Huge Distinction

Acts 7:17-29 

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’ 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ 27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

God told Abraham that his descendant will be enslaved and mistreated in a foreign country.

Indeed, the Israelites multiplied in Egypt and never thought of going back to Canaan. Was it because they were busy making themselves rich or they just enjoyed life in Egypt?

A king of Egypt who never heard about Joseph oppressed the Israelites.

From this episode of Stephen’s speech, we can learn the distinction between God’s at work and human effort.

Foot or Airplane

If you were to travel, you sure do not think of traveling on foot to go abroad, right?

You may reach your destination if you travel on foot but you prefer travelling by airplane when you go abroad.

Christians are pilgrims, travelers living here in this physical world. Yet, still many Christians are not aware on whether God is at work or they are using plain human effort to achieve something or to reach something.

Human effort is like travelling on foot and God at work is like travelling by airplane.

How can we know the distinction when God is at work or when human effort is exerted?

1. God at Work

21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

When the Pharaoh commanded the killing of Israelite children, Moses was spared. God rearranged the situation surrounding Moses to save him from being executed. The baby Moses did not choose, he did not dream of living in Pharaoh’s palace. The Lord touched the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter and so that she took Moses as her son.

Moses lived luxuriously, educated in all wisdom of the Egyptians. According to Stephen, Moses became powerful in speech and action.

Verse 22 contradicted what Moses said to the Lord in Exodus 4:10…

10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Perhaps, when God told Moses to go back to Egypt, he still had reservations or hesitations.

Anyway, we will talk more about the conversation between God and Moses next time.

Our passage teaches us that if God is at work, better things are to be experienced.

The life of Moses is a desirable kind of life experience–no trouble, no struggle at all. Would God allow each believer to have such a kind of experience like that of Moses’?

King Jehoshaphat

In 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, a vast army of their enemies came to invade Judah.

1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

King Jehoshaphat’s resolved to inquire of the Lord and fasted to hear to God’s commands.

This word “resolve” means “abandon” or “give up.”. In the Filipino expression, it’s similar to “Bahala ka na!” or “It’s up to you!”

King Jehoshaphat abandoned the result of the enemy’s invasion into the hands of God. As a result, instead of worrying about their enemies, the Israelites sang praises God. While they were singing praises to God, the Moabites and the Ammonites rose against those armies who joined them to attack Jehoshaphat until they destroyed one another.

When Judah’s army came to the war zone, they just picked up plunders for three days.

24 When the men of Judah came to the place … and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.

War can be a nation’s worst problem but, when God’s at work, no worry, just expect blessing.

We will always have problems and difficulties in this life but if we allow the Lord Jesus to take over our personal concerns, just wait and expect for His wonders to be displayed.

In contrast to God at work, we cannot help but to use our own human effort.

2. Human Effort

24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.

Moses jumped into action and by his own human effort decided to help his fellow Israelite. With much learning and experiences he had while studying all the wisdom of the Egyptians, he assumed that his decision-making was great enough and never asked the Lord. His own people however, did not realize that Moses was more than willing to help them. He tried to save his fellow Israelite but his human effort was not recognized as help.

When people do not recognize that much effort exerted in doing something good, it might be that human effort was exerted. There were those who previously got involved in the ministry who do not want to be involved anymore because they did not receive appreciation of what they have done. They did their best effort, they sacrificed for the sake of the ministry but like Moses, people in the church did not recognize their exerted human effort.

True service to God does not require or even yearn for any human appreciation. Therefore, when you feel like people should appreciate what you have done, that is your sign, friend, that you did something by your human effort.

 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ 27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

Moses understood that the Isrealites did not realize his help when he tried to intervene between two Israelites who were fighting. Moses was anxious and escaped to Midian thinking, “What I did must have become known!”

When using human effort in the ministry, there is sure anxiety or restlessness felt. If the fruit of the Holy Spirit is absent, no joy, no peace, pure human effort is exerted. Like Moses, one is anxious to escape, to go somewhere, or to transfer to another church.

1st Command with a Promise

In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says…1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Parents acknowledge by experience that to obey and honor parents bring more blessings. Children may understand it but they have reservation in honouring or obeying their parents. Children who frequently ignore or intentionally disobey their parents have not experienced the abundant blessing brought forth by honouring their parents.

Many parents misunderstood also how this command for children should come into effect. Most of the times, parents use their human effort to make this command take into effect. Parents would scare children, “Hey child, obey your parents so that God will bless you.”

Sure God bless obedient children, but parents are not commanded to force them to obey. Most children obey not because they respect their parents but because they are scared of the consequences of disobedience. Other children however, are brave to disobey or rebel and the worst disrespect parents.

Parents, when children do not listen, remember Moses using his human effort.

Similarly, to managers, supervisors or leaders, when followers do not want to follow, it might be that human effort is exerted.

Christians are called to make disciples therefore Christians are leaders according to capacity and ability God has given. When performing leadership responsibilities and it becomes a burden, when there’s restlessness, for sure, the fruit of the Spirit is not experienced. When the fruit of the Spirit does not manifest or sensed, human effort is exerted. When there’s anxiety or restlessness in the ministry, pure human effort is applied.

In Philippians 3:10-11 Paul wrote…

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Why did Paul desire to participate in Christ’s sufferings, becoming like Him in His death?

When God is at work, even during difficult times no thought of escape but joyful enduring.

When God is at work, there is joy and peace to face problems or unfavourable situations. Joy and peace from the Holy Spirit prevails whatever the situation is, good or bad when God’s grace is actively at work in our life.

Keep seeking, asking and praying for God’s grace to actively at work in your life.

Problems and difficulties will attack anytime, anywhere, inside or outside this church building.

We may not understand everything why God allows us to experience difficulties but if the Holy Spirit bears fruit of joy and peace in us, our heart and minds will be guarded from any anxiousness and restless thoughts.

><((‘> … ><(((‘> tmec\2021 <‘)))>< … <‘))><

 

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