"Where God's Compassion Leads" (Exodus 2:23-3:12)

(1) God of Compassion

What happened at the first Christmas was not a new idea – maybe a new strategy – but not something contrary to the way God had always acted. The Israelites, groaning under the burden of their slavery in Egypt, cried out to God … presumably a constant and corporate cry for help. “Groaning” would indicate a passionate, deep, heart-felt cry. “Slavery” is a dreadful thing because freedom has been taken away, and there would no consideration of basic human rights. They would be suffering exploitation and economic injustice. How the Egyptians treated the Israelites is referred to in terms of oppression (NRSV) and abuse (NLT; 3:9). When God spoke to Moses a bit later we read (refer verse 7) words used like “distress, misery, suffering”.

We then read that their cries for help … “rose up to God” (2:23). This signifies to me that God’s attention is never removed from us for too long. It was not surprising that God heard the people’s cries – it was a natural result of God’s love for his created beings. As we read in verse 25, “God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them”; or, in the NLT, “… and [God] knew it was time to act”. Not only did God hear and take notice, but God is also caused to remember his promises to Abraham and his descendants. God’s people could not be left to flounder and suffer and die, because God had promised to bless all the nations of the earth through these descendants of Abraham. There was a lot at risk!

One word describes well God’s response to the cries of his people … ‘compassion’. We know how Jesus shows deep, gut-wrenching compassion when confronted by human need. This is who God is! All God does on this occasion comes out of faithfulness to his own character and to the promises (or covenants) he has previously made. And this compassion is NOT based on it being deserved or earned, this compassion is based purely on human need. On the basis of this compassionate reaction to their dire situation, God will over time seek further and deeper relationship with his people; it would be those with grateful open hearts that will respond and maximise the benefits of God’s acts of mercy.

God’s timing is always impeccable, even when we can’t understand it or work it out. It is often in hindsight that we see the perfection of God’s timing. The trick is to know in the midst of uncertainty, that in fact, God’s timing is perfect … God will act at the best time and in the best way. Verse 25b in NLT … “God knew it was time to act”. God’s ultimate well-timed act was the sending of Jesus. We read Paul’s words in Galatians 4:4-5 … But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. History has shown, because of a number of factors, why Jesus came just at the right time so that God’s (compassionate) purposes might be fulfilled. We can’t know why God doesn’t seem to respond in some quite similar circumstances to what the Israelites faced here, but we do know that God can and does at certain times; which should encourage us to pray.

(2) God of Action

How does God act on this occasion (in Exodus)? Well, he forms a rescue plan. And this plan not only was a deliverance out of a bad situation, but also there was an idea toward a new style of living environment – a “good and broad land” (NRSV) or a “fertile and spacious land” (NLT). For the ancient Israelites this meant literally a new place, and this is also what is needed for many modern-day refugees … a new peaceful welcoming spacious land. But in other situations, for other people, this may mean deliverance to a new family or to a new spiritual community or simply to a new way of life (that could be described in terms of a “fertile and spacious land”).

Now, this all involves raising up a leader … Moses. Because God was calling him, Moses was obviously ready – more ready than he knew. Moses had had an interesting life to say the least. From being rescued from the river Nile, to being brought up in Pharaoh’s house, to becoming an outcast for defending a fellow Hebrew against an Egyptian oppressor – fleeing to Midian and becoming a farmhand, marrying the daughter of a priest whose family he had helped, and having a son. Now Moses faced a burning bush, a full-on fire … but the bush wasn’t succumbing to the flames.

First of all, Moses wasn’t frightened nor dismissive … he was inquisitive – refer verse 3. This was an unusual happening … there might just be more to it! When he heard a voice, that he may have begun to think was God, Moses was prepared to respond “Here I am” (v.4). God then further tested his readiness. Not only was Moses prepared to take his shoes off – showing reverence, he also hid his face – demonstrating his potential unworthiness (to be so close to the very presence of God). Moses thus passed the humility test! God can only use the humble … those who have a proper assessment of themselves … a sinner needing to be saved by grace. Yet having been saved by grace, we are then able to be used mightily.

(3) God of Faithfulness

God explains to Moses that having observed the misery on earth and heard the people’s cries, that he has “come down” to deliver them (v.8). This is personal!! Again, this concept of ‘coming down’ is consistent with what will happen many centuries later with Jesus. God’s ‘coming down’ on this occasion will involve the ongoing leadership of a person dedicated to God’s cause. God says to Moses (v.10), “Now go … for I am sending you to Pharaoh” (NLT); or better I think (given what follows), “So come … I will send you to Pharaoh” (NRSV).

You want me to do what? I have a bit of a chequered history with the royal family!! And there is a bit of tension between me and the Hebrew people as well. How does God answer these doubts?? What of great importance follows??? All protests become insignificant when we hear, “I will be with you” (verse 12)! There will still be difficulties and challenges for Moses to cope with … things would actually get worse before they got better … yet this is the best guarantee we could have!! There is no contradiction between God saying he will personally respond and then actually calling Moses to complete the task … because … “I will go with you”! This will be a partnership!

But before this guarantee came, Moses utters the words, “Who am I … that I should go to Pharaoh” (verse 11)!?!

What do you think lies behind this???

·        Guilt, shame

·        Identity crisis – born a Hebrew, but brought up as an Egyptian (literally “who am I”?)

·        Lack of confidence, self-doubt, feelings of limitation

·        Fear, lack of courage, unwilling to take a risk

·        Only sees the difficulty and probable failure, i.e. lack of faith.

The guarantee stands!!

Understanding our weaknesses will help us allow God to work through us; however dwelling on our weaknesses, or hiding behind them, will render us ineffective. God meets us initially where we are, at our recognized point of need, and from here we are led on to an understanding of our needs at a deeper level – which we should not ignore. A proper realistic view of ourselves is what we need to lead us toward a proper trust in God. We come as we are, open ourselves to Jesus, receive his forgiveness, fix our eyes on him, then go with Jesus through life … learning along the way. Then any task we are called to, is a task that God can accomplish through us. The “Come no closer” of verse 5 has now given way to “So come … I will be with you” (v.10,12). The protest, “Who am I …”, should have come to an end – it no longer stands up.

There will eventually be a “sign” that God has truly called Moses and has been with him all the way (v.12b), but that “sign” will not be seen until the job is done. Moses will have to exhibit faith to experience the results which will vindicate the whole effort. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating!

(4) People of Prayer & Compassion

So what might we want to cry out to God about?

Are we attentive to how God might answer?

What if we ourselves are asked to participate in a ‘rescue plan’?

Can we apply God’s promise, “I will be with you”?

The world, this country, even elements of our own community are in great need. What are we crying about? In the story of the exodus, clearly the people’s prayers led to a remarkable outcome. God wants to hear our cries. This is part of our participation in his compassion for the world. In some mysterious way, our cries of pain energise God’s compassion. God’s action was decisively for the oppressed, and against their oppressor Pharaoh. The protests and cries of the victims, and those who intercede for them are always heard by God. Psalm 103:6-8 says, The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love (NLT).

Do we join God in his nature of compassion? Do we back our prayers with action? Or, do we perhaps just go through the spiritual motions a bit? Perhaps we don’t unleash enough of God into certain situations!

Why doesn’t this happen, or that happen, we wonder! Have we cried out? Have we gone out on a limb??

God has a consistent mindset of bringing people out of bad situations into new hope, out of slavery into freedom, out of darkness and into light, out of death and into life. This is no matter whether they have fallen into bad situations through the behaviour of others, or got themselves into trouble and they themselves bear the responsibility. This is how God responded to the “fall”, and how God continues to respond. Ultimately of course, God responded to the sin problem in the world with Jesus. But this shouldn’t have been unexpected, because God was always seeking to get close up and personal and save his people.

'Resilience' series conclusion - "Mary & Martha: there is need of only one thing" (Luke 10:38-11:4)

(1) Where do you see ‘resilience’ here (in Luke 10:38-42 with Mary and Martha)?

Resilience =

·        the capacity to withstand and bounce back

·        absorbing setbacks and continuing to function well

·        to readily recover

·        to keep moving through difficult circumstances

·        making a difference despite setbacks

·        taking on challenges

·        to remain connected and open-hearted

·        growing.

What might help the building of ‘resilience’ from this passage?

·        Jesus was welcomed into their home (by Martha!)

·        Mary being attentive to Jesus … “who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying”

·        Mary choosing “the better part” which will not be taken away

What about a negative example?

·        Martha was worried and distracted “by many things”. This was understandable with all these disciples to feed; however if Martha was unwilling to sit at Jesus’ feet, then the result may well be a lack of ‘resilience’. Also, Martha thought nothing of seeking to interrupt Mary from sitting at Jesus’ feet … “Tell her then to help me” (v.40).

We might think on the surface that Jesus commended being passive over and above being active in this incident with Mary and Martha, but the context would suggest otherwise: at the beginning of chapter 10 there is the call to active mission (that Steve Stubbings talked about) … the sending out of the seventy (out of their comfort zones into ‘third places’); which is followed by the call toward active neighbourliness in the parable of the ‘good Samaritan’ … the challenge to be good neighbours (to people who may not even be our first choices). Steve Stubbings emphasised one very important word … a small word … perhaps what we might come to see as the end point and climax of our ‘resilience’ … “go”!

So the problem with Martha was NOT that she was active and motivated, rather it was that she was … “worried and distracted”. She had lost perspective, maybe she had even gone off track completely. Worries and distractions can be very pervasive and noisy, and block our minds from more productive endeavours. Jesus tried to return Martha back to basics by saying to her, “there is need of only one thing” (v.42a). That one thing was what Mary was displaying – the centrality of a devoted relationship with Jesus.

Our level of ‘resilience’ is ultimately connected to our response to one person – to the depth of our relationship with one person … Jesus!

When the seventy on mission came back and reported their incredible success to Jesus … “even the demons submit to us” (10:17), Jesus said back to them, “Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (10:20)! Thus everything that is good in our present and in our future, stems from our relationship with Jesus. So what counts most is the relationship that fuels the best outcomes. This is where ‘resilience’ springs from!

(2) Why is it that we get worried and distracted?

·        We take our eyes off Jesus

·        We let little things take too big a priority

·        We concentrate on the negative rather than the positive

·        We become too self-interested

·        We are too concerned how others might see us

·        Even maybe, a misguided sense of justice. You may think that Martha was just interested in a fair distribution of the work; or rather, had she allowed a chip to form on her shoulder about how hard she worked compared with everyone else?!? “Lord, do you not care … tell her to help me” (v.40)!!!

·        Sometimes our perspective is just a little off. Martha was acting purely out of the perspective that Jesus was her guest, thereby missing the point that in this scene of hospitality, she was really Jesus’ guest. Jesus was in her house not to be served, but rather to serve. Sometimes, as much as we are called to serve others in the name of Jesus, we need to receive from Jesus. The repeated “Martha, Martha” of verse 41 seems to have a very compassionate tone to it … for she was missing out.

So Martha was not wrong in being active, it’s just that she lacked grounding, and therefore became easily worried and distracted. To be ‘resilient’ is to have what we do firmly grounded in who we believe in.

(3) Mary, listening and learning

Mary at the feet of Jesus, listening attentively, was ready to hear what was needed to be heard. This is NOT a text about a choice being contemplative on the one hand or active on the other, or even about life balance; it is a text about what is primary and should come first. Martha needed to be where Mary was, so that when she returned to her various activities … it would be the right sort of activities carried out in the right sort of way.

Throughout the history of Judaism, one of the most honoured positions for a Jew was the privilege of becoming a follower of the local rabbi and to be able to sit at their feet while they taught. Such followers would also study the rabbi’s words, watch how he acted and reacted to life and others – being determined to become like him. Mary correctly identified Jesus as the one she should follow in such a way as this!

Where do we need to be?

Why at Jesus’ feet?

This is the place of love, grace and … learning!

What might we need to learn?

We have been blessed and challenged by messages in our ‘resilience’ series, that have dealt with this concept in a number of ways. I believe, in a strong sense, that we have been sitting at Jesus’ feet as we have been listening to these profound messages about where we find and see ‘resilience’.

Glenn Arnott challenged us to strengthen our faith so that we would be in an increasingly better position to cope with the adverse winds and unsettled seas (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus will always be there for us … for when it came to the crunch he got into the boat; but Jesus does want us to be able to build our own resolve without resorting to worry and fear – so scared were the disciples on that occasion that they did not even recognise Jesus when he came past them walking on the water. That’s why he sent them out in the boat in the first place, and why he was going to originally just pass them by! Jesus tests our metal … this is part of us becoming who we are meant to be.

Andy Sparkes told us many stories about refugees who had built ‘resilience’ through all the difficult circumstances they had encountered. Some did this through faith in a God who would travel with them and carry them through no matter how bad things got. But this didn’t happen as their difficulties reduced, quite the opposite. Resilience built as they did everything they could to give their families a better life in a better place.

We all have to face up to changed environmental situations – longer hotter summers. But as John Atkins said to us, we also have to respond to the attitudes and decisions that got us here. God has given us plentiful resources. If we have neglected our stewardship of creation, and, if, because of greed, we have short-changed any other people or whole countries into poverty, then we need to respond to opportunities of practically helping. This is simply the beginning point of communal repentance. Jesus has taught us to help those who have been neglected and left behind.

When it comes to ‘resilience’ in our family life, Brett Ryan last week gave us very practical advice about spending time eating together around the table, undistracted by anything that would reduce the possibility of growing relationships. And then we have the opportunity of acknowledging Jesus as the extra person at our table at each and every meal. Would that change how we behaved?

When I spoke about ‘church resilience’, we saw that we will be able to take on what might seem the most incredible challenges because Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit through which to be effective in his name. Against all odds we can be a devoted, vital, generous and worshipping people that results in a growing Kingdom of God.

What else might we learn at Jesus’ feet?

The answers to all sorts of questions:

Big questions –

·        What do we see ourselves doing with our life?

Daily questions –

·        Who can we bless today?

·        What person or cause can we serve today?

Where might his take us?

Where we become such good listeners that we can naturally respond to God’s gentle directions.

Jesus concludes his commendation of Mary (in verse 42) with the words, “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”. What does this mean? Mary’s learnings at the feet of Jesus are treasures in heaven of eternal value. The resources gained will surely stand Mary in very good stead.

Now Mary might just get a bit active and serve some pavlova for dessert; and Martha … she may just leave the dishes until after Jesus leaves.

(4) A Prayer that is a Lifestyle

If we come to sit at Jesus’ feet, then we enter a relationship built on the simple basic trust of the next verses. This is not only a model prayer, but also a statement of ‘resilience’. If we adopt Jesus’ model prayer as a lifestyle, this will certainly bring ‘resilience’. This prayer can define the nature of our relationship with both God and the World.

In this way we have a unique contribution to make to the whole area of ‘resilience’ in our community.

We have a heavenly father who generously loves us, One that we can love in return, worship, and bear witness to. We have God-given purpose and vision revolving around God’s Kingdom being revealed on earth. We trust God for our daily needs without worrying. We maintain all of our relationships through the practice of forgiveness, and in so doing receive forgiveness ourselves. We are honest about our own transgressions. We trust that God always has our best interests at heart.

(5) Jesus brings ‘resilience’ – the ultimate capacity to bounce back.

Jesus himself rose from death to life. When we were dead in our sins … Jesus took our burden upon himself and died that we might live. When we were lost seemingly without hope … Jesus invited us into a relationship of love and freedom. When we were lonely and friendless … Jesus declared that he would be our friend. When we were scared and had nowhere else to turn … Jesus offered us his company, walking with us day by day. When we were busy but not actually achieving anything … Jesus invited us to sit at his feet and rest for a while. When we were wondering what life means for us … Jesus gently teaches us what we need to know.

"Hope Springs Eternal" (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Matthew 19:13-15)

God ‘s people in Israel had found themselves in exile. The prophets tell us that this was largely this people’s own fault. They had taken God for granted and neglected God’s ways. Because their lives were not as they should have been, they were a sitting duck for the invading military might of Babylon. Being taken north into exile … all seemed lost! Loss of land, social and spiritual connections; restricted freedom; living within a totally different culture – all hope seemed gone!!

Sometimes, because of the circumstances we face, we might think that all hope is gone. At other times, it is people close to us that we feel deeply for, as they go through struggles, and we sense that their hope is diminishing. There are so many people in desperate situations. We can even feel like we are in ‘exile’ in this world with all that is going on – so much evil happening in various parts of the world.

The prophet Jeremiah at the time might have said something like: “she’ll be right – you’ll be back home in no time”! But this would not be true – the situation the people were in was not going to be resolved so easily nor quickly. This would have been “false hope”, for it was not based in reality. Jeremiah was a ‘true’ prophet, and he was going to accurately reflect God’s take on the situation. This political situation will take seventy years to resolve. Get used to the idea, and settle down into some semblance of normal living.

So where was hope to be found? God would be with his people in this exile, and in their struggle (to adjust)! God would not leave his people to flounder in their difficulty and in their feelings of lostness! God remained available to them; while it is true that they couldn’t worship in the places of their choosing, God was still intimately close to them. This might be of encouragement to those we know, who in later years have moved into facilities where they would prefer not to be. God is mobile … not restricted to any place.

As God’s people began to carve out a new life for themselves in Babylon, and did so with integrity in terms of their relationships with all people, God would look after these people’s ultimate well-being – for surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Hope for these people would not be found in their surroundings (whether good or bad), not in their material resources (whether lots or little), not be found in physical places of worship (whether lavish or meagre), but rather purely in a relationship with God.

And for God to have “plans” for us, means that God really knows us well, and surely this suggests an enormous amount of loving intent. So when we cry out in despair, we know for sure that God hears us, and desires the best for us. There is a sense in this Jeremiah passage we have read, that when we come to terms with what matters most … our relationship with God (and through our relationship with God our relationship with our neighbour) … our future will be better than either the past or the present.

Seeking God with all our heart is the road to experiencing hope!! There is no barrier left to finding God – God certainly doesn’t put up any walls of separation – I will let you find me, says the Lord. And thus we can be refashioned and reformed … being prepared for eternity.

Now if this still seems a little illusive, then we can personalise this even more through our New Testament reading. You couldn’t have children disrupting Jesus could you!?! Jesus had more important things to do!?! Even his disciples, who should have known better, were party to stopping these children running up to Jesus. [These disciples had heard Jesus teaching on the need for humility (like you naturally see represented in children) just one chapter earlier.]

Here is a real downer … the natural and beautiful excitement of children being squashed by adults with misplaced priorities. Children had very low status in the society of that time, and Jesus would want to counteract that thinking, but also went on to elevate children as the ones we would have to emulate if we want to be fit for God’s kingdom. We don’t want to be repressing children and destroying their optimism. We know that a lot worse has been done to children that requires so much repentance and reparation.

Jesus of course senses better than anyone else what is at stake here: Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. Jesus will not let hope be taken away! And not only that – Jesus presents an invitation to come to him that we can all respond to. Despite all the baggage and hurt that we have accumulated during winter, now that spring has arrived and Jesus is present, we can come to Jesus with all the humility and innocence of a child – it is to such as these [children] that the kingdom of heaven belongs. I’m sure Jesus touched every one of these children that were brought to him that day.

So much hope is lost through finding out that what we had invested most in turned out to be not worth as much as we had thought … things like work, achievement, status, material gain. So much hope is lost when some seem to rise while others get left behind. So much hope is lost through disappointment in other people. Yet hope is regained through a little trust and a bit of openness toward Jesus – a beautiful friend, wonderful Saviour, and the Lord of lords.

What a tremendous amount of hope there is in these scriptures. No matter how grim the winter has been, God is there, close available for the finding; bringing renewed opportunities of life and love. Spring comes around each year without any help from us! The same God that has set the seasons in place offers us new hope. We can allow the troubles of winter to dominate our spring, or embrace anew the hope that is in God.

And when other things and other people have tended to get in the way, Jesus makes way for us to come to him, and then places his hands gently upon us … such that hope springs eternal!