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DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS OR INTERVENTIONS March 24, 2004 Exodus 3: 1- 10 INTRODUCTION: 1. How many of you are glad that “The Steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord? 2. Moses’ life was wonderfully blessed with divine interruptions or interventions! 3. God just wouldn’t leave Moses alone! 4. I think we should be equally as happy that the Lord doesn’t leave us to ourselves. THE LORD SET IN MOTION THOSE PIVOTAL MOMENTS WHEN HE SHOWED UP UNEXPECTEDLY AND CHANGED THINGS: 1. We can think back to Moses' childhood when his mother hid him in the bulrushes. 2. And how God intervened in his life causing his own mother to care for him. 3. God intervened in his life causing him to be raised as a Prince in Egypt. 4. He had all the wealth and recognition a person could want. 5. But God intervened again causing Moses to identify with a bunch of oppressed slaves. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN ONE’S LIFE TO CAUSE HIM TO RELINQUISH IT ALL? “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. NKJV Heb. 11: 24- 27 THERE’S MORE THAN JUST A HINT IN THOSE VERSES AS TO WHY MOSES MADE THAT CHOICE: 1. Beloved; get this if you miss the rest! 2. Moses saw something others weren’t seeing. 3. He saw beyond the veil of life into the glories of the higher realm. 4. Moses saw beyond the temporal to the Eternal. 5. He saw a reward far greater than anything Egypt had to offer. 6. God interrupted Moses pursuit of worldly success with an offer he couldn’t refuse. 7. Beloved; it is the unveiling of the Eternal that causes a person to live by different values. 8. The Eternal causes us to pursue a different set of goals than this world affords. 9. Just as it was with Moses, so shall it be with you and me when God interrupts my life! LET ME SHARE WITH US THREE POINTS ABOUT MOSES IN THAT GOD INTERRUPTED HIS LIFE · The Sovereignty of Divine Interruptions. · The Opportunity of Divine Interruptions. · And the Responsibility of Divine Interruptions.
1. Notice the Sovereignty of Divine Interruptions; 2. When God interrupts our lifestyle it reminds us of Who’s in charge. 3. God simply does what He wants to do; Where He wants to; and How He wants to. 4. But whatever He does and however he does; He has some Nice Surprises for all of us. 5. He did for Moses; He has in my past! 6. He probably has in your past! IN EXODUS CHAPTER 3 MOSES SAW GOD DIVINELY INTERRUPT HIS SCHEDULE: Now Mosses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law... 1. He’s just doing his job, minding his own business, making a living. 2. He didn’t even own the flock; they belonged to his father-in-law Jethro. 3. He’d probably decided that all he’d ever do was the insignificant, nothing important. HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR BUBBLE TO BURST? 1. Moses did; He thought everyone around him recognized God’s call on his life. 2. They didn’t; so he went into obscurity. 3. Doing his job, staying out of trouble; went to Horeb, which means “WASTE”. 4. In a dry desert just wasting his time. 5. Have you ever felt like that? BUT DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS ARE ALWAYS A WORK OF GRACE: 1. Isn’t it encouraging knowing that God can show up at any time, any place for any reason? 2. It’s all Good! 3. God is working all things for Moses good. SO MOSES’ SECOND CHANCE NOW COMES: “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. 1. Beloved; God sometimes has to break us! 2. The first call Moses felt; he was ready; he was saying, “Bring it on”! 3. But this second time; he’s more ready to let God do it His way. 4. Moses could have said; “I’ve already tried and failed; let somebody else do it”! 5. One part of Moses was hungry, wanting to say yes; the other part of him was saying no. 6. Aren’t we glad that God is patient with us as well? GOD HAS ALWAYS DIVINELY INTERRUPTED LIVES WHEN IT CAME TO HIS WILL: 1. God spoke to Noah one day; interrupted his life to preserve the human race. 2. He interrupted the life of Abram; told him to leave Ur, the land of the Chaldeans. 3. I want to make you the Father of Faith. 4. When Gideon had no plans for deliverance. 5. God made a way where there seemed to be no way. 6. And God can do it again! Amen? It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord. OPPORTUNITY ONLY KNOCKS AS GOD SHOWS UP: 1. God called Joseph out of prison and opportunity knocked for a nation. 2. There was a boy of the house of Jesse’ that was overlooked. 3. But God sent Samuel to anoint him to be King over Israel. 4. There was a little Jewish girl, engaged to a man named Joseph. 5. She wasn’t anything special at all to the world. 6. But God saw deep into her heart. 7. And God SUDDENLY gave her the opportunity to become the Mother of Jesus. BELOVED; WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS: “To whom much is given, much is required”! 1. Moses first of all stopped to listen to the Lord. 2. And God got his attention with the burning bush; 3. God’s divine interruptions seem to always carry a divine calling with them. 4. For Moses it was a call to deliver Israel out of bondage. 5. For the disciples it was to become fishers of men. 6. For Paul it was to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE VISION THAT ISAIAH HAD? 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah had a Divine Interruption happen. 2. God pulled back the veil and Isaiah saw the Lord; “High and Lifted up and his train filled the temple”. 3. The whole earth was full of His Glory! 4. But listen to Isaiah; 5. “Woe is me, for I am undone!” 6. Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. 7. For mine eyes have seen the King, The Lord of Hosts. 8. Beloved; can I say something here? 9. For us to get into the presence of a holy God is but to become aware of our own sinfulness. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT THE GLORY OF GOD EXPOSES OUR SINFULNESS 1. When Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple. 2. He realized his need for the lord. 3. And the good news is that God has made a way; he’s given us the provisions needed. 4. He’s provided the Ultimate Sacrifice; the shed blood of His very Son. I JUST HAVE A FEELING THAT GOD WANTS TO DIVINELY INTERRUPT SOME OF OUR LIVES AROUND HERE; Amen? Will we let Him do it?
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