Bulrushes and a Murder Fugitive

Last week we began the new series on the life of Moses and look at Exodus chapter 1 we saw the Exodus is a sequel to book of Genesis in Genesis, God promises Abraham that he would make of Abraham a great nation but God also said as we noted that Abraham's offspring proceed would be sojourners and the land that is not theirs but would be servants there and would be afflicted for 400 years. The reference there. We looked at last week is Genesis 15 verse 13 Genesis begins with in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis ends in a very sad note with a coffin in Egypt that happened between Genesis 1 and Exodus 50 sin had come in. So this great man, Joseph, one of God's choice servants dies is put in the coffin in Egypt but it is through Joseph that the children of Israel arrived in Egypt we saw last week regarding to the opening verses of of Exodus 1 that there were seven tapes that is 70 males, 17 descendents of Jacob, including our lives and the children expanded family that would be quite a number, and that we read in chapter 1 verse seven that in the land of Egypt. The children of Israel increased greatly. They multiplied and grew exceedingly strong. So that the land was filled with them.

So, hundreds of years of past sins, Abraham was given the promise that he would produce a mighty nation and though as we come to Exodus we see that mighty nation which is growing and become stronger and stronger. The Lord Exodus we noted means away Arctic means a departure.

It means, in a sense an exit in the book of Exodus describes the people of God leaving Egypt and going into the wilderness and then in subsequent books into the promised land, the pivotal event to the most important event in the Old Testament is the redemption through the Red Sea, which is referred to over and over again in the Old Testament as a symbol is a sign of the great power of Almighty God delivered people through the Red Sea. If in that way he can conquer Egypt with God nothing is impossible me saying he is able.

So whatever your facing God is able to work it out.

The pivotal event in the New Testament is another redemption, the greatest of all redemption. The death burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we noted that the Exodus the physical Exodus recorded in Exodus points forward to the great Exodus, the beginning of Exodus we learn of the conflict between the forces of darkness, and the people of God, a conflict which goes on to this very day that arises now in Pharaoh, a Pharaoh, a ruler who doesn't know Joseph previous Pharaoh's new Joseph. Joseph had helped Egyptian greatly had become, in the sense the Prime Minister of Egypt, but neither that arises a Pharaoh in the center never even heard of Joseph and he mistreats the people of God, the Israelites, he turns them into slaves sets taskmasters over them is very very harsh demanding that they make more and more rights. That's not enough for him and we saw that he makes a very evil decree that all of the baby. Hebrew bodies would be killed at birth by the midwives exactly year ago I had the privilege of minor young couple here. The student on the platform. It was in better shape than exactly one year ago, and that today after the service, they can forward and to use a biblical term. She was great with child and that I didn't realize it. So the biggest of the bar in the November Lord willing to just thought.

Can you imagine the greats consternation of these Hebrew women who are pregnant and they hear of this charitable decree of Pharaoh. How wonderful that the godly midwives refused to obey the king why because they feared God more than they feared Pharaoh good lesson for us is that we are to obey God rather than man when there's a conflict between the law of God and the love man. We are always to obey the law of God. Exodus 1. If you get Bibles there read it with me. It ends on this very ominous notes and Pharaoh commanded all these people.

Every song that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile. The mighty Nile, but you shall let every doctor live every little baby Hebrew by is to be thrown into the Nile and so killed, so here we see this theme throughout Scripture Satan is attacking the people of God, and in particular he wants to kill the seed of the woman, the Messiah himself was headed in the New Testament of the birth of Jesus do something very similar. How is God going to deliver his people from slavery weave a powerful King Pharaoh who is determined to kill the baby bodies the people of God are slaves and mistreated their discouraged and done But were going to read have guards in a wonderful way provides a deliver provides as Savior and then the story of redemption. We see the providential purposes of God being worked out in Exodus chapter 2 God is in control of the great movements of human history and God is also in control of every details of our life. It's good for us to know is that sometimes we follow Jesus Christ. We get shaken by world events, we think of the possibility of the nuclear war we get shaken sometimes by the economy.

We get shaken when we lose our jobs we get shaken when various difficulties come into our lives. Good to remember that God is in control, that gives us great security doesn't it. If you are in control of your own life and you should be a little afraid.

I think I wonderful to know that God is in control. Providentially ruling over all of the nations of the world, but also is a God of infinite care and cares for the details of your life and mine you find.

Looking back over your life that what seemed inconsequential at the time. What seemed to be an insignificant trivial incident. Turns out in the purposes of God to be a turning point in your life.

I think many of us here can look back kindly. We see how God worked at the time we were scarcely aware of it just seemed to be such a small thing, a conversation with someone unemployment opportunity meeting someone in the in the providence of God, these are the turning points of her life would turn out to be a complete surprise. I would God is at work in your life and in my in the life of Calvary church in ways that we don't understand inlays that often define the out understanding his understanding is unsearchable. Isaiah says in Isaiah 40 and we call this the divine providence backoff in the systematic theology defines the fine providence. In this way. No, these are theologians right McKenzie thing simply so bear with me. I'm going to that continued exercise of the divine energy initiative. I like that expression the divine energy, but we would say the continued exercise of the divine energy, divine power, whereby the create tour preserves all of his creatures is operative in all that comes to pass in the world and directs all things to that appointed then the psalmist says some hundred and 35 or six that the whatever the Lord pleases. He does that is God is in control and is directing all things nationally and internationally, as well as in our individual lives to their appointed and we know from Scripture that God is always at work in the lives of these people for very good and for God's glory. Knowledge reversible the first 10 verses of Exodus to and relearn about the early life of Moses. Your Bible second book in the Old Testament. Exodus someone I think was a little concerned and mentioned this morning that I have a new Bible and I think the one that was a different translation.

This is not John Monroe's personal translation. This is the English standard version, but it is a new Bible is only worn in Isaiah and Exodus for some reason of the moment so Exodus 2 is a center that I love. I love you Bibles if I had my weight was a wealthy guy think it have a new one every every week or two, something nice about your Bible and you can underline and write notes and it's all very very fresh and just wonderful to a beautiful smell as well. If I don't do drugs, but I do smell my Bibles right next question.

I said that's please excuse me. Exodus 2 verse one no man from the house of Levi went into because his wife, a Levite woman woman conceived and bore a son and when she saw that he was a fine child. She hit him three months when she could hide him. The longer she took for him. A basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the riverbank and his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him by the daughter Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river when a young woman walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the rates and centers serving women and she took it when she opened it she saw the child and behold the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said this is one of the Hebrews children then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter July going call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you.

Pharaoh's daughter said to go so the girl went and called the child's mother and Pharaoh's daughter center, take the child away and nurse him for me and I will give you wages so the women took the child in their stem when the child grew older she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son she named him Moses because she said I drew him out of the water was a stop there. Here is the birth of Moses doesn't notice from verse one Moses is born into a godly home. Both his father, who we know is Amram and his mother is Jock you badly know that from chapter 6, verse 20 they both come from the priestly tribe of Levi 12 tribes and in Israel and both of them come from the same tribe, Aaron, the brother of Moses is three years older and later he's going to become the high priest Ameron is living in Egypt.

He's a slave in Egypt, but it would be unthinkable for Ameron that he would marry an Egyptian humanity. Someone who shared his faith in God he married someone from the same tribe of Levi, and I just up there and stressed the importance of having what Paul would call in the New Testament of having a marriage in the Lord. A marriage in the Lord.

If you believe that God is in control of your life. If you believe that God is all-powerful. If you believe that God is a loving God. If you believe that marriage is ordained by God. Isn't it the case that God is well able to bring into your life, the person of his choice, Metro for those who are single like to get married. That's good that the goods desire is no need to panic.

Certainly no need to date unbelievers. In fact, you shouldn't do that. No need to talk yourself into believing that someone is an authentic follower of Jesus. When is not very clear but to trust God. So Moses is born into a godly home is a John hugging other godly, well first of all, they were from the tribe of Levi, but listen to the New Testament commentary from Hebrews Hebrews 11 by faith Moses when he was born was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

Hebrews 11 verse 23 so the New Testament commentary is into this home is godly home.

This home where the parents feared the Lord that is born. This little baby boy did well aware of the edict of the Pharaoh that he should be cast into the Nile, but they don't do so they don't act out of fear but the act of faith is not a beautiful thing when a husband and wife are sharing their faith in God and that living and not according to the culture, but according to the purposes of God. Perhaps Amram and documented had glimpses I saw this little baby, perhaps even prayed that he would be used for the purposes of God to deliver the people from slavery and Pharaoh had commanded that the baby boys be cast into the Nile saw that the so in a sense the parents regarding your obey became they put that little baby boy into the Nile whether they predict into a basket of bulrushes and protected that with bitumen and pitch is interesting in verse three it says when she the mother. The mother did that.

I often think of his hated people in our home. My wife is a handy munch is much more practical and I am so if we had to build a basket of bulrushes are perhaps Amram lightly would say to Jock to bed. This is something that you could do but anyhow she built this little basket and put it in the Nile you will be intrigued to learn that the word translated basket and Exodus 2 is the same Hebrew word of Noah's Ark something a little ship basket was a little ship a little Ark, Noah's Ark was absolutely huge. But Jock about this godly woman, no doubt very prayerfully know died in the feeding of the Lord builds this little basket of bulrushes and Intuit. She put her little boy for three months that The body in their home and they know died to became more and more difficult to hide him and so they took this extraordinary step, but it was a step of faith. Miriam the older sister 12 years older than Moses was told to keep an eye on her.

We brother and he was placed according to verse three placed among the reeds by the river bank.

That's the Nile among the reads it to be less likely to float away. Perhaps parents of Moses had an idea that Pharaoh's daughter and other women would come to two days that the right time in the providence of God. Moses is found and when the servants take the basket of bulrushes and the little boy to Pharaoh's daughter he cries at the very right time. Right on cue, and describe this little baby touches the heart of Pharaoh's daughter God is in control. She knows that the baby boy was a Hebrew and Miriam is right on hand to make the very timely suggestion to Pharaoh's daughter that she could get a nurse for the baby and so the very mother of Moses becomes the nurse to baby to the baby Moses in love though Pharaoh's daughter is going to in the sense adopt this baby.

Think of the irony of it, Pharaoh wants to kill all of the Hebrew boys. Instead, this Hebrew by this little baby Moses is preserved, and these brought the right into the home of wicked Pharaoh is going to be educated at Pharaoh's expense, and in that education is not upbringing.

God is going to use all of that to prepare Moses to be the mighty leader of the slaves from Egypt. God is at work in every detail God is going to use pagans to educate Moses and so Moses is adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, but for the early days of his life is in the homes of his parents.

That is very clear and highly do the prayed for that little boy in the 40s handed over to Pharaoh's daughter. We don't know at what age the Scripture doesn't tell us they would've taught him about God. They would've prayed with him.

They would've taught him.

Certainly the Abraham it covenant of told him about the promise land were taking action, acting by faith, that faith without works is dead. Now what about his education while the most important education that Moses ever received was not in Egypt but was in his own home. We believe very strongly that tell the church that Christian parents have the primary responsibility for the spiritual education of the children we want to help you. We want to partner with you were doing that tonight with many of your children downstairs planning to worship and singing, but the primary responsibility for the spiritual welfare of your children is yours parents don't neglect these are late years of your life. When I was over in Scotland earlier this summer with my mother visiting my mother who is 94's and got quite a bit of dementia and I was things are good and some others.

Afterwards, how I was struck by a lot of the conversation was back when she was a child in her mind she still a child should the very, very happy childhood chicken from a secure home loving parents and now I'm just thinking of that. How many people are traumatized as children because the homes they come to and how that has such a negative effect even in the adult years.

Some of you know about that, don't you come from a terrible home life, whether difference what security that gives to a child with a difference that makes it someone grows up into adulthood that spiritual foundation laid in the lives of children.

So pray for your children open the word of God, to them model Christ to them, tell them of the promises of God, help them to memorize Scripture. Tell them of how God has worked in your life. Make it personal that once Moses grew older, he was raised in Egypt. Don't think of the Egyptians as primitive people there were highly educated. We know that from history, Moses would have been trained in such disciplines as mathematics and astronomy, architecture, linguistics, medicine, law, many other subjects.

Stephen in his speech in acts chapter 7 verse 22 says that Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and he was mighty in his words, he would've received a very comprehensive education by the Egyptians.

So here's Moses to death from birth in the providence of God is being prepared by God to deliver his people from the evil king receiving a free education, as it were from the best universities in the world but on the spiritual foundation of what is taught by his parents are secondly Moses, the fugitive verses 11 through 15. Read with me so we see him being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter brought up there and then fast forward verse 11. One day Moses had grown up.

He went out to his people notice this is what it says he went out to his people and looked on their burdens and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people this way on that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid them in the sense we went out the next table 2 Hebrews were struggling together and he said to the man in the wrong why did you strike your companion.

Answer them who made you a prince and a judge over us. Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian and Moses was afraid and thought surely the thing is known. When Pharaoh had of it, he sought to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and saved in the land of Midian, and he sat down by well we know elsewhere from Scripture seat and the minute that Moses is not 14 years old. In fact, Stephen says that the next seven verse 23 when Moses was 14 years old. It came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel and the looks on their burdens. So though he's educated in Egypt, Moses never forgets that is not an Egyptian probably spoke like an Egyptian. It probably looked like an Egyptian within his heart. He was a child of God. He was an Israelite and he comes not as a mature man 14 years old.

He comes to visit his brothers is identifying with his people and he sees an Egyptian beating one of his own people.

Hebrew Hebrews 1124 and 23, 26 we read that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter brought up by Pharaoh's daughter.

Now, in a sense he's leaving that and he's beginning to identify with his people by putting together the historical account of Exodus 2 and the New Testament commentary of acts seven. Stephen's famous speech of the 40s martyred in Hebrews 11 it seems that Moses had an understanding that giving his prick given his privileged position of being brought up as the son of Pharaoh. He had the responsibility to deliver his own people so he turns his back on the pleasures of Egypt, he turns his back on the treasures of Egypt and he identifies with slaves outside easy to criticize Moses and commentators there. I'm going to come to his defense a little bit and some of you not going to agree with me but one of the things is very clear that this man for all of the privileges and for the easy life he could have at great personal cost. He comes and that identifies with his people know more about the killing of the Egyptian as described in verses 11 and 12. I was brought up and that was said frequently, and many commentators as I read during the week and by this that Moses was a murderer that this was an act of murder that Moses took the long his own hands. He was acting in anger and he was not waiting on God and that is evidence that might support that case I would take the opposite view. I would've liked of defendant Moses writes our brother defend them and prosecutor the text doesn't say that this was murder is murder.

Murder is the deliberate taking of an innocent life. It is what does the text say it says that Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, seeing no one running.

He then strikes Egyptian hides them in the sun is a question I would ask, was this a justifiable killing. Should Moses have allowed an Egyptian to kill one of his own people, what would you have done.

This is one of your own people is a slave. And here is this Egyptian and he's beating this man and he's going to kill his mind.

You really just going to stand by many people. Words Moses has such an identity with these people that he steps in order. Was this an act of self-defense was the man then going to attack Moses that Moses intervened to stop a slave being killed was Moses acting as an instrument of God's justice against the Egyptians.

After all, God is going to take the lives of many, many Egyptians through the avenging angel described in chapter 12 and as many are going to be drawing in the sea. The New Testament commentary is very helpful.

So turn with me to acts chapter 7 I'm intrigued by this. Was this an act of murder or not.

And I was always thought it was so who might disagree with my father and my mother when I was taught this acts chapter 7 Stephen is giving a speech and he is rehearsing Old Testament history. He deals with Moses more than any other character in the Old Testament from various 23 verse 44 he speaks about Moses number three traverse 20 at this time Moses was born.

He was beautiful in God's sight was brought up for three months in his father's house and when he was exposed.

Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

We see that he was instructed all of the wisdom of the Egyptians and he was mighty in his words and deeds when he was 14 years old. It came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel, and seeing one of them being wrong. Notice that one of them being wrong. He defend the oppressed man and avenge them by striking down the Egyptian note of all of the evidence we don't have a full case of investigation that would be done today on all of the witnesses interviewed interviewed but couldn't be that he struck down the man not really intending to kill it, but the man was killed and then he burning them in the sign because he he realized that he could. This would get to the ears of Pharaoh verse 25 he suppose that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his son, but they did not understand. So this was the beginning of the act of Moses beginning to deliver his people, but they slavishly Israeli slaves were not ready for this and they didn't understand, and on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling, trying to reconcile them, saying, then you probably brothers your brothers why do you wrong each other, but the man who was rolling his neighbor thrust them aside, saying, who made you a ruler and judge over us. The one to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday.

So what is clear from Stephen is that Egyptian was sadly in the wrong by attacking the Hebrew slave so I tend to think Eileen and don't get angry with me, as will begins anger this morning disagree. I tend to think this was a justifiable act on Moses part certainly in the New Testament there is not the statement that this was murder. Neither is Moses criticized either in acts seven or in Hebrews 11 and the text does say that at this point the Israelites were not ready to be delivered from the bondage at that time. So the next day with Moses again goes to see these people again you see his heart, his love for his people to the Hebrews are fighting and then is revealed that Moses act of killing the Egyptian as well known and Pharaoh has issued a warrant for his death was Pharaoh suspicious of Moses that he wonder I'm shooting most of why Moses was going around the slaves was he doing Pharaoh would think that Moses should've allowed the Egyptian to kill the slave. After all, it was only one more slave.

Many Hebrew slaves were killed over the years by Egyptians. We don't know but I'm sure there were many. This is not the first time in Egyptian had killed a slave and Moses flees to Midian. The time for Israel's redemption is yet future by third final Moses, the shepherd receives early life was a fugitive and I Moses the shepherd.

Verse 16 is fascinating is that by the priest of Midian had seven daughters and they came and drew water and fill the troughs to whether the father's flock.

The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stayed up and save them unwanted or flock when he came home to the father Reuel. He said how is it that you come home so soon today they said in the Egyptian Moses Egyptian that he was wearing Egyptian clothes he had the Egyptian accent and they thought he was Egyptian and Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and even drew water for us and what the flock he said to his brothers then went to see why have you left them and call him that he may eat bread and Moses was content to dwell with the man and he gave Moses his daughter support to give birth to a son, and he called his name – own 40 said I been a sojourner in a foreign lands. Moses flees. He realizes Pharaoh is going to kill them and he flees to Midian where was Midian.

While some think it was west of the Gulf of Aquila last year. Some of us went on the trip to Israel and we went then to elapse which is on the Gulf of Aquila on the west is Egypt, on the east is Jordan and then Saudi Arabia.

So, some think he went there. That was quite a distance to the gone through the Sinai Peninsula and then gone down to Midian, which would be in present day Saudi Arabia or Jordan other thing Midian included the Sinai Peninsula certainly as will see next week when he sees the burning bush.

It was the west side of the wilderness and he came to heart of the mountain of God, which probably is Sinai. So when I actually sure, but he with you.

It was quite a track he left he didn't want just next door. He traveled far, far away from Egypt and went to Midian many nights were the descendents of Abraham, and so the sense were cousins of Moses, the probably one of theorists and through the intervention of Moses helping at the daughters of Reuel also called Jethro Moses is given hospitality at their house. He stands up to the shepherds who stood up against the Egyptian.

This is a strong man. This is a brave man is no weakling and he drives away the shepherds on these on and helps these young women and then does a very unusual thing suddenly for an Egyptian set with a man in that culture. He watered the flocks, and here we see the humility. I think in the justice of Moses they consider him an Egyptian, but the father insists that Moses receives hospitality from the house and later gives Moses his daughter support and marriage, and she has a son called your show who is a sojourner and alien no first 40 years of Moses life. He's in Egypt but he kills Egyptian and then he goes to Midian. He stays in Midian for 14 years. How do we know that Stephen tells us in acts chapter 740 years in Egypt. 40 years in Midian and so we can divide the life of Moses into three parts. How old was Moses when he died last week of the last chapter of the budget only tells us to the only 34 that Moses died when he was 121st 40 years. He's in Egypt second 40 years. He's in Midian. Third 40 years is in the wilderness leading the people to the promised land.

Neither 40 years in Midian must've been very very different from living in Egypt. There, he's the son of Pharaoh's daughter everything he wants is great education.

All of the treasures. All of the pleasures of Egypt is wonderful civilization and now who is in a wilderness. Now he's spending a lot of time alone is raised as a son of a king. Now he is a shepherd, which was regarded as the testable by the Egyptians, Genesis 46 verse 34 says that every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. There was a little of the load. The very bottom of the ladder in terms of society, and so here is Moses coming from the very top, turns his back on the pleasures of Egypt.

The treasures of Egypt and takes this occupation as a lowly Shepherd is 40 years in Midian going to be a foreshadowing of the 40 years in the wilderness, leading the people several great men in Scripture spend time in the wilderness. Moses obviously here, Elijah John the Baptist, the apostle Paul. Just think of 40 years in Midian in the wilderness. Moses is deepening his knowledge of God is learning the art of shepherding, which is going to be of great help to him when he has to shepherd the people of God being in the wilderness then was a time of preparation at time of testing a time of solitude at time away from the public eye at time of obscurity can I say, within the province of God often before God grants us, as it were a public administrative that has to be private preparation and training. God doesn't seem to be in a hurry Dessie in preparing his servants. The wilderness is a good place to learn about God for 40 years. Today we live in an instant world. Only when everything fast everyone to get trained first question how long is it going to ask, how easy is it going to be. Remember when I started $700 theological settlers a little surprised the professor with handout and syllabus and the invariably there was a young man putting up his hand and saying basically how how is it you can get a it all became part of how do you get through the course. You get through the course and some of the educated education is in passing a course education is is learning, and over the years of Matt's quite a number of young men and young women who sense that God may be calling them into ministry sometimes into full-time ministry, but sometimes they want to do very very quickly. They may have a very shallow education very superficial preparation for ministry. The regards study they regard the time of testing. They regard the routine, the regard the discipline. As Erickson rather than seeing it as a time of deepening their spiritual roots of humbling themselves of submitting to authority of learning what it is to be led of obtaining experiences in life. The military tells us that before you can lead you got to learn how to follow, but sometimes we want to lead. We want to do something is in prominence and we sometimes ignore the time of preparation, could I say to you some of you may be doing work for God and you feel forgotten by God, you're doing something you think is very routine that you think will many people could do what I'm doing.

That may be the case. Many people could be shepherd like Moses much skill does it take the bishop would look quite a bit of skill in the wilderness to lead your sheep to take care of the sheep to protect the shape once short circuit your time of preparation we want done so quickly, an athlete, musician, spend years and years of preparation, when I studied law. We had years of preparation ever. Before I could call myself a practicing attorney in Scotland. I had to be trained. I had to understand practical thing. Think of the training for an engineer thing of the training for Dr. think of the training of the teacher and sometimes in ministry, particularly younger people, particularly immature people want quickly to be in a prominent place and be like that Pharaoh dies and the children of Israel are groaning. Verse 23. During these many days the king of Egypt died and the people of Israel growing because of the slavery and cried out for help. The cry for rescue from slavery came up to God and God heard the groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and Jacob. God saw the people of Israel and God. You previously, the Israelites had not been Randy for Moses, the deliverer, but now they cry out to God and God remembers the covenant he made with Abraham, with Isaac and Jacob noticed the verbs in verses 24 and 25 God hurt God remembered God so God you is not encouraging. God sees you. God knows God loves you have personal this is in the stage is now being set for the call of God's plan is going to lead his people out of Egyptian bondage and fulfillment of the promises of God, the Providence of God is the Lord saying to you in this regard. Can I say don't ignore the seemingly small circumstances of your life.

When we look back over the life we see that God was at work in ways we often didn't realize at the time Jesus said, Luke 16 verse 10, one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. Luke 19 verse 26 I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be God and trust you. Perhaps you may think with a small ministry using one capable of doing much more. Well, we don't know about that but be faithful in what God has given you in the Scripture we see Gideon reading tweets. We see David looking after shape. We see Moses in the wilderness and then God's call to God kind and an instance redirect the whole of your life but be faithful in what you're doing. Learn to see God in the routine circumstances of life as you go to work tomorrow.

You may think my job is very routine my job to be done by many people see God in that that God at least for this moment has put you in that position. Here is your servant Calvary church, God is giving you a ministry. Perhaps it's in the nursery perhaps is in the in the kitchen promises being a coach, a chamfer and use it while I am capable of doing much, much more than that.

Well, that may be, but be faithful in what you're doing. I told the story before when I was just out of law school and had a had a great boss who mentored me of the within call it mentoring in those days, and the he gave me will to do, and I struggled with it and them made a mess of the thing and this I had to go to Boston said like editors but but I think you may want to take a look at that and make a few changes is a brilliant guy picked up his his pen and started writing brilliant justice flew from him. He done it so long but is a brilliant guy and I said to him, his name was James Taylor said Mr. Taylor is that I have to admit I was a bit frustrated by this and that.

He said John is a very strong Christian is a genre member that when you're drafting.

I will you're doing that for the glory of God. I thought were doing it so will get paid by the client, and of course we didn't get paid, but he says no and that what you do in the routine of life. I don't want to spend my legal career drafting wills. I wanted to go into court. I guided something else in mind. But here was training and a very wise Christian attorney said John you give attention to these date details. Do it as it is. If you are presenting this as an offering to God that gives meaning to everything we do in life mother's funeral home washing dishes, cleaning the house that you care your children you do that, to the glory of God or someone is a bank teller at Wells Fargo day – it's filling little forms meeting people are doing it the glory of God in the big things and in the small things all done to the glory of God because all is under the care of God in a moment can redirect her life and this will see next week.

Then, when Moses is doing what he had done for 14 years looking after shape and is wondering and he comes the Casillas sites that is going to change his life. A bush that is never confirmed that that is never burned and God speaks to them from the Bush God is his way thousand eight, of getting attention don't regard spiritual preparation is unimportant. It is, and that preparation is in that discipline. It is when we are faithful in the small things of life characters being built.

When we are humbled when were tested when we learn how to follow up with when then we are ready to hear God's voice and to do God's will. Father, we thank you for this example of this man Moses, a mighty man incredible man what a strange life. We brought up in Egypt and then to spend 40 years in Midian looking after shape to us. That seems a waste of time to such a mighty man such a godly man such a highly educated and intelligent man, but we thank you that it's our ways are not your ways and your thoughts are not our thoughts and so we humble ourselves under your mighty and and as we go home and as we go to places of employment tomorrow and as we serve you here at Calvary church and beyond. Father, help us to be faithful. Help us to do with all of her might. What you put into our hands and that we will be your servants doing your will for your glory in Christ name