WEBVTT 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:13.320 Hello, and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.839 Thank you so much for listening. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.199 We're startup church. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:23.460 We just planted in September, 2020 and at the Kalamazoo church, we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. 00:00:23.579 --> 00:00:32.299 And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area, we would love to connect, be it coming to a Sunday service, one of our small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:37.020 --> 00:00:40.380 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:43.710 --> 00:00:45.030 Good morning, everyone. 00:00:45.369 --> 00:00:46.929 So great to be with you all. 00:00:47.270 --> 00:00:49.750 It really is my honor to be here with you. 00:00:52.049 --> 00:00:52.950 Thank you. 00:00:54.289 --> 00:00:57.850 So great to see Jaren's grandma and grandpa here. 00:00:58.929 --> 00:01:04.609 Love of the Singh family and he's right, Ronnie, Ronnie's like my daughter. 00:01:05.510 --> 00:01:10.790 She was with us in Columbia, Missouri, then she moved with us to St. Louis. 00:01:11.230 --> 00:01:15.650 Now she's in Lawrence, Kansas with a great young man. 00:01:15.730 --> 00:01:19.150 She married Perry Tong and we miss her dearly. 00:01:20.569 --> 00:01:34.989 But yes, we hear all about Jaren and Bianca and Ronnie's nieces, who I don't think they like me very much yet, but because they're all frowning at me the whole time. 00:01:35.189 --> 00:01:36.010 It's a little stuff. 00:01:36.049 --> 00:01:36.989 I have to grow on them. 00:01:37.549 --> 00:01:39.530 But it's just good to be with you. 00:01:39.689 --> 00:01:46.129 Let me just first say this, that coming in here reminded me of when I was a baby Christian. 00:01:46.129 --> 00:01:48.650 I was reached out, so I went to the University of Nebraska. 00:01:49.209 --> 00:01:50.829 I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. 00:01:51.010 --> 00:01:51.709 That's where I grew up. 00:01:51.750 --> 00:01:53.390 My wife is from Cincinnati, Ohio. 00:01:54.150 --> 00:02:00.150 And I was at the University of Nebraska, which is where I got my scholarship to go there and play football. 00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:04.250 And I was sort of cruising along in my life. 00:02:04.950 --> 00:02:12.830 And so on my dorm floor, Harper Hall, one morning I had it on my mind to go to church. 00:02:12.909 --> 00:02:14.349 I really didn't go to church much. 00:02:14.349 --> 00:02:22.009 I went just to kind of, you know, I'll go to church, you know, because, you know, as an athlete, you ought to include God in your life. 00:02:22.069 --> 00:02:23.289 It's kind of the way I thought. 00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:25.509 And so this is one Sunday morning. 00:02:25.569 --> 00:02:28.750 I'm going to go to church, but I'm a black man. 00:02:28.830 --> 00:02:33.750 And, you know, I can't go to church unless my pants are creased and my shirt has been ironed. 00:02:33.810 --> 00:02:34.889 So I need an iron. 00:02:35.349 --> 00:02:36.550 It's a Sunday morning. 00:02:36.629 --> 00:02:38.789 And so I'm looking for an iron on my dorm floor. 00:02:38.810 --> 00:02:39.610 I don't have one. 00:02:39.610 --> 00:02:48.110 So I look down the hall and the doors open and it shines, the sun shining through, beaming against the wall. 00:02:48.189 --> 00:02:51.490 And I thought, maybe that guy's got an iron. 00:02:51.629 --> 00:02:52.430 So I go down there. 00:02:52.610 --> 00:02:53.449 It's Aaron Breffert. 00:02:54.490 --> 00:02:55.569 I'm a total jerk. 00:02:55.689 --> 00:02:59.729 I walk in, I go, hey, he goes, yeah, I said, you got an iron? 00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:01.310 He goes, no, I don't. 00:03:01.389 --> 00:03:02.810 But my room, my friend's got one. 00:03:02.909 --> 00:03:04.270 I'll run upstairs and get it for you. 00:03:04.289 --> 00:03:05.050 I'm like, thanks. 00:03:05.889 --> 00:03:07.610 So he brings me this iron back. 00:03:08.289 --> 00:03:09.330 I'm a total jerk. 00:03:09.330 --> 00:03:11.150 I use the iron, I don't even bring it back. 00:03:11.250 --> 00:03:13.009 I keep it in my room for days. 00:03:13.349 --> 00:03:14.889 He comes knocking on my door later. 00:03:14.990 --> 00:03:17.150 He goes, hey, you got that iron? 00:03:17.210 --> 00:03:20.409 I go, oh, yeah, forgot to bring it back to you. 00:03:20.990 --> 00:03:23.789 He goes, oh, yeah, by the way, you want to come to Bible talk? 00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:27.990 And I'm like, well, I did just go to church. 00:03:28.590 --> 00:03:30.370 I said I needed an iron to go to church. 00:03:30.530 --> 00:03:31.229 You got me. 00:03:32.750 --> 00:03:34.349 I go to that Bible talk. 00:03:34.930 --> 00:03:37.469 I meet Aaron, meet Kurt Simmons. 00:03:37.830 --> 00:03:39.289 They studied a Bible with me. 00:03:39.650 --> 00:03:45.969 February 22nd, 1991, I get baptized in Holmes Lake in Lincoln, Nebraska. 00:03:46.590 --> 00:03:52.210 Aaron breaks the ice for me because I wanted to get baptized out on a lake. 00:03:52.969 --> 00:03:57.710 And so it was great because Kurt says, it's freezing out there, though, but I want to do it in the lake. 00:03:58.050 --> 00:03:59.349 So Aaron, go break the ice. 00:04:01.150 --> 00:04:05.789 So Aaron goes in there breaking the ice so that I could get in this water. 00:04:06.250 --> 00:04:11.530 Well, you have been that for me my whole Christian life, always kind of breaking the ice for me. 00:04:13.629 --> 00:04:25.189 When I heard what happened to Aaron, I was so grateful that I agreed this past spring to come on this golf trip with you, you know, typically. 00:04:25.470 --> 00:04:27.629 So, hey, I'm like, yeah, we'll do it someday. 00:04:28.389 --> 00:04:32.350 But you really never know when your last day is going to be. 00:04:32.350 --> 00:04:43.350 And so one of the things I love and I appreciate about Aaron is that ever since I've known him, he's been a man of God who has answered God's call in his life. 00:04:43.550 --> 00:04:44.589 Aaron grew up in Colorado. 00:04:45.089 --> 00:04:47.009 He was a Colorado Buffalo fan. 00:04:47.769 --> 00:04:52.250 And in those days, Nebraska and Colorado football had a huge rivalry. 00:04:52.750 --> 00:04:55.930 He was roommates with a Colorado Buffalo football player. 00:04:56.230 --> 00:05:00.209 He was on the University of Colorado campus living his best life. 00:05:00.790 --> 00:05:02.550 And he got called. 00:05:03.089 --> 00:05:05.410 There was a mission team that were going to plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. 00:05:05.629 --> 00:05:08.449 He's a baby Christian in state tuition. 00:05:08.649 --> 00:05:10.149 And he decided, you know what? 00:05:10.689 --> 00:05:19.129 I'm going to go on my enemy's campus and I'm going to share my faith and try to bring people to Jesus. 00:05:20.509 --> 00:05:23.569 When I met him, he was just an average guy to me. 00:05:23.810 --> 00:05:28.269 I would later on find out what an extraordinary man of God he really is. 00:05:28.829 --> 00:05:35.250 To leave in-state tuition, all the parents out there know what in-state tuition means, as opposed to out-state tuition. 00:05:36.269 --> 00:05:54.589 To leave Colorado and to come to the University of Nebraska, not knowing that he would bump into me, not knowing that I would become a disciple, not knowing the number of people that I would reach out to over the years, not knowing someday that I would be a church leader and who I would become. 00:05:55.870 --> 00:06:00.670 I'm grateful that there's men like you that answer God's call. 00:06:01.370 --> 00:06:11.949 And I think Jaron, Jaron and all of you that moved here to plant this church, when you look around, I do believe this is the smallest you'll ever be. 00:06:12.569 --> 00:06:16.050 God is already doing great things in and through you. 00:06:16.430 --> 00:06:18.990 He will continue to do great things in and through you. 00:06:19.470 --> 00:06:29.730 No matter how small you are now, and no matter how awkward it feels, I walked into, the first time I went to church, I walked into the Cornhusker Hotel. 00:06:30.009 --> 00:06:30.889 That's where the church is. 00:06:31.050 --> 00:06:31.850 I don't know if they put an airport. 00:06:32.050 --> 00:06:33.230 That's actually the name of the hotel. 00:06:33.850 --> 00:06:35.129 It's the Cornhusker Hotel. 00:06:36.050 --> 00:06:37.829 It was a room that was much bigger than this. 00:06:37.870 --> 00:06:46.610 In those days, they put out the number for the congregation and they set out about a hundred more because they were like, God's going to fill the room, you know? 00:06:46.610 --> 00:06:49.730 And I walked in, there were a ton of empty seats in the back. 00:06:49.810 --> 00:06:57.759 And obviously I took the seat way in the back row, but it wasn't long before I moved up front after I became a disciple. 00:06:58.300 --> 00:07:09.560 And so I'm grateful to see the Kalamazoo Church, because I know that you are listening to God's call and answering God's call. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:31.120 And I praise God, there are still missionaries out there like you Kelman, who you don't know Ronnie, if you don't know Jaron and Ronnie's father, he went on a mission team from Milwaukee to Madison, Wisconsin, and now he's a missionary again here in Kalamazoo. 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.720 So I appreciate seeing you. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:35.120 You inspire my faith. 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:42.379 And I hope this morning, this message will just remind you of who you are, but as well, call you higher. 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:42.639 Amen? 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:43.199 Okay. 00:07:44.180 --> 00:07:45.639 That's a pretty long introduction. 00:07:46.100 --> 00:07:47.379 We're going to be here a couple hours. 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:48.500 You guys are all settled in? 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:52.040 That's true. 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:52.899 I do have a tea time. 00:07:52.980 --> 00:07:53.560 Let's get going. 00:07:55.459 --> 00:07:56.040 Let's pray. 00:07:57.240 --> 00:07:59.920 Russ is looking at me like, yeah, dude, we got to, we got to get out of here. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:03.079 Let's pray. 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:04.019 God, we love you. 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:06.019 We thank you for how awesome you are. 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:11.339 We, uh, we just, uh, we just, we just, we're in love with you. 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:25.540 Father, I know that, uh, we just kind of, we, we go through many moments in our lives, God, just throughout our days or just so many moments, God, when we, we kind of, we, we struggle and we struggle with who we are. 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:31.199 We struggle with, you are the same yesterday, today and forever, but we struggle God with who you are. 00:08:31.298 --> 00:08:32.000 Where are you? 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.740 We thank you, God, that you're always there, that you're attentive to us. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:42.658 That even when we're going through the most difficult times, those are the moments that you're nearest to us where you can't keep your hands off of us. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:44.419 You just, you love us so much. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:55.820 And so God, no matter where we are today, no matter what we're going through, as the brother said at the beginning, God, whether we're hurting, father, whether we come in here riding high or feeling low, God, I pray or somewhere in between. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:58.000 God, I pray that you will touch our hearts. 00:08:58.379 --> 00:08:59.779 You will inspire us this morning. 00:08:59.860 --> 00:09:00.759 You will move us. 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:08.779 God, I pray that we can just kind of, just kind of keep coming back to you and looking to you and drawing near to you. 00:09:09.179 --> 00:09:10.059 We need you. 00:09:10.379 --> 00:09:11.179 We love you. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:12.399 We thank you. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:13.659 You are awesome. 00:09:13.940 --> 00:09:14.559 You're amazing. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:17.139 We pray this in your son, Jesus name. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:18.159 Amen. 00:09:19.100 --> 00:09:29.159 The biblical narrative is about a loving God who calls mankind into right relationship with him and really with one another. 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:31.799 That's the biblical narrative. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.320 A great and awesome God that no, we are not perfect though. 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:37.320 We've made mistakes. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:47.379 He has always called us and drawing us near to him so that we can be in right relationship with him, but also that we can be in relation, right relationship with one another. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:53.200 I do believe that God is the answer for all that is ailing humanity. 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:57.399 He is the answer for all the isms. 00:09:57.960 --> 00:09:58.259 Okay. 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:00.620 That are hurting humanity. 00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:19.820 God called Adam, God called Noah, God called Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel called Joseph called Moses called Samuel, David, Solomon, Queen Esther. 00:10:19.980 --> 00:10:23.019 He called, call Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:33.500 He called the 12 minor prophets from Hosea to Malachi, and then he called himself in the form of Jesus. 00:10:33.980 --> 00:10:37.000 God became flesh so that he can come down. 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.399 He called the apostles to follow Jesus. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:47.740 And he called us as a church, called us to go and make disciples of all nations to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. 00:10:47.860 --> 00:10:48.700 He called us to it. 00:10:48.700 --> 00:10:51.740 He gave us the Holy spirit that would help us and aid us. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:11:00.440 Because whenever God calls us, he is always with us to the very end of the age. 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:05.539 Matthew 28, 18 to 20, God calls, but some answer the calling. 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:17.580 Others may choose to ignore or make excuses for not answering the calling, but God calls all. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:23.879 So today's message is really about answering God's call. 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:29.379 So calling us today, we sang this song, you know, I think it's amen. 00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:31.580 See him in the church, calling us to work. 00:11:31.659 --> 00:11:31.899 Amen. 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:35.620 And God's mission is vast and wide. 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:43.559 And as I said, he wants to bring all people in a right relationship with him, but he also wants us to be in right relationship to one another. 00:11:43.980 --> 00:11:48.740 But when God calls us, we struggle with God's calling. 00:11:48.860 --> 00:12:05.460 I want to look at a character here in the Bible in Moses, someone that we're very, we can look at any of those characters, whether it's Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, but I want to look at Moses here because Moses' story is, well, it's somewhat familiar to most of us. 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:12.580 And it is a very, it's a story that I believe really relates to who we are and where we are. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.399 We can see ourselves in Moses. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:31.120 In Exodus chapter two, even if you don't read the Bible very much, you've probably seen Moses' story on the big screen at some point. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:40.580 Chapter two, verse one, it says, Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. 00:12:40.659 --> 00:12:44.799 When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:53.059 But when she could not hide him, when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket, put him in it and coated it with tar and pitch. 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:58.960 Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:04.200 His sister, praise God for her, stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:10.639 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile, the babe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:15.700 She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:17.600 She opened it and saw the baby. 00:13:17.700 --> 00:13:18.299 He was crying. 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:19.860 She felt sorry for him. 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:24.159 This is the one, this is one of the Hebrew babies, she said. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:32.259 Then her sister, then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you? 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:33.700 Yes, go, she answered. 00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:36.360 So the girl went and got the baby's mother. 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:40.620 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, take this baby and nurse him for me. 00:13:41.100 --> 00:13:42.139 I will pay you. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:45.120 So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 00:13:45.779 --> 00:13:50.740 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. 00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:56.740 She named him Moses saying, I drew him out of the water. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:05.240 One day after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:14.059 He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people, looking this way and that and seeing the one who killed the Egyptian, hit him in the sand. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:17.379 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:22.059 He asked the one in the wrong, why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew? 00:14:22.659 --> 00:14:25.259 Man said, who made you ruler and judge of us? 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:28.399 Are you thinking of killing me as you kill the Egyptian? 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:33.299 Then Moses was afraid and thought what I did must have become known. 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:44.940 Of course, when Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went and lived in Midian where he sat down by a well. 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:48.059 We're familiar with this story, right? 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:50.600 It's a, it's a very cool story real quickly, right? 00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:53.059 We've got this baby and I love the Bible. 00:14:53.480 --> 00:15:02.080 You know, a Hebrew says that, um, uh, Pharaoh's mother realized that that Moses was not ordinary from the point he was born. 00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:06.500 And I, I know every parent, we look at our children and go, this baby's not ordinary. 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:11.179 Now they might be very ordinary, but we still think this baby's not ordinary. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.639 There's something special about my child, right? 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:16.620 What parent doesn't believe that? 00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:20.919 I officiate sports, I officiate basketball and volleyball. 00:15:21.100 --> 00:15:27.919 And I can tell you, and when I'm doing basketball and I watch, I could tell the parents think their kids really are not ordinary. 00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:31.120 I'm going, your kid's less than ordinary when it comes to basketball. 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.720 The parents out there losing their mind. 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:36.960 I'm going, this kid is never going to play. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:37.539 Okay, whatever. 00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:48.559 You know, this kid's not even going to make their JV team, but you know, but most of us don't feel like our kids are ordinary. 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:55.279 But Moses, there's clearly something special about him. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.759 There is something special about all of our children. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:05.059 It may not have anything to do with sports academics, but they may be special. 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:05.639 Amen. 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:16.779 But I love this story that the mother, what great faith she had because at some point every parent needs to send their kid on down the Nile and let them go. 00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:19.500 She'll sort of let go and let God. 00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:20.799 You know what I mean? 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:24.019 There, there, there's moments you feel like there's nothing else I can do. 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:26.480 I've just got to let go and let God. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:31.679 It's really interesting because she lets go and lets God and she gets paid to take care of her child. 00:16:31.779 --> 00:16:35.480 I want you to imagine that moms, you're being paid to nurse your own child. 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:36.480 That's a pretty good gig. 00:16:40.629 --> 00:16:41.750 I love the sister too. 00:16:41.850 --> 00:16:43.549 She goes along, she follows. 00:16:43.889 --> 00:16:46.570 I love, she just goes, do you want me to go find someone to nurse the child? 00:16:46.710 --> 00:16:56.950 Like I might know a woman who could do this, you know, but it says as he grows up, Moses had this longing side of him. 00:16:57.029 --> 00:17:01.429 I got to put something inside of him that said, you know, I want you, you aren't ordinary something. 00:17:01.570 --> 00:17:02.509 I need you to do something. 00:17:02.669 --> 00:17:09.068 And I think Moses is longing trying to figure out what his real relationship, what his true identity is. 00:17:09.150 --> 00:17:15.150 He knows that he knows that he's Hebrew, but he's also being raised in the palace. 00:17:16.490 --> 00:17:17.588 Nevermind the trauma. 00:17:17.588 --> 00:17:19.529 I can't imagine the story of growing up. 00:17:19.650 --> 00:17:23.750 So, so when you were a baby, we found you in the now back on back up here a second. 00:17:24.130 --> 00:17:25.490 How did I get adopted again? 00:17:25.690 --> 00:17:35.039 I'm saying, but he's wrestling, struggling, struggling with where do I fit in? 00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:39.819 I'm, I'm not really, I really don't belong in the palace, but this is a pretty nice comfortable life in the palace. 00:17:40.460 --> 00:17:41.559 This is pretty good. 00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:45.660 I feel like I belong out here with these people, but that's hard work they're doing y'all. 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:49.640 I feel like I belong out there with them and I'm really, I'm torn. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:55.640 I'm having a bit of a, what's I think the new term is hybrid identity. 00:17:56.420 --> 00:17:58.440 I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. 00:17:58.579 --> 00:18:00.980 I'm not really sure where I belong. 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:06.460 And so he goes out one day and he sees an Egyptian abusing one of his people. 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:10.259 They, this is my opportunity to get in good with my peeps. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:10.980 You know what I'm saying? 00:18:13.029 --> 00:18:14.289 And so he does that. 00:18:14.369 --> 00:18:15.210 He, he kills them. 00:18:17.349 --> 00:18:19.009 And the next day he goes, he's going out. 00:18:19.069 --> 00:18:22.150 He goes, Hey guys, I'm going to mediate your conflict. 00:18:22.390 --> 00:18:24.269 And the peeps, they're not really down with him. 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:34.680 So now Moses doesn't have a place at all where he fits and in a little fear he runs. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:44.640 So he goes off, he's in Midian and you know the story, 40 years later, God has still called him to do something great, but Moses hasn't pieced it together yet. 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.880 He really doesn't know. 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:48.819 He's just sort of, he's in Midian and really he's developed. 00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:52.059 Even in Midian, I'd say a relatively comfortable life. 00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:54.480 It's very different than the palace, but he's got a wife. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.420 He's a sheep herder. 00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.000 Life's simple. 00:18:59.059 --> 00:19:00.119 I gotta be honest with you. 00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:02.420 I live in a city of St. Louis now. 00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:04.480 I can't wait till I retire. 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:05.460 I'm a country boy. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:11.460 What I want to do is I want to go live where there are no people. 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:17.660 I live in a city of St. Louis now. 00:19:18.180 --> 00:19:21.680 I literally can touch my neighbor's house from my window. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.759 They know all my business. 00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:26.000 They're in on my business. 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:27.079 I'm in their business. 00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:28.039 We're close. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:29.960 I got this much grass. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.500 I got a gas lawnmower. 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:33.640 I used to live in a house that had more lawn. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.019 I got a backpack blower. 00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:37.180 I pull that thing out to blow my leaves. 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:38.299 My neighbors are like, okay. 00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:49.319 And I'm not getting rid of it because I'm moving onto a property where I'm going to be able to use my big backpack blower and blow leaves and grass. 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:54.200 But I, I like the simple life. 00:19:55.299 --> 00:20:01.039 I like the simple life and Moses now he's comfortable in a different way. 00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:03.319 He's got a simple life. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.539 He's got a wife. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:09.680 He's got a great father-in-law in Jethro and he's just a sheep herder. 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:15.599 It's not the palace life because there's a lot of things that are simple where we kind of can live easy. 00:20:16.299 --> 00:20:22.539 There's the palace simplicity or luxury, but there's also a bit of some, I'm good. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:26.119 It's just me taking care of my family. 00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:27.279 I'm good. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:32.119 And then God steps in again. 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:35.380 We know the burning bush story, right? 00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:42.519 What God shows Moses a burning bush and then God walks up to Moses and goes, Hey, come here. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.000 Good. 00:20:43.099 --> 00:20:43.299 Nope. 00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:43.819 I'm not. 00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:54.670 I got shows him the burning bush and God always has a burning bush. 00:20:55.450 --> 00:21:01.309 God always shows us at some point he goes, I have a plan for you. 00:21:02.730 --> 00:21:05.009 I'm calling you to do something great. 00:21:06.049 --> 00:21:07.529 I have vision. 00:21:07.609 --> 00:21:08.450 I have plans for you. 00:21:08.490 --> 00:21:09.769 I want you to do something great. 00:21:10.170 --> 00:21:12.650 And I'm telling you, he calls us at the oddest times. 00:21:12.869 --> 00:21:21.750 It doesn't matter whether you're living in the palace or whether you're living out on the planes, but God will call you to do something great. 00:21:23.150 --> 00:21:30.710 And when God shows us the burning bush, we all have that thing inside of us that goes, but God, come on now. 00:21:31.849 --> 00:21:34.109 I mean, you sure you want me to do that right now? 00:21:35.710 --> 00:21:37.049 I mean, not now. 00:21:37.130 --> 00:21:37.829 God later. 00:21:38.809 --> 00:21:40.250 This was a story in my life. 00:21:40.269 --> 00:21:46.970 Even when I became a Christian, I remember going to church growing up and I would listen to the stories and the sermons. 00:21:47.289 --> 00:21:55.089 And in my mind I went, yeah, this whole commitment to Jesus thing, it sounds great, but I'm going to do that later in life when I've settled down. 00:21:55.930 --> 00:22:03.710 And I remember studying the Bible with Aaron and, and I could tell not too far into our Bible study series that they like expecting me to start living this stuff out. 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:10.819 And I'm like, okay, I'm thinking I would do this a little later in life. 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:19.720 Like when I get married and settled down, which I was never going to do, by the way, like when I'm old and decrepit and settled down, then I'll follow Jesus. 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:23.279 And they're like, no, these are the best time. 00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:25.180 But I'm in college, I'm an athlete. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:28.180 I mean, the honeys are all over me right now. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.519 You know what honeys means? 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.079 Girls, girls. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:45.180 I mean, I'm at the, I'm at the university of Nebraska. 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:48.319 I mean, you know, Aaron calls me a star. 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:50.119 It wasn't really a star, but I was a starter. 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:52.220 I wasn't a star, but it didn't really matter. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:55.799 And to link, you know, Lincoln, Nebraska, I had an Husker gear. 00:22:55.960 --> 00:23:01.119 I walked around and the girls gave me a lot of attention and I liked it. 00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:10.720 Not only that, I had big dreams and big plans for my life and they didn't really, I wanted to include God in him, but I didn't want God to be in control of him. 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:11.299 You know what I'm saying? 00:23:12.140 --> 00:23:15.740 I want God to be in my life, but I want God to control my life. 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:16.700 That's craziness. 00:23:18.769 --> 00:23:24.990 And they were expecting me to make Jesus Lord and Jesus really be in control of my life. 00:23:25.029 --> 00:23:25.990 I'm like, no, no, no. 00:23:26.029 --> 00:23:27.950 And I think Moses is feeling the same thing. 00:23:28.029 --> 00:23:30.349 It's like, yeah, God, I don't know. 00:23:30.930 --> 00:23:35.529 And what God calls Moses to do is a little crazy. 00:23:36.490 --> 00:23:40.829 Now God calls Moses to lead his people, a nation of people. 00:23:41.109 --> 00:23:45.470 And I realized that most of us will not get called to lead a million people out in the desert. 00:23:45.710 --> 00:23:46.809 That's probably not going to happen. 00:23:48.029 --> 00:23:56.730 But I do believe God is calling you to lead one person, yourself, your family, your neighbor, your coworker, it and bro. 00:23:56.890 --> 00:24:00.230 Sometimes those people feel like a million people, you know what I'm saying? 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:05.390 But he is calling you to lead those people to do something great. 00:24:06.049 --> 00:24:12.049 And if you came here on a mission team, you came here because you have answered God's call in some way, somehow. 00:24:12.049 --> 00:24:17.250 But when God calls us, we have many excuses. 00:24:18.849 --> 00:24:22.890 And I'm just going to give you the five that Moses gave God. 00:24:23.970 --> 00:24:27.730 And there really are five excuses that sort of play out in my life as well. 00:24:27.930 --> 00:24:29.130 And I'm sure there are a few more. 00:24:29.230 --> 00:24:31.029 This is a five that Moses gave. 00:24:31.069 --> 00:24:34.009 And I think they really are appropriate to who we are. 00:24:34.069 --> 00:24:35.930 The first is, you know what? 00:24:35.990 --> 00:24:37.809 I'm not adequate for the task. 00:24:39.589 --> 00:24:40.950 Moses felt inadequate. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:49.299 He felt like I'm just not the right person for this. 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.900 And Moses was right by himself. 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:52.740 He's not adequate. 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:55.039 He's not the guy that can get it done. 00:24:56.059 --> 00:25:03.980 But God says to Moses in chapter three, verse 12, he says, I will be with you. 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:11.279 The deliverance of God's people or whatever God calls us to do, it never depends on our ability. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:19.539 Just like it didn't depend on Moses' ability, but it depends on the presence and the power of God. 00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:23.880 That's what we've always got to be tapped into, to God's power and God's presence. 00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:26.740 This is a call, I believe, for Christians. 00:25:27.619 --> 00:25:33.680 We have to be tapped into God's presence and God's power in our life. 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.559 God is present now. 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:39.880 He's a powerful God, always has been, and he is present today. 00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:40.519 Today. 00:25:42.549 --> 00:25:51.490 Church, don't ever be so deceived to believe that your Christian life comes down to you knowing enough. 00:25:51.809 --> 00:26:10.529 If you are tapped into God's power and you're tapped into his presence in your life and you're walking every day and knowing that he is powerful and that he is there with you, that he is really with you until the end of the age, you will live differently. 00:26:11.910 --> 00:26:14.049 Your Bible studies will be different. 00:26:14.690 --> 00:26:16.509 Your quiet times will be different. 00:26:17.009 --> 00:26:20.890 The way you talk to and treat your neighbor and the way you carry yourself. 00:26:21.230 --> 00:26:28.009 If you really believe God's presence with you, you will be different in every way and everything you do. 00:26:29.410 --> 00:26:31.369 You are adequate for the task. 00:26:32.289 --> 00:26:34.250 You know, in the next one, he goes, well, I don't know enough. 00:26:35.190 --> 00:26:37.190 And you're right, you don't know enough. 00:26:37.230 --> 00:26:37.690 And you know what? 00:26:37.710 --> 00:26:39.029 You're never going to know everything. 00:26:40.250 --> 00:26:41.450 You're never going to know everything. 00:26:41.609 --> 00:26:45.930 And he's, you know, he says, what if they ask me what your name is? 00:26:45.990 --> 00:26:49.369 How am I going to clearly articulate what your name is? 00:26:49.470 --> 00:26:50.950 And how am I going to be able to say it? 00:26:50.950 --> 00:26:52.170 And I love God's response. 00:26:52.470 --> 00:26:53.470 I am who I am. 00:26:53.549 --> 00:26:55.410 Moses went, that's not a name. 00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.400 My name is Moses. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:01.160 What's your name? 00:27:01.339 --> 00:27:03.440 My name is I am who I am going. 00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:06.259 I don't think it's going to work. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.480 God, can you just give me a different name? 00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:10.359 I am. 00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:13.440 I am like, wow. 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:18.420 Well, God says, look. 00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:27.940 I am and this is a quote, I'm not smart enough, I'm not capable enough, but he says, I am. 00:27:28.380 --> 00:27:29.779 That's the answer to everything. 00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:31.400 But God, I'm not smart enough. 00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.720 And God says, I am. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:35.700 I'm not capable enough. 00:27:35.740 --> 00:27:37.180 And God goes, I am. 00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.779 I'm not cool enough. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:41.400 And God goes, I am. 00:27:43.700 --> 00:27:47.619 The answer to all your problems, God says, I am. 00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:53.400 So whatever you think, God goes, I am. 00:27:57.319 --> 00:27:58.740 What a revelation, right? 00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:00.619 I am. 00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:02.759 We just need to think about God. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:07.900 Whatever your issues are in your life, God goes, I am. 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:15.799 The next is, what if the people won't take me serious? 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:20.960 You know, I'm a guy that likes to have my ducks in order. 00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:23.539 And some of you, I'm sure, are better than me. 00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:28.400 And so even if I'm gonna do something like, okay, let's think about everything we haven't thought of, right? 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:32.019 We got a pilot over here, there's a checklist, okay? 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.240 Okay, what if this and what if that? 00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:37.380 And I really want my pilot to be having thought through all the what ifs. 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.460 You know what I mean? 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:41.640 Like, did you go through all the checklists? 00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:43.299 Have you thought about all the what ifs? 00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:43.799 You know what I mean? 00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:50.460 On my way over here, I hit a bunch of turbulence coming in, I'm just going, wow. 00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:55.279 I can't even imagine, because I'm not a pilot, I can't imagine flying through turbulence. 00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:58.539 And it was some of the roughest turbulence I've ever hit. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:08.279 And I was thinking, I really hope my pilot at least got, I thought about that, I hope my pilot at least got bees in school, you know what I mean? 00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:14.140 It was just a practice, like, what if my pilot was a bee student, you know what I'm saying? 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:19.779 Whatever, you know? 00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:22.019 But I mean, what if? 00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:25.539 You know, sometimes we can what if ourselves right out of faith. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:34.619 What if this happens, and what if that happens, and what if that, and that's what Moses is doing, he goes, what if the people don't take me seriously? 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:38.640 We can what if ourselves right out of faith. 00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:56.779 Because once we've checked everything, we think we've checked all the boxes, and I'm telling you, when you're dealing with people, when you're dealing with God and you're dealing with people, God throws things our way for which we don't know always how it's going to work out. 00:29:58.299 --> 00:30:00.799 Again, the Lord counted Moses' excuse. 00:30:02.380 --> 00:30:04.240 The people didn't take Moses serious. 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:08.640 He gave him three signs, which God always does. 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:19.660 The next is, well, I'm not good at public speaking, and I love this, Moses goes, you know what, I don't speak that well, and I really believe that Moses struggled with the Hebrew language. 00:30:20.380 --> 00:30:21.420 I do believe that. 00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:25.259 I believe he was a baby, he grew up in, he spoke Egyptian really well. 00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:31.359 And then he went to Midian, so when was he gonna have really good Hebrew, I think he struggled. 00:30:31.539 --> 00:30:33.619 I don't even speak their language that well. 00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:35.579 I'm not one of their people. 00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:39.700 And God goes, I got this, I'll speak for you. 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.519 Aaron, Aaron will do the talking. 00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:44.799 God says, I got this. 00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:49.180 Moses goes, you know, and God, do you know the Gallup poll? 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:52.539 70% of people afraid of public speaking. 00:30:53.980 --> 00:30:55.720 God goes, it doesn't really matter. 00:30:56.359 --> 00:30:57.859 There's a little Seinfeld bit about that. 00:30:57.859 --> 00:31:03.980 So that means at a funeral, okay, most of the people would rather be in the coffin than up speaking, you know? 00:31:08.890 --> 00:31:11.589 And the last, of course, is just, I don't wanna do it. 00:31:12.349 --> 00:31:14.609 I just don't wanna do it, God. 00:31:15.329 --> 00:31:17.210 And this is really what it comes down to. 00:31:17.269 --> 00:31:26.710 When God calls us, asks us to do anything, we just can have this spirit of, you know what, no thank you, I just don't wanna do it. 00:31:27.450 --> 00:31:29.769 I'm not gonna listen to God, I don't wanna do it. 00:31:29.769 --> 00:31:31.049 And this is at the core of it. 00:31:31.210 --> 00:31:32.430 This is not really an excuse. 00:31:32.769 --> 00:31:36.769 This is just flat out our unwillingness to do what God calls us to do. 00:31:36.910 --> 00:31:38.349 And God calls us to do a number of things. 00:31:38.390 --> 00:31:45.250 You read the Bible, he calls us to be in a right relationship with him, which we know, that means we need to be spending as much time with God as possible. 00:31:45.549 --> 00:31:46.950 But do I need to read my Bible daily? 00:31:47.289 --> 00:31:48.650 Sure, do I need to pray daily? 00:31:49.130 --> 00:31:50.930 Yes, why do I have to do it daily? 00:31:51.250 --> 00:31:56.410 Why do you wanna go to heaven and be with God if you don't wanna spend time with God daily? 00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:01.819 I shouldn't have to read my Bible every day. 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.740 Okay, well then, why do you wanna go to heaven then? 00:32:05.079 --> 00:32:06.680 Well, I just want all the good stuff. 00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:10.440 Well, so you just want palace life, you know what I mean? 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:17.440 No, no, he just didn't wanna do it, which is what we can struggle with. 00:32:17.940 --> 00:32:19.880 And there's plenty of other excuses we come up with. 00:32:19.980 --> 00:32:35.299 I'm too old, I'm too young, I'm too traumatized, I'm too this, you don't understand my childhood, you don't understand my upbringing, you don't understand how I've been treated by black people, by white people, by Hispanic people, by people with long curly hair. 00:32:42.869 --> 00:32:52.190 You don't understand my life, you don't understand my circumstance, you don't understand my challenge, you don't understand my difficulties, you don't know the troubles I've been through in life. 00:32:53.490 --> 00:32:59.529 To all of which God says, I've called you to do something great. 00:33:01.890 --> 00:33:05.950 And so God answers Moses with each of his excuses. 00:33:07.609 --> 00:33:09.589 But what excuses are you dragging around? 00:33:11.109 --> 00:33:14.730 What excuses are you making for not answering God's call? 00:33:15.849 --> 00:33:20.109 What excuses are you making for not doing the good that you know you oughta do? 00:33:21.390 --> 00:33:23.829 All of us have adopted some excuses. 00:33:23.970 --> 00:33:32.470 Maybe it's not one of those five, or maybe you didn't find it, but they're the excuses that you make or that I make regularly for not doing what God has called us to do. 00:33:34.470 --> 00:33:37.809 And I believe excuses come down to basically, we're fearful. 00:33:39.410 --> 00:33:48.279 Moses' excuses all revolved around one common theme, he was fearful, Moses fearful. 00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:51.980 Moses wasn't afraid of Pharaoh. 00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:54.220 I don't believe he was afraid of Pharaoh. 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:57.819 I believe Moses was fearful of the people of Israel. 00:33:57.819 --> 00:34:01.079 I don't think he was afraid of Pharaoh. 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:02.700 And you'll see that as you read through. 00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:05.759 Every time God told him to go back to Pharaoh, he went back. 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:14.400 But the people of Israel, I don't speak like them, I don't really even look like them, they don't really accept me. 00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:17.300 Whatever he feared. 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:21.920 Fear is the reason we make a ton of excuses in our life. 00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:25.980 And men, we're not very good at admitting we're fearful. 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:31.780 But we fearful, we're fearful, we fearful, you know what I mean? 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:36.039 And so I want to challenge us to confront our fears here. 00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:40.260 Moses confronted fears and excuses. 00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:45.739 And there's really just seven quick things to confront your fears. 00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:49.519 We just got to always remember that God will help us. 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:53.400 No matter what you're going through, God will help. 00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:57.539 He promised to be with you always to the very end of the age. 00:34:58.539 --> 00:35:12.940 Whatever reason you are struggling with going, taking that next step, whatever it might be, if it's overcoming a specific sin, whatever it might be, God will help you. 00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:18.679 The second is when God calls you, he just wants you to be yourself and let him be God. 00:35:20.219 --> 00:35:23.139 When God called Moses, he goes, but what about this and what about that? 00:35:23.199 --> 00:35:24.960 God goes, hey, you just be yourself. 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:26.500 I know who you are. 00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:28.440 I know how you speak. 00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:30.119 I know how you look. 00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:31.800 I know what I got into. 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:34.280 When God called Vince Hawkins, he knew what he was getting into. 00:35:34.800 --> 00:35:36.440 I'm not surprised in God. 00:35:36.739 --> 00:35:37.760 I'm going, God, but what do I got? 00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.900 Vince, I know you. 00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:40.400 I know you well. 00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:46.119 And I got you into, I know exactly what I was getting when I chose Vince Hawkins. 00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:49.559 I know exactly what I'm getting to. 00:35:49.800 --> 00:35:54.360 I know you and you just be Vince and let me be the I am. 00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:56.300 Let me be God. 00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:59.440 You know, the next is do it afraid. 00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:04.219 You know, the answer to God's call, you got to do things afraid. 00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:08.019 If you're waiting until the fear is gone, then you're not going to do anything. 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:10.179 You're just going to be waiting. 00:36:10.820 --> 00:36:12.860 I just got to wait till I get up the courage. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:14.559 You ever hear that? 00:36:14.780 --> 00:36:15.760 Got to get up the courage. 00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:18.400 I mean, you can think about that when you're young. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:22.340 You know, the kid standing on the edge of the pool that's going to go, he's never going to get up the courage. 00:36:22.739 --> 00:36:24.099 You're just going, stop thinking and jump. 00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:25.340 You know what I mean? 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:30.460 God doesn't do that. 00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:34.179 God actually just says jump. 00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:39.159 And if anybody's walking about push, ah, don't push him. 00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:40.900 Don't push him. 00:36:41.659 --> 00:36:42.360 Let them jump. 00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:46.699 Because if they jump, they'll jump again. 00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:50.980 If you push them, they won't, they won't even go back to the edge. 00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:51.780 You know what I mean? 00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:53.699 They'll be looking behind them the whole time. 00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:55.900 And they'll be angry with the person that pushed them. 00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:56.460 You know what I'm saying? 00:36:57.440 --> 00:36:59.000 No, no, no, they have to jump. 00:36:59.940 --> 00:37:01.460 But you got to do it afraid. 00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:06.800 If you're fearful, whatever that thing is, do it afraid. 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:09.440 That's the best, right? 00:37:10.179 --> 00:37:13.300 Isn't that the most, isn't that the most exciting part of a roller coaster? 00:37:14.280 --> 00:37:15.159 Go, go, oh yeah. 00:37:16.059 --> 00:37:16.880 And you do it. 00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:20.300 Do you like, that was awesome. 00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:21.960 That was awesome. 00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.619 It was awesome that I went afraid. 00:37:24.980 --> 00:37:30.139 It's a high of doing the thing even when you're afraid. 00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:31.400 That is a Christian life. 00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:33.639 I'm telling you, being a Christian is not easy. 00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.860 It is not for the faint of heart. 00:37:35.159 --> 00:37:38.480 It is really for people that will do it afraid. 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:44.900 Anyone that tells you that all you got to do of Christianity is easy, they're not doing Christianity right, amen. 00:37:45.420 --> 00:37:46.860 When you're following God, you're following God. 00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:50.179 You're gonna do things afraid and that's the bottom line. 00:37:52.590 --> 00:37:53.469 Expect resistance. 00:37:54.650 --> 00:37:59.090 You know, the bottom line is Moses, all of his fears, some of his fears all came true. 00:37:59.389 --> 00:38:00.550 What if they resist me? 00:38:00.769 --> 00:38:01.650 Well, they did resist. 00:38:02.349 --> 00:38:05.530 He got those people, he got them out of Egypt, okay. 00:38:06.030 --> 00:38:07.690 Pharaoh resisted him, first of all. 00:38:08.170 --> 00:38:10.349 But even the people of Israel, they resisted. 00:38:10.710 --> 00:38:15.610 Every time he caused, every time something great happened, the people were like, oh, we want to go back. 00:38:15.670 --> 00:38:21.489 And they were resistant, they were prideful, and there was a rebellion, and it was a mess, the Israelites. 00:38:22.250 --> 00:38:25.409 But you need to expect resistance if you're gonna follow God. 00:38:25.929 --> 00:38:28.730 If you're gonna answer God's call, there will be resistance. 00:38:29.210 --> 00:38:33.630 If you haven't faced resistance here in Kalamazoo yet, and I'm sure you have, there will be more. 00:38:33.969 --> 00:38:34.949 There will be challenges. 00:38:35.449 --> 00:38:38.429 There will be times where you won't be able to find a place to meet. 00:38:39.570 --> 00:38:43.349 It'll be difficult, and listen, I believe for Christians, it's gonna get more difficult. 00:38:43.570 --> 00:38:50.369 As we take a stand about simple things as what it means to be a man and a woman, there will be resistance. 00:38:52.030 --> 00:38:53.989 I mean, basic things. 00:38:56.070 --> 00:38:56.829 Basic things. 00:38:57.449 --> 00:39:00.510 Like what it means to be a man and a woman, there will be resistance. 00:39:02.809 --> 00:39:05.329 Much less all the nuanced stuff that's out there. 00:39:07.110 --> 00:39:09.789 There will be resistance, there will be challenges, there will be trouble. 00:39:10.570 --> 00:39:11.849 But you need to expect resistance. 00:39:11.969 --> 00:39:18.289 If you're coming into this, if you're thinking following God's call is gonna be man, it's gonna be like being in the palace. 00:39:19.409 --> 00:39:20.269 No, no, no, no, no. 00:39:20.590 --> 00:39:21.690 That's a different life. 00:39:23.050 --> 00:39:26.690 That's a, and that's on the other side of the Jordan River anyway, man. 00:39:27.449 --> 00:39:34.829 When we get to really be with Jesus, then we will be walking streets paved with gold. 00:39:35.849 --> 00:39:38.809 But until now, we're on the side of wandering the desert, amen? 00:39:38.809 --> 00:39:38.909 Amen. 00:39:40.489 --> 00:39:43.769 The next, if at first, try, try again. 00:39:44.570 --> 00:39:49.329 You follow Moses' story, I want you to know that Moses had to go back to Pharaoh how many times? 00:39:50.449 --> 00:39:51.389 How many plagues? 00:39:52.969 --> 00:39:57.269 He had to go back to Moses over and over and over again. 00:39:59.050 --> 00:40:00.409 That's what it means to be a Christian. 00:40:00.489 --> 00:40:02.010 You just gotta get up and do it again. 00:40:02.110 --> 00:40:04.070 But I wouldn't share it out of faith, that doesn't work. 00:40:04.250 --> 00:40:06.389 And we try to have people at home that doesn't work. 00:40:06.469 --> 00:40:08.090 And we've done this and it doesn't work. 00:40:08.090 --> 00:40:12.429 But the Christian life is about try, try, try again. 00:40:13.429 --> 00:40:18.349 Every time Moses went back to Pharaoh, Moses goes, get out of here. 00:40:18.570 --> 00:40:20.550 And God goes, go back again. 00:40:21.510 --> 00:40:23.630 And I believe that is the Christian life. 00:40:23.769 --> 00:40:26.329 God looks out at us, he goes, he sees us. 00:40:27.230 --> 00:40:30.630 Every time you fall, God goes, come on, get back up again. 00:40:31.769 --> 00:40:35.309 Every time you blow it, God goes, come on, go back at it again. 00:40:35.730 --> 00:40:38.949 No matter what stupid thing you've done, every time God goes, come on, go again. 00:40:39.110 --> 00:40:41.130 I can use you, but God, I'm a murderer. 00:40:41.429 --> 00:40:42.809 I know, but I can use you. 00:40:42.949 --> 00:40:45.150 I failed, I know, but I can use you. 00:40:45.949 --> 00:40:50.250 I've tried, you don't know how many times I've blown it. 00:40:51.110 --> 00:40:53.269 And God goes, come on, get up. 00:40:53.309 --> 00:41:01.929 And every time you get up and you go again, God goes, that's my guy, that's my gal. 00:41:04.090 --> 00:41:06.989 Christian life is not about just perfection. 00:41:07.489 --> 00:41:08.929 So stop pretending to be perfect. 00:41:09.809 --> 00:41:11.650 It's way too hard anyway. 00:41:12.929 --> 00:41:14.150 And you're lousy at it. 00:41:16.550 --> 00:41:18.489 You're just gonna make mistakes. 00:41:19.469 --> 00:41:23.550 You're gonna blow it and God goes, that's okay, try again. 00:41:24.550 --> 00:41:27.030 And isn't that awesome that God's that way? 00:41:27.449 --> 00:41:29.309 That he's in there, try again. 00:41:29.969 --> 00:41:31.489 Just try again. 00:41:32.590 --> 00:41:36.349 Get up, try again, just go back at it. 00:41:36.730 --> 00:41:40.869 Because if at first, you just keep trying again. 00:41:42.250 --> 00:41:44.110 And conflicts and struggles, they build character. 00:41:44.969 --> 00:41:52.010 Moses learned this, that all the struggles and all the conflicts, all it's doing is building character. 00:41:53.090 --> 00:41:55.309 Moses learned to obey despite how he felt. 00:41:56.269 --> 00:42:01.610 Moses learned that God is 100% faithful and Moses could trust God with his life. 00:42:02.489 --> 00:42:06.989 Moses learned how to hear from God and not second guess himself because that's what he did. 00:42:07.070 --> 00:42:10.989 He second guessed himself all the time before he decided to follow God. 00:42:11.730 --> 00:42:15.190 Moses learned how to handle conflict and confront people when they were wrong. 00:42:15.969 --> 00:42:21.230 Moses learned that God's plan and purpose for his life was better than anything he could plan for himself. 00:42:22.130 --> 00:42:27.849 Moses learned that persistence and never give up is the way of God. 00:42:29.250 --> 00:42:32.690 Moses learned to stay focused on his goal and not give in to distractions. 00:42:33.590 --> 00:42:37.130 Moses learned how to embrace mistakes and failures to propel him forward. 00:42:38.309 --> 00:42:42.710 Moses learned to base his identity on God and find security in him only. 00:42:43.809 --> 00:42:47.469 Moses learned not to give in to fear, but to do it afraid. 00:42:48.550 --> 00:42:55.050 Moses learned that God loved and accepted him just the way he was, all of his insecurities. 00:42:56.400 --> 00:42:58.110 He took it all, God wanted it. 00:42:59.150 --> 00:43:04.210 Moses learned how to be a leader by serving others and listening to them. 00:43:05.070 --> 00:43:08.010 Moses learned some great lessons from God. 00:43:09.469 --> 00:43:13.449 And finally, Moses learned how to leave a faith legacy. 00:43:14.849 --> 00:43:18.650 Moses left a faith legacy. 00:43:19.570 --> 00:43:23.889 We're gonna close with three short passages. 00:43:25.090 --> 00:43:26.670 Joshua chapter four. 00:43:29.289 --> 00:43:32.090 Actually, Joshua chapter three, verse 14 first. 00:43:32.769 --> 00:43:33.949 Joshua 3, 14. 00:43:36.269 --> 00:43:41.570 It says, so when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 00:43:42.329 --> 00:43:46.889 Now the Jordan is at flood stage, all during harvest. 00:43:47.750 --> 00:43:58.030 Yet as soon as the priests who carried the Ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. 00:43:58.469 --> 00:44:01.630 It piled up in a heap, a great distance away. 00:44:02.789 --> 00:44:03.889 Let's stop here for a second. 00:44:03.989 --> 00:44:12.829 We know the story of Moses, and Moses got to the Jordan River, but he wasn't able to cross the Jordan River and take the people into the promised land. 00:44:13.269 --> 00:44:23.130 But his second guy, Joshua, the second in command, the guy that Moses raised up, Joshua, he took the people across the Jordan River. 00:44:23.829 --> 00:44:26.789 And look at the story of Joshua. 00:44:26.989 --> 00:44:29.369 Joshua was with Moses when he crossed the Red Sea. 00:44:29.829 --> 00:44:35.789 He remembered when they reached the water's edge and the Red Sea opened and all the people crossed over. 00:44:36.329 --> 00:44:48.590 Now Joshua, he's ready to cross the Jordan River, and how would he know except, you know, take the Ark of the Covenant, step into the Jordan, and the water piled up, and the people crossed the Jordan River. 00:44:49.909 --> 00:44:53.829 I imagine that Joshua went, this is just like it was with Moses. 00:44:55.429 --> 00:44:57.590 Because Moses, he was faithful. 00:44:58.449 --> 00:45:00.210 All that followed him were faithful. 00:45:01.610 --> 00:45:05.070 The story is also of Caleb and Joshua, chapter 14, six through 13. 00:45:05.210 --> 00:45:06.050 You can look at it later. 00:45:06.510 --> 00:45:11.150 But you remember the story of Caleb who was also with Joshua and Moses. 00:45:11.570 --> 00:45:16.070 Caleb, as they entered into, as they got across, Caleb said, give me this hill country. 00:45:16.289 --> 00:45:18.670 I'm as vigorous today as I was this morning. 00:45:18.670 --> 00:45:20.389 And I still can fight. 00:45:21.409 --> 00:45:22.849 Give me this hill country. 00:45:23.550 --> 00:45:25.449 Moses left a legacy of faith. 00:45:25.769 --> 00:45:27.250 Joshua, Caleb. 00:45:27.849 --> 00:45:31.250 And then, of course, my favorite story in Joshua, chapter 24, verse eight. 00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:35.519 We know this one very well, families. 00:45:36.119 --> 00:45:38.960 This has gotta be part of every family's devotional at some point. 00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:46.420 But in Joshua 24, verse eight, it says, Joshua's kind of wrapping up here. 00:45:46.480 --> 00:45:51.340 He says, I brought you to the land of the Amorites who live east of the Jordan. 00:45:51.340 --> 00:45:52.719 They fought against you. 00:45:53.260 --> 00:45:55.159 But I gave them into your hands. 00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:59.059 I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. 00:45:59.559 --> 00:46:05.340 Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel. 00:46:05.659 --> 00:46:08.699 He sent Balaam, son of Beor, to put a curse on you. 00:46:08.840 --> 00:46:10.460 But I would not listen to Balaam. 00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:13.599 So he blessed you again and again, and I deliver you out of their hands. 00:46:14.019 --> 00:46:16.420 Then you crossed the Jordan, came across the Jericho. 00:46:16.500 --> 00:46:24.300 The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hittites, the Jebusites. 00:46:24.780 --> 00:46:26.519 And I gave them into your hands. 00:46:26.699 --> 00:46:33.719 I sent the horned ahead of you, which drove them out before you, also the two Amorite kings. 00:46:34.340 --> 00:46:36.659 You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 00:46:37.019 --> 00:46:41.699 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil, and cities you did not build. 00:46:42.219 --> 00:46:46.480 And you lived in them and ate from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant. 00:46:47.239 --> 00:46:49.219 And then Joshua closes with this. 00:46:49.760 --> 00:46:53.260 This is our fear of the Lord, and serve him with all your faithfulness. 00:46:53.639 --> 00:46:59.019 Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 00:46:59.380 --> 00:47:11.500 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. 00:47:12.000 --> 00:47:17.960 But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. 00:47:17.960 --> 00:47:18.340 Amen. 00:47:19.579 --> 00:47:25.840 You will leave a great legacy of faith if you will answer God's call. 00:47:26.579 --> 00:47:38.039 Moses answered despite all his difficulties, and there were many excuses and many fears, and when you face many fears and excuses, and I'm telling you, the enemy will keep sending you things in your life that will distract you. 00:47:38.780 --> 00:47:42.380 Brothers and sisters, now is the time for God's people to not shut God out. 00:47:42.920 --> 00:47:47.300 Now is the time for us to allow him to move in our lives like never before. 00:47:48.239 --> 00:47:51.679 Too many of us are cowering, giving in, giving up. 00:47:52.199 --> 00:48:17.860 Too many of us are given in the fear of our weaknesses, our struggles, given in the fear of our spouses, our children, fear of our past, fear of a number of things, fear of the next strand of COVID, fear of the police, fear of politicians, fear of the next election, fear of our boss, fear of old age, fear of staging life, fear of our neighbor, fear, and many, many, many more things. 00:48:18.539 --> 00:48:21.159 But God is calling us to surrender our fears to him. 00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:29.679 Surrender your fears, surrender your excuses to him, and let him challenge us onward to new heights. 00:48:30.019 --> 00:48:33.280 Let's overcome our fears and answer God's call. 00:48:39.559 --> 00:48:43.780 Thank you so much for listening to the Kalamazoo Church of Christ podcast. 00:48:44.199 --> 00:48:47.500 If you're in the Kalamazoo area, we'd love to get connected. 00:48:47.739 --> 00:48:55.099 Please go to kalamazoo.church and fill in your information to come to a Sunday service or any other event that we have going on. 00:48:55.239 --> 00:48:57.699 In any case, you'll be hearing from us next week.