Holy Ground

in the Bible the book of Exodus chapter 3 and verse 4. so when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look God Called to him from the midst of the Bush and said Moses Moses and he said here I am then God said do not draw near this place take your sandals off your feet for the place where you stand is Holy Ground and for a few moments today I want to preach on Holy Ground amen if you're going to listen and be happy you may be seated kind of Leverage you a little bit there I know you want to sit down following the miraculous deliverance from famine through the amazing life and Leadership of Joseph the people of Israel prospered they thrived they grew but Egypt was not the place of Covenant they were just passing through and as decades and centuries passed by Joseph in fact became a distant memory of Egyptian history so much that a new Pharaoh arose to power who the Bible says did not know Joseph Independence and prosperity turned into slavery and deprivation and it is into this oppressive environment that Moses was born his parents recognized immediately that he was a special child from God and the book of Hebrews tells us that by faith they defied Pharaoh's ruthless policy of emphaside and they hid him in their home doing what only God can do God miraculously facilitates Moses's Deliverance his protection his child care and the best education in the world and in the ultimate display of divine irony Pharaoh pays for it all the biblical narrative in one verse put your seat belt on leaves 40 years Moses is now a grown man he is a prince of Egypt but all the entitlement and all the education of royalty had failed to change his identity Moses knew I am not an Egyptian I am a Hebrew and then in a rapid series of events Moses impulsively intervenes and tries to play Hero and oh he ends up killing an Egyptian Taskmaster who was beating a Hebrew slave and then the next day feeling like this was his moment in his hour by himself Moses again plays deliverer and seeks to intervene in a fight between two Hebrews but playing hero alone blew up in his face and Moses is now resented by the Hebrews and he is rejected by the Egyptians his heroic dream shattered Moses is a fugitive and he flees Into the Wilderness but they are in a Wilderness Moses finds a home and by God's hand it is a home with the nomadic midianites who were a people who worshiped the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob there in a Wilderness Moses starts the family he's married and starts a family he he becomes a shepherd and he is able to worship His God freely the biblical narrative leaps forward another 40 years and now we find Moses leading sheep on the backside of the Sinai desert and suddenly it was without warning it was a moment of time on just an ordinary day long Far From Any expectation when suddenly the Bible says the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush and so he looked and behold the Bush was burning with fire but the Bush was not consumed I'd look you'd look you're in a desert and all of a sudden there is the burning bush then Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush does not burn I don't know what's going on I'm just a shepherd I don't know what's about to happen something is crazy my life is stable my life is safe my life is secure but something inside of me I really can't explain it it's been there since I was a child all I know is there's always been this yearning in my soul for something more I've always had this longing that God somehow in some way I I messed it all up I've been wandering lonely for for 40 years feeling like a failure but even now 40 years in a Wilderness something inside of me says there is more that God still has for me I I'm going to turn aside I don't know how it's going to unfold I don't know what the next step is going to be but I know this is a moment and I'm going to turn aside I wonder if anyone this morning in this service feels that deep yearning for more that you know God is good your life is manageable but something within you is just this incapable desire for more that you you don't even know really how to say it you don't even really know how to even share it with those that are around you but there is something in the depths of your spirit and your heart that says I want something more there is more of God that there is more that he can do in me that there is more that he can do through me I want more if that's you you're in a good place because verse 4 says that when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look the Lord called him by name Moses Moses and Moses said here I am God calls him by name and Moses answers the only way any human should ever answer God Moses says here here I am here I am this is me this is you and here we are but don't miss the biblical sequence because Moses had to turn towards God before God chose to call him by name the awesome Wonder the the mind-boggling logic-defying Wonder of God's holy presence provided the stimulus and the opportunity for a response but Moses had to choose how he would respond the Bible seems to indicate to me that had Moses not turned aside God may have not called out to him Moses could have just walked on by I'm just hallucinating that's just kind of what happens in the desert Moses could have just said must be for that Shepherd or that person but surely it's not for me he could have just said you know you know it's it's time I get back home it's dinner time I I've got stuff to do but Moses refused to miss his Divine moment Moses turn aside Moses set aside his agenda and Moses heard God call him by name fast forward to 2023 and the awesome Wonder of God's holy presence that cannot be explained fully it certainly cannot be contained but God's presence still invites you and I to a response The Wonder of the glory of God is still an opportunity to come and to turn aside and to hear the voice of God I'll make it even more personal last Sunday was not simply a one-off worship experience or a cute prayer meeting to be streamed individually and collectively the undeniable presence of God that is tangible and real and can be felt from the crown of your head to the sole of your feet you know when you step into the holy presence of God it's more than a tickle down your spine it's more than a chill it's More Than A Feeling there is a holy eye there is a holy presence of God and when you sense that it is an invitation from God to come and draw near that's what God is striving to do for you and I he's wondering he's inviting will you turn aside will you draw near I don't want to miss this moment I choose to go after him I choose to seek him with all of my heart and soul Moses saw Moses turned aside God called him by name Moses responded the right way here I am but before Moses could take one further step God halted him in his tracks in verse 5 God said do not draw near this place you take off your sandals from your feet for the place where you're standing is Holy ground it's easy to just kind of read by that or sing a song but the symbolic significance of sandals and shoes in the Old Testament and ancient Judaism reveals to you and I that this was not a playful man thing this this was not a casual command that there was gravity in the command of the Lord I'm no expert of Old Testament Judaism and and and and the history there but it was it it it's possible and it seems that at times placing one sandal on a piece of property was symbolic that one had taken control of that property that one possessed that property practically taking off once sandals was a part of making sure that you did not drag inside a clean house the filth of the outside that was common in that day so it is no wonder with just a snapshot into the culture that God stopped Moses in his tracks and said freeze I know you've turned aside I've called you by name and you've responded here I am but before you take one step further you better take off your sandals for you are standing on holy crown Moses don't mistake the goodness of my grace and don't mistake the goodness of my Mercy as acceptance of what is unclean and what is Unholy you don't just want into my Throne Room any way you want my presence is an invitation but repentance must be your first step before you come before you come you better take off your sandals side and you are standing on holy crown Moses before you come any further you're no longer the owner you're no longer the king cock-a-doodle-doo of your life you must take off your sandals because now I'm the owner and now I'm the king I am the Lord God Almighty and if you're going to come into my throne and if you're going to Bow before me you've got to relinquish your rights you've got to relinquish your will huh you've got to relinquish your possession you are not your own you have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb take off your shoes [Applause] as it was for Moses so it is for you and I I remind you of Paul's classical declaration I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a Living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service relinquish your rights and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God separate yourself from the filth of this world don't bring that in my house take off your shoes is what Paul is really saying from The Narrative that we're reading today relinquish your rights separate yourself and be transformed into a new creature being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ why why does it matter because we are standing on Holy Ground before a holy God and there is a holy purpose to accomplish in our world it is not happen chance that Peter and Paul extensively referenced the Old Testament commands of separation and for all the legalists who want to just ignore the Old Testament Paul and Peter say well guess what I'm just going to pull them all into the New Testament I'm going to quote them I'm going to make a mosaic of references and here you go it's in the New Testament for you and I today that we are to separate ourselves from this world in fact Paul would write the Corinthians there were Believers in this great church who struggled with the same carnal misconceptions of grace and the presence of God that still deceived many Christians and even apostolics today they had fallen prey to the false teaching that there was no need to separate from surrounding Greco-Roman culture and Pagan customs in other words God's grace and their salvation was independent of their attitudes and their actions and their appearance as long as they had talked in tongues and been baptized in the name of Jesus as long as they professed that he was their lord it did not matter how they lived well Paul did not agree and he powerfully demonstrated their era in second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14 Paul said do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what Fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness and what communion has light with darkness and what a cord has Christ with Bill or what part has a Believer with an unbeliever and what agreement has the temple of God with Idols Paul is a good lawyer and he says hey let me show you the absurdity of thinking that you can be in the Pagan and in the temple at the same time it is illogical and impossible and let me remind you Paul would say for you are the Temple of the Living God you are the Holy Temple of the Living God as God has said high will dwell in them come and walk among them and I will be their God and they shall be my people therefore Paul goes back to quoting again come out from among them and be separate says the Lord do not touch what is unclean and high will receive you I will be a father to you and you'll be my sons and daughter says the Lord Almighty no wonder Paul would say therefore having these promises having the promises that God will know us by name having the promises that God will walk among the aisles When We Gather having the promise that God hears our prayers having the promise that God will gather Us near and we are sons and we are Daughters of the living King having these promises Paul would say beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and the spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God having these promises knowing the certainty of the presence of God let us not fall prey to the era of professing allegiance to Jesus on Sunday and practicing assimilation to culture on Monday let us separate ourselves from every lust of the Flesh and every lust of the eye and the pride of life let us separate ourselves from even the non-sinful weights that would hinder God's purpose in our life because we have a promise so let's respond to the invitation of The Wonder of God's glory his presence his awesome Glory his power it's not accidental it's not nonchalant it's not just another passing day it is an invitation to draw near it is an invitation to concentrate ourselves to kind it is a call to take off our shoes for we are standing on Holy Ground for a holy God called to do a holy work for him and speak he will for he said God said to Moses I am the god of your father the god of Abraham the god of Isaac the god of Jacob and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God every time I find in scripture where someone observes or sees or is in the Holy room of God they can only cover their face fall on their face and say whoa is but now comes calling now comes Revelation and now comes demonstration of Supernatural power and Supernatural provision God affirms his Covenant now God Reveals His plans to bring his people out of Egypt and into the promised land God doesn't reveal every step God doesn't just give him a complete road map he's going to have to walk by faith they're going to have to walk by faith but God affirms I am with you I am sending you it is my work and I will see it through but but God can and God will God chooses to not work alone because God told Moses come now therefore and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt I will you will interwoven throughout this unfolding conversation between Moses and the Lord we find this series of five objections from Moses to the mission and five revelatory responses from God right back at him to say I will and you will it probably sounds like some of our conversations that we have with God or our spouse or ourself in the mirror Moses said who am I have do you have amnesia God I'm the guy that bungled up your plans so badly I had to run away from the mission who who am I have you ever asked yourself that it's quite so I know you have because you're human but this is what God had to say about that question Moses it's not about you foreign it's not whether you are good looking or bad looking it's not that you are gifted in this area or that area it's not about what you did yesterday it's not about your heritage your language your education that quite frankly Moses it doesn't have anything to do about you it is about me and God told Moses I am with you that is what is certain and that is what is settled and that is all that matters so could I just submit to you brothers and sisters in this holy moment as we stand on Holy Ground would you quit disqualifying yourself would you quit telling yourself how somehow this isn't for you it is for you it is for you and it is for you and it is for you it is our moment it is our hour and it's not about us God is telling us I will be be with you [Applause] yes he will [Applause] that really ought to be enough I mean what more does God need to say but Moses is like me and we just like to argue with God so Moses has a second objection or question if you would okay if it's not about me then who are you when they question me about where who do I think I am and on whose authority do I declare thus saith what am I going to tell them and that's when we receive one of the most treasured passages of scripture where God reveals himself to Moses and says you want to know who I am I'm going to give you a name that will forever be upon my people I am that I am Moses that is really all you need to know whatever you need I am you need shade from the Sun I am you need a pillar of fire at night I am you need a red seed apart I am you need Manna to eat high end you need water in a desert I am you need to pay your taxes I'm a corn in a fish's mouth you have something dead I can call the dead to life whatever you need I am I am I can make Pharaoh pay for Moses's education I can make sorrow rebuild my temple I don't need you but I'm inviting you I will you will cause I am that I am whatever you need I am God I think we believe it but we need everybody to believe it we need everybody to get it it's not about us it's about him his purpose we are standing on holy ground amen but we are human and so Moses had his Sunday but on Monday morning Moses says what about the people you've answered about me you've revealed who you are but what about them what if they don't believe me God said what's that in your hand it's a rod staff it was wood I cut it I shaved it it's a shepherd's Rod ordinary giftings that's who I am I'm a shepherd I got that's all I got to I forgot it I got a I got a rod let's go get them and God said you throw that ordinary on the ground and when Moses throws the ordinary on the ground God transforms it into a serpent Supernatural extraordinary Moses backs up and God says pick it up by the tail God is smart Moses picks up extraordinary looks like ordinary that's how they're going to believe I will demonstrate my power through the ordinary God says but you're hard-headed because this is your third question somebody give you three signs put your hand in your coat pull it out looks like I dipped it in battery acid leprosy okay put it back in your coat yes pull it back out looks like the hand of a baby God says you're hard-headed so if they won't and they're like you so when they if they want listen to the rod and if they won't listen to the demonstration of the sovereignty of it it's clean it's lepers it's clean then you just grab a cup of water out of the Nile just pour it out on dry land and I will turn water into blood but this is you get the point Moses I don't care how many objections you throw up I don't care how many questions you have I don't care the doubts that are bombarding your mind here's the point Moses if you will go and if you will speak I will back you up I will be everything you need I will supply everything you need I will demonstrate my power they may not believe that I'm even God but when I heal them they'll believe and when I do a miracle they'll believe and when I put their mind back together they'll believe and when I break the Yoke of addiction they'll believe you just go and you speak an aisle back you up I mean at this point I'm ready to run through the wall right now kind of I'm hungry but Moses is just like me and just like you fourth resistance you see the little bumper zippers stickers resist what what am I supposed to resist this this was Moses but God my my tongue gets tired my words are just plain and awkward which I know we like to make him stutter at this point but I'm not sure I believe that because Stephen in Acts 7 says he was mighty in word indeed before and after this is Moses devaluing his giftings and God's responses get shorter so God just says who made your mouth who made the mute and who made the death and who made the tongue who made your mouth and Moses is like God tells him I am your mouth don't worry about what you're going to say as Jesus would tell them in that hour the Holy Ghost it's going to tell you what you ought to say so quit telling God your tongues tied and your words awkward and you don't want to know what to say I tell you how you get over that why don't you just pray and walk in the spirit I can't explain it but somehow in that moment when you're standing there with someone who is spiritually hungry and someone who wants something more the spirit will tell you what to say it'll come to your mind it'll come into your spirit but if you don't read the word and if you don't pray and if you don't walk in the spirit you are alone so let's draw near [Applause] I know it's long but Moses won't quit talking that's good God it's been a wonderful circus show send somebody else and God's like you don't mean it I've already sent Aaron the Bible says God gets angry with Moses at question number so stop it for not five and God affirms again I am your mouth I will teach you and I will guide you I'm not going to tell you every step of the way Moses I'm not going to let you know and you just sit back in a lazy boy and let it all unfold you're going to have to walk by faith but if you'll take off your shoes and if you'll take up that rod and if you'll go in my name I will be your mouth and I will do my work and Moses marched back into Egypt and the rest is history and so here we are today we are witnessing and experiencing the awesome Wonder of God's holy presence I believe that most of us most of us are turning aside and drawing near to God I believe and I'm calling for all of us to take up our shoe take off our shoes to separate ourself to quit allowing the patterns of compromise and consecration up and down and all around to just take off our shoes and make up our mind I am relinquishing the rights to my life to the Lord Jesus Christ but now God is calling us to take up our cross of Consecration and commitment and to follow him into the Great Adventure of his holy call for his holy people in this church and in this city his purpose is unmistakable for Jesus prayed do I prayed the man Christ Jesus prayed I do not pray that you should take them out of the world but you should just keep them from the evil one they are not of the world just as I am not of the world sanctify them by your truth you your word is truth as you sent me into the world so I also have sent them into the world and may I remind you again of Jesus's commission when he said all authority has been given to me in heaven and in Earth go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am I am I Am With You Always even to the end of the age God's purpose has never changed his promises are sure his prophecies are certain but in this pivotal moment of time when we sense the witness of the supernatural presence of God God is inviting us through his word and he is inviting you and I through his spirit that we would enter into a new season that we would enter into a season of service and sacrifice and the supernatural we are standing I believe on holy crown it is a holy moment and I want to draw near to God I want to come before him if you find yourself today kind of being torn unsure condemned or even convicted by the goodness of God you can still come the first step is just repentance you just have to relinquish the rights of your life and turn from your sins and turn towards God if you want to abide in Covenant with God I pray it's true for all of us but if you're here today and you have never abided with him by being buried with him in water baptism and calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ this would be a great day to obey his word and to enter into Covenant with God if you've never experienced if you felt it and wondered what it was all about it's more than just the feeling but what you feel God wants to abide in you and today is a great day to buy Faith call on the name of the Lord and believe him for his promises and be filled with his spirit and you will speak in a supernatural language that you have never who are standing on Holy Ground this is a holy moment and you have an opportunity to take off those sandals of fear and take up that Rod of faith you have an opportunity to take off those sandals of compromise and take up a rod of consecration you have an opportunity to take off the sandals of worry and take up a cross of worship you have a moment a chance to take off complacency for another day and take up a cross of commitment today