Consider what it means to be “called” by God as we look at Moses’s journey and God’s consistent presence. Fully stepping into God’s call is not something you’ll do alone. God was with Moses, guiding him through his fears and inadequacies when his call by God was unexpected, unwanted, new, and difficult. Notice how God was with him, leading and empowering him (and us), along the way. Watch my latest sermon preached on 1 February 2026 called “Fully Stepping into God’s Call: Moses’ Beginnings & You” from Exodus chapters 1-4 linked below.
I preached this sermon for the Young Adult Ministries (YAM) English speaking college ministry of The Lord’s Church in Waco (TLCW). The Lord’s Church Waco is located in Waco, Texas, about a 40 minute drive from my home in Temple.
Scroll down below to watch a recording of the sermon or the entire service! Read the Scriptures, a transcript of the closing prayer, and the benediction I offered at the end of the Y.A.M. service. Scroll down even further to watch my ‘After Sermon Background Preaching Tips‘ video where I’m keeping up my routine of sharing a few thoughts after I preach (right before I walk back into my home from my car!).
I am always hopeful that these offerings would bless and encourage you in your own journey with God and in your ministry of service to others. Feel free to reach out to me or leave a comment below, anytime. Blessings and peace!
Exodus 3:1-4, 7, 9-10 NIV
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
1 Thessalonians 5:24
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
John 15:16a
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…
Hebrews 12:1b-2a
…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. …
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you so much for how you are with us. You were with Moses. You’ve recorded his objections so that we can know that, he didn’t just immediately say yes to you. He had to work through what you were calling him to do. You were there with him as he deliberated all of that. You patiently and personally led Moses through to transform him into the person that you knew he could and would be.
God, I pray that you will be with each person here, each person that’s listening or reading, each person that is looking to you as the Lord of all. God, we need your guidance. We need your help. We need that same patience that you extended to Moses. God, we need that for us as well. And God, we also need you to continue to do what only you can do.
There is no way, I’m sure there’s no way at all Moses ever thought that HE would be the one to do what he did. But God, YOU see more than what we are capable of seeing. YOU see beyond even our own limitations, history and current situations. You see beyond. You see and you hear all the people in the world and you are rising up in such a way that often you choose to work through us regular, limited, and not perfect people.
God, what a heavy burden to bear. And yet, we are reminded that we do not bear that work alone. You are with us. You call us and equip us. You give us opportunities that transform us to BE and to DO with you. Help us to lean into you, God.
Continue to remove in us anything that is not of you and ways that we hold ourselves back when we don’t want to move. When we’re scared. Lord, help us to be strong and courageous in you and through you, to do what only you can do. It’s in your most holy and precious name we pray- Amen.
Benediction
May we be strong and courageous. For it is the LORD our God who goes with us.. God will not leave us or forsake us. Let us go, and be the church.
Preaching Tips Background Video
How did I come to decide on this topic on calling? Well in this video share, I share the background context on how I got there. I reference a book that has been helpful to me in my difficult season called, “Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership” by Ruth Haley Barton which gave me the idea to talk about Moses since she frames her book around the journey of Moses. I also share about the Social media check-in from a friend, the dental visit with my daughter, a coffee shop interaction with a stranger, the shared testimony on calling at my home church before communion right before I left to go to TLCW to preach, and then through worship at the YAM service, praying that God would use every part of my life- whatever is needed – whatever is helpful – to help someone else in their journey with God. I end with a prayer to those listening that God would give each of us what we uniquely need to step fully into God’s call and thanked God for not leaving us where we are but leading us into where God knows we could be. May you be blessed!
Do share with me what resonates with you, in your particular roles of ministry (or however you’ve come to find this particular video)! Thanks!
You can watch my After Preaching Tips video playlist here.
You can find the rest of my Sermons here! https://sejanashines.com/preaching and my Sermons playlist here.
Here’s a new link with all kinds of ways to connect with me! https://lnk.bio/sejanashines.
Feel free to share a comment with the community by scrolling all the way down and entering it below! Or you can send a message that goes to my email here:
Share your comment