Have you ever been in a situation where you know you need to speak up, but the fear and the doubt and the uncertainty hold you back? You feel the tension rising inside you, knowing that you need to say something in that situation, and yet you remain silent. Maybe you were afraid of saying the wrong thing, or maybe the emotional weight of that situation made you hesitant. Nevertheless, deep down, you feel the undeniable pressure. Something or someone was telling you it was time to speak up. God has been working in this way for thousands of years. Over and over and over again, he sets a plan in motion, then chooses a specific person to speak on his behalf, to fulfill his purposes. The crazy part is that he often chooses people who don't seem like the right choice, at least by the world's standards. The person God chooses might feel too young or too weak or too unqualified, but God looks past all of that.
He looks deep inside and he sees the potential to fulfill his purpose and says, I'm calling you to speak up. Welcome to Mountain View Church. My name is Jeremy. It's such a privilege to have you with us today. Whether you're joining us here in person or online, I'm excited to continue exploring how God is moving in our lives, and I'm glad you're here to be a part of it. For those of you joining us online, please connect with us and our church community by going to mountainview.church slash connect or by texting connect to the number on the screen, which is 867-322-8001. If you're gathering with us in person, please take a moment to fill out that connect card under the seats in front of you and drop it off at the welcome desk before you leave.
It's a great way for us to get to know you and for you to find out more about the different groups and ministries that we have here at Mountain View Church. If you have children with you today, I'll remind you that we have a full base camp children's program every Sunday morning, both at 9.30 and 11 a.m. It's a funny, meaningful way for your children to learn and grow in their faith in a style that suits them. Lastly, for our students in the crowd, our youth group meets every Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Junior high is on the first and third Sundays, and senior high is on the second and fourth Sundays. So if you're a teen or you have teens or preteens in your family, we'd love to help them connect with other young people their age and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Now, let's jump back into today's message. We've entered week three in our teaching series called Called by God, empowered by faith, driven by purpose. Throughout this series, we're diving into nine powerful biblical accounts of individuals who were called by God.
to step beyond their comfort zones and do something extraordinary. These individuals were called to move past their typical words, actions, and behaviors to fulfill a divine purpose. And when God called them, they listened and followed his leading, even though they may not have felt adequate or equipped for the mission he was calling them to. In the first week of our series, Pastor Herber shared with us about Abraham's call to give up trusting God for the future. Then last week, Pastor Byron took us through Joseph's story and his call to let up and let God lead, even though he faced difficult, difficult trials.
And today, we'll be turning our attention to the account of Moses, his calling found in the book of Exodus, chapter 3. Moses is an example of someone who felt entirely inadequate to speak on God's behalf, yet God empowered him in ways that Moses never could have imagined. Through his story, we'll see how God provides everything we need, the way, the wisdom, and the words, when he calls us to speak up. To begin this journey, let's open up our Bibles to Exodus chapter 3 for today's scripture reading. As you listen to God's word being read, pay close attention to how God approaches Moses and calls him into a mission far greater than anything Moses had experienced before.
Hi, I'm Ryan, and today's scripture reading will be from Exodus chapter 3, verses 1 through 15. Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. And he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here I am. Then he said, Do not come near. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. And he said,
I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of the taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me.
And I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send to you Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? He said, But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain. Then Moses said to God, If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? What shall I say to them? God said to Moses, I am who I am.
And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent me to you. God also said to Moses, Say this to the people of Israel, The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. This account teaches us something important about God's character. When God calls you to speak up, he provides the way, the wisdom, and the words. When God calls someone to speak on his behalf, he provides the way forward or the plan of action. He provides the wisdom to know what to say and when to say it. And God even provides the words to speak. God will equip them, or you, with everything you need to get the job done.
Without understanding this crucial aspect of God's character, that's when we shy away from those moments in life and when he's calling us to be his voice, when he's calling us to speak up. Now, don't get me wrong. Speaking up can feel intimidating and downright nerve wracking. But when we recognize that God provides the way, the wisdom and the words, and that he is walking with us through the entire process, it changes everything. There's a confidence and a boldness we can step into because we know we're not alone. By taking a closer look at Moses' calling over the next 20 minutes, we can see God's character in action. You see, Moses was an Israelite born into slavery in Egypt.
Through a miraculous set of circumstances that you can read about in the previous two chapters of Exodus, Moses is brought up into Pharaoh's household and raised as an Egyptian. As a young man seeing the cruel treatment of his people, Moses lashes out one day in anger and he murders an Egyptian guard. Fearing retribution, he flees Egypt with no plans of ever returning. Over time, Moses finds a wonderful life of seclusion as a shepherd. For 40 years, Moses is living his best life. Then, out of nowhere, God calls him to speak on his behalf. The mission?
Moses is called to confront Pharaoh, the most powerful leader in the world, in a place where Moses has some shady history. Just think about that for a second. Moses had left that life in Egypt. It was dead to him. Out of all the places on earth, the last place Moses would have ever wanted to go back to was Egypt. But now you might be thinking, wait, Moses is an obvious choice, right? He grew up in Pharaoh's courts and he likely knew how to speak the Egyptian language. And yet Moses also knew how Egyptian culture and power operated. Moreover, he was still an Israelite and worse, a fugitive Israelite.
He'd been shepherding for 40 years. He wasn't some kind of diplomat. Nevertheless, God had set him apart long before, and the time had come. It was time for Moses to speak up. First, we see that God provides the way for Moses, the way forward for the Israelites as a whole. Before God calls Moses to speak, his action plan has already been established. God gives Moses the bigger picture. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters.
I know their sufferings and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey. God is very clear about what he intends to do. He's going to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt and bring them into the promised land. This plan was already set into motion. Moses is being called to follow God's direction that's already moving forward, not to figure it out on his own. God tells Moses, come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
Notice here that Moses isn't left to his own devices. God sends him with very clear instructions, showing him exactly how the deliverance of Israel will unfold. The way forward has been laid out. Moses simply must trust and obey. Look at this next piece. We see that God provides the wisdom needed for Moses to speak up. When God calls someone to speak on his behalf, he walks with that person, bestowing upon them his wisdom and guidance as the process unfolds. And so God reassures Moses. He says, I will be with you and this shall be the sign for you that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.
God's presence is an assurance that Moses won't need to rely on his own knowledge and understanding. God promises to be with him every step of the way, even to the end when they'll be worshiping on that mountain. He's giving him divine guidance and forethought, foresight if that. Moses may not know all the details or have all the answers, but God's wisdom will guide him and he will fulfill God's mission. Therefore, the success of the mission isn't entirely dependent on Moses' abilities. It's grounded in divine wisdom that can only come from God's presence. The final piece, God provides the words that Moses is to speak.
This is perhaps the most important component. Now, Moses knows the Egyptian culture and the standards of Egyptian royalty. He knows the power and authority that Pharaoh holds, but maybe he doesn't know the people of Israel that much. He didn't spend a lot of time with those Israelites that are in slavery. And so Moses has a valid question at this point. He asks, if I come to the people of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, what is his name? What shall I say to them? God says to Moses, I am who I am. And he said, say this to the people of Israel. I am has sent me to you.
With this answer, God provides Moses with the exact words he needs. Powerful words. I am who I am. And this is more than just a name. In ancient Hebrew culture, it's a statement of divine authority and power. These words are the focal point of Moses' calling and his speaking mission, not to Pharaoh so much, but to the people of Israel. Like, why will they follow him? Who is this guy? Where is he from? They might even remember that he's a murderer of Egyptian guards from way back. Without that name of validation, everything else is empty words.
From the account, we can assume that Moses felt inadequate in his skills and unsure about the future. And yet, he doesn't have to rely on his own eloquence or experience. God will provide the message and the authority. God will equip Moses with the way forward, the wisdom needed to accomplish the mission, and even the words to say. Now, as a bit of a spoiler, In the next chapter of Exodus, we get the full picture of Moses' fear and anxiety about his calling to speak for God. He offers up all sorts of excuses on why he shouldn't be the one to speak. Even then, God continues to provide. He gives Moses a couple of miraculous signs to use in Pharaoh's court. Then when Moses still pushes back against the mission, God starts to get a bit angry, and yet he graciously sends Moses' brother Aaron with him to help him speak. Over and over and over again, we see God's character of provision, giving Moses everything he needs to fulfill his calling.
As a further spoiler, although it was a difficult journey, full of ups and downs, Moses did, in fact, embrace his calling, and God continued to provide. In the end, Pharaoh released the people of Israel, and they marched out of Egypt, wealthy and triumphant. If you have never read the entire account, take a quiet moment this week, make a hot cup of coffee or tea, and read through the rest of Exodus. I'm telling you, it is an amazing story, a cliffhanger. But now, we need to fast forward from Moses' day to the first century, when God radically changes how he speaks through people.
In generations past, God used prophets, specifically chosen for the task of communicating God's instructions. But throughout those generations, a promise remained that one day God would send a Messiah, a savior, to bring spiritual freedom to humanity. Then it happened. God sent the Messiah, his son. That's right, God's son, Jesus. And all of a sudden, God had become human flesh, human form, living among men and women, proclaiming incredible truths about God's coming kingdom. He healed the sick, raised people from the dead, and gathered together a group of followers called disciples.
Unfortunately, the religious leaders hated Jesus because they didn't want to leave the old spiritual ways. They rejected that God was fulfilling the old covenant system and bringing in something brand new. So... Fortunately, they sought to have Jesus killed and eventually succeeded. Jesus was executed by crucifixion and the religious leaders assumed that this new spiritual teaching was dead with him, but they couldn't have been more wrong. You see, God's plan was for Jesus to die on that cross. Although Jesus was innocent, he was the punishment for sin, the payment for sin. He was a final perfect sacrifice for the sinful ways of humanity. Jesus died and was buried, but on the third day, God raised him from the dead. Jesus had conquered sin and death.
initiating a new covenant for all people, not just the people of Israel. Anyone from that time forward who would place their trust in Jesus, God's son, and believe that God raised him from the dead would be saved from their sin and would spend eternity in God's kingdom when they died. Soon after this miraculous event, Jesus ascended to heaven, but not before promising his followers a helper. The third part of the Godhead known as the Holy Spirit. This is where God's call to speak comes in.
in a miraculous new way. You see, God's spirit would indwell those who place their trust in God's son, Jesus. The voice of God would then be available to all believers, not just prophets. This radical shift started in the first century, but it continues to this very day. No longer are we waiting for a special prophetic voice to speak on God's behalf. Every single follower of Jesus is called and empowered. The first calling of the spirit is the one that points someone to Jesus. He often starts with a still small voice that pushes us towards thoughts of the beginning of the world or the end of the world or the purpose of life.
the place of faith or whether there's something in the next life. Little by little, these questions turn into a calling and it continues until we're faced with a choice to accept God's son, Jesus Christ, or to reject him. And this is the foundation of our faith. By placing your trust in Jesus, you are forgiven of all your sins. You're made a new spiritual creation and your life is transformed from the inside out by God's Holy Spirit at the center of it all.
And from that moment forward, even when you're faced with the most difficult situations, the Holy Spirit empowers you to live boldly for God and proclaim this truth, the gospel. And if we read the gospel account written by Luke, we see that Jesus tells his disciples, and when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. This message still applies to us today. In moments of pressure, persecution, or uncertainty, we don't have to rely on our own eloquence or experience. The same Holy Spirit that empowered the first disciples is actively guiding and equipping us. And just like Moses, God's Spirit will provide the way, the wisdom, and the words when we're called to speak up.
God is still speaking today through his Holy Spirit. God is actively at work and he continues to call us to speak up. We don't need to be afraid of feeling inadequate, uncertain, or unprepared. We can trust that the Holy Spirit will equip us with the strength and direction we need when we have to say something. When something has to be said, he'll help us. You see, once we give our lives to Christ, we're never alone. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us.
Whenever we feel anxious or unsure about what to say, the Holy Spirit steps in and guides us. The Apostle Paul, a great missionary and church leader, writing to the Christians in Rome, gave them this encouragement. He wrote, Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
The Holy Spirit doesn't just help us find the right words. He intercedes on our behalf, even when we can't express our thoughts or feelings. And in some cases, he gives us the specific words to use, almost like supernatural divine guidance implanted into our conversations, starting with our hearts and minds. Isn't that crazy? So here's my challenge to you this week. Pause this video, refill your coffee cup, and take some time in prayer. Ask God these three questions. How do you want me to speak up? Who do you want me to speak to?
And what do you want me to say? Well, how did it go? Is there a conversation you've been avoiding? Perhaps an issue of injustice or a difficult relationship? After asking God those three questions, did you feel a nudge to share your faith with a friend or colleague? How did God call you to speak up? Whatever it was, make a plan to have that conversation this week. Send the message and invite that person to coffee or lunch. Trust that God's Spirit will provide the right words. Take that step of faith and watch how God uses your voice to make a difference.
Now, before we close out today's message, remember that that same power, God's power that empowered Moses to stand before Pharaoh, that same God has called you. You don't have to rely on your own strength or ability. The Holy Spirit will give you the way forward, the wisdom needed to speak and the words to say. You might be facing the biggest situation of your life. It feels like a giant weight on your shoulders. But rest assured that God is so much bigger. He has already charted your course. He's already got the plan in mind. So let him take the lead. But then again,
Maybe you're here today and you're still hung up on the Jesus piece. You've heard about Jesus and you felt God's spirit moving in your heart and mind, but you've never accepted God's son as your savior. Maybe you've never taken that final step to trust Jesus with your life, to be forgiven for your sin and to receive the helper Jesus spoke of, God's Holy Spirit. If that's where you're at today, maybe it's time to respond. If God's calling you and inviting you into a relationship with him, it's time to live out that calling.
Whether you've accepted the call to receive Jesus for the first time, or maybe right now you're reaffirming that call, I would invite you, please, pray this prayer with me today. Let's pray. Dear God, I hear your calling. I admit that I can't live this life on my own, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that you sent your son Jesus to die for my sin, and that you raised him from the dead, offering me eternal life.
I accept your Son as my Lord and Savior. Fill me and seal me with your Holy Spirit. Give me the way, the wisdom, and the words to speak for you. Teach me to trust in you from this day forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer for the first time today, I am honored to be the first to say, welcome to the family of God. You'll soon discover that it's the best decision you've ever made.
And our ministry team would be honored to walk alongside of you as you begin this faith journey. We want to be praying for you. So please reach out to mountainview.church slash prayer. That's mountainview.church slash prayer or text prayer to 867-322-8001. And if you're in-house right now, simply write your prayer request on a connect card and hand it into the welcome desk. Whether you're online or in-house, someone from our team will get in touch with you and let you know how you can be supported through your faith journey.
We want to help you through this next season of life. Please come back next week as we continue our Called by God series. We'll be looking at the life of Joshua and his call to step up. After the death of Moses, Joshua is called to step into an important role and responsibility, leading the people of Israel into the promised land. We'll explore how God empowered him to take on the mantle of leadership despite the overwhelming challenges ahead. If you've ever faced a situation that seemed too big or too difficult, this message will be well worth your time.
Thank you again for choosing Mountain View Church. Let's go into this week trusting that God is with us and guiding us every step of the way. If you pray to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church.com. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City of Whitehorse Dukon.