Embracing God's Call Beyond Our Deficiencies

Today, we gathered around the story of Moses and the journey God called him to—a journey that began not with strength or confidence, but with deficiency, doubt, and a sense of not belonging. We explored how Moses, much like the young Lionel Messi, faced a moment where his limitations seemed to define his future. Messi’s story of overcoming a growth deficiency through the belief and investment of others became a living parable for us: sometimes, what we lack is not ability, but someone to see our potential and call us forward.

Moses’ life was marked by not fitting in—neither fully Egyptian nor fully Hebrew, shaped by a sense of justice but haunted by failure and shame. When God called to him from the burning bush, Moses’ first response was, “Who am I?”—a question born from his awareness of his own inadequacy. God’s answer was not to reassure Moses that he was enough, but to promise, “I will be with you.” The sufficiency for the journey was not in Moses, but in the presence and character of God.

We reflected on the name God gives: “I am who I am.” This name reveals God’s self-sufficiency, His eternal and unchanging nature, and His faithfulness. Our identity, so often shaped by our relationships, failures, and deficiencies, is redefined in the presence of the One who is all-sufficient. God does not call us because we are enough; He calls us because He is enough, and He invites us to walk with Him, to let go of the past, and to step into the potential He created in us.

The invitation is not to ignore our deficiencies or pretend our past didn’t happen, but to surrender them—to let God redeem what has held us back. Like Moses, we are called to own our lack, to bring it honestly before God, and to trust that He can make us new, equip us for the journey, and use us for His purposes. The journey of holiness and purpose is not about being a superstar on our own, but about joining the team, walking with God, and letting Him lead us step by step.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s call is not limited by our deficiencies. Moses’ sense of inadequacy and outsider status did not disqualify him from God’s purpose. In fact, God’s call often comes to us precisely where we feel most lacking, inviting us to trust not in ourselves, but in His presence and sufficiency. [37:16]
• 2. Our identity is redefined in God’s presence. While we often introduce ourselves by our relationships, roles, or failures, God’s name—“I am who I am”—reminds us that our truest identity is found in Him. We are not the sum of our deficiencies or our past, but the ones whom God calls and invites into His story. [43:15]
• 3. Surrender is the way to holiness and freedom. God does not ask us to deny our wounds or failures, but to bring them honestly before Him. True transformation begins when we take off the “shoes” of our past, surrender our shame, and allow God to redeem and repurpose our story for His glory. [52:01]
• 4. The journey is not about being “enough,” but about walking with the One who is. God never tells Moses, “You are enough.” Instead, He promises His presence and power. Our calling is not to muster up adequacy, but to step forward in faith, trusting that God will equip and guide us as we go. [51:23]
• 5. Community and calling go hand in hand. God calls us not only to Himself, but into a community and a mission. We are invited to join His team, to walk together, and to become a people who show a better way to the world—not because we are perfect, but because we are surrendered and led by the Spirit. [55:45]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [14:10] - The Supremacy of Jesus’ Name
• [17:28] - Opening Prayer and Community Focus
• [20:50] - Investing in the Next Generation
• [23:21] - Soccer, Messi, and the Power of Belief
• [25:55] - Messi’s Deficiency and Turning Point
• [27:49] - The Value of Potential and the Move to Barcelona
• [29:41] - Moses’ Early Life and Identity Crisis
• [33:37] - The Burning Bush: God’s Call to Moses
• [35:28] - The Fire of Holiness and Divine Presence
• [37:16] - Moses’ Deficiency and God’s Perspective
• [41:55] - Moses’ Questions and God’s Name
• [43:15] - The Meaning of “I Am Who I Am”
• [47:43] - What Do I Do? Trusting God’s Guidance
• [50:47] - You Are Not Enough—But God Is
• [52:38] - Surrender, Repentance, and Redemption
• [55:45] - Called Into Community and Purpose
• [58:18] - The Invitation: What Are You Waiting For?
• [64:49] - Surrender and the Way of Holiness
• [66:43] - Closing Prayer and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Exodus 3:1-15 (ESV) —
> 1 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.
> 2 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.
> 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
> 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
> 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
> 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
> 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
> 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
> 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
> 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
> 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
> 12 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.”
> 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
> 14 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.’”
> 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”

Observation Questions

1. What was Moses doing when God appeared to him, and how did God get his attention? (Exodus 3:1-4)
2. How did Moses respond when God called his name from the burning bush? (Exodus 3:4)
3. What was Moses’ first reaction to God’s call to go to Pharaoh, and what reason did he give? (Exodus 3:11; [38:38])
4. How did God answer Moses’ question, “Who am I?” and what promise did He make? (Exodus 3:12; [39:19])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Moses felt so inadequate and like he didn’t belong, even though he had grown up in Pharaoh’s palace? ([31:40])
2. What does God’s name “I AM WHO I AM” reveal about His character and how does that contrast with how we usually define ourselves? ([43:15])
3. The sermon said God didn’t tell Moses, “You are enough,” but instead promised, “I will be with you.” Why is this distinction important for understanding our own calling and purpose? ([51:23])
4. The pastor compared Moses’ journey to Messi’s story, saying both needed someone to see their potential. How does God’s way of seeing us differ from how we or others see ourselves? ([53:50])

Application Questions

1. Moses’ sense of not fitting in and his past failures made him doubt God’s call. Is there a place in your life where you feel like an outsider or disqualified because of your past? How might God be inviting you to bring that to Him? ([31:40])
2. The sermon said, “God does not call us because we are enough; He calls us because He is enough.” Where in your life are you waiting to feel “enough” before stepping out in faith? What would it look like to move forward trusting God’s sufficiency instead? ([51:23])
3. God told Moses to take off his sandals as a sign of surrender and leaving the past behind. Is there something from your past—shame, failure, or a label—that you need to “take off” and surrender to God? What would it look like to do that this week? ([52:01])
4. The sermon talked about letting God redeem and repurpose our story. Can you think of a specific area where you need to let God redeem something that’s been holding you back? What step could you take to invite Him into that part of your story? ([52:38])
5. The journey God calls us to is not meant to be walked alone. Who in your life can you invite to walk with you, or who might need you to see their potential and encourage them? ([55:45])
6. The pastor said, “You are not your deficiency. You are everything that you are and that’s who I’m calling.” How does this truth challenge the way you see yourself? Is there a specific “deficiency” you need to stop letting define you? ([50:47])
7. The message ended with the question, “What are you waiting for?” Is there a step of faith, surrender, or obedience you’ve been putting off? What’s holding you back, and what would it look like to say “yes” to God’s invitation this week? ([58:18])