We continue in our series on four of the Old Testament heroes referred to in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews—the Faith Hall of Fame. Their stories, along with the others mentioned in the Faith Hall of Fame, moves the author of Hebrews to encourage his readers to find strength for their faith in the example put forward by these Faith Hall of Famers. They are "a great cloud of witnesses" that inspire and motivate us in the marathon race of faith we run. To that end, we are encouraging you to consider your own, personal "cloud of witnesses" that have encouraged you in your faith. You are invited to bring pictures of them for Palm Sunday, March 20^th, as we will create our cloud of witnesses to be a present encouragement to us in our Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday worship. Today, the witness and example of Moses.

Before I read the Scripture passages for today, recall the familiar story of Moses up to this point. The loosely connected tribes of Israel—literally, the tribal families of the sons of Jacob—move to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Foreigners in Egypt, they nonetheless live in favored status under the protection of their brother, Joseph, whose interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh have prepared Egypt for the famine. Over time, however, their favored status ends and the people of Israel become slaves to Egypt. Into this scenario, Moses is born. Hebrew males are supposed to be killed at birth, however, because Egypt is concerned about Israel’s growing numbers. Rather than killing their newborn son, Moses’ family places him in a basket in the Nile River and floats him downstream where he is found by Pharaoh’s daughter, who takes him into her family and raises him. Moses grows up in Pharaoh’s court, but he also knows his heritage with the Hebrew people. In fact, one day he comes across an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew and, in a fit of anger, attacks and kills the Egyptian. Forced by that act to flee Egypt, Moses heads toward Canaan, where he comes across the family of a Midian priest named Jethro. Moses marries one of Jethro’s daughters and settles into what he believes will be a life of raising a family and shepherding the flocks of Jethro. That is, until the events of today’s Scripture passage in the third chapter of Exodus. (Read Exodus 3:1-4, and the corresponding reflection of Hebrews 1:1-2, 24-28).

A paraphrase of the dialogue in this passage between God—whose voice is coming from a burning, but not consumed, bush—and Moses—who is trembling sandal-less before this awesome sight—would go something like this:

God: Moses, I want you to go to Egypt and free my people.

Moses: Who am I to do such a thing?

God: Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.

Moses: No offense, but who are you?

Admittedly, a rough paraphrase, but the gist of the conversation is something like that! God calls Moses to do something very dangerous—square off against the leadership of one of the strongest countries in the world and demand the release of their slave labor force. Understandably, Moses doesn’t feel up to the task. He finds little reassurance in knowing that the Source of this voice that is speaking to him promises to be with him. Moses wants to know specifically who it is calling him to such a task. Out of the burning bush comes the reply, I AM WHO I AM! It is not just any god who speaks to Moses. It is the Living God, the God of Moses’ forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is our God, the God of our ancestors, our "cloud of witnesses," who is speaking to Moses. His words—and His actions—tell us much of the God we serve, the Great I AM.

To begin with, this story reminds us our God cares about His people. That may seem like an obvious statement, but it’s also true that we need to be reminded again and again that God does care for us and is concerned about what is happening in our lives. This story of Moses and the burning bush reminds us of that fact. Emphatically, the voice from the burning bush tells Moses that, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt…and I am concerned about their suffering." More than that, out of concern for His people, I AM says He acts on behalf of His people, "So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians."

Whatever circumstances you face in life, God is aware of it and concerned about it. He is not distant and indifferent to your circumstances, but rather is, in the words of the Psalmist, "an ever-present help in trouble," (Psalm 46:1). The prophet Isaiah would put it another way, in another name given to I AM WHO I AM, "Emmanuel…God with us." Circumstances may make it seem like God is distant and uncaring about your situation, but the example of Moses’ story, of Moses living in hope no matter his circumstances reminds and encourages us that God is close and concerned about us.

Additionally, God’s words to Moses remind us that God is actively working to alleviate our suffering—that He is "come down" to rescue us. It may not seem like it in the moment—the oppression of the Hebrews in Egypt continues as the bush burns before a sandal-less Moses…indeed the oppression will worsen before they are rescued—but the rescue is coming. Again, the writer of Psalm 46, reminded of God’s ever-present help, says, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging…for the Lord Almighty/[I AM] Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." The voice that comes from the burning bush reminds us and reassures us that He is with us in whatever circumstance we face in life and His help is on the way. Again, we may not recognize it at the time, but hang on, God’s help is on the way.

It’s interesting to note that when Moses asks for a sign of reassurance that the call coming to him from the bush is legitimate and that he is able to accomplish what is being asked of him—he is given a sign that is to come IN THE FUTURE, after the fact of Israel’s release from Egypt. The voice from the burning bush says this is the sign, "When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." (Ex 3:12b) When Moses finds himself back at the mountain of the burning bush, worshiping I AM who has brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, then he will know with certainty of God’s call and God’s rescue. To be sure, there are other signs along the way. A still reluctant Moses asks for more—taking on Egypt is a daunting task—and a staff turns into a snake, then back into a staff; a healthy hand becomes leprous, then healthy again; the plagues in Egypt; the escape by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; the parting of the Red Sea, all are extraordinary signs that God is present and at work in the circumstances of the Hebrews. They, like us, seek constant reassurance that God is present and at work. But, so often, it is in looking back that we recognize where God was working with us and for us through a difficult circumstance. When Moses returns to the mountain of the burning bush and there, with the freed people of Israel, worships God, assurance of I AM’s concern and rescue of His people comes with greater clarity to Moses. What glorious worship that must have been!

Think back on your own experiences of faith. Can you not recall moments of difficulty, moments where you despaired of a way out, where you wondered, "Where is God?" Then, with the perspective of a later time, you can look back and now see with absolute assurance the presence of God during that time. You didn’t recognize then, in the chaos of the moment, but you see it clearly now. Moses and his living in hope through the story of the burning bush and all that follows stands as a witness for us, a reminder for us of God’s faithfulness in the past through difficult times and reassures us of God’s faithfulness now, and in times to come. Whatever your circumstances in life, stand in the holy ground of your own Mount Horeb and offer God your worship, knowing that though it may be difficult to see in the moment, God is present and acting on your behalf.

Finally, the story of Moses and his hearing God’s call to him from the burning bush reminds us that when God acts, He will often act through his servants—imperfect though they may be. Moses doesn’t feel up to the task—which is appropriate because he isn’t! On his own, he can’t do it. Only with the assurance of God’s help can Moses begin to think about being an instrument in God’s response to the concerns of His people. For Moses, it begins by shedding the symbol of his resources—his sandals. More than just a religious observance of standing on holy ground, Moses’ sandals represent his resources—which are inadequate for the task at hand. His sandals carry the marks of his past. For this task, Moses needs a new start—possible only with God’s help. His sandals represent the pace of his wisdom—again, inadequate for the task at hand. For this task, Moses must walk in the pace and pathway of I AM. So, the sandals come off.

In our own way, to be used as a servant of God requires stepping out of the sandals of our resources, our past and our wisdom and seek the new start that comes from God. It begins with worship, with standing on the holy ground of God’s presence and trusting in Him.

Moses’ story is a witness to us—one of many in our "cloud of witnesses"—that inspire and encourage us in our faith. In much the same way, this sacrament we share this morning inspires and encourages us. This sacrament is holy ground. It is an expression of God’s concern for our plight and the action He has taken to rescue us. It is a visible sign of God’s grace, that God has "come down" to us, continues to be with us, cares about and responds to our needs. This sacrament is a place of memory, where we remember Christ and what He has done for us, a place of memory where we recall circumstances of God’s help in the past. It is holy ground where we come in humility, seeking to be an instrument used by God for His purposes. So come to this sacrament with sandals removed—the stain of your past forgiven by God, the pace of your wisdom set aside for the pace of God’s wisdom, your resources made useful only through the blessing of God’s presence. Bring with you the circumstances of your life, whatever they may be, and say "yes" to God’s help that leads to persevering through any difficulty you face. Bring with you the memory of circumstances past and acknowledge God with a "yes" for His help in the past. Bring with you your concerns for the future, and say a hopeful "yes" to whatever lies ahead for you, knowing of God’s help to be with you. But leave behind the sandals of your resources, the stain of your past, the pace of your wisdom, for this is holy ground.