Being True Despite Disappointments Series

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Being True Despite Disappointments

Introduction: We all have come here because we love God and we obey our God. We expect God to open closed doors for us and lead us victoriously. But many times in the midst of our perfect obedience to God, we face great challenges in life and encounter failures. In such times we usually tend to blame God and our enthusiasm of Christian life drops. We tend to think why Lord am I facing this situation in spite of obeying you? Why Lord why?

Subject: Being true despite disappointments Series: Exodus

Scripture: Exodus 5:1-6:2

This Sunday we are going to see what it is to walk in the will of God? Do we face failures and disappointments when we walk in the will of God?

Brief Background:

• Moses in obedience to God’s call left for Egypt with his family.

• One the way Moses met his brother Aaron.

• Now Moses and Aaron both go to Egypt.

• In Egypt Moses and Aaron brought all the elders of Israelites and told the entire plan of God to them.

• People were very happy that God has heard their cry and accepted Moses.

• Now, Moses and Aaron are preparing to go and meet Pharaoh.

The scene is a dramatic one as two 80 year old men stand before the most powerful man on the earth; and now we being with chapter 5 of Exodus.

Exodus 5:1-2 1 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.' " 2 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."

When Moses spoke about the God of Israel Pharaoh said he does not know the Lord. Pharaoh definitely knew the Lord of Israel. Understand Pharaoh was the most powerful person on earth this time. No orders came to Pharaoh but orders went out from Pharaoh. Pharaoh never obeyed anyone but everyone obeyed pharaoh. Now, Pharaoh did not want to obey someone who was greater than him, the Lord, therefore he just said I do not know the Lord.

Pharaoh did not like this request and at once the situation worsened for the Israelites.

Exodus 5:6-9 6That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: 7 "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."

Look at Pharaoh’s response: He made slavery more bitter, bondage heavier, and tasks more difficult. Rather than releasing them for worship Pharaoh tightened his grip over the Israelites.

This is what happens with the worldly people. When you stand for what is right, when you are just people just get angry at you and make life bitter for you. Many times I have heard people telling I do not know why my boss (or someone) is behaving like this to me but I have not done any bad, I’ve just done good. When we stand for what is right the devil makes the worldly people bitter and tries to make life difficult for us. This is the same when we share the gospel to people. Their hearts get harder.

The answer to Moses’ request came as more work. To complete the job of slavery was in itself tough but now it became more difficult. People anticipated to go to the desert and worship, but now it because impossible because all day people were trying to finish their work.

Exodus 5:12-14 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." 14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"

• Now, the people are working more.

• They had to find their own straw.

• The Israelite foremen were beaten for not completing the task.

Looking at the people’s hardship Moses and Aaron would have hid themselves. They would not have any face to show the people.