{"id":3492,"date":"2020-08-28T12:17:27","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T02:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3492"},"modified":"2020-08-28T12:17:27","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T02:17:27","slug":"sunday-sermon-30-08-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3492","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Sermon 30-08-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

August 30th<\/sup>, 2020 Leighmoor Uniting Church<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Suggested hymns:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 132: Holy, holy, holy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 690: Beauty for brokenness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 658: I, the Lord of sea and sky<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 473: Community of Christ<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 477: Jesus calls us here to meet him<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 607: Make me a channel of your peace<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

TIS 624: Christ be my leader by night as by day<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the words of the Psalmist:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Make known his deeds among the peoples.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.\u2019(Psalm 105)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We join our own praise to those of long ago,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

telling of your hand in history, the imprint of your fingerprint on our own lives and hearts.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You are an amazing God, creator and dreamer of all that is good, and beautiful, and all that works together to your glory.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The heavy rain last weekend, the days of sunshine during the week, the frost over night, and the cloud cover during the day\u2026what variety there is in the little we notice.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As we turn on our heaters, or see the bright red of camellia bushes, or bottle brushes-may we remember the story of the burning bush.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You may not reveal yourself to us in as dramatic a fashion\u2026but you do\u2026if we but take note.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for caring about us,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for all your gifts-of the natural world, of our own family and friends.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for involving us in ministry, partnering with you to bring hope to this troubled world.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for the divine line-the network of prayer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And yet, as we remember your many gifts to us, we know we have fallen short of all you wish us to be\u2026and know that we can be.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Forgive us.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Forgive us when we have allowed anxieties to cloud our vision of you, when we have allowed the media to dampen the seedling of hope that we water in our souls with prayer and Scripture.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Forgive us when we have succumbed to our human frailties.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In a time of silence, we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(silence).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God is love.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Through Christ our sins are forgiven\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(thanks be to God<\/i>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Take hold of this forgiveness and live your life in the power of the Spirit.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Amen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Bible Readings:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Exodus 3: 1-15<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45b<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Romans 12: 9-21<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 16: 21-28<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sermon<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call\u2026and response.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s what happens in good Gospel music-often a soloist or preacher sings or shouts something, and the choir or congregation responds with their answer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We may have seen this on tv, or in films, or been fortunate to be at such a service in the United States.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s reading from Exodus, we hear of Moses\u2019 call.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Some of us may envy such a dramatic call: I\u2019m not saying we would necessarily notice burning bushes in the suburbs of Melbourne, but a neon sign in the sky with \u201cYes, I have called you to pursue the path to ordained ministry\u2019 would have been appreciated.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At least in my case.\u00a0 <\/span>I struggled with a sense of call for a number of years, thinking God had either made a mistake (but God doesn\u2019t make mistakes) or that I had heard incorrectly.\u00a0 <\/span>Surely God did not mean me?\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe God meant my next door neighbour?\u00a0 <\/span>I am not smart enough, knowledgeable enough\u2026those and many other excuses arose in my heart, and came out of my mouth.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

BUT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When I speak of \u2018call\u2019 this applies to each one of us\u2026for we are called to be Christian, we are all involved in ministry.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses-he is not a priest, or a prophet.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He is just minding his sheep, not expecting or indeed inviting a divine intrusion.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is his curiosity the leads him to hear the call.\u00a0 <\/span>Moses said, \u201cI must turn aside and look at this great sight\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

AND is surprised by what happens.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God hears the cries of God\u2019s people, and responds by calling Moses.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is God\u2019s story, as well as Moses\u2019s story.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God hears, remembers, sees, and knows.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God is intimately involved in their suffering.\u00a0 <\/span>This is not a God who is remote, safe and secure, untouched by the sufferings of the world.\u00a0 <\/span>God knows it from the inside.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God calls Moses to help in the work of liberating the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The call.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses has a conversation with God.\u00a0 <\/span>God promises to be with him.\u00a0 <\/span>God reassures Moses; the God speaking to and with him is the God of his ancestors, God can be trusted.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is worth noting that even though Moses recognizes the holiness of God ( \u2018Moses hid his face\u2026\u2019 ) Moses hesitates.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-he hesitates\u2026before the Holy God.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In Chapter Four, Moses protests: \u201csuppose they do not believe me, or listen to me.\u201d God intervenes by providing him with a staff that becomes a snake.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Another sign is when his hand becomes leprous-then changes back to normal when placed back within the fold of his cloak<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-and another sign-water from the Nile changed to blood.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses protests.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOh my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past not even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow in speech and slow of tongue.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Lord said to him, \u201cWho gives speech to mortals?\u00a0 <\/span>Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind?\u00a0 <\/span>Is it not I, the Lord?\u00a0 <\/span>Now go and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Yet\u2026even after God\u2019s wonderful promises and reassurance, Moses begs: \u201cOh, my Lord, please send someone else.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPlease send someone else.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Some of us may have voiced the same words, as we tested our call to be Christian, to follow Christ, to be in ministry with him.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses dares to challenge, dares to question, is open with God.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

From worship-to conversation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is a God who invites interaction.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is a God, aware of what is possible, aware of Moses\u2019s frailties, as well as his strengths, and goes with what is possible.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses\u2019s struggle is real, perhaps revealing a lack of personal ambition. Bold though, and God takes Moses\u2019s concern seriously.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever wondered why Moses was chosen?\u00a0 <\/span>The reluctant protestor?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

According to the rabbis, it was because of Moses\u2019s care for the least among his flock.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He was chosen because of the depth of feeling, because of his compassion.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A story: once when tending the sheep of his father-in-law, Moses was deeply distressed to discover that a lamb was missing.\u00a0 <\/span>Anxious for its life, he could find no rest.\u00a0 <\/span>Leaving the flock, he sought the lost lamb and pursued it untiringly until at last he found it, exhausted, quenching its thirst at a spring.\u00a0 <\/span>Full of pity, he lifted the lamb onto his shoulders, and carried it back to its mother.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It was then, the rabbis say, that God decided to choose Moses.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Only a man whose heart went out so deeply to the least of creatures would be worthy and capable of becoming \u2018the shepherd of Israel.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As Christians we see Christ as the good shepherd, tending to the least.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-depth of feeling.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Let me tell you about a book, a novel which deals with call\u2026and response.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The book (which was later made into a film) is called Because of Winn-Dixie<\/i>, by Kate DiCamillo*.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The main character, India Opal (known as Opal), has moved to a new town, because her father is the new preacher.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He has been called to this community, but she feels she hasn\u2019t, and is lonely.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The church building for the Open Arms Baptist Church, was once a small grocery store. As people enter the church, the doors automatically open-food for morning fellowship is placed in the fridge (which once held bottles of soft drink) and people open up their fold up chairs because there are no pews.\u00a0 <\/span>As the preacher stands up to preach on his first Sunday, he says that he has preached in a lot of strange places in his time\u2026not saying this is a strange place, oh, no, why shouldn\u2019t church he held in a convenience store\u2026 shouldn\u2019t we be making church more convenient for people?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Loneliness of minister\u2019s families is one of the themes of the book.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018My daddy is a good preacher and a nice man, but sometimes it\u2019s hard for me to think about him as my daddy because he spends so much time preaching or thinking about preaching or getting ready to preach.\u00a0 <\/span>And so, in my mind, I think of him as \u201cthe preacher.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once your name is known: there is commitment, relationship, intimacy.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Without a name, there is a risk of distance, unavailability, alienation.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(as there was when God unveiled something of His name to Moses: \u2018I AM\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The name of the preacher is never revealed; he is always introduced as \u2018the preacher\u2019 or \u2018my daddy, the preacher.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t that sad?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Opal\u2019s mother had left years ago, one reason being her inability to conform to the ideal and expectations of a minister\u2019s spouse.\u00a0 <\/span>I am thankful that those days are pretty much over! \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call and response.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We are called to respond.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes we hesitate, for our call may not be as clear as Moses\u2019s call, or as dramatic.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes we run-think of Jonah fleeing from Nineveh, or we hide-like Elijah in the cave.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

BUT we are all called to ministry, as followers of Christ.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The preacher is called to the town, to what appears to be a closed and shut off small community.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Opal finds (or is found by) a dog in the large grocery store.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call and response.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Opal is called, and equipped to minister to those in the new community. The dog is her means-not a staff, or a leprous hand, or the ability to change the water of the Nile into blood-but a dog.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She ministers to Otis, the gentle guitar player, who helps out in the pet shop, who has been jailed for playing his guitar in public-who lets the animals out of their cages early in the morning, and plays the guitar to them.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Otis takes them out because he feels sorry for them-because he knows what it is like, to be locked up.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Through Opal, via her dog, he starts to trust humans.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the other characters is known as the town witch, Gloria Dump.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She is blind, but she sees differently:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, my eyes ain\u2019t too good at all.\u00a0 <\/span>I can\u2019t see nothing but the general shape of things, so I got to rely on my heart.\u00a0 <\/span>Why don\u2019t you go on and tell me everything about yourself, so I can see you with my heart.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Echoes of the choosing of David-when Samuel is reminded that God sees differently \u2018the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.\u2019(1 Sam 16)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Gloria has a secret.\u00a0 <\/span>In her large, overgrown garden there is a special tree.\u00a0 <\/span>She calls it her \u2018mistake tree.\u2019 Hanging from nearly all the branches are bottles, bottles which remind her of all the mistakes she has made in her life.\u00a0 <\/span>The bottles clink together, to keep away the ghosts of her mistakes.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When Opal expresses amazement at the number of bottles-and is told by Gloria that she\u2019s made more mistakes than the number of bottles hanging from her mistake tree, Opal expresses surprise, saying that Gloria is the nicest person she knows.\u00a0 <\/span>Gloria replies:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mean I haven\u2019t done bad things,\u201d she said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Gloria teaches Opal about the dangers of judging others, or relying on gossip, or condemning someone because of their past mistakes or behaviour.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She teaches that change, repentance, is possible, that we need to read the heart of another\u2026in the case of Otis, not to judge him as a criminal, rather, to think of him as he is now-the music he plays, and his kindness to animals.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses is called-and responds, to help deliver the Israelites from slavery.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call is not solely for the individual.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is not a possession, or a badge of honour.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Moses\u2019s encounter with God was not for him alone-a private experience, a treasured memory he could hold close to his heart, and talk about around the fire that evening.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

No<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call leads to community.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Even enclosed monastic orders, such as the Carmelites, closed off from the world-pray on behalf of individuals, and on behalf of the world.\u00a0 <\/span>Their lives, dedicated to Christ and to prayer, are not for some individual mystical high, or personal enlightenment; they are set apart in order to devote their whole lives to praying for others.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Intercessory prayer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Near the end of the book there is a glimpse of community<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-a snippet of what can happen when we respond to the call<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-to minister where we are, in the name of Christ.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Opal has arranged a party, a way of introducing these hurting, broken people (including \u2018the preacher\u2019) to each other.\u00a0 <\/span>As a storm gathers, Otis plays hymns on the guitar, the clinking of the bottles on the mistake tree now form part of the musical accompaniment-the sound now a blessing, rather than a curse.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Community.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Opal\u2019s call\u2026to heal the broken hearted-which in a sense, her father had been called to do and had been unable to do because of his own hurt<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-is our call.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-was Moses\u2019s call<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-and continues to be our call as followers of Christ.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It may not involve a dog-it may not involve a supermarket (but our time there can be opportunities for prayer-for harassed parents, lonely shoppers, people burdened by work and worries, people now wearing masks).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Call and response.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In this time of lockdown our response may well be that of prayer, as our physical ministry is hampered somewhat.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches the disciples what discipleship means.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God called Moses.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus called his disciples.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We are called<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-known by name.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Names.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Funny things, aren\u2019t they. \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The town\u2019s witch-named \u2018Gloria\u2019- she embodies joy and acceptance.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And the name of the town.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A strange name.\u00a0 <\/span>A biblical name.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Naomi.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps\u2026just perhaps\u2026 its inhabitants, once strangers in a strange land, like the Biblical Naomi in the Book of Ruth, can now begin to journey home, to blessing and wholeness.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Amen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Prayers of the People<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Loving God,\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We thank you for the privilege of prayer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for our troubled world.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For a ceasing of civil unrest in the United States.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

May all see their brother or sister in everyone they meet, made in your image.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for better race relations in our own country-a time for us to listen, to hear the pain of others, which stretches back generations.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for those affected by hurricane activity in Texas and Louisiana, and for those in our own state cleaning up after devastating winds.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for the families of those who died during the storm on Thursday night.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We continue to hold in our hearts those who are suffering from covid 19, and those who are caring for them.\u00a0 <\/span>Be alongside them during their fears and anxieties.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for our church family, for Alan and Fredrica and family, for Rohini and Jaya, for John, for Jean Raynor\u2019s family, for David, for Joan , Ed B, Sid, Mark, and for others we know who need our prayers.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We pray for church council members, and give thanks for all the work they do behind the scene.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And in a time of silence we bring before you issues that have not been addressed, that weigh heavy on our hearts\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(silence)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the words our Saviour taught us, we are confident when we pray to say\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(\u2018Our Father in heaven\u2026)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Amen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Blessing<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

May God banish from our hearts whatever might endanger peace.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

May God transform us into witnesses of truth, justice, and love.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Amen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

*Because of Winn Dixie<\/i> Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2000)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Rev Barbara Allen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

30th<\/sup> August, 2020 Leighmoor UC\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

August 30th, 2020 Leighmoor Uniting Church Suggested hymns: TIS 132: Holy, holy, holy TIS 690: Beauty for brokenness TIS 658: I, the Lord of sea and sky TIS 473: Community of Christ TIS 477: Jesus calls us here to meet him TIS 607: Make me a channel of your peace TIS 624: Christ be my leader by night as by day Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession In the words of the Psalmist:\u00a0 \u2018O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, Make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.\u2019(Psalm 105) We join our own praise to those of long ago, telling of your hand in history, the imprint of your fingerprint on our own lives and hearts. You are an amazing God, creator and dreamer of all that is good, and beautiful, and all that works together to your glory. The heavy rain last weekend, the days of sunshine during the week, the frost over night, and the cloud cover during the day\u2026what variety there is in the little we notice. As we turn on our heaters, or see the bright red of camellia bushes, or bottle brushes-may we remember the story of the burning bush. You may not reveal yourself to us in as dramatic a fashion\u2026but you do\u2026if we but take note. Thank you for caring about us, Thank you for all your gifts-of the natural world, of our own family and friends. Thank you for involving us in ministry, partnering with you to bring hope to this troubled world. Thank you for the divine line-the network of prayer. And yet, as we remember your many gifts to us, we know we have fallen short of all you wish us to be\u2026and know that we can be. Forgive us. Forgive us when we have allowed anxieties to cloud our vision of you, when we have allowed the media to dampen the seedling of hope that we water in our souls with prayer and Scripture. Forgive us when we have succumbed to our human frailties. In a time of silence, we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness. (silence). God is love. Through Christ our sins are forgiven\u00a0 (thanks be to God) Take hold of this forgiveness and live your life in the power of the Spirit. Amen Bible Readings:\u00a0 Exodus 3: 1-15 Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45b Romans 12: 9-21 Matthew 16: 21-28 Sermon Call\u2026and response. That\u2019s what happens in good Gospel music-often a soloist or preacher sings or shouts something, and the choir or congregation responds with their answer. We may have seen this on tv, or in films, or been fortunate to be at such a service in the United States. Call. In today\u2019s reading from Exodus, we hear of Moses\u2019 call. Some of us may envy such a dramatic call: I\u2019m not saying we would necessarily notice burning bushes in the suburbs of Melbourne, but a neon sign in the sky with \u201cYes, I have called you to pursue the path to ordained ministry\u2019 would have been appreciated. At least in my case.\u00a0 I struggled with a sense of call for a number of years, thinking God had either made a mistake (but God doesn\u2019t make mistakes) or that I had heard incorrectly.\u00a0 Surely God did not mean me?\u00a0 Maybe God meant my next door neighbour?\u00a0 I am not smart enough, knowledgeable enough\u2026those and many other excuses arose in my heart, and came out of my mouth. BUT When I speak of \u2018call\u2019 this applies to each one of us\u2026for we are called to be Christian, we are all involved in ministry. Moses-he is not a priest, or a prophet. He is just minding his sheep, not expecting or indeed inviting a divine intrusion. It is his curiosity the leads him to hear the call.\u00a0 Moses said, \u201cI must turn aside and look at this great sight\u2026\u201d AND is surprised by what happens. God hears the cries of God\u2019s people, and responds by calling Moses. This is God\u2019s story, as well as Moses\u2019s story. God hears, remembers, sees, and knows. God is intimately involved in their suffering.\u00a0 This is not a God who is remote, safe and secure, untouched by the sufferings of the world.\u00a0 God knows it from the inside. God calls Moses to help in the work of liberating the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery. The call. Moses has a conversation with God.\u00a0 God promises to be with him.\u00a0 God reassures Moses; the God speaking to and with him is the God of his ancestors, God can be trusted. It is worth noting that even though Moses recognizes the holiness of God ( \u2018Moses hid his face\u2026\u2019 ) Moses hesitates. -he hesitates\u2026before the Holy God. In Chapter Four, Moses protests: \u201csuppose they do not believe me, or listen to me.\u201d God intervenes by providing him with a staff that becomes a snake. Another sign is when his hand becomes leprous-then changes back to normal when placed back within the fold of his cloak -and another sign-water from the Nile changed to blood. Moses protests.\u00a0 \u201cOh my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past not even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow in speech and slow of tongue.\u201d The Lord said to him, \u201cWho gives speech to mortals?\u00a0 Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind?\u00a0 Is it not I, the Lord?\u00a0 Now go and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.\u201d Yet\u2026even after God\u2019s wonderful promises and reassurance, Moses begs: \u201cOh, my Lord, please send someone else.\u201d \u00a0\u201cPlease send someone else.\u201d Some of us may have voiced the same words, as we tested our call to be Christian, to follow Christ, to be in ministry with him. Moses dares to challenge, dares to question, is open with God. From worship-to conversation This is a God who invites interaction. This<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Leighmoor.Master","author_link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/author\/leighmoor-master"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Sermons<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"August 30th, 2020 Leighmoor Uniting Church Suggested hymns: TIS 132: Holy, holy, holy TIS 690: Beauty for brokenness TIS 658: I, the Lord of sea and sky TIS 473: Community of Christ TIS 477: Jesus calls us here to meet him TIS 607: Make me a channel of your peace TIS 624: Christ be my…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3492"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3493,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492\/revisions\/3493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}