January 7, 2001   Holy Ground Part I    Exodus 3  (Holy Communion)

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 The Purpose of this sermon is to take you to some holy ground.  There you will meet the Lord and he will speak to you.

 He was just a little lad, and on a Sabbath day was wandering home from Sunday school, and was dawdling on his way.  He scuffed his shoes into the grass; he found a caterpillar; he found a fluffy milkweed pod and blew out all the "filler".  A bird's nest in the tree overhead, so wisely placed and high, was just another wonder that caught his eager eye.

   A neighbor watched his zig-zag course and hailed him from the lawn, asked him where he had been that day and what was going on.

   "Oh, I've been to Sunday school" -- he carefully turned the sod and found a snail beneath it -- "I've learned a lot of God."

   "M'm, a very fine way," the neighbor said, "for a boy to spend his time.  If you'll tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime."

   Quick as a flash his answer came, nor were his accents faint. "I'll give you a dollar, Mister, if you'll tell me where God ain't." 

 Scripture Text:  Exodus 3:1 (KJS) Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 

                       Have you seen any Holy Ground?  What is a holy place to you and where is it? 

What is Holy Ground?  Holy Ground is the place where God is.  This is the reason for the holiness of the sanctuary, the person, and the place.  It is holy because God is there.  Would you turn to see the Holy Place today? 

 1.    God Came.  Where has He come for you?  Where have you been?  Where are you today?  Does He come to look for you?  He wants you to see him and know him.  He wants you to come to the holy place. 

He came to the backside of the desert to find Moses.  He went to bottom of the sea to find Jonah taking a vacation from the inside of the world’s first submarine.  He went into the bushes to play hide and go seek with Adam and Eve.  He has gone into foxholes, beer joints, coalmines, grocery stores, bedrooms, houses, and even churches to find his people.  Where has he gone to look for you? He has gone where you have been.   He is here today trying to get your attention again.  He wants you to know that He has come here for you.  This is the holy ground of God.  He is where you are and He has come for you again.  His body is represented on the table of communion today.  The bread represents the body of the Lord and the cup represents the blood that was shed for you and me.  He has come for you and he is here again today.  This is holy ground. 

 2.    God Waited.  Moses worked in the desert for 40 years for his father in law, Jethro.   God waited.  Since the beginning of creation God has waited for his creation to come back to him.  God waits and longs for a close encounter with each one of his people.  When the time is right he comes to make sure that you know that he is real and he wants you to know him.  Every time we take communion we are reminded of the fact that God is real enough to touch, taste, and take as your very own.  He wants to be your very own God.  He isn’t a pet to throw a biscuit to, but he is the Lord.  He patiently waits for you to recognize who he is.  Moses was one who he chose the way that he has chosen you today to know him as he is.  Some may doubt that he is real and because he is patient some may feel that he is gone away, but he is here today for you.  This is Holy Ground. 

 2Pet 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 3.    God Called:  He wants you to join Him in the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was the inner sanctuary in the temple where the Lord lived.  Here the high priest would enter once a year to offer the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the people.   This is your place with him.  This is your place for him in your heart.  Hear him today.  Will you turn aside from your busy life to see what is this strange site?  There is a fire that is burning inside of you.  It is the Holy Spirit.  It is the presence of the only true living God who is here today for you.  The fire burns but the person is not burned up.  It is the fire that shows the presence of God.  Could it be that there is such a thing?  Can there be a fire that doesn’t physically consume the burned?  Could it be that there is a real God?  One who is above you all, in you all, and through you all?  Could there be one who is the creator?  One who has all power in heaven and in earth?  Could there be One who is so strong that he would lay down his life for his beloved?  Today, He invites you to come to his table and to take him as your very own.   This is Holy Ground   3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses,  . 

 4.    Moses Answered.   Moses said, “Here am I.”  Will you turn aside and see this great sight?  Will you answer the Lord’s call in your life today?  He is the God of all the ages.  The only true, living God invites you to answer him today.  This is Holy Ground.  How will you answer today? 

 Would you turn to see the Holy Place today?  Join God here at the table of the last supper of the Lord.  Here he calls you to see for yourself this holy place.