INTRODUCTION:

One of the most humbling experiences of my life had to be the afternoon I went to visit a woman who had had minor foot surgery. They were a very active family in the church. they nearly always brought their grandkids, Ashley age four and Dustin age six, with them. And together we eventually got their kids coming, too. But that's another story.

I had been out of town during this woman's surgery and couldn't be with the family or visit her in the hospital. But she was home now and I thought I would drop by to check up on her. It was spring and cool and the doors and windows were open as I drove up. I got our of the truck, rang the doorbell and here comes Ashley running to let me in.

Just about the time she got to the door, she came sliding to a stop. Her eyes were as big as saucers and her mouth just kind of hung open in surprise. She immediately did a 180 and went running back into the house. I heard her yell out in a very awed voice, "Grandpa, God's at the door."

An introduction like that will really make you stop and think.

Let's look at our passage of Scripture for this morning and see how Moses reacted when God came knocking at his door. Turn to Exodus 3:1-15 (OT p. 48 or 72)

[10] Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

[2] There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

[3] Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up."

[4] When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

[5] Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

[6] He said further, "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.

[7] Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings,

[8] and I have come down to deliver them from 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 country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

[9] The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.

[10] So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."

[11] But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

[12] He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain."

[13] But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"

[14] God said to Moses, "I am who I am." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I am has sent me to you.' "

[15] God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you':

This is my name forever,
and this my title for all generations.

[NRSV]

I think it's rather appropriate that this is the passage of Scripture for Labor Day Sunday. Here was Moses, simply doing his job. We know his story, the Jewish plight in Egypt, the murder of the babies, the desperate act of a mother sending her baby down the Nile in a basket, the bullrushes and Pharaoh's daughter and how Moses was able to grow up in splendor and privilege. It has the makings of a great drama.

Well, this is sort of chapter 2. Moses' life has been spared after he murders one of Pharaoh's overseers who was mistreating one of the Jewish slaves. Now here in the wilderness, God has become a part of Moses' life. He settled down into a much different lifestyle than he probably ever dreamed of.

And here he is taking care of business when boom, all of sudden he is in the midst of the Holy. Right there on the job, Moses had one of those Close Encounters with God. Now you sort of expect those things to happen to the people in the God business. But you shouldn't expect to meet God at your job should you? Who said?

If this passage teaches us anything, it's that we never know when we will step on Holy Ground.

I. HOLY GROUND: IS FOUND ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE:

And that's the first point. HOLY GROUND IS FOUND ANYWHERE.

That's right, God doesn't limit God's activities to those places we call Holy, like Churches, synagogues, funeral homes and cemeteries. If that were the case, God couldn't meet a mother as she holds the baby she has carried for nine months in her arms for the first time. If that were the case, God couldn't meet us in the triumphant smile of any athlete who has worked and worked and pushed themselves, not to win, but to finish what they started.

We'd never meet God in the thunder or in a sunrise. We'd never meet God in a handshake or a pat on the back.

No, if Scripture teaches us anything, it's simply this, that God can and does meet us wherever we are. HOLY GROUND IS FOUND ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE.

Show SpiritFilm video: "The Syrup-Can Chalice"

The point is this, You Never Know when you will encounter the Holy. In a burning bush. In the smile of a baby. Alone with your Bible. As you are helping someone in need. Looking out the window of an airplane at those marshmallow clouds toasting in the sunset. In a crowd. In the helping hand of another person.

Think about that passage at the end of the video. Write it down and meditate on it this week. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 (Repeat) "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" [NRSV]

We are creation. We've stood on Holy Ground. HOLY GROUND IS FOUND ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE.

II. WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO THIS HOLY TABLE:

A. WE ARE HERE ON HOLY GROUND AND WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO THIS HOLY TABLE.

One of my favorite preacher's to both read and listen to is Dr. Fred Craddock. Dr. Craddock taught preaching at Candler School of theology for years and has recently retired. He is an incredible story teller who is able to find the Holy in almost any situation. Let me give you an example, this story comes from a recent collection of his stories.

"Some time ago, following a service of worship in which Dr. Craddock had been asked to preach at this little church, he was invited by this lady to lunch. She was a widow and was alone. They went into her house, and the lady said, "Go into the den and read the paper or watch TV. I'll have lunch ready in a minute."

She put on her apron and busied herself in the dining room. Dr. Craddock saw where she'd headed, so he went after her and said, "Now don't fix up all this. We eat in the kitchen at home."

She pulled a drawer out of the buffet and took out a linen tablecloth and napkins. She put the tablecloth on the table and then placed the napkins. Then she opened this beautiful case with curved glass and took out the good china and some stemmed glasses. She wiped them all off and Dr. Craddock said, "We eat in the kitchen at home." But she went right on setting the table with her silver and china and all the best stuff. And Dr. Craddock said, "Look, I mean it's just the two of us. We eat in the kitchen at home."

She turned around and with a level gaze said to Dr. Craddock, "Will you shut up and sit down?"

Dr. Craddock was shocked and said, "Well, I suppose I will."

Then she said, "Do you have any idea what it's like fixing a meal for one?"

They ate in the dining room with stemmed glasses, fine china, candles and linens. (1)

Today we come to a Table For Two. It's set with all the best china and silverware. But know this, this is never a table for one. Or even a table for a group. We may come as a group but this is always a Table For Two. A Table set for you and our Savior. Jesus waits to share a banquet of grace with you.

In Luke 22:15 we read that when Jesus gathered with the disciples in the Upper Room, "He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."[NRSV]

I believe Jesus desires to share this meal with each of us.

This is a Holy Table, and while there is a banquet going on, while there is a celebration of saints taking place, it is still a Table For Two. A Table for you and Jesus. A Table where you can discuss the most intimate details of your life and faith. A Table where there is no judgment only grace. And a Table where you will be fed.

III. SENT TO BE GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE:

Now having been led to HOLY GROUND and fed at this HOLY TABLE, you and I are sent out into God's world as to be GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE.

Write this passage down and look it up later. 1 Peter 2:9. (Repeat)

In his first letter Peter writes: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."[NRSV]

We're sent out into the world as GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE. Not to lord it over others. Not to act as judge and jury. Not to point out everyone else's faults and shortcomings. We're called to be salt and light and servants. We're called to be Holy and to spread the Good News through our lives and attitudes.

Dr. Craddock had a conversation with a twenty-eight year old woman in Atlanta one time as they were coming out of Church. She said, "This is the first time I was ever in a church."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well," he asked, "How was it?"

She said, "Kind of scary."

He said, "Kind of scary?"

She said, "Yeah."

"Why?"

And she said, "It just seems so important. You know, I never go to anything important. This just seemed so important." (2)

It is important because God has called us to be GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE. You and I are sent out into the everyday ordinary world of living, into the holiness of our jobs and our family relationships and represent God.

You and I are Fed at GOD'S HOLY TABLE, AND SENT OUT AS GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE SO OTHERS CAN EXPERIENCE HOLY GROUND IN THEIR LIVES.

CONCLUSION:

I'll never forget the cold winter night I was driving the church van and I stopped at the burger place in Waco. I'd been in Waco all day. I'd had a preacher's meeting that morning. Some of us went to lunch. And then I started visiting in the hospitals. I had a member in each hospital. I thought I would be back by to the church by about 3:00 pm.

I went to the first hospital and had a nice visit. I drove across town for the second visit and the person there said, "Did you know so and so was in the other hospital?" I said, "No," and after that visit went back to the first hospital.

While visiting with that person, they said, "Did you know that a different so and so was in the other hospital?" Again I said, "No," and after that visit went back to the second hospital.

I did this six times. It was a 20 minute drive from one hospital to the other. By the time I was finished visiting the hospitals that day, it was 8:30 pm. I was tired and I was hungry. I decided to just get a quick burger and use their restroom.

While standing in line I decided I was really hungry and I wanted some coffee, too. Both to warm up and to wake up for the hour drive home. I ordered way too much food. I ordered 2 big old cheeseburgers, 2 large fries an extra, extra large cup of coffee, a hot apple pie and a coke. I paid for it all and headed to the van. As I exited the building I realized that I had over done the order. I started feeling guilty and thinking about saving one of the burgers and fries for lunch the next day. I couldn't figure out what had gotten into me in ordering all that stuff.

As I opened the door of the van, I heard someone cough. I turned and saw a man in a ragged short sleeve shirt and jeans, scraggly beard. He smelled like he hadn't showered in at least a week and probably longer. He was shivering and blowing into his hands to keep them warm. he kept his distance but said, "Excuse me mister. I couldn't help but notice your church van. Do you think you could spare some change so I could get some coffee to warm up?"

I looked at him and then at the bag of burgers and stuff and said, "No, I'm afraid not." His shoulders sagged and his eyes got real sad. And then I said, "But I will share my supper with you. Come on, let's go inside where it's warm."

"They won't let me in there again tonight. They chased me out about an hour ago."

I said, "Well, you'll be my guest, let's go."

We walked back in together and sat down in one of the booths. I opened that bag and felt like the little boy who shared his lunch with Jesus must have felt. I had the coke, he got the coffee. I also made sure he got the apple pie, too.

He didn't talk much, his name was Ray. He was homeless. When I left, he was still sitting there. Smiling and drinking his coffee. And he was warm. I couldn't wait to get the heater on in the van because all I had on was a short sleeve shirt.

But you want to know something. That was the best cheeseburger I've ever eaten. And it wasn't because of the burger, it was because of the company. You see, that night God and the Hospitals conspired to bring me to HOLY GROUND AND A HOLY TABLE WHERE I WAS ALLOWED TO BE ONE OF GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE.

You never know where God will meet us. But one thing is for sure, we will meet God today as we come to THIS HOLY GROUND AND THIS HOLY TABLE WHERE WE WILL BE FED AND THEN SENT OUT TO BE GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE.

1. Fred B. Craddock, Craddock Stories, Chalice Press, (St. Louis, MO, 2001) p. 55

2. Fred B. Craddock, Craddock Stories, Chalice Press, (St. Louis, MO, 2001) p. 132

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Homiletics, (Communications Resources, Inc., Canton, OH)

Lectionary Homiletics, (Lectionary Homiletics, Inc. Midlothian, VA)

Dynamic Preaching, (Seven Worlds Publishing, Knoxville, TN)

The Clergy Journal, (Logos Productions, Inc., Inver Grove Heights, MN)

Preaching Magazine (Preaching Resources, Jackson, TN)

Circuit Rider, (The United Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, TN)

The Interpreter's Bible, (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1953)

The New Interpreter's Bible, (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1995)

Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Cycle A, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 2002) SermonPrep Version.

Preaching the Miracles, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 1998) SermonPrep Version.

Preaching the Parables, Cycle A, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 1997) SermonPrep Version.