Exodus Sermons by Rev. Mike Jones [EXODUS: From Slavery to Service. These sermons were preached during the ministry of Rev. Mike Jones. Inspiration and information was drawn from a variety of sources]
Exodus 03:1-10 BAREFOOT BELIEF
Exodus 03:1-10 WHEN GOD SPEAKS
Exodus 4:19 WHAT WILL HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU GET YOUR BLESSING?
Exodus 05:1-2 WHO IS THE LORD??
Exodus 12:1-14 21-28 PASSOVER: Protection and Deliverance-
Exodus 12:1-2, 14 A DOUBLE LOOK-
Exodus 14:13-22 THE VICTORY OF FAITH-
Exodus 16:13-24 MANNA MIRACLE-
Exodus 20:1 THE SERMON GOD PREACHED
Exodus 20:1-17 GOD’S GUIDELINES FOR EVERY GENERATION
Exodus 20:1-21 THE SERMON GOD PREACHED
Exodus 25:9 Dealing with Details
Exodus 03:1-10 BAREFOOT BELIEF
The familiar story of Moses at the Burning Bush. God is calling a man from the desert to the palace, from leading sheep to leading a great nation.
A Place of Curiosity- When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see (vs 4) If you are not looking to see God at work then you may miss meeting with God. (Do the circumstances of life put “blinders” on your spiritual life?)
A Place of Calling- God called unto him. Are you Listening?? God has a Place for YOU to serve. How horrible it will be to stand before God and find you have wasted your time and resources because you allowed the call of the crowd to drown out the voice of God!
A Place of Consecration- Take off your shoes for this is Holy Ground. Barefoot worship is:
Public- Everyone can see you have your shoes off
Painful- The sand is hot, the rocks are hard, and the thorns hurt
Personal- You are doing business with God on a “one on one” basis.
A Place of Conviction- Moses hid his face and was afraid to look.Any time you meet with God you realize how Holy HE is and how wicked YOU are (Isaiah 6).
3 Common Problems in the Christian church that should make us “Hide our Face”:
1) Dispositional Flaws- Angry, Bitterness, Coveting, Pride
2) Moral Weaknesses- Lust, Robbery (time, tithe, talent),
3) Frequent Defeats- Backsliding, Failure to pray, read Bible, Witness
A Place of Commission- I will send thee unto Pharoah, that thou mightest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Like Moses, we are in a “comfort zone” and we don’t want God to call us to a special task! We are not seeking God’s face and crying, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” Instead, we are looking for more ways to do less for God!
Exodus 03:1-10 WHEN GOD SPEAKS
(Exo 3:1-10) Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. {2} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. {3} And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. {4} And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. {5} And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. {6} Moreover he said, I am the God of thy 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 upon God. {7} And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; {8} And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. {9} Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. {10} Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
(Isa 6:1-10) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. {2} Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. {3} And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. {4} And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. {5} Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. {6} Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: {7} And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. {8} Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. {9} And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. {10} Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
1) THE TIME–
2) THE PLACE-
3) THE VISUAL SYMBOL-
4) THE RECOGNITION OF GOD’S HOLINESS-
5) THE DEFINITE INSTRUCTIONS-
Are you WAITING for God to speak?
Would you RECOGNIZE His Voice?
Are you willing to FOLLOW UP on the Life Changing Challenge that comes when God Speaks to You??
Exodus 4:19 WHAT WILL HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU GET YOUR BLESSING?
• Moses: And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life (Exodus 4:19).
• Jesus: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel (Matthew 2:19-20).
• Abraham: And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran (Genesis 11:31-32).
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).
• Children of Israel could not enter Promised Land until all over 20 had died.
• Sinners could only look forward to God forgiving them and living in them until Christ died for them.
• You cannot receive your inheritance until someone dies.
• You cannot receive your glorified body until you die.
But Remember, The Dead in Sin CANNOT WAIT until they die to make a change. Today is the day of Salvation: Let the dead bury the dead, come and serve the Lord- Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60).
Exodus 05:1-2 WHO IS THE LORD??
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.” — Exo 5:1-2 (NIV) (Page 103 Daily Bible)
Trying to describe God is like trying to describe the wind. You know it’s there but sometimes it’s refreshingly cool and sometimes it’s bitterly cold. Sometimes it’s gentle as a baby’s breath and sometimes it’s as destructive as a hurricane.
Now Moses, an adopted Jew, who had turned on the very people who had so graciously taken him in (Egyptians) and even gone so far as to committed murder; stands before Pharaoh and tells him to give up a major source of cheap labor (Jews) for his country. And his only power is the fact that “the Lord” told him to let the people go.
Naturally, Pharaoh asks the question, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him?” In the next few weeks, God demonstrates just who He is and eventually frees His people.
This question goes far beyond Pharaoh, however. It applies to all of us today. I am calling on you today to leave the ways of sin, ask God to forgive you, and become a follower of Jesus Christ. That’s a drastic step. How is God going to show you that HE IS THE ONLY GOD?
Through out the Scriptures, there are two basic things that God does to reveal Himself to the world. These are DEMONSTRATIONS OF HIS POWER and PROCLAMATIONS OF HIS PARDON.
I. HIS POWER- He is an ALL powerful God. Yet He has to slowly demonstrate His power lest He “use a cannon to kill a fly”. He demonstrated His power to the Egyptians in 10 specific signs. Each sign was designed to defeat one of their main “gods” as well as show the overwhelming power of God. He uses these same types of powers today to Convince Us and to Convict Us.
1. Water to Blood- His Power over the source of life.
2,3,4. Frogs, gnats, flies- Power to make your life unhappy
5. Livestock dies- Power over your livelihood
6. Boils- Power over your person
7. Hail- Power over nature
8. Locust- Power over crops
9. Darkness- Power over senses
10. Passover- Power to redeem.
II. HIS PARDON- #262 “Almost Persuaded”
Exodus 9:27 I HAVE SINNED
- Pharaoh after the Hail (Really meant, I got caught!) And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked (Exodus 9:27).
- Sinned against God and His people: Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16).
- Sin of failing to listen to God: And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again (Numbers 22:34).
- Sin of disobeying God’s instructions: And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: (Joshua 7:20).
- Sin of fearing people more than God: And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice (1 Samuel 15:24). And even then he wanted to maintain a “good face”-Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God (1 Samuel 15:30).
- Sin of “playing the fool”: Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly (1 Samuel 26:21).
- Sin of Adultery: And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die (2 Samuel 12:13).
- Sin of Foolishly following your plan instead of God: And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly (2 Samuel 24:10).
- Sin of National sins: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned (Nehemiah 1:6).
- Sin of the “unknown sin”: I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? (Job 7:20). He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light (Job 33:27-28).
- Sin of the “sick soul” I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee (Psalms 41:4).
- Sin against God: Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest (Psalms 51:4). I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness (Micah 7:9).
- Sin of Betrayal: Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that (Matthew 27:4).
- Sin of Prodigal Living: I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, (Luke 15:18). And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son (Luke 15:21).
Exodus 12:1-14 21-28 PASSOVER: Protection and Deliverance-
Soon we will celebrate Communion, “The Lord’s Supper”. This is a memorial celebrating the Suffering and Sacrifice that Christ made so that we might have eternal life. It is one of the most sacred and holy privileges of the Christian Church and you should lift praise to God for His allowing you to be here today for this memorial.
The original “Lord’s Supper” was held by Jesus the night before he was betrayed and crucified and was a celebration of the Jewish Passover. It is important for us to realize the meaning of the Passover if we are to fully understand the “Lord’s Supper” so I want us to look at 4 words that describe the need of and blessing from the Passover:
1. PROBLEMS: During a time of famine the nation of Israel (numbering only 70 souls at the time) came to dwell in Egypt under the direction and protection of Joseph. As long as Joseph and those who knew him lived the Israelites were protected and honored BUT there came a day when this protection was lost and the Israelites became little more than slaves. Their labors were for the benefit of another master, their lives were full of pain and punishment, and their children were being killed by their masters—What a picture of what sin does in a person’s life!!
Finally the problems became so heavy until the people continually cried out to God for deliverance and God raised up a man to stand for them–A man with a miraculous birth, who could have been king but was instead a shepherd, and who used signs and sermons to bring the people to deliverance (How much like Jesus Moses was!).
2. PLAGUES: In order to gain attention, Moses used Plagues upon the nation of Egypt. Each of the plagues was designed to show that God was greater than the gods of Egypt and to instill faith in the children of Israel that God could and would deliver them. In much the same way today the Lord allows troubles and tribulations to come our way to show us the error of trusting in flesh and human reasoning. Some people, like Pharaoh, allow this to harden their heart instead of draw them to God. Others realize that something must be done and cry out for final deliverance.
3. PASSOVER: Conviction was not enough; God was looking for Conversion!! and that could only come through shed blood. So God instituted the Passover feast at which the blood of a lamb was applied to the door of the house providing a sign so that the death angel would “passover” that house (Just at the blood of Christ applied to our hearts today provides payment for the wages of sin).
This Passover was a MEAL and a MEMORIAL just as the “Lord’s Supper” is today.
4. PROMISED LAND: This was the beginning of years and the beginning of a new life for the nation of Israel. From this night they would be a delivered people headed to the Promised Land; slaves no more!!
Great things happen when the Blood is applied: You escape DEATH, You get a new DESTINATION, and you are DELIVERED to a new Life. Is the Blood applied on the “Door” of your heart today?? Communion is for Christians, are you one??
Exodus 12:1-2, 14 A DOUBLE LOOK-
My glasses are curved so that many times I can look in the corner of them and see what’s behind me as well as look ahead. As we “close the books on 1988” and begin a new year I want us to take this kind of a “double look” at where we are- Looking back at where we’ve come from and looking ahead to where we’re going. This type of review and rededication is a good practice; and one used throughout the Bible. It’s also a good time to examine our personal relationships with each other and with the Lord and make any necessary corrections.
A TIME OF REFLECTION on the Year’s:
A) Accomplishments-
B) Anguishes- Deaths, Disease, “Disasters”
A TIME OF REACHING FORTH TO NEW GOALS:
A TIME OF RENEWAL AND REDEDICATION:
A) Committed to Church work-
B) Committed to Christ- Deeper Love and Devotion, Greater Service to Him and others.
In today’s scripture, God delivered His People from Egypt by the Blood and then sent them on a journey to the Promised Land. They faced Battles; had to be educated in God’s law at Mt Sinai; and learned to live by Faith in God’s Provisions. God wants to do the same for you today- He wants to deliver you from bondage and give you what you heart craves: There are 3 things every man needs:
1. Significance- meaning to life Purpose
2. Satisfaction- Peace
3. Security- Protection
Each of these is found in accepting Christ as Savior and Serving Him with your life. A Place in the Body of Christ, Peace with God and the Peace OF God; and God’s Protection now and to come.
Why don’t you begin the New Year with a New Birth???
Exodus 13:12 APART-
Part of the wonder Christianity is its TOGETHERNESS. It brings sinners together with God and changes them into Saints. It’s brings people from varying background together and forms the Body of Christ. It’s great to be part of this togetherness. I especially like the way Paul describes how we were brought together in Christ- That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Eph 2:12-13
But there is also a place in Christianity for SEPARATION. And that’s what I want to look at today. I want to use as a topic the word “Apart. It means- to separate, to put at a distance; and the scriptures verses where the word is found tell us some of the need and benefits of Separation in the Christian life.
I. CONSECRATION:
A. Dedicate our Bodies: thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S (Exo 13:12). The first fruits of our life should be set aside as an offering to the Lord. A good rule to follow is to Give God the First part of your day, the first part of your pay, and the first say in your life.
B. Isolate our Prayers: And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone (Mat 14:23) Prayer Closets should be a normal part of Christian life. God can hear you with the TV going but it’s difficult for you to hear Him!
C. Separate our Devotion: And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart (Matt 17:1). In this place of Separation these Disciples saw Jesus Transfigured before their eyes and heard the Voice of God. Maybe the reason our eyes are so dim and our ears so dull of hearing is because we never get to a place God can deal with us.
God calls us to “Come Apart” and be Holy for He is Holy. The Power and Holiness in your Christian Life are in direct proportion to the time you spend in communion with God.
II. CONTAMINATION: And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even (Lev 15:19).
We isolate people with disease from healthy people lest they catch their sickness (This particular problem was more moral than medical but the principle is relevant). The Bible is also clear on the Christian remaining separate from the world and its contaminating influence.
If you play in the mud, you’re going to get dirty. Our garments are white, let’s avoid anything that would dirty them.
III. CARE: But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him (Psa 4:3). This is the separation of a Prized Possession (Like China dishes you put in the China Cabinet. You use the paper plates normally and the China when special company comes).
What a special joy to know that God values me enough to Discipline me when I need it (Heb 12:-) while at the same time holding me in His Hand, protected from anything Satan can throw at me.
IV. SORROW- And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart (Zec 12:12).
When Jesus heard of it (John the Baptist’s death), he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities (Matt 14:13). There are times that Sorrow needs company and times it needs Separation- Blessed is the man that knows the difference (We condemn “Job’s Friends” but they at least knew enough to sit with him quietly until he was ready to speak).
V. CONFIDENCE- When the Disciples failed to help the demon possessed boy they came to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? (Mat 17:19). They wanted to find the reasons for their failure in a private session. One of the “missing ingredients” in life today is people taking the time to share burdens with one another. Everyone, even Jesus, feels the need to talk in confidence with close friends- And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, (Mat 20:17)
VI. VACATION: And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat (Mark 6:31). Vance Havner says we either come apart or come A Part! Everyone needs time to Rest, Reflect, and Recharge.
VII. COMMITMENT: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).
It’s not enough to be separate FROM sin; we must be Separated UNTO God. Separation FROM Sin is called Repentance. Separation UNTO God is by Faith and leads to Salvation.
Are you Apart from God today? Come to Christ and become a part of the Body of Christ with the Blessed Hope of His soon return.
Exodus 14, 15 SEA SERMONS
I. THE EXAMPLES
A. How God Leads
- THRU PROBLEMS- Red Sea
- OVER PROBLEMS- Peter walk on water
- IN PROBLEMS- Mk 4 Jesus asleep in the boat
B. Why God Leads
- to show us His power,
- to develop our Faith, Things always look better after you leave them- looking back to Egypt. Always find some “mixed Multitude” to encourage your doubts
- to destroy our enemies
II. THE EXHORTATION And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward Exo 14:13-15
1. Fear not The Cloud of light for the Christian was a cloud of darkness for Pharaoh!
2. Stand Still. We must stand by Faith in order to walk by Faith
3. See the Salvation of the Lord. Pharaoh had drowned the boy babies and now the men of his army would drown.
4. Go Forward- Accept the Fact that God can do the impossible.
PASSOVER
1. The Death of Christ
2. Delivered from Penalty of Sin
3. Christ Died for me- Substitution
4. I need not fear death CROSSING THE RED SEA
1. The Resurrection of Christ
2. Delivered from Power of Sin
3. I died with Christ Identification
4. I need not fear life.
The sea will either Deliver you or Destroy you; depending on your relationship with God.
Exodus 14:13-22 THE VICTORY OF FAITH-
God has delivered the Children of Israel from the Bondage of Egypt by a series of miracles that ended in the applied blood of Passover. Now, He is going to develop them as people- After forgiveness comes the life of Faith.
This Faith is not “wishful thinking” it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). It is a feeling of confidence in God’s Plan and God’s Power.
God develops the Children of Israel by leading them into an impossible situation. He did this in order to:
1) Increase the Faith of the Israelites
2) Show the Egyptians (and the world) that He was God.
3) Display the ingredients of a Victorious Faith.
I. A VICTORIOUS FAITH IS GREATER THAN ANY FEAR- Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
There are 366 “fear nots” in the Bible- one for every day; even leap year. Sometimes God brings us face to face with our fears so that we might learn how silly they really are.
II. A VICTORIOUS FAITH STANDS STILL AND TRUSTS GOD TO WORK BUT IS READY TO WORK WHEN GOD SAYS WORK- Exo 14:14 16 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
You must learn that you cannot DEFEAT the Enemy or BRIDGE the Red Sea so you wait patiently on God to show you His escape path (and God WILL make a way of escape!).
When God shows you the way out of the Trap then He expects you to do your part- Within a Pit I cannot escape but when God reaches down for me I reach up for Him (Example of the Man who drowns waiting for God to save him even though God had sent a car, a boat, and a helicopter).
III. A VICTORIOUS FAITH STEPS OUT ON THE IMPOSSIBLE- Exo 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. You don’t tempt God but you do Trust Him enough to act “Foolishly” based on confidence in His Word.
IV. A VICTORIOUS FAITH ENDURES TO THE END TO COMPETE IT’S TASK- Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Don’t stop in the Middle of the Sea, Keep on walking.
A Victorious Faith sees an Obstacle as an Opportunity. Thus it:
1) Honors God
2) Delivers God’s People
3) Defeats the Powers of darkness
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).
Exodus 15:23 25 BITTERNESS
While in Nashville Paula and I went to a fancy restaurant and for desert I ordered a Vandermint Ice Cream-not knowing that it was Ice Cream with Liquor poured over it!! When I tasted it I found that the sweet was in fact bitter!! Life sometimes treats us that way. We think that everything will work great and, like the children of Israel, we find trouble and trial instead of triumph. Let’s look at why this is, what happens as a result, and how to cure it.
I. CAUSES OF BITTERNESS
A) Lose of Family and Fortune-Naomi in Ruth 1:20 21 said to change her name to Mara (Bitterness) because of lose of husband and sons.
B) Sin- The Children of Israel were in Bitter Bondage in Egypt (Sin) and had to eat Bitter herbs (Ex 12:8) as they left to signify the bitterness of sin. (Just as Jesus was given vinegar to drink)
C) Envy- Simon the Magician in Acts 8:14 24 envied the Power of the Apostles and tried to buy it and Peter said he was in the “gall of bitterness”. Envy is a green-eyed monster!!
D) Death- Agag the king thought he had escaped the “bitterness of death” (I Sam 15:32) when Saul sinned but Samuel corrected that.
E) Family Relationships can sometimes go wrong: Ecc. 7:26 I find more bitter than death the woman. Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them. Prov 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter-ness to her that bare him.
II. RESULTS OF BITTERNESS
A) Many others defiled- Heb 12:14 16 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
B) Nursed into Bitter Life-Prov 14:10 (Contrasting Proverb)The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doeth not intermeddle with his joy.
C) Makes us backslide- Jam 3:14 If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above but is sensual Devilish
III. CURES FOR BITTERNESS
A) The Cross of Christ- Tree in Text
B) Power of the Holy Spirit- Ep 4:31 32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.
ARE YOU NURSING A BITTER SPIRIT??
ARE YOU MAKING THINGS MISERABLE FOR THOSE AROUND YOU BY YOUR BITTERNESS
ARE YOU BITTER ABOUT YOUR LOT IN LIFE?? COME TO CHRIST
Exodus 16:13-24 MANNA MIRACLE-
MANNA’S NAME- “What is it?” Exo 16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
Num 11:6 7 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium
MANNA’S SOURCE- The Lord Gave Psa 78:24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven
Exo 16:14 21 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. 15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. 17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. 19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. 21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Num 11:9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
Neh 9:20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
MANNA’S REASON: Exo 16:4 5 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
Deu 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
1) Necessary Food- Also had quail, sheep, wheat, and purchased food. but this was something that showed them God’s love and provision daily.
2) Test of Faith- Only enough for one day, Teach Trust in God
3) Test of Obedience- Each day is a new task
4) Teach Trust in God’s Word above Human resourses- Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
MANNA’S CONCLUSION- Josh 5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
MEMORIAL MANNA: Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; LIVING BREAD IS CHRIST: John 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
HIDDEN MANNA: Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Exodus 20:1 THE SERMON GOD PREACHED
Ex 20:1 “And God spake all these words, saying”. By this message God proclaimed to these people who had just escaped from Egyptian bondage the basis of their new government. (They were to become a THEOCRATIC NATION- Ruled by God and guided by His word.)
I. GOD’S RULES FOR LIVING vs 1-17
A) The Basis of the Law
i. Who God is- I am the Lord (Yahweh) thy God
ii. What God did- Brought thee out of Egypt and bondage
B) The Basics of the Law (See Mark 12:29-31)
iii. Man’s Relationship to God
1. God is to be the first place
2. God can’t be worshipped by idols (He is Spirit)
3. God’s Name must be reverenced
4. God’s Day to be Holy (set apart)
iv. Man’s Relationship to Man
5. Parents are in Authority
6. Murder
7. Adultery
8. Stealing
9. Bearing False Witness
10. Wrongfully desiring another s property is condemned.
II. GOD RESPECTED BY THE PEOPLE vs 18-21
A) They witness His power 18
B) They ask for a “go between” 19
C) This respectful fear of God is a guard against sin 20
D) The people stand afar off and Moses draws near unto the thick darkness where God was (This shielded God from man: today circumstances, problems, and troubles hide God but He’s still there II) GOD IS TO BE RESPECTED. This means we don’t take Him or sin lightly.
III. GOD’S REQUIREMENTS FOR WORSHIP vs 22-26
A) Must be worshipped in Spirit (Spake from Heaven. Remember they were not to make any gods of silver or gold). Being in Church does not mean you are worshipping!
B) Must be approached by Sacrifice
1. Burnt Offering (salvation) & Peace Offering (Service)).
2. Meet at Altar- Place of death for Sin and To Sin
C) Must meet at God’s Place under God’s conditions
1. Place where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee (You might try to worship God in a boat on Sunday but God might have other plans! I)
2. Altar must be of:
a. Earth- whosoever will may come
b. Unhewn stone- not by works of righteousness which we have done. If you lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
3. Altar cannot be raised; neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. (Man cannot reach God. God must reach man. The Spirit must draw us and we must come depending only on God’s Grace.
Exodus 20:1-17 GOD’S GUIDELINES FOR EVERY GENERATION
Many many things change in life- births, deaths, marriages, divorces; yet the one thing that remains constant is God- Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Heb 13:8). That’s why He is often referred to as the “Rock”. He’s Strong, Stable, and Secure.
The thing we fail to realize many times, however, is that God is not only Constant in His love and care; He is also constant in His expectations and His judgment! He not only expects us to accept His love, He expects us to follow His rules.
That’s what today’s message is about. Most people at one time or another have learned the TEN COMMANDMENTS. Even the unsaved world takes them as a good guideline for living. But I think they’re more talked than walked today; and I want us to examine them again as God’s Guidelines for EVERY Generation, including this one.
I. THE SOURCE OF THE COMMANDMENTS- And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Note that “Lord” is in all Capitals. That means in the King James Version that it is the Hebrew word “Jehovah”: the self-existent one. This is not a Passing Sermon by a local Pastor. It’s the eternal word of from God who exists without our help or effort. In other words, the following is true and relevant regardless of what man thinks or does.
Note also that God gives the REASON He expects these people to follow these rules; He has delivered them from Bondage into the Blessedness of His Covenant People. The laws should be readily agreed to out of their love for Him.
II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
A> They cover every area of our life- They are specific enough to be easily understood and “general” enough to cover every situation.
B> They Belong together- They are individual guidelines that form a UNIT. You can not pick and choose which of them you will obey- Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10).
C> They cover our conduct with God and Man- The first 4 deal with man’s relationship to God. The last 6 deal with Man’s Relationship to other Men. Jesus said they could be summarized in two great commandments- Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Mat 22:36-40).
III. THE SENSE OF THE COMMANDMENTS
1> The Priority of God- Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Your “god” is the thing that occupies first place in your heart. God said that place belongs to Him.
2> The Person of God- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Even when God became a man we have no description of what He looked like. God does not want us to worship a form; He wants us to Love and Adore HIM (Sort of life my wife and I. While she has retained her exceptional beauty, I haven’t! If she only loved my body we’d be divorced now).
3> The Pronouncements About God- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Your name is your “Personal” identification. God knows when we downgrade His name we also downgrade Him. Remember also that our prayers are made “in the name of Jesus”.
4> The Privilege of Time with God- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Parents have found that expensive toys don’t replace time with their children. God is not looking for a brief visit a couple of times a year. He wants us to spend time getting to know and love Him EVERY Week.
5> Children Relationships- Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The Home is God’s first “line of defense”. He expects us to honor the position held by our parents (even if the parents sometimes don’t live up to their responsibilities).
6> Society Relationships- Thou shalt not kill. As a society we have the responsibility to protect other members of society. This means we don’t kill babies, old people, or people we don’t like. It also means we hold those accountable who do knowing kill others.
7> Marriage Relationships- Thou shalt not commit adultery. The only place God intended Sexual Relationship to take place was in the marriage relationship. Pre-marital, extra-marital, and non-marital relationships are forbidden by God (This also includes Homosexual relationships).
8> Business Relationships- Thou shalt not steal. Exorbitant prices, lazy workers, taking of property; all are included here.
9> Community Relationships- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. The tongue is like a fire; it can burn down a neighborhood. Isn’t it strange that we always seem to tear down the people closest to us??
10> Personal Relationships- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s. This is “Paul’s Sin” (Rom 7:7) and the downfall of many other people. Contentment is GREAT GAIN.
Those are the Rules. Do You need to Repent???
Exodus 20:1-21 THE SERMON GOD PREACHED
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,… Thus begins the Sermon God preached to His people Israel upon their escape from Egypt. They were changing from a nation in Bondage into a nation ruled as a THEOCRACY (Ruled by God and guided by His Word). This sermon preached by God gives the basic guidelines for the governing of the people under this new and exciting way of life.
I. GOD’S RULES FOR LIVING vs 1-17
A) The Basis of the Law vs 1-2
1. Who God is- I am the LORD (Yahweh) thy God. [LORD here literally means “the self-existent one who reveals Himself”. God begins this sermon by showing that He had the RIGHT {Self-Existent One} and the REASON {Reveals Himself} to preach].
2. What God did- “Brought thee out of Egypt’s Bondage”. God is able to direct the people not only because of His PERSON but also because of His POWER.
B) The Basics of the Law vs 3-17 (See Mark 12:29-31)
1. Man’s relationship to God
1. God is to occupy First Place in everything we do
2. God is to be worshipped in Spirit, not in Statues [Wrong concepts of God effect people for generations!!].
3. God’s name must be reverenced (since it is the basis of our Dealing with God– “In Jesus’ Name”)
4. God’s Day is to be Set Apart for Fellowship and Worship.
2. Man’s Relationship to Man
5. Parents are in the line of authority that comes from God. They are to be Honored (Respected) so that God can bless.
6. Murder, (7)Adultery, (8)Stealing, (9)Bearing False Witness, and (10)Wrongfully desiring another’s property is condemned. [This deals with Hate, Lust, Deceit, Lying, and Coveting; all of the things that motivate men to do wrong to other men].
II. GOD RESPECTED BY THE PEOPLE vs 18-21
A) They Witnessed His Power and that produced Respect vs 18
B) They asked for a “go between” (Mediator) vs 19
C) Respectful Fear of God is a guard against sin vs 20
D) The Mediator is Hidden but working (Today circumstances, problems, and troubles hide God but He’s still there!! with Christ at His right hand working for us).
God has given us Guidelines to go by and demands that we respect Him. Are you following the Rules?? Do you Reverence God?
Exodus 21:1-6 PIERCED EARS
Before I was saved I was the Servant of Sin, Satan, and Self. Now I belong to God and I love to serve Him- I didn’t lose joy, I found abundant life! I want to look today at a man who made such a life changing decision and see how we need to make the same decision.
Let’s’ begin with an Object Lesson- Jesus said many times that men have “eyes to see and yet see not”. He was stating a Spiritual principle but it works in the physical world as well- Without looking, can you tell me what color tie your husband or father is wearing? If your wife or mother is wearing a necklace?
We tend to see but not see all the time; that’s why coke and Pepsi spend millions and millions of dollars every year to show the same advertisements over and over. They have a constant theme that you remember when you go to buy a soft drink. That’s one of the main purposes of advertisements; to establish a readily identifiable symbol for a product (Andrew could see a sign advertising Burger King when he was 18 months old and say, “This is a Burger King town!”).
That “recognizing mark” is what I want us to look at today. I want us to see a man who allowed a hole to be placed in his ear so that anyone who saw him walking down the street would immediately say, “This man is a bond-slave by choice”. And then I want us to willingly make the same choice about serving Christ; and live so everyone we meet will say, “That person is a Christian”.
I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES- This man has somehow incurred a debt that was so big until he was unable to pay it with money and had to use his daily labor as a method of repayment. Christians have the same circumstances and obligations- I Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
II. HIS CHOICE-
A) He had a free Will- He could leave or stay; just as God has given us freedom to live dedicated lives for Him or slack lukewarm lives. God asks for our Dedication but does not force us to give it.
B) His choice affected his family- I try so hard to get our Young Married couples to realize this. If they attend church spasmodically and never get involved then their children grow up without a spiritual foundation. In latter years, when the storms of life come upon them, their “house” will come crashing down.
C) His choice was based on love- I love my master. Fear could not motivate him because he had the choice to leave but he enjoyed the fellowship and work of his master so much until he wanted to spend the rest of his life in his service [That’s the demonstration of love John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:]
IT IS NOT A JOB SERVING THE LORD, IT IS A JOY!!
III. HIS CONSECRATION-
A) A Clear Decision- vs 5 He Plainly said.
B) An Open confession- vs 6 Before the Judges (You must believe in your heart and confess with your mouth).
C) A Permanent Dedication- vs 6 He joined the “order of Pierced ears” and determined to serve his master for ever- everyone who saw him knew that he had made the decision.
Paul called himself a bondslave of Christ- Do you have that attitude today? Do you seek to serve the Lord or to make the Lord serve you (Like a 4 year old trying to help mommy; and making more of a mess that being a help). Consecration is like handing God a blank check for our lives with our names signed on the bottom; and trusting Him to use it wisely. Have you done that??
Accepting a MASTER means you:
1. Recognize His Authority- Your Will is replaced with His. [This is an attitude of HEART]
2. Obey His Orders: You do what HE says do. [This is SERVICE]
3. Find a tremendous FREEDOM in allowing Him to make the decision while you simply trust Him- Matt 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Aren’t you tired of slaving under Satan’s bondage?? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to live life to the fullest and have no worry about death?? Make an open public profession of Christ as your Savior today and then live for Him every day in every way.
Exodus 22:1 RESTITUTION-
Webster defines “Restitution” as the “act of restoring compensation to the rightful owner”. It is seldom talked about, and less often practiced; in America today but it is a basic Biblical principle that could change the fabric of American society if it were properly applied.
I want to look at 3 main areas involving Restitution and then find ways to stop talking and start doing.
I. THIEVERY- God’s guidelines are simple and easy to understand when it comes to the restitution a thief owes.
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. — Exo 22:1
“If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in another man’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard. If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution. If a man gives his neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if he is caught, must pay back double. But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has laid his hands on the other man’s property. — Exo 22:5-8
Jails ought not to be a place to “Pen” up people but a place to teach them to work so they can correct the wrong they’ve done. Right now the victim must suffer the lost and then pay extraordinary taxes to house the criminal.
The Victim gets taken, the criminal loses all hope and spends his idle time learning how to be a better criminal, and society ends up footing the bill. What a difference it would be if the victim was paid for his misfortune and the criminal was told exactly what it would take for him to make his sentence as short as possible. (What if they won’t work- “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Th 3:10). If he would rather starve to death than work then that also solves one part of the problem).
II. TITHES- A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. The entire tithe of the herd and flock–every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod–will be holy to the LORD. He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed. — Lev 27:30-33
III. EXAMPLE-
A) A mark of Salvation: “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” — Luke 19:8
B) A mark of Sanctification- He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. — Eph 4:28
He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. — Acts 3:21
Exodus 25:9 Dealing with Details
According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it (Exo 25:9) (See Page 127 in Daily Bible)
We are in the midst of studying all the Details of the building of the Tabernacle (Movable. Temple was permanent). This is where many people “bog down” in reading all the way through the Bible.
Two things will help. (1) Find a picture of the Tabernacle so you will better understand what all these details are describing (Show the Blue Print of the Church and tell how the builders needed these guidelines to follow in order to build the Church the way we intended). (2) Realize that this is part of GOD’S WORD and as such is very important (The same for all those name we’ve gone through and will go through).
This second area is the theme of today’s message. You remember the old parable- For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lame. For want of a horse the messenger was late. For want of a message, the battle was lost. That’s what we’re going to look at today. The Little details in our life that affect our relationship with God and with each other.
God is concerned about the LITTLE Details of your life
I. THE HAIR OF YOUR HEAD:
God numbers our hairs- Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (Mat 10:29-31).
This verse has nothing to do with the message. It just makes me feel better! And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean (Lev 13:40).
God protects our hair- And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them (Dan 3:27).
WHY WOULD GOD CARE ABOUT HAIR???
Samson’s Hair was important- It cost him his power.
Absalom’s Hair was important- It cost him his life.
Your Hair is important- Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering (1 Cor 11:14-15).
II. THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Mat 12:36).
III. THE CLOTHES YOU WEAR: And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore , if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Mat 6:28-30)
They should be MODEST and not just worn for PRIDE (Extraordinary priced clothes and shoes just to make a name for self).
IV. THE DAILY CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR LIFE: The Events in Jesus’ Life- To Fulfil Scriptures. History today- To Fulfil Scriptures (For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Mat 5:18).
Are you so busy with the details of the world until you don’t have time for God? Come to Him today. It’s Important to KNOW God’s Plan. It’s Important to FOLLOW God’s Plan. It’s Important to BE A PART OF God’s Plan.
Exodus 32:33 GOD’S ERASER
Several times in Scripture God talks about “blotting” a person’s name out of the book of life- “And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” (Exo 32:33)
“Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.” (Deu 9:14)
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Rev 3:5).
In both the Hebrew and the Greek, the word “Blot” means to “Rub out” or to “erase”. That means that God’s pencil has an eraser on it!
I. WHO AM I TALKING TO? Christians: Must have your name written in the book before it can be erased.
II. WHY WOULD GOD ERASE YOUR NAME? (Note that in Rev 3:- God talks about the last ages of the Church. To one He talks about erasing their name from the book of life, to another He talks about closing doors so that no one can open them, and, finally, He talks about people making Him so sick until He vomits them out of His mouth. In the end, He is standing outside the door of the Church knocking, requesting entrance.
Remember this, When a person repents of sin and accepts Christ as Savior he is placed in the protective hand of God and nobody or no thing can take you out of that hand. The only way to get out is for you to walk out yourself. That should never happen; and it never will, unless you start looking at circumstances or sin instead of the Savior and begin to put your faith in something other than God’s Provision.
God loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. What would bring Him to the place of erasing our name from His book?
A) Willful Sin- For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries (Heb 10:26-27). Your Faith will produce works. If these works are directly against the clear teachings of the Word of God then you are actually saying you don’t have faith in God’s Word.
B) Rejection of the Blood of Christ- He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Heb 10:28-29). Christianity without the Cross is becoming increasingly popular but eternally dangerous. When you establish your own standard of righteousness instead of following God’s standard of Righteousness you end up with an easy life but a hard death.
The fact that God’s pen has an eraser doesn’t cause me to despair; it simply increases my determination that nothing will cool my love for, or confidence in, Christ.
Christians limit God by Hidden Sins- Achan, Ai; Hidden Love- Demas loved world; and Hidden Light- Under Bushel or Bed.
Sinners Limit God by: Not calling on Him, Not Coming to Him, and Not Confessing Him as Savior (Rom 10:9-10).
Exodus 34:7 GENERATIONAL SINS
What would you think of a person who had AIDS and deliberately spread it to every other member of their household? What would you think of a nation that required that all boy babies be killed as soon as they were born?- And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. (Exodus 1:16). What would you think of people who ignored sinful actions and activities in their life knowing that this sin would eventually do tremendous harm not only to them but also to their Children? This is what we talk about in Generational Sins.
It is important first of all for us to realize some basis things about sin:
1) We do what we do because we are what we are!- Sin in our Actions comes from our Sinful Nature. A GENERAL rule to remember is that “singular Sin” refers to the Sin Nature that resides in fallen flesh while “Plural Sins” refers to the actions we do as a result of that fallen nature. (I John 1:8-9)
2) All sin is sin but all sins are not looked upon in the same way:
A) Careless Sins: Often called trespasses. (Example- when I drank coffee and forgot to pay)
B) Classic Sins– Murder, Drunkenness, Adultery. Considered sin almost everywhere
C) Culture Sins- Something may not be a sin but if you believe it is a sin then it becomes a sin to you if you do it- Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:22-23)
D) Common Sins- The sins that so “easily beset us”.
1. Sins of the Tongue But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)
2. Sins of Temper Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26).
3. Sins of Temptation But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:14-15).
E) Condemning Sins– If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. (1 John 5:16-17)
F) Church member Sins–
1) Demeaning and Dividing Gods family (Gossip, Power Plays)
2) Robbing God’s work of Resources- Tithes and Offerings
3) Worshiping God’s Man or Gods House instead of God
G) Continuing Sins- These are what I call “Generational Sins”. The impact of these sins continues from Generation to Generation.
First, remember that SOME THINGS HAPPEN IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR SIN OR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS: And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. (John 9:1-3)
I. THE RESULTS OF SIN PASS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION: (Ex 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Nu 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
A) Example Sins- Children of Alcoholics are more apt to be Alcoholics. Abusers are more apt to abuse. You become like those you are around: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalms 1:1)
B) Extreme Sins- Abortion has killed an entire generation that might have made a great difference for Christ. Sexual Perversion Sins brought Death to the World during Noah’s Day and to Sodom in Lot’s Day.
C) Idol Sins- Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, (Deuteronomy 5:8-9). Some example of modern day “idol sins”:
1> Entertainment has replaced Edifying and Educating at Church. No where in the Bible does it declare that the Church must provide weekly entertainment for young people. We are called to “take up our Cross”; not to strap on our fun shoes.
2> My wants and desires have replaced God’s plan for marriage. Workers are being disqualified. Children are being displaced. Money is being spent in alimony instead of missions because people put their thoughts ahead of God’s Word.
II. The other side of this coin is that THE RESULTS OF RIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR PASS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION: 2Ki 15:12 This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.
III. GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS CAN BE STOPPED BY SINFUL LIVING: And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: (1 Kings 9:4-7)
IV. THE ETERNAL DESTINATION OF A PERSON IS DETERMINED BY THAT PERSON, NOT THEIR PARENTS: Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. (Ezekiel 18:19-20)