The Story of God: When Your Ending Becomes God’s Beginning
June 14, 2018
How many of you have majorly screwed up in the past? You know, you did something so foolish that it really cost you something? Maybe you blew it like Ronald Wayne, the third cofounder of Apple Computer, who sold his ten percent stake for $800 in 1976. Had he held onto it, it would be worth $63 billion today. Or maybe your blunder was more like what Sergio Martinez did the time he got lost in the woods near San Diego. He figured “If I shoot off this flare someone will find me.” His flare set off the largest wildfire in Californian history, known as the Cedar Fire: a fire that burned over 270,000 acres and resulted in 15 fatalities. Now my guess is that none of you have messed up on the scale of a Ronald Wayne or Sergio Martinez, but you have blown it in some way in the past. Maybe your screw up was more like the husband who accidently taped a football game over his wedding ceremony, or like the man who put an unconscious deer in his back seat only to have it wake up and total his car.
But no matter the severity or the nature of our screw-ups, the truth is that we have all made mistakes: some out of poor judgment, others out of foolish pride and still others out of our own sinfulness. And the results of those mistakes are often costly. For some, your blunder cost you your job, for others it cost you your marriage, and for still others it cost you your confidence. And perhaps some of you here are still dealing with the consequences of your past actions. And if that’s you, then what we are going to look at in God’s Word today ought to give you hope. For as we return to the story of God, we are going to see how One Man’s foolish act nearly cost him his life, but then led him into a new way of life that God used to transform him into the man who would deliver Israel. His story of failure and redemption is recorded for us in Exodus 2:11-25. So if you brought your Bible with you today, let me encourage you to turn there where we will see how God flipped the script on Moses way of life.
Now if you were here two weeks ago, we learned that Moses had a unique start in life. God worked through people and circumstances to not only save Moses, but to give him a life of privilege and status in the courts of Pharaoh. One of those circumstances was when Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in the reeds and then hired his mother to nurse him. God worked it so that Moses’ mother could shape his identity as a Hebrew and introduce him to the God of Abraham before she handed him over to Pharaoh’s Court. But as we come to God’s Word today we get our first introduction to Moses the man. And the first thing God shows us about Moses the man, is his fatal flaw– how his zeal for delivering God’s people moved him to do something pretty foolish. Here in his self-appointed role as deliver of Israel we are going to see how he resorts to using Man’s Way of Deliverance: So if you’ve found Exodus 2 lets look at verse one together: Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. Exodus 2:11
The first thing we notice about Moses is that even though he is a prince of Egypt, his mother’s early lessons had shaped his identity. The text tells us that “He went out to his brethren.” In other words, he saw these Hebrew slaves as his kin. He never lost that identity. And when he went out to them, he “looked at their burdens.” Now, this word is significant. This verb for “looking” means more than simply “to look or to see.” It means, “to see with emotion.” It is the kind of looking that demands intense personal involvement with what one sees. When Moses observed the Hebrews, he was moved by what he saw. Their plight impacted his heart. When he saw their misery, their burdens became his burdens. And he could no longer remain indifferent to their plight. So when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren, he’d seen enough. He immediately wanted to right this wrong. So he looked this way and that way,and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Ex. 2:12
This is our introduction to Moses, the man who will ultimately deliver God’s people. The first thing we learn about him is that his heart is in the right place. He wants to right what is wrong. His motives are good. But his methods are wrong. He even knew what he was doing was wrong. He looked both ways to see if anyone was watching, then he killed the Egyptian. And to further prove that he knew what he did was wrong he hid the evidence of his crime. But in Moses’ mind, he believed he was justified in righting this wrong. How do we know that? In Stephen’s sermon in the book of Acts we read, Moses thought thathis own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. Acts 7:25
Look what happens next: And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” Exodus 2:13
Now Moses is trying to be a peacemaker. He wants what’s best for his brethren, but is instantly rejected. For the one who started the fight turns to Moses and says, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Exodus 2:14a Moses thought his brethren would see that he had come to help them – that he had their best interests at heart. But all they saw was someone with power who used his power to get his own way. What they saw was a bully and a murderer, and rejected him. And with this rejection we read, Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.” Exodus 2:14b
Moses screwed-up big time! With this one impulsive act of anger he threw away forty years of preparation. He thought he was doing God’s will. Oh sure, his intentions were good. But he used man’s ways to do it. His zeal for God’s people turned to anger. And his anger bore fruit in murder. What he did was wrong and now he feared the consequences. Remember what Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was saidto the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sisterwill be subject to judgment.”Matthew 5:21-22a
So now Moses feared judgment. He had really blown it. Not only was his sin found out. But he had been rejected by the very people he wanted to save. And today his initial failure serves as a warning to us: Man’s ways are not God’s Way. Resorting to anger to right a wrong is not God’s way. Taking matters into your own hands is not God’s way. God doesn’t work that way. He didn’t work that way then, and He doesn’t work that way now. And Moses needed to learn this. But first, he needed to unlearn mans ways.
So Moses now had to deal with the Unforeseen Consequences of his actions: When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. Exodus 2:14b-15
Now if knowing that his sin is found out was bad enough, it was now far worse for Moses that Pharaoh got wind of his act. For when Moses killed this Egyptian, his crime was far worse than murder, for when he did this he committed an act of treason. By siding with Israel, Moses had rejected everything sacred in the Egyptian culture, which meant he rejected Pharaoh’s authority. And now he was now considered a traitor in Pharaoh’s eyes, and he wanted Moses dead.
Moses had no choice but to run. His life was in mortal danger. So he ran to the wilderness of Midian. He was now a fugitive – Egypt’s most wanted. But it was even worse than that. He’d left behind the only life he knew. All his education had been wasted. He had no power, no position, no money and no prospects. He’d even been rejected by his own people. And now he was a stranger in a strange land. You could easily draw the conclusion that when he sat down by that well in Midian, Moses had come to the end of himself.
But the good news is that even though Moses may have come to the end of himself, God was just getting started with him. In fact, if we look at what God needed to do in Moses before God could use Moses, he had to come to the end of himself. He had to be emptied of his pride and power before God could use him.
This is how God works in the lives of those whom He prepares to lead. God humbles us before He can work through us. How do I know this is true? Let me read for you from Philippians: In your relationshipswith one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very natureGod,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he madehimself nothingby taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8
One of the greatest unforeseen circumstances of Moses’ biggest screw-up is that he now became nothing. He’d been emptied of all position, power and privilege. But now with his ending, God was just beginning. For almost immediately, Moses is given a second chance to deliver. But this time he will use God’s Way of Deliverance
Now the priest ofMidian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?” Exodus 2:16-18
They answered, “An Egyptianrescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.” “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.” Exodus 2:19-20
Once again Moses is confronted with gross injustice. This time it was not slaves oppressed by their masters, but women abused by men. Apparently there was a longstanding conflict between the daughters of Midian and some local shepherds.
Moses may have been a stranger in Midian; but he was not about to let a band of unruly shepherds take advantage of these helpless young women. So courageously he rose to their defense to save them from their oppressors. But this time we see that Moses had learned from his murderous mistake. He did not kill the shepherds. This time he restrained himself, using only enough force as necessary to drive them off. Now, for the first time in his life, Moses is acting like a deliverer. Then to top it off, he comes to the aid of these girls and waters their sheep. Men just didn’t do this in their ancient culture. You could hear this in their surprise when they told their father: “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.” Moses stood up to defend them, then stooped down to serve them.
And what was the result of Moses service? This time, instead of being rejected, Moses is welcomed to their home and is given something to eat.
What a turn of events. God wasn’t finished with Moses. Moses was a murderer, Moses was a fugitive, Moses was a stranger in a strange land. Now this was a new beginning for Moses. It appeared that he had lost everything, but now God was about to give him a whole new beginning – all because Moses delivered the oppressed God’s way; all because Moses was learning to be a servant.
Now rather than unfortunate consequences Moses receives Unforeseen Contentment Then Moses was content to live with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.” Exodus 2:21-22
While in Egypt Moses had every worldly thing anyone would ever want: He had position and power. He had privilege and wealth. He had it all. But then with one foolish act, he lost it all. But now, having served Reuel’s daughters, everything has changed. For once he was a rejected outcast, now he is a welcomed guest. Once he was stranger in a strange land, now with Zipporah, he’s found a new home. And once he was defined by his past, but now with the birth of a son, God has given him a future. Moses had found a home in the desert.
And look at the details of his new home: First, Moses was content to live “with” Reuel. Reuel was a priest of the Midianites. The Midianites worshiped the one true God, the God of their father Abraham. After all, Midian was the son of Abraham and Keturah (Abraham’s wife after Sarah had died). Reuel’s name means “friend of God.” In all likelihood Moses learned more about the God of Abraham at the foot of Reuel.
But not only that, Reuel was a shepherd. So Moses learned to be a shepherd in his new home. This is so ironic for the former prince of Egypt. For the Bible tells us that “every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:34). And yet we now know that for the next forty years Moses would tend a flock in the desert.
Moses life didn’t end when he came to the end of himself. His life only just began. And even though Moses was content to live with Reuel, God was not done with him. For now God was preparing him in a special way for a special work that was still to come. He will become the man who will deliver God’s people in God’s way.
Perhaps you can identify with Moses. You know what its like to really blow it. You know what’s its like to be rejected. You know what its like to live in fear. You know what its like to loose it all. You know what its like to be at the end of your rope… or you know someone who is. But when we read Moses’ story we see hope. This passage offers hope. It offers good news. And the good news is this: IfGod can redeem a murderer like Moses, He can redeem you.That’s God’s grace in this passage. And that grace is this: No one has blown it so bad that God can’t redeem them and give them a second chance. Moses blew it. He lost everything. He came to the end of himself. But when he did, that’s when God gave him a second chance.
Maybe that’s where you’re at today – in need a second chance; in need of deliverance. Maybe you’re like the Moses at the start of this story. You need deliverance from your frustrations or anger. Or maybe you’re like the Moses in the middle of the story who’s riddled with fear and on the run. You need deliverance from your fear or guilt. Or maybe you’re like the Moses who’s come to the end of himself.You need deliverance from doubt or despair. Whatever it is that you are dealing with take heart. For if God delivered Moses, He can deliver you too.
So what are you to do When You Need Deliverance…when you need help, when you need a second chance? What do you do when you come to the end of yourself? Let’s look at what God’s people did. That’s what we see at the end of this chapter. During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Exodus 2:23-25
If anyone was at the end of their rope it was the Israelites. Finally, after years of oppression and slavery under the hot Egyptian sun, they had nothing – no power, no property and no hope. Some people would say, “They didn’t have a prayer.” But that’s the one thing they did have. So they began to cry out to God for deliverance! And what do we see in this passage? God hears. God sees. And God cares. And when you call on Him in faith God acts.
That’s what Paul tells us in Romans 10: For it iswith your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:10-14
God is ready to act on your behalf today. No matter how bad you have blown it, He’s ready to forgive you. No matter how far you’ve run from Him, He’s ready to bring you home. No matter how empty you are, He wants to give you His peace. He wants to deliver you. But you need to cry out to Him. He hears. He sees. He cares and He’s ready to give you a new start. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.
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