StoneBridge Community Church
Senior Pastor Jon Saur
The Moses Legacy: Exodus
In this sermon series, we will be looking at six key events in the life of Moses. Moses is one of the central characters in scripture to whom Jesus is regularly compared. By looking closely at how God interacted with Moses, we can get a better sense of how God interacts with us and how the New Testament writers responded to God's work through Moses.
Exodus 3:1-6 NRSV
Sermon Outline
Here is an outline of the sermon to help you follow along.
I. Story of Burning Bush is Dramatic
A. Moses receives call here.
B. Tellings can distract from an important detail, though.
II. Burning Bushes
A. Wouldn't have been incredibly uncommon.
B. Not that the bush was burning, but that it wasn't consumed.
C. Moses had to stop and linger to notice what was happening.
III. Culture Today
A. Focus on excitement and drama.
B. God often speaks in subtle ways.
C. Everyday events can be God speaking to us.
IV. Liturgy of the Ordinary
A. Everyday events can be acts of worship.
B. What are some everyday activities that can be worshipful for you?
V. Gospel message and Paul
A. Cross is dramatic, but is preceded by three years of life.
B. Paul's activity consists of travel, which is a lot of sitting around.
C. God works in all of the in-between, normal times.
Grand Events
A. They do happen.
B. But starts with everyday, ordinary acts.
C. What everyday acts might God be using to reach you?
Burning Bushes in the Desert
One commentator writes:
"Burning bushes in the desert are not uncommon. Dry plants make good tinder, and lightning strikes quickly set them ablaze. What is unusual is the fact that this bush continues to burn: a curiosity for this seasoned shepherd. As Moses draws close, he sees more than he expects; he encounters the one True God and His Special Messenger. But the form of the encounter is not completely clear. Moses hears directly from God, but he sees only fire and God’s Special Messenger. The point here is not simply to amaze Moses with miracles but to call him to an important task. God’s people are suffering, and they need someone willing to go and rescue them. God has already decided the right person for the job, but he needs to be persuaded.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How familiar are you with the story of the burning bush? What has stood out to you about this story?
2. Moses would have had to pause and linger for a bit to realize the bush wasn't being consumed. Do you find it hard to pause and linger throughout your day? Why or why not?
3. What day-to-day activities could become acts of worship in your life?
4. What practices could you put into place to help you pause and linger a little more throughout your day?
NEXT STEPS
God doesn’t want us to speak with Him just when we see big, beautiful, and amazing stuff. He wants to hear from us as we stand smack dab in the middle of the everyday ordinary stuff that makes up our day-to-day life. He wants us to realize He’s waiting for us in the middle of the regular!
How many people can you pray for when you fold a load of laundry? How many times can you call down God’s blessing upon your family as you pack their lunch or prepare dinner? Etc.
We encourage you to use Facebook, Instagram, and other social media to share images, quotes, links, or what you've learned from this week's message and YouVersion message notes. Social media can also be a great way of inviting your friends to worship and special events.