God Moments Of Amazing Grace Series

THE GOD MOMENT PRINCIPLE – AMAZING RESCUE

(EXODUS 12:1-13 21-23)

INTRODUCTION:

I HAD AN AMAZING CHILDHOOD:

1. IN THE WINTER I WASN’T JUST AN NHL SUPERSTAR, I WAS SIX NHL TEAMS, ALL WITH AT LEAST TWO LINES, AND NO MADEUP NAMES, IN MY BACK YARD.

2. I WAS KING OF THE CASTLE UNTIL SOMEONE KNOCKED ME OFF THE SNOWBANK, AND NOONE COULD THROW A SNOWBALL BETTER THAN I COULD IN A SNOWBALL FIGHT.

3. IN THE SUMMER TIME I WAS A PITCHER IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES THROWING A RUBBER OR TENNIS BALL AGAINST MY UNCLES GARAGE FOR HOURS ON END. AND I ALWAYS WON.

4. I HAD EXCITING ADVENTURES IN KIRKY BEAR WOODS, NOT FIVE MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE

5. MY FRIENDS AND I HELD OFF A MULTITIUDE OF INDIAN ATTACKS AND ENEMY ADVANCES FROM OUR FORT WHICH DOUBLED AS MY NEIGHBORS CLOTHES LINE STAND.

6. A VERY SPECIAL MEMORY FOR ME WAS THAT MANY TIMES I WAS A TREASURE HUNTER, GOING ON MANY EXCURSIONS, ALL FROM THE SAFETY OF MY OWN HOME, USUALLY DURING A STORM OF SOME KIND THAT PREVENTED ME FROM GOING OUT.

EXPLAIN ABOUT “HOTTER AND COLDER” AND A TREASURE MAP OF PICTURES AND DIRECTIONS AND WHAT THE TREASURE WAS.

I THANK GOD FOR AN AMAZING MOM TO DO THAT FOR ME.

TRANSITION:

IN OUR WORLD TODAY THERE ARE MANY TREASURE HUNTERS:

1. THERE IS THE COUPLE THAT SERCHES THE BEACH WITH A METAL DETECTOR FOR VALUABLES.

2. THE TREASURE HUNTER WHO STUDIES ABOUT SHIP WRECKS AND DIVES INTO THE DEEPS LOOKING FOR BURIED TREASURE.

3. THE TREASURE HUNTER WHO DETERMINES THAT A LEGEND IS MORE THAN JUST A LEGEND AND SETS OUT TO FIND A LONG LOST GOLD MINE, USING A PIECE OF A MAP.

4. EXPLORATION OF ANY FORM IS A TYPE OF TREASURE HUNT. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TREASURES ARE IN STORE FOR THEM.

BUT WHETHER IT IS: A HIDDEN CHOCOLATE BAR

SUNKEN TREASURE

A LOST GOLD MINE

SEARCHING WITH A METAL DETECTOR

OR EXPLORATION

THEY HAVE A FEW THINGS IN COMMON:

1. THEY HAD A METHOD IN THEIR SEARCH:

A) WHEN THEY SEARCHED THEY STUDIED THEIR MAP AND WHAT RESEARCH THEY HAD.

B) THEY PREPARED THEMSELVES WITH THE PROPER EQUIPMENT.

C) THEY KNEW THE TREASURE THEY SOUGHT, AND SO THEY LOOKED WHERE THE TREASURE PROBABLY WAS, NOT WHERE IT WASN’T.

2. THEY WERE PERSISTENT. THEY DON’T GIVE UP UNTIL THEY FIND IT.

3. THEY ARE ALL EXCITED WHEN THEY FIND THE TREASURE.

WE CAN APPLY THESE SAME PRINCIPLES IN IDENTIFYING GOD MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES.

1. WE HAVE RESEARCH THAT WE CAN STUDY:

A) THE BIBLE

B) LIFE EXPERIENCE (HOW GOD WORKED AND HOW HE CHANGED OUR LIVES)

C) THE PAST TESTIMONY OF GOD MOMENTS OF OTHERS

WE HAVE THE EXHILERATION WHEN WE FINALLY REALIZE THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A TRUE GOD MOMENT.

SOME PITFALLS IN IDENTIFYING GOD MOMENTS.

1. ALTHOUGH GOD MOMENTS WILL INVOLVE HUMAN CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS THEY HAPPEN IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ELIMINATE ANY DOUBT THAT IT WAS GOD WHO ACTED. EXAMPLE. WHEN THE ISRAELITES CROSSED THE RED SEA OR THE JORDAN.

2. GOD MOMENTS ARE DETERMINED BY GOD AND NOT MAN. WE CANNOT CREATE A SERIES OF SIGNS FROM CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEN SAY THAT THEY ARE GOD MOMENTS IF THEY COULD HAVE HAPPENED NATURALLY. EXAMPLE: SEEING DEER ON A HILL, OR FLOWERS ON A GRAVE.

3. GOD MOMENTS ALWAYS ARE FOLLOWED BY LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS AND EFFECTS THAT LAST FOR LIFE. YOU MAY WALK AWAY FROM GOD AS THE ISREALITES DID, AND IGNORE THE CHANGE, BUT YOU CAN’T WALK AWAY FROM THE CHANGE.

HAVING SAID THESE THINGS LETS TAKE TIME NOW TO LOOK AT THE FIRST OF FIVE IDENTIFIED TYPES OF GOD MOMENTS AND HOW OR IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY IT IN YOUR LIFE, THE GOD MOMENT OF AMAZING RESCUE.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:

1. DESCRIBE ISREAL’S SITUATION IN EGYPT.

2. TALK ABOUT THE OTHER PLAGUES

3. NOW TALK ABOUT THE TENTH PLAGUE: THE EGYPTIANS FINALLY SET THEM

FREE

IT WOULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES

THEY WERE TO COMMERATE IT

NO ONE ELSE BUT GOD COULD DO IT

IT WAS AN AMAZING RESCUE

APPLICATION:

THE GOD MOMENT PRINCIPLE IS THIS, SIMPLY STATED. “HOW WE REMEMBER OUR PAST, IS HOW WE WILL LIVE OUR LIVES IN THE FUTURE.”

1. DO WE REMEMBER THE FEW AIR-TRAGEDIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OR DO WE REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF SAFE LANDINGS OF AIR-PLANES.

2. DO WE REMEMBER THE REALLY SMALL AMOUNT OF CHILD ABDUCTIONS FROM PLAYGROUNDS, OR THE MILLIONS WHO HAVE PLAYED ENTIRE CHILDHOODS WITHOUT BEING BOTHERED?

3. DO WE REMEMBER THE FEW WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENTS, OR THE MILLIONS OF TRIPS WE HAVE TAKEN SAFELY AND ENJOYED FULLY?

NOW THE PASSOVER IS AN IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF GOD RESCUE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS:

1. THE HEBREW ROOT FOR THE WORD GIVES THE MEANING OF A MOTHER HEN COVERING HER LITTLE ONES WITH HER WINGS. THE PSALMIST SPEAKS OF THIS.