lead god’s people.

Exodus 33:12-13 12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."

WE ARE GOD’S PEOPLE—CALLED TO BE A HOLY NATION AND A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

In order to do that, we need God’s Word—not just a part of it but ALL of it! Our journey to fulfill our calling and purpose begins with the Word and it continues with the Word. And the very faith we need for all of this comes from HEARING THE WORD!

Romans  10: 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE SAVED FROM  EGYPT; THEY WERE SAVED TO BE A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S GLORY--- TO WORSHIP GOD AND BE A HOLY NATION THAT LED THE WORLD TO GOD. Their immediate purpose was to go to the Promised Land and seize the land. It should have taken no more than 40 days to get there. It took them 40 years because of their rebellion and disbelief. Let’s make sure we don’t take that same detour. Let’s keep ourselves in the Word of God and let it do its work within us to keep us from unbelief and disobedience.

Hebrews 4:11-13 (AMP) 11Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell]. 12For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the ^[a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. 3And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

They could have done it the easy way but they chose to do it the hard way. No actually, they chose to do it the hardest way.( I call it “hardissimo”, a word I coined). Like them, we can choose to do things the easy way or the hard way---or the hardissimo way!. God WILL bring us to our “promised land” and he will cause us to fulfill our purpose and be conformed to his image. Will it take “40 days” or “40 years”? That’s up to each one of us.

AND, HAVING GOTTEN RIGHT UP TO THE PROMISED LAND, WILL WE ACTUALLY GO IN AND POSSESS IT? THAT’S UP TO US. GOD IS WILLING AND GOD IS ABLE. WE JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE, TRUST AND OBEY!

NEXT TIME: THE WILDERNESS—40 DAYS OR 40 YEARS?