Sun. Aug. 31, 2014 (J. Evan Kreider)

Dr. J. Evan Kreider spoke on "Forty Years" based on Exodus 3:1-15. As a fitting sequel to the story of Elijah, of whom Evan spoke two Sundays ago, Moses also had to flee to the wilderness and encountered God in a life-changing way on Mount Horeb. A blazing bush that wasn't consumed by the fire certainly caught Moses' attention while tending livestock! When God called Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses questioned his own credibility to lead the people. But God answered those doubts by identifying himself in a way that the people would recognize as prophetic. The Chapel of the Burning Bush inside St. Catherine's Monastery in Egypt continues to protect the presumed site of that encounter.

Like Moses, we may feel unqualified or an outsider, but has there been a "burning bush" moment in your life? Has an unexpected opportunity or crisis allowed you to see how things can work out for the better, spiritually? When Evan heard his cousin preach at the Mennonite centre in London, those sermons showed Evan how to reconcile an academic perspective on history and his Mennonite beliefs. Moses encountered God during his daily routine at work, and the story of him changing careers at the age of 80 proves that God can provide "burning bush" moments for any of us, including our octogenarians! Basil of Caesarea (c.330-379) wrote (abridged), "… teach me … to ask … for the right things. Steer … the vessel of my life towards Thyself … to rejoice in thy glorious and gladdening presence." [KH]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, August 31st, 2014 using your browser's preferred media player.