November 30, 2025

Holy Ground: Approaching the Eternal I AM

42 minutes

Philip Schnackenberg preaches from Exodus 3, the story of Moses and the burning bush. He explores themes of God’s call, His response to human suffering, and the profound significance of God revealing His name as “I AM.” The sermon encourages listeners to cultivate a responsive heart to God’s subtle calls and to order every aspect of life around the reality of His eternal, personal, and majestic presence.

[00:00:58] The sermon focuses on Exodus 3, covering Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush after decades as a shepherd.

[00:02:50] The burning bush may symbolize a trial that purifies without consuming, akin to Israel’s suffering in Egypt as an “iron furnace.”

[00:05:09] Moses turning aside to investigate the bush shows the importance of stepping away from distraction to notice God’s subtle calls in a loud world.

[00:06:34] Moses’ response, “Here I am,” is a beautiful, open reply to God’s call, contrasting with Adam and Eve who hid.

[00:07:58] Training ourselves and our children to recognize and respond to proper authority prepares our hearts to respond to God.

[00:10:17] God instructing Moses to remove his sandals signifies putting aside the world’s filth to approach God in reverence and purity.

[00:12:42] God hears the cry of the oppressed Israelites, remembering His covenant, and acts to deliver them to a good, broad land.

[00:14:02] While God is tender toward the oppressed, He does not set aside His righteousness; He judges the world fairly while being a stronghold for those who seek Him.

[00:18:39] God’s rescue has a purpose: He delivers people so they can serve Him, as seen in His promise that Israel would worship on the mountain.

[00:19:52] Moses feels inadequate for the task, but God calls him at age 80, after his youthful zeal and strength have faded.

[00:21:32] God’s answer to Moses’ inadequacy is “I will be with you”; the call is about God’s presence and power, not human qualification.

[00:23:13] God reveals His name as “I AM” (Yahweh), signifying His eternal, unchanging, omnipresent, and personal nature.

[00:27:30] The name became so sacred that Hebrews avoided speaking it, leading to the use of “Adonai” (Lord) and the later transliteration “Jehovah.”

[00:30:32] God’s name “I AM” presents a cosmic, eternal reality that is also personal, like a sunrise that is a vast celestial event yet warms an individual’s face.

[00:32:02] This view of God should order every aspect of our lives—work, home, and rest—with the recognition of His omnipresent majesty.

[00:33:32] Looking at the grand narrative, God’s timing and methods, though sometimes mysterious to us, unfold a perfect plan, as seen in His long preparation of Moses.

[00:35:12] Regarding the conquest of Canaan, God’s judgment on the inhabitants came after prolonged patience with their wickedness, such as human sacrifice.

[00:38:19] As Christians, we should not write off those who are suffering due to their own choices, remembering Christ paid the price for all, though practical help requires wisdom.

[00:40:48] Like the Good Samaritan, we are called to help those God places in our path, investing personally rather than being overwhelmed by abstract global suffering.

Scripture References

Exodus 3

Exodus 2:23-25

Deuteronomy 4:20

Psalm 9:7-10

Exodus 3:12

Generated by AI model deepseek-chat

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