Gods Calling — Joe Focht

We are looking at the first three verses, but then we will Back up and look at it together of chapter 4 and Moses answered and said I was talking to God. But behold they will not believe me. Nor hearken unto my voice for they will say the Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

Moses' Doubt and the Rod in His Hand

The Lord said unto him What is that in your hand? He said a rod. Said cast it on the ground and he cast it on the ground. It became a servant Moses fled from before it. The Lord said unto Moses put forth thine hand and take it by the tail and he put forth his hand and he caught it and became a rod in his hand a picture of Moses as God is slowly working him along Convincing him of the calling that he has on his life.

And I believe that's a slow process in all of our lives, by the way God has a calling on all of our lives. It tells us in 2nd Corinthians 3 6 that he has enabled us to become Ministers of the New Testament all of us speaking to the church to all of us not.

I'm not the minister the servant. You are all servants. You're all ministers again. It tells us in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 9 that God has called us with a holy calling not according to our works. But according to his grace and his purpose which was in Christ Jesus before the world was formed that God has called us according to his grace.

The Christian Calling as a Living Sacrifice

Romans chapter 12. I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God to present yourselves a living sacrifice unto God which is your reasonable service and and all of us are called to give ourselves to Christ that is The payment that is the taking up of our cross that he has given his life for us.

So we are to give our lives in return to him to his purposes. And that is a high and holy calling it is on each of our lives and it is very much Against the same kind of backdrop that Moses found himself Against and we looked at that some last week.

It was a backdrop of desperation of the people of God of a nation that was corrupt Egypt of the difficulties that they faced and We certainly are much in the same situation we are in desperate times. We live in an era of violence.

There have been more people gunned down in our cities this century by handguns and casualties in the wars that we fought. We're dangerous to walk the street here in this nation. Again we mentioned a few weeks ago that there are more adult bookstores right now than three times more than McDonald's restaurants in the United States.

Statistically the most dangerous time for a human in the United States is between conception and birth. Statistically 34 million in the last 20 years. Statistically the most dangerous time for an American is the nine months his mother's womb.

If you made it that far you stand a better chance of getting along in life at least for some years. That's the backdrop that Moses faced as the children of Israel were putting their sons in the Nile River.

Desperate times and Yet God had a calling on his life and God brings him to this place where he is speaking to him. Saying Moses, I'm gonna send you to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh Chapter 3 verse 18 and God says they will surely hearken unto you and I send you but here where Moses now speaks Moses says to God.

Moses' Fear of Rejection and Failure

But you've never said that to God have you? But Behold, they will not believe me or hearken to me. God just said now you would think that if God appeared to you in your bedroom. Or he appeared to you in a burning bush in his glory and the angel of the Lord's presence Jesus Christ standing in the midst of the flames and said to you I'm sending you and you're gonna go and when you go they're gonna listen to you and they're gonna hear what you have to say.

You you know that you wouldn't think that you would say but and Behold, he's saying behold to God, which means did you ever think of this? He's saying to God but consider this. They will listen to me and they're not gonna believe me.

Now what does as he had a bad experience in the past with burning bushes and appearances of God, I mean God says to him Moses. What is that in your hand? Says the rod it is a reminder daily of my failure.

It is a constant reminder of my life being lived out in mediocrity. It is a constant reminder that I tried in my own strength To accomplish the purposes of God and I am left here To live out my life without anybody ever knowing who I am or having any impact on the things of God.

I Thought I would deliver Israel from Egypt as the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army as the son of Pharaoh's daughter and lying to be Pharaoh with the political clout and power and Education God had given me certainly I thought This is a great plan.

God has put me in a specific place at a specific time to deliver the children of Israel I set out in my own flesh and my own abilities. I failed miserably and here I am in the backside of the desert the flock of sheep and this rod in my hands and I know it.

Well, I have carried it for 40 years. I know every knot in this rod. I Know where the grain curls. The top of it has become shiny from my hand rubbing against it and from the lanolin from the sheep I know exactly where I like to grab it.

I can feel it without looking at it. I like the knot going before my first finger and my thumb. I Guess Moses Knew it completely. But he didn't know it at all. I think as God challenges us and says what is in your hand?

Knowing Who We Are and Who God Is

We look at our lives and there's so many things that we are Surrounded with in the humdrum of life and we think that we know or we understand or we're familiar and we may be completely missing What it is that God is saying to us now by the way as God asked him this question What is in your hand it is defined by two questions he had asked earlier that are important Chapter 3 verse 11 when God said to Moses, I'm going to send you and you're going to go.

Moses asked the first question who am I? That I should go very important question God said never mind who you are. I'm gonna go with you. I'll certainly be with you and you'll go you speak to Pharaoh and you bring the children of Israel Back here to the backside of the desert to whore up as a sign unto you Lord Moses that I've spoken to you.

Moses said to God now, there's a second question. Well when I go and they say to me Who sent you what's God's name? What should I say? So and then he says to God, who are you? I don't know who I am. I don't know who you are.

What's your name? God Says and you know, sometimes as I look at this, I think You know, here's the Deliverer. One of the greatest men the Old Testament Doesn't know who he is doesn't know who God is. No wonder.

God says what's in your hand? Let's start with basics a rod good. We're making progress now, you know something Moses said who should I say sent me and he says to Moses I am that I am. And you thus you shall say to the children of Israel I am has sent me.

And again last Sunday night We looked at this just there isn't really a better way to say what the language says many of you with more modern translations have different things written there many commentators have tried to say in paraphrase what this means.

But altogether there is no better way to say what God said to Moses then to read what? He said in the way we have it translated. I am that I am Lord, who should I say sent me? Who are you? I am. That I am.

I am completely separate from any definition that you could place upon me. I am the Holy One. Again I exist and everything else that exists is not me. I am God. Everything else is not I Am the creator everything else is the creation.

Satan fallen angels heavenly angels spiritual realms the universe man The animal kingdom all of that is distinctly separate from me because I am creator and it is creation. I am God and it is not. What is your name?

I? Am that I am and Some define this in the sense of I am the becoming one that there's an inference there and I think that there is but I think that is related to The first question who am I? Moses asked that who am I?

Well God defines himself To us in light of need in light of the first question God says I am that I am I am whatever I need to be in Relationship to what you are and what you need. That's how God defines himself to us.

It is in light of our need, you know Moses said who am I and when we interpret our rod or whatever's in our hand. Whether it's a wife or a husband or children or our job or employees or an employer or or parents or a hammer?

Or a chisel or a paintbrush or an instrument? What's in your hand and if you try to define what that is by who you are Who am I Lord? It really doesn't amount to a whole lot even if it's commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army, even if it's a PhD whatever it is if interpreted in light of who we are.

Because we are part of what we live in and that is a desperate nation and without Christ we can do nothing. We are depraved. Except for his grace and the new creation of Christ in our hearts by the power of a spirit.

If we interpret the rod in our hand by who we are It doesn't really amount to anything it is as we interpret it in light of the next question. But who are you and God defines himself to us and To what we hold in our hand in light of the need.

God as Provider, Healer, Victory, and Shepherd

He would reveal himself To Abraham as he went to sacrifice Isaac upon the mountain and it was the most desperate need at that moment in the life of Abraham as he would offer his son and God stopped that and said no.

My name is Jehovah Jireh. I Am or I am become your provider. He would say to the children of Israel Exodus 15 in the wilderness. None of the diseases that I put upon the Egyptians shall come upon you.

Because I am for you Jehovah Rapha, I am become your healer. He would say to Moses in battle with Amalek. Against all odds. I am Jehovah Nissi Exodus 17. I am your banner. I am your victory. He would say to Gideon.

As Gideon realized the Lord had appeared to him and thought that he would die. He said you name this place Jehovah Shalom. I Have become your peace. He would say to David Jehovah Ra the Lord has become my shepherd.

I shall not want he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He would say to Jeremiah in the midst of a nation turned away from God. My name shall be Jehovah's at Cano. I Am become your righteousness.

He would say to Ezekiel in chapter 48 as he saw the temple established in God's presence. My name is Jehovah Shama the Lord. I am become ever-present. And ultimately He would say to Gabriel Tell Mary and Joseph my name is Jehovah Shua.

I have become your salvation Joshua Jesus. Moses said who are you? Said I am that I am. I am whatever I need to be. There is no human definition that you can place upon me because it would restrict me.

I am NOT restricted by your knees. I am NOT restricted by the desperation of your nation. I am NOT restricted by the darkness of the backdrop that you live against. I am NOT restricted by the need for revival in the church.

I am NOT restricted by your resources and what you can do and what you can accomplish. I'm not restricted by the defining what's in your hand by who you are. What's in your hand. Moses a rod and I know it well to you Moses.

You don't know it at all. Because you haven't defined it in light of who I am you've defined it in light of who you are. What's in your hand? Is it a ram's horn? I'm a priest of the tribe of Levi. I've carried this shofar my entire life.

I know it. Well, it makes a sound do you know it? Well, when you interpret it in light of me, do you know that the walls of Jericho will fall to the ground? When you blow that thing at my command. What's in your hand.

The jawbone of an ass. Do you know that it'll slaughter a thousand Philistines? Change the course of a nation. What's in your hand. A pitcher a clay jar. Do you know there's a hundred and thirty five thousand Midianites against 300 of you?

God Gives Life and Purpose to Ordinary Things

You have a trumpet and a clay pitcher. Gideon throw it down in front of me. I'll give it life. It's in your hand. Nothing slingshot know it. Well. Use it to drive off jackals. Wolves from the sheep grown up with it.

Pretty good shot. Let's interpret it in Light of the fact that the enemies of God are defying the God of Israel. David take that thing. It's a giant killer, it's not a shepherd's tool. It will change the course of our nation.

What's in your hand. Three loaves two fish. Means nothing in light of the need. Really? That's because you've interpreted in light of who you are. Jesus would say give it to me. The multitudes may be fed.

What's in your hand. Nothing, I'm a mom. Continual pile of wash. Kids in the terrible twos terrible fours have horrible terrible tens terrible 15. My heart is angry half the time. It's insincere really.

Give it to me. Put it in my hands. What's in your hand. Two mites. It's all I have. Isn't worth anything. I'll throw it in the treasury while no one's watching. Only God would say this poor widow has cast and more than they all.

And how she would change the lives of thousands who would read the scripture. And interpreted in light of God. He was a much greater sustainer than those two mites would ever have been. What's in your hand.

Surrendering Failure to God

Moses? It's no mistake. It's taken me 80 years to put it there. You are a stubborn man. It's a rod. Lord God says Moses throw it down in front of me, and I'll give it life. Let go of it. What is it? It's a reminder of my failure.

My struggle. Good friends of. Not good friends friends. Live in Europe right after they were married. Here in the United States their missionaries. They were in Connecticut. Car broke down just as they crossed the bridge.

Back road no lights. Dark they get out of the car. They didn't realize they were they were kind of backed up right against the wall. There's a 40-foot drop. Didn't realize it was there because it was dark and as another car came by they went to step backwards.

She fell off the wall. New bride. Broke her back broke her neck now. There happened to be happened to be in the town a doctor who had been at D-Day and Had treated several hundred broken backs from the invasion men jumping in the water in the waves with backpacks that weighed 50 pounds.

He strapped her on a board. Where she was at the bottom of the the wall. Strapped her head down strapped her chest down strapped her legs down. Strapped her onto a board carried the board to the hospital bed and did not take her off the board for three months.

And she went from there to a wheelchair to walking in the process. Met Johnny Erickson and sat and talked with her. Johnny said, you know, I'm blessed that God is Working in your life, and it looks like you're gonna be up and around again.

But he's given me this wheelchair. It's my pulpit. I've spoken to millions of people Because of this thing. I remember seeing Johnny Erickson at the Rochester Crusade Quadriplegic sitting in a wheelchair looking at the crowd or face glowing.

And saying, you know, you're handicapped. You're you have disabilities. As the Bible says there are many who have eyes but they don't see and they have ears but they don't hear. And they don't understand what God has done for them.

She said you look at me in this wheelchair and you think I'm handicapped. She said I'm not. Because my eyes have beheld the glory of God and the gospel of Christ. My ears have heard the good news. My body awaits a day when I'll be leaping and jumping for joy in his presence.

But you she said many of you Disabled eyes, but they don't see years, but they don't hear. And I sat there weeping and thought boy Billy Graham is gonna be an anti-climax after this. What's in your hand wheelchair?

The Rod of God and the Power of Surrender

What's in your hand? Moses a Rod throw it down Moses. Give it to me. I'll give it life. It's just a rod. Is it Moses? It'll turn the Nile River to blood. It will turn the earth to lice so that the magicians of Egypt are confounded and say this is the finger of God.

Moses is it just a rod that you know, so well, it will part the Red Sea Moses you'll strike a rock and it'll bring forth water for a nation. Moses is it just a rod. Are you belittling it? Do you despise the day of small things?

What's in your hand? Just a dead Stick is it Moses it will bud forth and bring forth branches and flowers and almonds. Moses throws it down. You know the story. Turns into a snake and the deliverer flees in his bare feet running across the desert.

God's got a yell. Yo get back here. He had taken his sandals off. He just takes off. Take it by the tail and he took it by the tail and it turned into a staff again. He thought he knew that. Well, was there a snake trapped in that thing all those years and God's saying to some of you What's in your hand put your life down in front of me and I'll give life to it.

Moses at this point. Has no idea even though it's turned into a serpent and turned back again a staff. He has no idea. What will still be accomplished as? His life is in the hand of God. What's in your hand husband?

Are you willing to put your life down in front of Christ and be a Christian wife? Christian husband. Christian parent. Your business belong to him your life. The hammer that you hold your instrument. Is it something that you're so familiar with and you think you know, so well.

That if you're not careful. You might live your life out in mediocrity in some senses, you know, Moses could have said, you know. No, thanks. I mean, I'm happy here a couple sheep. Zephoras, she's okay.

I think what he'd have missed power of God the Passover night the parting of the Red Sea 80 days on the mountain of God so that he comes down with his face shining from God's glory. The presence of God passing in front of him.

God putting his hand over Moses to see his hind parts. Standing on the transfiguration with Elijah and Jesus. Is it just a rod. Is God beckoning you to give your life into his hand. Are you Saying. But did you ever think of this?

We're like that. Or are you running from it as God? Says give it to me throw it down in front of me. I'll give it life. I look at the passage and I think Lord you have written this in here for us. No doubt.

And it's because the things that are in our hands. Sometimes we look at them and we think they're there because of failure. They're there because of a mistake. No, it's taken 80 years of God's design to put that thing in his hand.

But God's waiting for Moses to throw it down in front of him, you know God essentially has one message and that is to a lost world. You are mine and How can he? Send someone who is not his. To spread the message that men and women can be his.

Moses comes to the point of a surrendered life. And God won't use Someone with an unsurrendered life to go to an unsurrendered world. God will not use an unsurrendered man or woman. To reach an unsurrendered unsurrendered generation because he desires to make our life part of our message.

Surrendered Lives for a Desperate Generation

Moses. What's that in your hand? You know, I think boy what are in our hands. Are you a grandparent? You know, it's interesting I look at a generation. I think some of the grandparents around today Came from a different generation and though the generation after them has failed in so many ways.

I thank God. For grandparents because there are a lot of kids who are not getting from their parents because of failure of my generation. But are getting from their grandparents the news of Jesus Christ and who knows who they will be.

What's in your hand children husband talents job. Do you know your circumstance so well that you think yeah, this is the humdrum of life. Nice in church today. Tomorrow back to work the whistle blows.

I become a robot again put on the hard hat or are you perceptive enough? You know if you've turned aside from the pace of all that to seek his face. Are you willing to listen and if he says to you? You know take all of this and throw it down in front of me.

Let me give life to it surrender it. It's not by mistake Moses. It's taken me 10 years or 20 years or 80 years to get you in life to the circumstance you're in and there is a spiritual Sovereign tapestry that is woven to bring you to where you are today in your circumstance.

Do you despise the person you're married to or the children you have or the boss that you work for your health or your condition? Do you look around you and think this is mediocrity? This is a constant Reminder of my failure and of my mistake and it could have been the scepter of Egypt and it's as rotten shepherd's staff in my hand.

Do you know it at all? Have you only interpreted life in light of who you are and you know, we're so self-centered. That's how we interpret most things in light of who we are. And if he says do you throw it down in front of me your life?

Surrender it so that I can reach an unsurrendered world and set People free from an unsurrendered world. Are you saying but did you ever think of this God look over in verse 20? Very interesting. Moses finally on his way to Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an ass and he returned to the land of Egypt and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

You know, what was it like for him to write this? He wrote the Pentateuch. What was it like for Moses? Remembering back to that day when he finally Got his marching honors and he finally went and he looked at that thing that he carried for 40 years and thought What did he think that he think boy, I hope this works in front of Pharaoh.

What if I say watch this and I throw it down it goes clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk and Pharaoh looks at me like Moses in hindsight is writing he left and he took the rod of God in his hand. It would always been there.

He hadn't seen it. He hadn't interpreted in light of of God. He interpreted in light of himself. I say that we live in a desperate generation a generation that Seems hopeless and I say that most of us look at our lives and we think it really doesn't matter.

It's really not ever going to come to be anything. It's just a shepherd's staff. Lord my life is is a good life and my life Lord I I try to do the best I can and I am involved in this or that but Lord, you know I'm gonna live this life out or not.

I'm never gonna be Lord of Billy Graham or a Chuck Smith or I'm never gonna be a mother Teresa or an Esther. Who knows if God has saved you for such a time as this and you know if you can Walk away and say to me.

Well, I don't think what you're saying is true. Because my life is completely surrendered. And I'm not seeing what you say, well, let me tell you something my life is not completely surrendered. So I'm not gonna believe you.

Thank you. Because if you come up to me and say your life is completely surrendered. There's an area of pride that isn't God is beckoning us. This isn't the only story in the Bible. It's one of many and it's a record of how God deals in the lives of men and women and here with Moses.

The Call to Salvation and New Life

Calling him Moses. You don't know who you are. You don't know who I am. What's in your hand? Let's start there. Moses is it your shepherd's staff? Let it be mine and become the rod of God. Moses made a decision.

I encourage you Today to make a decision to know again if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Are you willing to throw your life down in front of God? Take up your cross. If you do He'll give life to it.

The Bible says if you seek to save your life, you'll lose it. You hear people saying that don't you. I feel like I'm losing it. They are. They're losing it because they're trying to hold on to it no matter what I do I can't get ahead and the cat and the cat throws up on the floor my kids I feel like I'm losing it.

You are losing it. Let go of it. Do you let go of it? How can you lose it you already let go of it? Jesus said if you let go of it, you'll find it if you lose your life for my sake and for the gospel.

You'll find it some of you here. Maybe you've been coming and you've been putting it off and you know in your heart. You need to be saved and you've been wrestling with God and you've been saying when Moses is saying here.

But but God did you ever think of this and God is saying to you? That he wants your life. You're saying but God I had an abortion. How could you ever love me? I Use drugs Lord. I ripped people off. I don't even like church God is saying just put it down in front of me.

I'll give it life.