March 22-23, 2003             STAYING ON FIRE!        Exodus 3:1-4:20

FIRED UP!

*** Exodus 3:1-5 “One day Moses was taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep. Moses led the flock to the west side of the desert, he came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up. So he said, "I will go closer to this strange thing. How can a bush continue burning without burning up?" When the Lord saw Moses was coming to look at the bush, God called to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." Then God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.” [New Century Version]

WE CAN BE FIRED UP FOR GOD:

1. BY KNOWING THAT GOD SEES, HEARS AND CARES!

*** Exodus 3:7 “The Lord said: I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them….” [Contemporary English Version]

! YOU MATTER TO GOD!

*** Isaiah 44:2 “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born…don't be terrified! You are my chosen servant, my very favorite.” [CEV]

*** Ephesians 1:4 “Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love….” [Msg]

*** Isaiah 46:3-4 “I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you.” [NCV]

! THIS IS A TRUTH TO BUILD YOUR LIFE ON!

2. BY ACCEPTING THAT GOD WANTS TO USE YOU!

*** Exodus 3:4-10 “When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people…I have heard them crying out…, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." [New International Version]

! IT’S NOT ABOUT ME – IT’S ALL ABOUT GOD!

*** Ephesians 1:11 “It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” [Message]

*** Colossians 1:16 “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.” [Msg]

*** Proverbs 16:4 “The Lord has made everything for his own purposes….” [NLT]

o WE WERE PLANNED FOR GOD’S PLEASURE SO OUR FIRST PURPOSE IN

LIFE IS TO KNOW AND LOVE GOD – WORSHIP!

o WE WERE FORMED FOR GOD’S FAMILY SO OUR SECOND PURPOSE IN LIFE

IS TO LOVE GOD’S FAMILY – FELLOWSHIP!

o WE WERE CREATED TO BE LIKE CHRIST SO OUR THIRD PURPOSE IN LIFE IS

TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST – DISCIPLESHIP!

o WE WERE SHAPED FOR SERVING GOD SO OUR FOURTH PURPOSE IN LIFE

IS TO SERVE GOD BY SERVING OTHERS! – MINISTRY!

o WE WERE MADE FOR A MISSION SO OUR FIFTH PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS! – EVANGELISM!

*** John 13:17 “You know these things--now do them! That is the path of blessing.”

*** Eph. 5:15 “Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do.” [JB Phillips Translation]

3. BY CHOOSING TO BE FIRED UP AND FIRED OUT!

*** Exodus 3:11 “But who am I to appear before Pharaoh?" Moses asked God. "How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?" [NLT]

! EXCUSE NUMBER 1 – I’M NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

*** Exodus 3:12 “Then God told him, "I will be with you!" [NLT]

*** 2 Cor. 3:5-6 “We don't have the right to claim that we have done anything on our own. God gives us what it takes to do all that we do. He makes us worthy to be the servants of his new agreement that comes from the Holy….” [CEV]

! EXCUSE NUMBER 2 – I DON’T KNOW ENOUGH!

*** Exodus 3:13 “Moses protested, "If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, 'God… has sent me to you,' they won't believe me. They will ask, 'Which god are you talking about? What is his name?' Then what should I tell them?" [NLT]

*** Exodus 3:14 “God replied, "Just tell them, 'I Am has sent me to you.' " [NLT]

*** 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord…..” [NCV]

! EXCUSE NUMBER 3 – I’M NOT PERSUASIVE ENOUGH!

*** Exodus 4:1 “Moses protested again, "Look, they won't believe me! They won't do what I tell them. They'll just say, 'The Lord never appeared to you.' " [NLT]

*** Exodus 4:2 “The Lord asked him, "What do you have there in your hand?"

! EXCUSE NUMBER 4 – I’M NOT A GOOD COMMUNICATOR!

*** Exodus 4:10 “Moses pleaded… "Lord, I'm just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now, even after you have spoken to me. I'm clumsy with words."

*** Exodus 4:11-12 “Who makes mouths?" the Lord asked him. "Who makes people so they can speak…? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and do as I have told you. I will help you speak well, and I will tell you what to say." [NLT]

*** Luke 21:15 “I'll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.” [Msg]

! EXCUSE NUMBER 5 – I DON’T WANT TO!

*** Exodus 4:13 “Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send someone else." [NLT]

*** Exodus 4:14 “Then the Lord became angry with Moses.” [NLT]

*** Exodus 4:20 “So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.” [NIV]

“I've come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now!” -- Luke 12:49 [Msg]