2003.4.6. Calling(5) / 5Th Sunday in Lent - Rev. Young-Jin Cho

"Moses, Moses"

Exodus 3:1-12

This is the fifth Sermon in the consecutive sermons under the big title "Calling" during Lent.

On the first Sunday of March, I talked about the Calling to the awakening of life in the words, "Where are you?" written in Genesis chapter 3, and on the second Sunday, I delivered the sermon on Calling to the forgiveness and cleansing of the sins that God promised to make us as white as wool even though our sins are as red as scarlet in Isaiah 1:18 and thereafter. On the third and fourth Sunday, I respectively talked about the Calling for those who are weary and burdened to rest and repose in Mathew 11:28 and about the Calling for those who are thirsty to the meaningful and abundant lives in John 7:37.

Today, I would like to talk about the Calling to the mission. These consecutive sermons will conclude next Sunday by contemplating on the Calling to the eternal life through the cross.

I.

Today's scripture delivers the scene that Moses, whom we all know so well, was being called by God. Moses was more than confident about saving his people when he was in his 40s. Now, 40 years has passed since Moses had fled from King Pharaoh and had become a shepherd in the wilderness of Midian. He spent those 40 years with regret and despair. With time, his vigor and passion withered. As he got used to tending the flock of sheep in the field, his dream of saving his people had long been forgotten.

One day when Moses arrived at mountain Horeb, he experiences a mysterious phenomenon. A bush was on flames of fires but the fire was not burning the bush. The fire was burning but the bush remained untouched. Looking at the mysterious scene, Moses was called by God. God called him twice, "Moses, Moses." When Moses answered, "Here I Am.", God said, "Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Taking off his sandals could be understood as a symbol of fear, awe, or obedience and devotion to God.

God introduced himself to Moses who took off his sandals and stood on the holy ground. He told him that he already knew the hardship of the Israelites. God told him that he will lead the people out of the Egypt and bring them up into the land of Promised Land of Canaan. God told Moses that he was called for this great mission.

Dear everyone, God was presented as such in the Bible. Let us look at today's scripture chapter 3, verse 7 and thereafter. In the scripture, the words that express God's love and concern for the Israelites repeatedly appear. God had indeed seen the misery of his people in Egypt, had heard them crying out in their misery, was aware of their suffering, and told them he will come down, and rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and bring them up into the promised land of Canaan. And, for his works, he appeared to Moses and called him from within the burning bush. He called Moses to this mission to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian oppression.

(1) God in the Bible is never indifferent to the History. He does not close his eyes to our pains and despair. God sees our pains. He is listening to our prayer, and lamentation in pains. He knows our pains and our despair. Not only he knows but also he comes to us and rescues us from the pains, the despair, and the breakdowns. And he is the one who leads us to new lives, to new tomorrows.

(2) And God is calling for his servants for his great works. There is no doubt God can do it by himself. However, if we observe the Bible closely, we can learn that God accomplishes many works through the people whom he has called. Therefore, we are partners of God. We are servants for God's will be done on this earth. Moses is not the only person who was called to the mission. All of us have been called to the mission.

II

When God calls us, there is always a mission. He did not call us just to have fun and enjoy our lives. All of us have been called as the light to shine the dark world, as the salt to preserve the corrupting world. It might not be as great mission as to save the people like the mission of Moses. But, we have been called to participate in saving lives through the Gospel, renewing the History of this world through the Gospel, wherever we are standing, wherever we root our lives. Because of that Calling, you and I are gathered here today. We are Worshiping our Lord who has called us.

This morning, there is a message he gives us through the words he called Moses from within the blazing bush.

(1) First no one is insignificant and unknown to God.

Dear everyone, in worldly sense, Moses was being forgotten. When he went forth to look at the flame blazing from the bush, God called him. How did God call him? He called his name. He called "Moses, Moses."

In fact, Moses did not have a clear understanding of the person who was calling him. Therefore, God, calling Moses, first introduced himself in chapter 3, verse 6: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." Even after he heard these words, Moses, in chapter 3, verse 13, still asked God about how he should answer if the Israelites would ask about the name of God. Even though Moses had not fully established the understanding of God who was calling his name, God knew Moses and called his name.

We sometimes have such thoughts where there are so many people on Earth, and this universe is so vast, would God remember a person like me? Would God know my existence? Dear everyone, do not worry. The God, who called Moses' name, also knows your name. He also knows your lives. You are never an insignificant existence. You are precious beings God acknowledges. Even if the world does not recognize you, our God knows you. Even if people do not recognize us, our God knows us. Therefore, prophet Isaiah proclaimed, "for I have summoned you by name, you are mine." We are the ones whom God has summoned by names. God has called us today for mission by our names.

(2) Secondly, there is no one who is too old to be called by God. God never gives up calling us because we may be too old. Dear everyone, how old was Moses when he was called? He was eighty years old. The peak of Moses' life was not on his forties. It was not during his splendid youth he had spent at the palace of the Egyptian king Pharaoh. He was eighty when Moses had become Moses.

These days, most people retire when they reach seventies. We often see people who also retire early from the missions of God has entrusted us with. Of course, you may not be able to work as much as before. The size or the boundary of your work may shrink. But, there is no such phrase in the Bible that a Christian is released from the missions to save lives as we get old. We are called to live as the people of Godly mission until Lord retracts us. Exhorter Sin-Ae Choi, who recently went to join God, had published her essays titled with Senior Apartment which she gathered at her age eighty four.

There was a pastor named Charles MaCoy at the Oyster Bay Methodist Church in Long Island, New York. One Sunday, a missionary from India appealed to the church members to volunteer as missionaries, during his sermon. But, there was no willing soul. The missionary asked pastor McCoy, if he would be interested. Then the pastor asked if 71 would be too old. The missionary answered: "An old tree could bear better fruit." Pastor McCoy decided to become a missionary that day. Since he became a missionary, he provided an amazing service for opium addicts in China for 15 years until he died at age 86.

Dear everyone, there is no one who is too old for God's call. God is calling us for his work of saving and straightening the history.

(3) Thirdly, I would like to say: There is no one who is too incompetent for God's call.

Of course, Moses was a man of ability. However, Moses was different in his eighties. He seemed too old and incompetent to save his people. But, God called Moses and accomplished a great History. Everyone, there is no one in this world who is so incompetent that God cannot use. The problem is that we refuse the calling and judge ourselves as being incompetent. Or the problem is the immaturity that we look down and take God's calling lightly.

God has intentions when he calls you. Why do you refuse God's calling when he knows you better than any one, even better than yourself? Why are you declining him? If you are not good enough, God will fill you with what you lack for his use. If you are incompetent, He will make you competent and capable. If you are insufficient, He will make you sufficient for his use. Dear everyone, were the great servants portrayed in the Bible so great from their birth? No. To God, the ability is not an issue. What is important is how we offer ourselves for God's use. Availability is the issue.

Once I read an article: What response would Jesus receive if he had chosen his 12 disciples to organize a new association and he requested a Management Consultant for an evaluation on their eligibilities. Perhaps, he would have received a reply such as following:

Dear Jesus, the son of Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth,

We have reviewed the resumes of the 12 people you requested. We gathered results of the psychological testes and the aptitude tests and we put the data into a computer to extract the results. Overall, they lack the qualifications as the managers of your new organization. Their education level is too low and they lack experiences. They have no notion of organization and their cooperation skills are weak. They are not eligible for managers for your organization.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and his character is excessively radical. Andrew is flatly incapable. He is not a man who can lead others. The brothers, James and John, sons of Zebedee, would pursue their profit regardless of the company's interests. Thomas is negative to everything and he only asks questions without positive drive. Mathew is a man who would do anything for his personal gain. James, son of Alpahaeus and Thaddaeus, these two are influence by unhealthy ideology seeking social evolution. Therefore they will be harmful for a sound association you are planning.

Among the twelve, there is only one for whom we can give a positive answer. He is Judas Iscariot. He has ability, possibility, and he has plenty of social knowledge, and he has a keen sense of decisiveness of a businessman. He also has social ability that he can make contact with high level authorities. He is full of strong motivation and desire. Therefore, our Management Consulting Company recommends only Judas Iscariot, and to fill the other positions from other resources.

Dear everyone, a person who is so incapable that God can not use does not exist in this world. Each and every one of you is capable. If you sincerely respond to the Calling of our God, every one of you can take a significant role. Everyone can live a great life before God.

III

God who called "Moses, Moses," also called each and every one of you. He is calling us for his work to truly free our lives to establish a new History in Gospel.

We may not be as great as Moses. We may seem extremely petty to the world. We may be insignificant and unknown. But, there is no greater mission than the one that frees people from confined lives of concern, worries, fear, and meaninglessness. Nothing is more valuable than this mission to become hands, feet, a mouth, and ears of God who gives us salvation.

As the people of this mission, we have a lot of work to do. But, I would like to ask you one thing. Everyone, please give many words of encouragement which save lives. A thoughtless word can hurt and scar one's heart for life. And a word of encouragement can save a life and inspire courage and hope. Following is a story I read in the book written by Professor Tae-Ki Jung.

There lived an elder Kwon in An-Dong, Kyung-Sang-Do which is southern province of Korea. Elder Kwon was a renowned Christian teacher in An-Dong province. People in this province took it as an honor to study as his pupils. The reputation of the teacher Kwon traveled to a farmer who was living in a poor, rural town 170 miles away from An-Dong. The farmer hoped his son could study under the teacher Kwon. The farmer's son studied hard respecting his father's wish and was admitted to the school where the teacher Kwon taught. The farmer was so happy and went on the road with his son, with a line of eggs weaved with straw to attend the matriculation ceremony of his son. But, for they started so early, they arrived at the school at dawn. The farmer and his son had no other choice but to sit at the school gate shivering.

Just then, the teacher Kwon was coming to work before everyone else. He saw the farmer and his son and asked what they were doing there. Without knowing who he was, the farmer proudly answered. "My son was admitted to this school where the teacher Kwon teaches and we have come to attend the matriculation ceremony." Kwon said, "Is that right? I am that person. Let us go inside and warm ourselves."

In the school office, the teacher Kwon served hot tea and had started a conversation. In their conversation, he learned that the farmer was poor. As a matter of fact, the farmer's financial situation was not well enough to send his son to study in An-Dong. Furthermore, it seemed impossible for his son to go to college no matter how hard he studied.

Knowing the farmer's situation, the teacher encouraged the son as he hugged him and patted him on his back. "You study hard and go to the Military Academy. Then you become a general!" These simple words of encouragement gave the son tremendous courage. The son put a slogan on his wall and studied day and night. "I will go to the Military Academy and will be a general."

Six years later, the son of the farmer graduated the high school and entered the Military Academy. And over a decade later, he became a general. The first thing he did when he first became a general was to rush to An-Dong and kneel down before the teacher Kwon. He took off his cap and offered to the teacher Kwon, saying: "This star was possible because of your words. When he got his second star, he did the same thing.

A word of encouragement has changed his life. It inspired his life with courage and hope.

A word of encouragement containing the love of Christ, it may look insignificant. It may seem like nothing. But that word can save a life. It can release and save a life confined in despair and breakdown. It can give strength and courage to discouraged and wandering life. The God who called on Moses is calling us today. He is calling us for mission to save lives and to help lives start anew in God.

Dear everyone, all of us have been called by our Great God. We have been called to the great mission to save the lives and history. We all are the people of mission. We are the people of mission who sow seeds of the new life, the new History.