Sermon Central
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¡§his Enablement¡¨ Series
Contributed by Michael Fogaras on Nov 28, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: This is #4 of a five part series on the "no’s or excuses" of Moses.
Moses, Moses
Part IV
¡§HIS ENABLEMENT¡¨
Introduction:
On July 27th, I shared my vision for North Thurston Life Center. I spoke about Moses and the burning bush. And many of you were touched by the awesome power of God¡¦s Holy Spirit.
I spoke about the vision God has given me of a ministry of people helping each other ¡§Hand to hand¡¨ in their Christian walk as we all strive to achieve a likeness of Christ.
There were four promises that God made to Moses. One for each of Moses¡¦ denials to do what God had asked him to do.
„« The promise of HIS PRESENCE (Exodus 3:12)
¡§And God said, ¡§I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.¡¨
„« The promise of HIS MANIFESTATIONS (Exodus 4:2-9)
„« The promise of HIS ENABLEMENT (Exodus 4:11,12)
The LORD said to him, ¡§Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.¡¨
„« The promise of HIS DIRECTION AND INSTRUCTION (Exodus 4:14-16)
This morning I want to speak to you about the third promise given by God to Moses.
God said I will ¡§¡KI will help you speak and will teach you what to say.¡¨
What we see here in Scripture is God¡¦s ability to enable or empower us (I will help you¡K) and to teach us (¡K.teach you what to say) as we ¡§go¡¨ about His work!
We must remember as we looked into God¡¦s Word last week that God uses the weak ¡§ordinary¡¨ instruments to accomplish His purpose.
I. WEAK AND ORDINARY INSTRUMENTS GOD USED
„Ï A Staff:
Then the LORD said to him, ¡§What is that in your hand?¡¨ ¡§A staff,¡¨ he replied.
„Ï A Jawbone:
As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. 15Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. 16Then Samson said, ¡§With a donkey¡¦s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey¡¦s jawbone I have killed a thousand men.¡¨ 17When he finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone; and the place was called Ramath Lehi. (Height of a jawbone). Judges 15:15
„Ï Five smooth stones: (David) I Samuel 17:40-50
„Ï A handful of flour and a little oil. (Elijah) I Kings 17:1-16
„Ï A cloud the size of a man¡¦s hand. (Elijah)
The seventh time the servant reported, ¡§A cloud as small as a man¡¦s hand is rising from the sea.¡¨ So Elijah said, ¡§Go and tell Ahab, ¡¥Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.¡¦¡¨ 45Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
„Ï A mustard seed. (Jesus)
He told them another parable: ¡§The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.¡¨ Matthew 13:31-32
„Ï Five barley loaves (Jesus) John 6:1-13
II. RESOURCES USED BY GOD:
A. The Foolish (1 Corinthians 1:27-31)
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
B. The Lowly and things that are Not
28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things¡Xand the things that are not¡Xto nullify the things that are,
C. The Glory¡K¡K¡K¡K is God¡¦s
29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God¡Xthat is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: ¡§Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.¡¨
III. WE WILL BE TAUGHT BY GOD ALONG THE WAY:
A. By the Prophetic Word
As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, ¡§Tell the servant to go on ahead of us¡¨¡Xand the servant did so¡X¡§but you stay here awhile, so that I may give you a message from God.¡¨ I Samuel 9:27
