Cameos of Christ Pt 3 - I AM: Turn Aside and See

Devotional

Day 1: Bush That Burns But Stands

Moses dragged sheep through cracked wilderness dirt when fire erupted in a thornbush. He froze mid-step – flames licked branches but left no ash. The God who needs no fuel declared His presence through paradox: fire that burns but doesn’t destroy. Moses’ dusty sandals pivoted toward the mystery. [13:22]

This desert epiphany revealed God’s uncontainable nature. Thorns symbolized curse, yet here they blazed with divine glory. Jesus later wore thorns to transform humanity’s curse into redemption. The bush proved God invades ordinary moments to rewrite stories.

Your daily path holds unassuming bushes – laundry piles, traffic jams, routine tasks. What if today’s monotony masks holy fire? Stop mid-stride. Turn your face. What ordinary spot have you been rushing past that might carry divine interruption?

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.”
(Exodus 3:1-2, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to open your eyes to one “ordinary” moment today where His presence burns.

Challenge: Pause physically when distracted today – turn your body toward a window/tree/object and whisper “I am here.”

Day 2: Sandals Off, Heart Open

God’s voice halted Moses’ approach: “Remove your sandals.” Dusty feet met holy ground. The same God who lit the bush now demanded barefoot reverence. Sandals carried desert grime; bare feet signaled surrendered claim. Holiness required preparation. [18:30]

Yahweh’s command revealed proximity demands purity. Centuries later, Jesus washed disciples’ feet – not to diminish holiness but to fulfill it through service. Both moments show sacred encounters require humbled posture.

We often approach prayer like checking a phone notification. What if you “took off your sandals” before speaking to God today? Literally remove shoes? Sit lower than usual? What tangible act could prepare your heart to encounter His holiness?

“Then the Lord said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’”
(Exodus 3:5, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one distraction you’re “wearing” into God’s presence today – hurry, bitterness, or self-sufficiency.

Challenge: Physically remove your shoes for 5 minutes of prayer, imagining your feet touching holy ground.

Day 3: I AM in Your Emptiness

Eighty-year-old Moses gripped a staff, not a throne. Forty years of desert failure echoed in his protest: “Who am I?” God answered with seven Hebrew words: “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” – I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE. The remedy for human lack is divine presence. [25:43]

Jesus later claimed this name at the temple: “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The eternal God inhabits our temporal crises. When disciples trembled at stormy seas, “I AM” walked on waves.

Your “I can’t” meets His “I AM.” Where are you rehearsing inadequacy instead of His sufficiency? What specific task/dread/conversation today needs you to whisper “He IS” instead of “I’m not”?

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I AM has sent me to you.”’”
(Exodus 3:14, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for being the exact “I AM” needed in your weakest area today.

Challenge: Write “I AM” on three sticky notes – place them where you’ll face doubt today.

Day 4: From Hiding to Holy Ground

Moses hid his face, terrified to look at God. Yet this same Moses later begged, “Show me Your glory!” (Exodus 33:18). The bush encounter began transforming a runaway into a friend of God. Holiness first overwhelms, then transforms. [19:23]

Jesus made this intimacy possible. At the Transfiguration, terrified disciples saw His glory – then He touched them (Matthew 17:7). Holy awe births holy courage.

What “face-hiding” habit keeps you from God’s presence? Over-apologizing? Avoiding prayer? Burying yourself in work? How might stepping into reverence – not away from it – change your approach today?

“And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”
(Exodus 3:6, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to replace one fear of His holiness with holy longing.

Challenge: Open your hands (palms up) for 60 seconds as you pray – a physical surrender.

Day 5: Carrying Fire from the Mountain

God didn’t extinguish the bush after Moses’ call. That desert flame ignited a shepherd into a deliverer. The same fire later led Israel through darkness (Exodus 13:21). Every true encounter with “I AM” leaves us carrying light. [32:59]

Jesus told disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) – not “try to become.” His indwelling presence makes it fact.

What specific place (work cubicle, gym, PTA meeting) needs the light of your God-encounter? How can you “carry the bush” there today – not through preaching, but through peace, integrity, or compassion?

“He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’”
(Exodus 3:12, ESV)

Prayer: Name one person/place where you’ll consciously carry God’s presence today.

Challenge: Text/email someone before noon: “God is with us both today.”

Sermon Summary

Exodus 3 interrupts an ordinary workday. The bush burns and is not consumed, and the text makes it plain that divine initiative starts the moment. Moses does not summon fire. God appears, and then the question lands: will the shepherd turn aside or rush on? When Moses turns, God calls him by name. The Name-wielder comes close and speaks personally, but He also draws a line. “Take off your sandals.” Holy ground is not handled casually. Before any task is given, God establishes who He is. Holiness is not a footnote. His love is holy love. His mercy is holy mercy. Holiness is the atmosphere of His presence, and it exposes a person. Moses hides his face. Scripture agrees: on the mountain, the disciples fall down afraid; in the throne room, Isaiah says, “Woe to me.” Reverence is not optional.

Yet holiness does not cancel compassion. Exodus 3 shows a God who sees affliction, hears cries, knows sorrows, and comes down. The Name that meets human pain is “I AM WHO I AM.” In a world of shifting diagnoses, fractured families, and anxious waiting, the Name does not wobble. Jesus takes that Name on His lips: “Before Abraham was, I am.” The same voice that called from the bush stands in Galilee and says, “I am the bread of life… the light of the world… the door… the good shepherd… the resurrection and the life… the way, the truth, and the life… the true vine.” The supply matches the lack, but the response still matters: abide, do not drift.

A real encounter invites a real answer. Moses brings questions and insecurity. God does not flatter the resume. He promises presence: “I will be with you.” Mission flows out of communion, not charisma. That is why the text presses attention in the ordinary. Chasing the next word can train the ear to miss the word right in front. The church is called to turn aside, slow down, and notice the nudge. Remove the sandals. Surrender and trust. Jesus has not left His people as orphans. By the Spirit, His holy presence goes with them everywhere and always. If holiness is the atmosphere of His presence, then no moment is throwaway, no space is neutral. Every moment can be holy ground when a disciple turns aside to attend and obey.

Key Takeaways

1. Divine initiative meets ordinary moments God moves first, often right in the middle of routine, and the extraordinary breaks in through an ordinary sight. If attention is always running after the next big thing, the soul gets dull to the small flame already near. Training the heart to turn aside is not passivity; it is readiness. The bush still burns where the day looks the same. [14:09]
2. Holiness reshapes approach and posture God invites closeness and at the same time sets the terms for coming near. Reverence is not stiff formality; it is love that refuses to treat holy things lightly. Casual grace breeds entitlement, but holy grace breeds repentance and joy. Taking off the sandals is how fear of the Lord makes room for friendship with God. [18:30]
3. I AM holds steady in change The Name that does not change steadies the heart when everything else does. Jesus seals the point by taking the Name, so the church reads Exodus through His face. Each “I am” meets a particular lack, but together they say He Himself is the answer. Stability in chaos comes from a Person, not a plan. [23:31]
4. Presence commissions fragile servants God does not deny human smallness; He outflanks it with promised nearness. Calling is born at the bush, but courage grows by walking with the One who spoke there. The work belongs to God, so adequacy is a poor focus and availability is a wise one. Mission begins where surrender says, “You go with me.” [27:44]
5. Every moment becomes holy ground If the Spirit abides, the line between sacred and secular shrinks under the weight of His presence. Commutes, kitchens, and quiet tears can carry the same invitation as a sanctuary. Attention and obedience turn common soil into consecrated space. Treat the day as a temple and watch what He reveals. [31:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:21] - Curiosity and detour invitation
[01:22] - Burning bush as interruption
[03:02] - Chasing words vs ordinary presence
[05:54] - God is present, compassionate, speaking
[07:35] - Moses’ backstory and Midian years
[09:37] - Focusing on what I AM reveals
[13:41] - God appears and Moses turns aside
[18:30] - Holy ground and holy posture
[20:48] - Holiness echoed across Scripture
[23:31] - I AM steady in a changing world
[25:12] - Jesus before Abraham: I AM
[32:59] - From encounter to mission
[37:16] - Prayer and the present I AM

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Exodus 3:1-14 (ESV)
John 8:58 (ESV)
Luke 24:13-35 (ESV)

Observation Questions

In Exodus 3:5, what specific action does God require of Moses before he draws near, and why?
How does Jesus’ statement in John 8:58 (“Before Abraham was, I am”) connect to God’s self-revelation in Exodus 3:14?
What ordinary activity was Moses engaged in when God interrupted him with the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-2)?
The sermon mentions that chasing “the next word” can train us to miss God’s presence in the ordinary. What example was given about a person walking a puppy? [02:17]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God emphasizes His holiness (e.g., removing sandals, hiding faces) before addressing human needs like Israel’s suffering in Exodus 3?
How does the combination of God’s holiness and compassion (Exodus 3:7-8) reshape our understanding of His character?
Jesus uses “I am” statements (e.g., “I am the bread of life”) to meet specific human needs. How does this fulfill the promise of Exodus 3:14 in a tangible way?
Moses responds to God’s call with insecurity (Exodus 3:11). How does God’s answer (“I will be with you”) address both Moses’ fears and our own feelings of inadequacy?

Application Questions

Where in your daily routine (commute, chores, work) could you intentionally “turn aside” to notice God’s presence, like Moses did? What practical step could help you pause and listen?
Are there areas of your life where you’ve treated holy things (prayer, Scripture, worship) casually? How might removing “sandals” (posturing with reverence) look in those areas? [18:30]
When facing instability (relational, health, or emotional), how could declaring “I AM” over your situation shift your focus from chaos to Christ’s steadiness?
The sermon warns against chasing “the next word” while missing God’s presence in the ordinary. What habits or distractions might be dulling your sensitivity to His nudges in daily life? [03:02]
Moses’ mission began with surrender, not confidence. What task, relationship, or calling have you avoided due to insecurity? How could trusting “I will be with you” change your next step?
If every moment can be holy ground, how might viewing mundane tasks (dishes, emails, errands) as opportunities to “abide” in Christ transform your attitude toward them?

Sermon Clips

52s

“``Anyone ever get a phone call that just rocked your world? Right? People change. Diagnosis, disappointment. And I know some of us know what all that feels like. Some of us have been betrayed, and it just trust is gone. But God is as I am who I am. Anyone exhausted in waiting? Waiting for the answer? I am who I am. This is who he's revealing. And I know that some of us, I know who I am, there's still division and stuff going on in my family. It's weighty. But god says, I am who I am.”

38s

“Why am I pointing this out? Because this matters deeply, church. Throughout scripture, we see in in in Revelation four, holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty. And when John had that revelation, he fell down like dead. Isaiah, when he had an encounter with the Lord in the throne room, again, holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah, woe to me. I am undone in the presence of a holy God. Holiness is not an attribute. It is the atmosphere of who he is.”

38s

“Moses didn't manufacture it. He didn't even have to chase it. He didn't even initiate the moment. The moment began with divine initiative. It was already happening, and this is fascinating. Because I think I know in my own life, I'm trying to chase God to find the next word. Right? I'm trying to to to to to press myself in when he's right there, maybe even trying to find myself when god is starting with revealing who he is. He was going about an ordinary day, and he was interrupted.”

55s

“Through the Holy Spirit, his presence goes with us, which means to me and suggest to me that not one moment of our life, if his holiness is in fact the atmosphere in which he creates, which is him, not one moment of our life isn't holy. One not one moment of our life, and with every breath that we have, is not in his presence, isn't somehow holy. Make no mistake. His this is not a replacement for holiness. This is his holy presence with us, and how we respond to him matters.”

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MorningStar Church Tampa This sermon · AI assistant

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Cameos of Christ Pt 3 - I AM: Turn Aside and See

Devotional

Day 1: Bush That Burns But Stands

Day 2: Sandals Off, Heart Open

Day 3: I AM in Your Emptiness

Day 4: From Hiding to Holy Ground

Day 5: Carrying Fire from the Mountain

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Cameos of Christ Pt 3 - I AM: Turn Aside and See

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