in-depth Sermon Breakdowns

We invite you to use this page as a resource to dive into the recent messages preached from behind our pulpit. Please let us know how these messages have blessed you.

Adam Dragoon 8/22/25 Adam Dragoon 8/22/25

🔥 Living Lit: How to Burn for God Without Burning Out 🔥

The story of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3 is a powerful reminder that God’s work in our lives is never just about a single moment or a fleeting experience. God is not interested in mere visitations; He desires to inhabit us, to set us aflame with His presence in a way that endures and transforms.

Sermon Summary

Many times, we find ourselves stepping into moments or places where something significant is already happening, but without the backstory, it’s easy to miss the weight of what’s unfolding. This is often how people approach the things of God—seeing others moved, worshiping passionately, but not understanding the depth behind it.

Moses’ life is a study in contrasts: from the heights of Egyptian privilege to the obscurity of shepherding in the desert. At 80, Moses likely saw himself as washed up, his best days behind him. Yet, God saw destiny and purpose where Moses saw only failure and routine. The burning bush was not a random miracle, but a test—would Moses notice the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary? It was only when Moses turned aside, curious and hungry for more, that God spoke to him. This is a pattern: God often waits for us to draw near, to become attentive and hungry, before He reveals Himself.

When God called Moses by name, it was deeply personal. God didn’t address him by his failures or his occupation, but by his unique identity. This is how God calls each of us—not as faceless numbers, but as beloved individuals with a place in His unfolding story. Yet, before Moses could draw near, God required him to remove his sandals—a symbol of leaving behind fleshly desires and pursuing holiness. God’s presence is holy ground, and intimacy with Him always calls for transformation.

God’s commission to Moses was not based on Moses’ qualifications, but on God’s own sufficiency: “I AM who I AM.” Our calling is anchored not in our abilities, but in God’s presence and power. Like Moses, we may feel unqualified or inadequate, but God’s Spirit animates us, making us vessels for His purposes. The fire of God is available to all who will turn aside, become hungry, and pursue Him with a surrendered heart. This is not just for a select few, but for every believer—God wants to set each of us ablaze, to live “lit” with His Spirit, impacting the world around us.

“The fire of God is available to all who will turn aside, become hungry, and pursue Him with a surrendered heart. This is not just for a select few, but for every believer—God wants to set each of us ablaze, to live “lit” with His Spirit, impacting the world around us.”

— Pastor Adam

Watch/Listen

Message Study Guide

Youtube chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:55] - Missing the Backstory: Entering God’s Story
[02:18] - God’s Desire: Habitation, Not Visitation
[05:02] - Prayer for Transformation
[06:54] - Moses’ Journey: From Privilege to Obscurity
[09:40] - Personal Testimony: Lost Opportunities
[11:12] - God’s Perspective on Our Past
[12:33] - The Burning Bush: Ordinary Meets Extraordinary
[14:12] - Turning Aside: The Test of Attention
[17:24] - The Divine Hiddenness of God
[19:50] - The Personal Call: Moses, Moses
[23:07] - Holy Ground: The Call to Holiness
[25:57] - Entering God’s Covenant Story
[31:04] - God’s Commission: The Call to Go
[34:31] - “I AM” and Our Identity
[36:43] - The Spirit Animates the Glove
[39:00] - Living Lit: The Fire for Every Believer
[41:00] - The Need for New Life
[42:47] - Responding to God’s Invitation
[44:16] - Altar Call and Closing

Key Takeaways

God Sees Destiny in Our Obscurity
Even when we feel like our lives are defined by past failures or present insignificance, God sees potential and purpose. Moses spent decades in obscurity, but God was preparing him for a pivotal role in His redemptive plan. Our seasons of hiddenness are not wasted; they are often the soil where God cultivates humility and readiness for His calling. [11:12]
The Extraordinary Awaits in the Ordinary
The burning bush was not a spectacle for its own sake, but a test of attention and hunger. God often places moments of divine invitation in the midst of our routines, waiting to see if we will turn aside and seek Him. Spiritual breakthroughs frequently come to those who are willing to pause, notice, and pursue the subtle stirrings of God in everyday life. [14:12]
Intimacy with God Requires Holiness
Before Moses could draw near, he had to remove his sandals—a symbol of shedding the old ways and embracing God’s standard of holiness. True closeness with God is not possible without a willingness to let go of fleshly desires and pursue righteousness. Holiness is not about perfection, but about a heart posture that says, “Lord, I want to be set apart for You.” [23:07]
Our Identity and Calling Are Anchored in God’s Sufficiency
When Moses doubted his ability, God responded not with a pep talk, but with a revelation of Himself: “I AM who I AM.” Our sense of inadequacy is met by God’s all-sufficiency. The call to “go” is not about our strength, but about God’s presence going with us, empowering us to fulfill His purposes beyond our limitations. [34:31]
The Spirit of God Animates and Empowers Ordinary Lives
Like a glove animated by a hand, our lives are meant to be filled and moved by the Spirit of God. This is not reserved for spiritual elites, but is the promise of Pentecost for every believer. When we yield to the Spirit, God’s fire can burn in us without consuming us, making us living witnesses of His power and grace in every context of life. [36:43]

Bible Reading

Exodus 3:1-15 (ESV)
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your 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 at God.
Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”

Observation Questions

What was Moses doing when he first encountered the burning bush, and why is this detail important? [12:33]
According to the passage, when did God actually speak to Moses, and what did Moses do to prompt this? [14:12]
What did God ask Moses to do before coming closer to the burning bush, and what did this action symbolize? [23:07]
How did God introduce Himself to Moses, and what significance did this have for Moses’ identity and calling? [25:57]

Interpretation Questions

Why might God choose to reveal Himself in the midst of Moses’ ordinary, routine life rather than during a dramatic or “spiritual” moment? [12:33]
What does the burning bush that was not consumed represent about God’s presence in a believer’s life? [02:18]
Why do you think God called Moses by name, and not by his failures or his job title? What does this say about how God views us? [19:50]
When Moses expressed doubt about his ability to fulfill God’s calling, how did God respond, and what does this teach us about the source of our strength and identity? [34:31]

Application Questions

Moses spent decades in obscurity, feeling like his best days were behind him. Have you ever felt like your past failures or current “ordinary” life disqualify you from being used by God? How might God be preparing you in your current season? [11:12]
The burning bush was a test of Moses’ attention and hunger for God. Are there “burning bush” moments in your daily routine that you might be overlooking? What would it look like for you to “turn aside” and pay attention to God’s invitations this week? [14:12]
God required Moses to remove his sandals before coming closer—a symbol of leaving behind fleshly desires and pursuing holiness. Is there something in your life that God might be asking you to “take off” or let go of in order to draw nearer to Him? [23:07]
God’s call to Moses was not based on Moses’ qualifications, but on God’s sufficiency. In what areas do you feel unqualified or inadequate, and how can you lean into God’s “I AM” rather than your own “I am not”? [34:31]
The sermon compared our lives to a glove that only comes alive when filled with God’s Spirit. In what areas of your life do you feel like an “empty glove,” and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to animate and empower you? [36:43]
The fire of God is available to every believer, not just spiritual “elites.” What steps can you take this week to become more “hungry” for God’s presence and to live “lit” with His Spirit in your home, work, or relationships? [39:00]
The story of Moses shows that God’s presence transforms ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. Who in your life needs to see the evidence of God’s fire in you, and how can you be intentional about letting God’s presence shine through you this week? [40:03]

Let's open up our Bibles to the book of Exodus. Join me there, Exodus, chapter... This message God has been putting on my heart for the last few weeks, and I hope to share with you a part of what God is doing in my own life, and I want to encourage you this morning.

Have you ever run into a situation where maybe you walk into a room where something important has been happening already? Maybe somebody's been watching a movie, and you come in right at the end, at the climax of the scene, and there's a statement that comes from the screen like, "Never let go, Jack! Never let go!" And you observe the people who have been there for three hours watching this, tears begin to flow, hearts begin to melt, but you haven't seen it. You haven't been there, and you're walking in going, "What's the big deal here?"

Have you had an experience like that where you're walking into the last moment, maybe like picking up a book and reading the last chapter without reading all of the rest of the story, without knowing any context or drama? And when that happens to us, it leads to us feeling disappointed or unimpressed or thinking, "What's the big deal?"

And I think that feeling accurately describes how many people come to a church service or come into the kingdom of God. It's easy for us to look around at others who might be feeling all the feels, worshiping with passion and zeal, looking into the Word of God with fervency and hunger.

And especially as newcomers or as new believers, we can say, "What's going on here? What's the big deal?" Without knowing all of the context and all of the history.

I want to talk about how God, in our Scripture, God speaks to Moses. There is a whole story, there's a whole background that we need to embrace this morning because—uh—John Bevere, a famous Christian author, he says this: the Lord's desire for us is not simply a visitation. Maybe you've heard that word described when God begins to pour out His Spirit on a particular movement or a church or a service. We say, "God was visiting that service." Well, that's not an inaccurate description. I believe that the Lord's desire is not visitation. God wants people who are not just momentarily sparked. How many know God's not into the sprinters? He's into the long-distance runners.

God wants people who are not momentarily sparked and excited for a single service or a single song at a worship concert. What God is looking for this morning is—there—someone here who could be set aflame with His presence. In the Scripture we're about to read, we find Moses as he encounters the burning bush. That little curiosity—he found a bush, and the Bible says it was burning but not consumed. And I believe right there is a picture of how our experience in this world can be if we would be inhabited by the Holy Spirit—not just visited once in a while, but the fire of God burning in our hearts, and we would not be consumed.

And I pray that that would describe you before you leave this place today. Let's read together, Exodus chapter 3, verse 1:

"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed."

Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight. Why? The bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses." And he said, "Here I am."

Let's pray for a moment.

Lord, we come not in the strength of intellect or human arguments. We come in the power of the Holy Spirit today, asking for Your grace and Your presence in this service right now. Holy Spirit, we yield to You, asking You to fill our hearts, to feed our souls today. God, our heart's desire as we gather in this house is not just to make an appearance, not just to make a noise, but God, we want our hearts to be transformed. We want our minds to be transformed and renewed. God, we ask that You would help us today and send us out as flames of fire, as on the day of Pentecost—that those flames would visit each and every one of us, that we can be filled with Your fire but not consumed. Help us this morning, in Jesus' name. God's people say, amen.

Let's look, first of all, at a message I've titled—hopefully I get this term right—"Living Lit." And we're going to turn aside to see, first of all. Let's look at this ordinary service with an extraordinary invitation.

Now, just thinking about this moment, it's such a critical moment in my mind in Scripture, where Moses, the Bible says he's 80 years old. The first 40 years of his life were lived in Egypt—living in the lap of luxury, with all the finest meals, all the privilege and power that the world has to offer. Finest schools, finest tables—the best that the world had to offer. Moses lived it for the first 40 years of his life.

One day, Moses has an encounter where he sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. And he connects himself—maybe for the first time—and says, "Wait a second, that's not right. Those are my people." And in that moment, anger, a rage, rises up in Moses. Moses goes out and kills the Egyptian who had been beating that Hebrew slave. And as a result, he ends up burying that abuser in the sand. He thinks he got away with it, but it comes out later—someone has observed him, someone has seen it. He is caught in the act.

Then the Bible says, at the age of 40, he runs away from his responsibilities. He runs away from the potential punishment that is upon his life, and he runs away from Egypt. He starts a new chapter in the life of Moses.

The first half of his life was a lap of luxury. The second half of his life, now he begins to live in a different way. He escapes to the backside of the desert, marries a wife, becomes a shepherd, and lives the second 40 years of his life in total obscurity. What a contrast from the first half of his life.

Second half of his life—nobody knows who he is, and nobody cares. The only people who care about him are just a small circle: his wife, a couple of kids, his father-in-law, and a group of sheep. He leads them around the wilderness.

And you know, I bet Moses was pretty comfortable in that life. He probably would say, if you talked to him at age 80, "Yeah, I lived a high life. I tried that one time. Yeah, I lived in Egypt—I know what it's like. But, man, I like the simple life. Let's keep it easy. Let's keep it simple. Let's keep men, though, taking care of the sheep—that's my jam. I'm going to do that. And I'm okay with that. I'm good with that. I'm happy."

Besides, any chance that he ever had at power or ability or fame or wealth—any chance he ever had—that's so far in the distance. I wasted that opportunity. I messed that one up.

I think about my own life. You probably don't know this, but there was a time in my life when I started going to college. Billy Paschal, you started. Yeah, it's true. I took a year and a half at the local community college in Gilbert, Arizona. You know what happened to that? I was on a scholarship. I had a presidential scholarship—full ride—to go to community college. You know what I did with that?

How did you know, Mr. David? Little blonde chica—and by the will of God, by the way—I got saved, and I started a different kind of life. Because of that, I squandered a perfectly good opportunity to take a full ride for four years at a community college. And I walked away from it, and I lost it.

And you know what? I think the same thing about Moses. Later for that—I don't want it anymore. Moses probably saw himself as a failure, a washed-up, no-good, backside-of-the-desert nobody. But isn't it true? God saw something very different.

He did not see someone who was wasted away. He did not see someone who was finished. He did not see someone who was washed up and used up. God looked at Moses and said, "That's my man." He has the perfect position. He has the perfect opportunity. And, by the way, he has the perfect name.

His name is Moshe in Hebrew—Moses—which means "to be pulled out of." He got his name when the daughter of Pharaoh pulled him out of the water and said, "Let's call him that." Moses—he was called out of the water. Do you know how symbolic and meaningful that was? Because God is going to use Moses to draw His people out of slavery and bondage.

God says, "That's my man." He's been named the thing he's going to do from the very first day. God saw destiny. God saw opportunity. Moses saw nothing but baggage—washed up, no good, wandering in the desert, doing what he's done for probably decades. Same old, same old—nothing special.

But when something extraordinary comes out of ordinary times—Moses, the Bible says these words: it says, "Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed."

Now, I just want to ask you to consider that. I've talked about this before, but please think about this for a moment. It was not uncommon for a bush to burn. This is a quick way for a shepherd or someone camping outdoors to get a quick burst of warmth or to cook a meal—you just set the bush on fire, and you get enough for a little meal, perhaps a little warmth. It was not uncommon for the bush to be on fire.

The thing that was uncommon is this: the bush was burning, but not consumed. Now, how is it possible that Moses could know that? It's possible only if he's walking down, he's got his shepherd's staff, he's walking, tending the sheep, and he glances over—there's a bush on fire. That's weird. Could have kept going.

The only way he could notice—*but*—I'm not watching it burn out. He had to stand there and watch it. He had to observe. He had to look. He had to notice. And the Bible says, then Moses said, verse 3, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight. Why does the bush not burn?" He says, "I got to figure this out. I got to get closer."

Now, notice this: God did not speak to him while Moses was walking with the sheep. God did not speak to him when he first noticed the fire. God only began to speak to him after Moses said, "Wait a second, what is happening here? I got to get a little bit closer. I got to check this thing out. I got to see why it's not just burning but continuing to burn."

And it's when Moses got curious and observant—and, shall we say, hungry to see something else—that God began to reveal Himself to Moses. I want to say the same thing is true in your life this morning.

You can do the routine. You can go to work, come home. Go to work, come home. Cook the meal, do the dishes, do the laundry, do all the things. And how many of you know—we are creatures of habit—something waiting for you. He has a calling. He has a revelation. He has a purpose. He has a person that you need to speak to. He has a job. He has a ministry. He's got something outside of the ordinary.

But often we miss those things because we walk by and think, "Unusual?" He looked and beheld—the bush was burning with fire. I want you to take a moment this morning to consider: is God trying to get your attention?

You know, when God speaks to us, there is a theological truth that the Bible reveals, and it's called the divine hiddenness of God. Isn't it interesting? If God wanted to, He could make Himself obvious to everybody, right? God could appear in human form. God could write His message in the clouds. God could take over every airwave like the aliens on Independence Day. And God could appear on every television screen and speak with clarity, audibly, to every person at the same time, saying, "I am God. You are not. Believe in me."

He could do that, right? And yet, isn't it interesting that God has decided to remain largely hidden, out of view of our normal experience in life? It was not until Moses turned aside to draw near that God revealed Himself.

This is what the Bible says about Jesus: Revelation 3, verse 20—"Behold, I stand at the door and knock." You know, Jesus, what that means is that Jesus does not kick down the door. He has chosen, in His divine wisdom, to remain hidden. Spoke in parables, remember? Jesus spoke in parables to His disciples and to everyone else. He says in Matthew 13, verse 13: "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear." In other words, you're not going to get this if you just hear. You are going to get it if the poet is playing side effect in the dark—I should be. You are going to get it. The obvious message I'm trying to say: I speak in a parable because I want you to hear what I say, then think about it, then wonder about it, then ask a question about it. And I need you to be hungry. I need you to see that fire burning and say, "Wait, what's that about?"

You can do all the religious activities—attend church, read the Bible, say prayers—this week, this month? I believe God is calling us this morning. So, the burning bush was no miracle. It was a test. God is trying to find out whether Moses could pay attention to Him.

I wonder if He's putting any tests before you. Let's look secondly, then, at the holy ground. When God calls Moses by name. So, once Moses passes this first test and says, "What is this thing? I’ve got to dive a little deeper. I’ve got to search more closely," then the Bible says, verse 4:

"So when the Lord saw that He turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, 'Moses, Moses.'" And he said, "Here I am."

God spoke. The first word that God spoke to Moses in that moment was—He spoke His name. He called Him by His identifier. He did not say, "Child of Abraham," "Shepherd," calling Him by His occupation. The Bible says God knew His name and called Him personally.

Whenever you see in the Bible when God uses someone's name and doubles it up like that—"Moses, Moses"—it is a Hebrew way of expressing a desire to get a message across. God uses this all throughout the Bible. Jesus looked at the city of Jerusalem and said, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I wanted to gather you as a mother hen, but you would not." It's a personal and heartfelt calling.

I want to have—I don't want to just pour out some information into your brain, Moses. I don't want to just give you a debriefing of my plan. I want a personal relationship with you.

Isaiah 43, verse 1: "Fear not, I have called you by your name. You are mine." Isn't it wonderful to serve a God who knows us by name? You know, we live in a time where we have a government, right? And if you ever try to contact your government or have any dealings with the government, you know what they want from you? What's your number? You got a 10-digit number somewhere. We need to know that number because who cares about your name? We don't know you. We don't want to know you. We just need your number. Because to the government, to the world, we are nothing but just another human—just like Pink Floyd, just another brick in the wall.

But to God, each one of you has unique talents, abilities, perspectives, history. Each one of you has your own—something to offer that nobody else has. There's only one Moses, Moses. And I want to say that when we turn aside, when we have this decision to hunger, to thirst, to say, "Lord, what is it you want from me?" I believe God will cry out to you.

This is no mere calling of man. This is not just a mission. This is a call to a personal and very intimate relationship. God says, "Moses," and Moses responds, "Here I am." Then He says, "Stay away." It's so interesting—God says, "Moses, Moses," and then Moses says, "Here I am," and then God says, "Don't come any closer. Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."

God says, "Moses, before we proceed, something in you needs to change. We need some adjustments to be made." Why? The removal of the sandals is a picture of the removal of carnal or fleshly desires. Leviticus 10, verse 3: "Those who come near to me must be regarded as holy." 2 Corinthians 6, verse 17: "Come out from among them and be separate." And so, we can never draw near to God without also pursuing righteousness.

Saying goodbye—we talked this morning in our Sunday school about the enemy that is in us, our flesh. How many of you have a flesh that you contend with? Your flesh speaks to you sometimes. You have arguments with your flesh. Your flesh says, "Stay in bed." Your flesh says, "It's okay to take care of number one." No. Well, nobody else is going to. Your flesh is aligned with the will of the world and the enemy of our souls. How many know that this morning?

And so, if we are going to step another step closer into the fire of God, we have to understand: you can't draw near to His presence, His power, His calling, and His purpose for your life without also taking very seriously the call to holiness. Take off your shoes, Moses. Before you get close—then He introduces Himself.

The Bible says, as Moses draws near, he obeys the Lord, takes off his sandals. And he says, in verse 6: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

God introduced Himself. He said, "Hey, Moses, I’m not just a flame in a bush. I am the God who has created the universe." The same promise I gave to Abraham is the same promise I extend to you. This is a covenantal signature.

God had spoken to Abraham and said, "I will establish my covenant and everlasting covenant with you." See, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And if you are in Christ, the Bible says, if you are in Christ, then you are the seed of Abraham—Galatians 3:29.

So, God approaches us, and He causes us to enter into a destiny and a kingdom that is so much bigger than ourselves. Think about this: Moses is all by himself out there with some sheep. He approaches this flame, and God says, "He is entering into a whole new dimension."

Remember the story of Abraham, his son Isaac, his son Jacob, the people of Israel, Joseph, and all. And He says, "Now Moses, you are taking your place in my story that I am writing." When we get saved, we can never fully understand the depth of everything we enter into.

When you are born again, you can never fully realize that when you trust in Christ for salvation—to heal you from your sins and give you a new life—you have no clue the history you are entering into: 2000 years of revelation in the Christian church. You have no idea the future that awaits those who will endure to the end.

It's incredible to fathom that you are stepping into a new life, a new history, a new present, a new future. It's not just church membership. Hello? We're talking about a kingdom and the King above all kings, and the name above all names. And you are stepping into that.

Yeah, you're not just cracking open a Bible for the first time. You are entering into a promise of covenant, given thousands of years ago, fulfilled in the life of Christ, and lived out in your daily life.

I read a quote this week that said: if you are alive, you have something that all the kings and pharaohs of human history could never have—you have today. You have what? God’s commissions.

Moses, verse 10: "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? And that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" So He said, "I will certainly be with you." And this shall be a sign to you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.

Then Moses said, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" Verse 14: "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.'"

I want you to catch this before we close this morning. God gives Moses his commission. Now, remember the position of Moses—80 years old. He thought he was washed up. He thought he had nothing left in his future. But now God says, "You didn't think you had another chapter, but I’ve got another chapter for you." And the Bible goes on to say Moses lives a total of 120 years. But at 80, he couldn't see the next 40. All he could see was this moment—his failures, his past, his brokenness, his anonymity, his obscurity. All of his failures and inhibitions.

And yet, God calls us to go. God’s got an action plan for your life. The word go itself has the feeling of not being content where you are. I’m going somewhere. And I believe God has a destination for every person in this place.

God has a place for you to go—whether you've been saved five minutes or fifty years. God still has a go for you. God still has someone for you to reach. God still has miracles for you to perform. God still has ministries for you to fulfill. God still has holiness for you to pursue. God still has revelation in His Word that you haven't figured out yet.

Is that true? Or did you figure the whole thing out already? I’d love to talk to you about that, because I sure haven't.

The work that God is calling you to is beyond yourself. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations." God's presence is the foundation for His calling. He does not call us to comfort. He calls us to go.

Now, think about this: in His earthly ministry, Jesus called some to follow Him. Follow me. And for years, they followed Him. We see in the Gospels that the twelve apostles were with Him for three years. But Jesus didn't say that to everybody.

You remember the story? When Jesus commanded the demons to set a man free—He delivered that man, and the man, grateful, naturally said, "Jesus, please, I want to be with You." That was amazing. I’m a new man. I want to follow You. Because I have a mission for you there.

When you walk back into that city, and people see you in your right mind—no longer gnawing on your ears, fully clothed, not ranting naked through a cemetery—they will say, "What happened to that guy? Tell me what happened." And you will say, "I met a man. I met a man. I was tormented by a legion of demons, but with a word, He set me free." And that man went out and became an evangelist, spreading the good news in his city.

He was not with Jesus physically, but Jesus was with him spiritually. Can you say amen? When He sends us to go, He says, "I will always be with you." This is what God is saying to Moses: "Listen, Moses, you're going to go. You go in your weakness, in your self-doubt, in your inability. But when you get there, they will ask you, 'Who sent you?' You say, 'I AM sends you.'"

I love this—the I AM. The anchor of our identity is I AM. Jesus says, "I AM." Before Abraham was, I AM. John 8:58. Revelation 1:8—"I am the Alpha and the Omega." Jesus equates Himself with the God who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.

And so, here’s where it comes into your life. Are you ready? I AM. When you say, "I'm not prepared," what does God say? When you say, "I'm not qualified," what does God say? The God who made you wants to live in you.

And so, you don't have to depend on your abilities, your qualifications, your preparation, your power—none of that. God says, I AM that I AM. And His will, His purpose for you—He’s been calling you to a more intimate relationship with Him.

But often we, like Moses, say, "Oh, Lord, I’m a, my lips, my mouth—I can’t talk. What are you talking about? How am I supposed to talk to Pharaoh?" I heard one lady online describing this: a man she was telling about the Spirit of God, how He lives in us, and how without the Spirit of God, we are all spiritually dead. And that man took offense. He said, "I'm spiritually—would you call me a spiritually dead person?" And she explained it this way, which I thought was very fitting: imagine a glove. A glove is made in the image of a hand. But without a hand in the glove, the glove is lifeless and dead—unable to do what it’s supposed to do. But as soon as you put a hand in the glove, the glove comes alive. It becomes an outward expression of the hand inside.

This is what it's like with the Spirit. Without the Spirit of God, without the life of God, yes, we're spiritually dead. We're on our way to destruction. But when the Spirit of God lives in us—when He is in you, not just visiting on Sunday—how many know? The life for God is not here on Sunday morning. It’s after you leave. Thank you. Go to your house, and you start to live for God there. You go to your job tomorrow morning, and you live for God there. The Spirit of God lives through you. You become His hands and His feet.

And just like God said to Moses, "I’ve got something unique, special, and purposeful for your life." God says, "You’ve got abilities." It’s not about your preferences. It’s not about your dreams. Just like Jesus, our position is—and not that—can describe your life. People look at you and say, "What is going on there? This person is supposed to be destroyed. This person is supposed to be depressed. If I went through what they’re going through, I’d be bummed out." But you're not. Hands up, tears streaming down your face, the presence of God all over you, the Word of God in your mouth—just like Miss Nisha right now—you can explain it supernaturally because the Spirit of God lives in her. She is living lit. She's on fire for God, even in her hospital bed today.

And whatever you're going through, you don't have to let the world infect your mind and heart. You can be on fire for Him—the Spirit of God.

On the day of Pentecost, I’m closing, the Bible says that a tongue of fire, flame, came and rested on each and every one of them. It didn't matter if it was the Apostle Peter, who had just three times denied the Lord—guess what? The flame rested on him. It didn't matter if it was a little child who knew nothing except that Jesus is Messiah—a flame came and rested on him. It didn't matter their background, how biblically literate they were, how experienced. The fire of God falls and rests on every single one of them. That’s the promise of Pentecost.

And I want to tell you, every person here—you don't have to be a pastor, you don't have to be an evangelist, you don't have to be a professional minister. But the Spirit of God wants to rest on you. He is here today. The bush is burning. Will you turn aside to see this thing? Will you become hungry and say, "I need more of this"? At this altar, I believe God—God wants to help us today.

Let's bow our heads for a few moments as we reflect and think about our own lives. Right now, as we're here in this place, our heads are bowed, eyes are closed—for just a moment. I believe someone here, God is moving powerfully on your heart in this moment. You've been hearing this message. Maybe even if you didn't understand everything, you understand this: you're in desperate need of a touch from God.

The Bible says we come into this world broken, lost. We get involved in things we shouldn't be involved with. We begin to do things we know we shouldn't do. We start walking away from that little conscience—Jiminy Cricket—that speaks to us. And we begin to walk away from what is right. The Bible calls that our sinful nature. Without Christ, without His Spirit, it's only natural that God's judgment will fall on the unsaved, on those who are broken and lost. It only makes sense. God is righteous, and He will not allow any sinful activity or people in His presence.

See, the kingdom of heaven is a holy kingdom. Nothing unholy will enter there. So if there is sin at work in your life—wickedness, perversion, lies, deceitfulness, greed, anger, rage—listen, God says, "I have no part with that." But here's the good news: you can be changed. You can be transformed in a moment. If you will confess your sins and trust Jesus, the Bible says plainly, you can be born again. Old things will pass away. Everything becomes new. And those who are in Christ no longer practice the deeds of the flesh. We crucify our flesh, and we begin to live clean.

Maybe you're here today and say, "Pastor, I really need that. I need a new life. I need a changed life." Before I leave this place, God wants to touch you. You see the potential of what God created you to be. Before we close this service, you need a touch from heaven.

You're here today, and you desperately need that. I want to ask you to do one thing: just lift up a hand quickly. Say, "Pastor, I'm not saved, not right with God, but I want to be." Thank you for that hand. Somebody else, God's speaking to you. I'm not asking how religious you are or how many church services you've been to. You need a transformed life. Is that you? Quickly, I want to see your hand. Thank you for that hand. Thank you. Thank you. God's speaking to you.

Oh, there's a fire from heaven who wants to fall upon us today, but it's not automatic. Will you reach out? Will you turn aside to see this thing? Will you take off the sandals and say, "Lord, come close into my life"? Is that you? Quickly, lift up a hand with these honest hearts. Quickly, quickly. Right now. God's dealing with you. Thank you. Thank you, brother. Someone else right now. God's dealing with you. Don't miss this opportunity. He's going to pour out His Spirit in this place.

Is there anyone else? Quickly, with an uplifted hand—pray for me, Pastor. I need the Spirit of God to animate this dead, lifeless life of mine. Amen.

If you lifted up your hand, just do one more thing: lift up your eyes and look at me quickly. Are you sincere this morning? You're sincere over here? Sincere? Thank God. Thank God. If you're sincere and if you're able, I’d like you to come and meet me here at this altar. We're going to pray together. Would you come right here? Right here. Come up front. God's going to help you. Don't be ashamed. God's going to speak to you. God’s going to help you. Thank you. Would you kneel down right here at this altar? God's going to move.

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for Daily Devotionals based on this message over the next five days.

Written with Love by Pastor Adam Dragoon

Did you benefit from this message? Support our ministry with a generous donation:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support VBPH

Keep up with all the latest events happening at VBPH: https://vbph.org/events
Subscribe to text updates by sending the keyword "ALERTS" to 757-785-9881
Follow our YouTube channel for all the latest video content: https://www.youtube.com/PottersHouseVB
Subscribe to our VBPH Sermon Podcast to never miss a message: https://podfollow.com/vbph-sermon-podcast
Want to read through the Bible with us this year? Join our YouVersion Bible Reading Plan here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/VBPH-BiblePlan-2025
Please let us know how this message has influenced you by connecting with us using one of these options:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Are you in Hampton Roads and want to visit our church? Come join us IRL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1045 Lynnhaven Pkwy., Virginia Beach, VA 23452⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let us know you're coming: https://form.church/vgSQszyXdkGlOgqDFnG6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Looking for more fellowship sermons? Check out TAKING THE LAND - CFM Sermon Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takingthelandpodcast.com⁠

Adam Dragoon 8/14/25 Adam Dragoon 8/14/25

The House That God Builds: A Gospel Message Hidden in Solomon’s Temple

The story of Solomon building the temple in First Kings 5-8 is a powerful picture of how God works to build His house—both in the Old Testament and in our lives today. Just as every skyscraper in a city skyline has a unique story and required careful planning, resources, and teamwork, so too does the church of Jesus Christ. Each believer is a miracle, brought in by the new birth, and each local church is a testimony to God’s ongoing work and faithfulness.

Sermon Summary

The story of Solomon building the temple in 1 Kings 5-8 is a powerful picture of how God works to build His house—both in the Old Testament and in our lives today.

Just as every skyscraper in a city skyline has a unique story and required careful planning, resources, and teamwork, so too does the church of Jesus Christ. Each believer is a miracle, brought in by the new birth, and each local church is a testimony to God’s ongoing work and faithfulness.

The process begins with the Father’s blueprint. David, though he desired to build the temple, was not permitted by God because he was a man of war. Instead, he gathered all the necessary resources and entrusted them to his son Solomon. This reflects the heart of God the Father, who from eternity had a plan for redemption and the building of His spiritual house. The Son’s obedience is then seen in Solomon, who takes the resources and instructions from his father and faithfully implements the plan. This is a foreshadowing of Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the Father’s will, culminating in the finished work of the cross.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Solomon appoints twelve governors to provide for the needs of the kingdom, just as Jesus appointed twelve apostles to feed His household with the Word of God. The building of the temple also required the help of King Hiram, a Gentile, who provided the timber that Israel lacked. This is a beautiful picture of how God’s plan was always to include the nations, breaking down barriers and making one new people in Christ.

The stones for the temple were shaped in the quarry, away from the building site, so that no sound of hammer or chisel was heard during construction. In the same way, God shapes each of us in the secret place—through prayer, worship, and personal surrender—so that we can be fitted together as living stones in His spiritual house. Yet, all the human effort and preparation is incomplete without the presence of God. When the temple was finished, the glory of the Lord filled the house, just as the Holy Spirit fills and empowers believers today.

Ultimately, the purpose of God’s house is not just for one nation or group, but for all peoples to know His name. Solomon’s prayer of dedication points forward to Jesus’ high priestly prayer, interceding for all who would believe. Our calling is to join in this mission, surrendering to God’s shaping, being filled with His Spirit, and praying for the nations to come to know Christ.

“When the temple was finished, the glory of the Lord filled the house, just as the Holy Spirit fills and empowers believers today.”

— Pastor Adam

Watch/Listen