Embracing God's Call: Overcoming Past and Inadequacy
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Bedrock! Today, we embark on a journey to understand God's call in our lives, inspired by the story of Moses. We often find ourselves paralyzed by our past, feeling unprepared, or overwhelmed by the enormity of God's call. But Moses' story teaches us that God calls us despite our past and prepares us through our experiences, even in the wilderness.
Moses, a man who fled Egypt after committing murder, felt unworthy and unprepared for God's call. He named his son Gershom, meaning "a foreigner in a foreign land," reflecting his belief that he would never belong or be used by God. Yet, God met Moses in his wilderness, not to condemn him for his past but to prepare him for a future of leading His people.
God's call is not about our qualifications but about our willingness to say "yes" before knowing the "what." Moses' initial reluctance and objections mirror our own fears and doubts. We often think we need to have all the answers or be fully prepared before stepping into God's call. However, God assures us that He will be with us, providing what we need along the way.
Moses' story also highlights that God's call is not just for our benefit but for the sake of others. God heard the cries of the Israelites and chose Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Similarly, our calling is meant to serve and uplift others, not to elevate ourselves.
In the end, Moses' journey from a shepherd in the wilderness to the leader of Israel demonstrates that God uses our past, our pain, and our perceived inadequacies to prepare us for His greater purpose. We are called to trust in God's provision and step out in faith, knowing that He equips those He calls.
### Key Takeaways
1. God Calls Us Despite Our Past: Moses believed his past disqualified him from God's call, but God called him anyway. Our past mistakes and failures do not disqualify us from being used by God. Instead, God uses our past to shape our future and fulfill His purpose. [40:17]
2. Preparation in the Wilderness: The wilderness is not a place of abandonment but a place of preparation. God uses our difficult seasons to refine us and prepare us for greater things. Moses' time in the wilderness equipped him to lead Israel through their own wilderness journey. [50:57]
3. Obedience Before Understanding: God's call requires a "yes" before we fully understand the "what." Obedience is about trusting God and stepping out in faith, even when we don't have all the answers. God promises to be with us and provide what we need along the way. [37:27]
4. Our Calling is for Others: God's call on our lives is not just for our benefit but for the sake of others. Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and our calling similarly involves serving and uplifting those around us. We are instruments of God's grace and love. [01:00:51]
5. God's Provision in Our Inadequacy: We often feel unprepared or inadequate for God's call, but God equips those He calls. Moses felt he lacked the skills to lead, but God provided Aaron to speak for him and performed miracles through Moses' staff. God uses our weaknesses to display His strength. [01:14:09]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[28:47] - Answered Prayers and Samaritan's Purse
[30:02] - God's Call and Our Purpose
[31:19] - Struggling with God's Call
[32:24] - Paralysis by Analysis
[34:10] - The Joy of Obedience
[35:14] - Moses' Story Begins
[36:47] - Moses' Objections and God's Response
[37:27] - Obedience Before Understanding
[40:17] - Overcoming the Past
[45:55] - Living in the Wilderness
[50:57] - Preparation in the Wilderness
[55:06] - Leading Sheep Before People
[01:00:51] - Calling for the Sake of Others
[01:14:09] - God's Provision in Our Inadequacy
[01:21:25] - Responding to God's Call
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Exodus 2:11-15 - Moses kills an Egyptian and flees to Midian.
2. Exodus 3:1-12 - The burning bush and God's call to Moses.
3. Exodus 4:10-17 - Moses' objections and God's provision.
### Observation Questions
1. What was Moses' initial reaction to seeing the burning bush, and how did God introduce Himself to Moses? (Exodus 3:1-6)
2. How did Moses respond to God's call to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and what were his main objections? (Exodus 3:11, 4:10-13)
3. What did God provide to Moses to help him overcome his feelings of inadequacy? (Exodus 4:14-17)
4. According to the sermon, what does Moses' naming of his son Gershom signify about his state of mind? [41:53]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself to Moses in the form of a burning bush? What might this signify about God's nature and His call? (Exodus 3:2-4)
2. How does Moses' story illustrate the concept that God's call is not about our qualifications but about our willingness to say "yes"? [37:27]
3. In what ways does the wilderness serve as a place of preparation for Moses, and how might this apply to our own lives? [50:57]
4. How does the sermon explain the idea that God's call on our lives is for the benefit of others, not just ourselves? [01:00:51]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unqualified or unprepared for something God was calling you to do. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? [49:52]
2. Moses had to say "yes" to God before fully understanding what he was being called to do. Is there something in your life right now that requires a step of faith without having all the answers? How can you take that step this week? [37:27]
3. The sermon mentioned that our past mistakes do not disqualify us from God's call. Is there a past mistake or failure that you feel is holding you back? How can you begin to see it as part of God's preparation for you? [40:17]
4. God's call to Moses was ultimately for the benefit of the Israelites. Who in your life might benefit from you stepping into God's call? How can you serve them this week? [01:00:51]
5. The wilderness was a place of preparation for Moses. Are you currently in a "wilderness" season? How can you shift your perspective to see it as a time of preparation rather than abandonment? [50:57]
6. Moses felt inadequate and unprepared, yet God provided Aaron to help him. Who has God placed in your life to support you in your calling? How can you lean on them more effectively? [01:14:09]
7. The sermon emphasized that God equips those He calls. What resources or skills do you already have that God might use in your current or future calling? How can you start using them more intentionally? [01:11:08]
Devotional
Day 1: God Calls Us Despite Our Past
Description: Moses believed his past disqualified him from God's call, but God called him anyway. Our past mistakes and failures do not disqualify us from being used by God. Instead, God uses our past to shape our future and fulfill His purpose. Moses, who fled Egypt after committing murder, felt unworthy and unprepared for God's call. He named his son Gershom, meaning "a foreigner in a foreign land," reflecting his belief that he would never belong or be used by God. Yet, God met Moses in his wilderness, not to condemn him for his past but to prepare him for a future of leading His people. [40:17]
Exodus 3:11-12 (ESV): "But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?' 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.'"
Reflection: Think of a past mistake or failure that you believe disqualifies you from God's call. How can you trust that God can use even this part of your story for His greater purpose?
Day 2: Preparation in the Wilderness
Description: The wilderness is not a place of abandonment but a place of preparation. God uses our difficult seasons to refine us and prepare us for greater things. Moses' time in the wilderness equipped him to lead Israel through their own wilderness journey. Often, we view our challenging seasons as times when God is distant or has forgotten us. However, these are the very times when God is most at work, shaping us for the tasks He has ahead. Moses' years as a shepherd in the wilderness were crucial in preparing him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through their own wilderness experience. [50:57]
Deuteronomy 8:2 (ESV): "And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not."
Reflection: Reflect on a difficult season in your life. How might God have been preparing you during that time for something greater? What lessons did you learn that you can apply today?
Day 3: Obedience Before Understanding
Description: God's call requires a "yes" before we fully understand the "what." Obedience is about trusting God and stepping out in faith, even when we don't have all the answers. God promises to be with us and provide what we need along the way. Moses' initial reluctance and objections mirror our own fears and doubts. We often think we need to have all the answers or be fully prepared before stepping into God's call. However, God assures us that He will be with us, providing what we need along the way. [37:27]
Hebrews 11:8 (ESV): "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith? What is holding you back from saying "yes" before fully understanding the "what"? How can you take a step of obedience today?
Day 4: Our Calling is for Others
Description: God's call on our lives is not just for our benefit but for the sake of others. Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and our calling similarly involves serving and uplifting those around us. We are instruments of God's grace and love. God heard the cries of the Israelites and chose Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Similarly, our calling is meant to serve and uplift others, not to elevate ourselves. Our purpose is intertwined with the well-being and liberation of those around us. [01:00:51]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who could benefit from your gifts and calling. How can you serve and uplift them today? What practical steps can you take to be an instrument of God's grace in their life?
Day 5: God's Provision in Our Inadequacy
Description: We often feel unprepared or inadequate for God's call, but God equips those He calls. Moses felt he lacked the skills to lead, but God provided Aaron to speak for him and performed miracles through Moses' staff. God uses our weaknesses to display His strength. Our feelings of inadequacy can be overwhelming, but they are opportunities for God to show His power and provision. Moses' story is a testament to how God provides the necessary resources and support to fulfill His call. [01:14:09]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: Identify an area where you feel inadequate or unprepared for what God is calling you to do. How can you rely on God's provision and strength in this area? What steps can you take to move forward in faith, trusting that God will equip you?
Quotes
1. "No one is called into the kingdom of God to be a spectator. Like in the kingdom of God, if we imagine it like a football game, all of us are on the sidelines. There is no crowd in stadium. We are in the game. We are part of what God is doing in this world." [30:41] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The only one who can give us purpose is the one who created us. He designed you to be in this world at this time for a specific reason. The thing that we need to do is we don't need to make it up. We just got to discover it." [31:19] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Obedience is about yes before it is about what, and that's where a lot of us are. There's a lot of what questions and we can't put the yes on the table till the what is answered. But what if God has something better for you than answering all of your question, because he wants to lead you to lead a life of faith and that faith will bring you closer to him." [37:27] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The world will tell you that you're disqualified because of who you are and what you did. But God calls on you. He qualifies us not because of our past but because of his call for our future. See, some of us, our identity is back here in what happened to us rather than being out there where God has us to be." [45:06] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God never brings up the past to Moses. In fact, if the rewind button is being played in your life, I guarantee you God's not hitting that key. The enemy hits rewind. God moves us forward. So what movie are you watching in your life right now? What story are you believing about your life right now? Are you in rewind? Or are you in fast forward?" [47:36] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "You think that God didn't know? Like, God didn't show up and go, hey, why are you in Midian? Why aren't you in Egypt anymore? What happened, man? Why am I finding you here? Why am I here in the middle of the desert? God knew and he called Moses anyway. Can that be a word for some of us in here today? You haven't killed an Egyptian and buried him in the sand. So why do we believe in this room that we're an exception to the grace of God rather than walking in the grace of God?" [48:22] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Some of us need to realize you're in the wilderness and God is refining your call right now. And he's put you in the minor leagues to prepare you for the majors. He's preparing you. And so the wilderness for you is this place of dire need and this place that you feel crushed. But could it be a place of preparation? Could it be a place of anointing?" [50:57] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "God's call on your life is not for you. It's for others. Look at what the Bible says as God talks to Moses Exodus chapter three, verse seven, the Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers. And I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey." [01:00:51] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You may be nobody, but you know somebody who made everybody. And that somebody made everybody. And I'm the only one you need to know because you're not going according to your name. You're going according to mine." [01:03:59] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The miracle in reaching people is not how much you have. It's about the God who can do so much with so little. Just bring what you've got. Bring your stick. That's it. That's all God has for you." [01:12:35] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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