The Big Idea
Most of us, if we saw a bush on fire, would call the fire service, or maybe grab a hose to put the fire out. Not Moses though! He saw a bush on fire, recognised it as being an act of God and went to find out more. In this service, we explore how we should recognise God, respect God, listen to God and trust God, and how by doing all these things we can do more than we could ever imagine.
Music
Songs at the start:
- Be still, for the presence of the Lord
- Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty
Song in the middle:
- There must be more than this (consuming fire)
Song at the end:
- O God of burning cleansing flame
- All through history
Other songs you could consider:
- We’ll walk the land with hearts on fire
- Shine Jesus shine
- How great is our God
- Purify my heart (refiner’s fire)
Activity
For this activity, you need a bucket (with a lid if possible), or a bag. Place in it a log, some sandals, a sparkler, leaves, a chain and a heat pack. Invite volunteers to pick an item out of the bucket and describe what it is, name it and identify it. As you get more items out of the bucket, you can start to ask what the link between them is, and if people can work out the Bible story that you are about to hear.
Readings
Exodus 3:1-15 (If possible, use three people to share the reading, on for the narrator, one for God and one for Moses).
Talk
There are four things that we identified as important in the story of Moses meeting God at the burning bush:
- We need to recognise God, as Moses did. This may mean using all of our senses, not just our ears.
- We need to respect God. Moses took off his shoes and hid his face. How do we show respect to God?
- We need to listen to God. We may be very good at talking to God, but how often to we spend time listening?
- We need to trust God. God will never ask us to do something we are not capable of, even if we doubt our abilities. Like Moses, we need to learn to trust that God will equip us to do what he asks us to.
Response
Offer a quiet space where people can recognise, respect and listen to God. We suggest people should take off their shoes as they enter this space. If you can, provide an electric campfire, to represent the burning bush. Or, if you have safe outside space, you could have a real fire!
Provide paper with an outline of a flames on it. Invite people to write on it what God is asking you to do or something you need to trust Him with. Put your flames on a log at the front of church.
In a tuff tray, use poster paints and paint splatters (fly swats, spatulas, potato mashers) to decorate an image of a bush so it appears to be on fire. Write your name on it as a sign of trusting God. This can be done on one large piece of paper as a group art work, or on smaller sheets to take home.