"Not A Hoof Shall Be Left Behind!”

“NOT A HOOF SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND!”

Ex. 10:26

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A family from Houston bought a ranch out in West Texas. Some friends went to see them a month later. They asked, “Have you named your ranch yet?”

2. The father said, “Well, I wanted to call it the “Flying W, but my wife wanted to call it the Suzy-Q. Then the boys wanted it to be the Bar-J or Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it the Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-Y Ranch.”

3. The friend asked, “Wow! What a name! So where are your cattle?” The rancher answered, “None of them survived the branding!” [oh – the cost of compromise!]

B. THE FOUR COMPROMISES OF PHARAOH

1. This morning we’re looking stepping into the middle of a huge dramatic Bible story: Moses (God) contending with Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, from being slaves to being their own, free nation, in their own land. This wasn’t something Pharaoh or Egypt wanted to do.

2. God’s command to Pharaoh was, “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 wilderness.’” 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.” Ex. 5:1-2. Pharaoh’s resistance brought the 10 plagues on Egypt.

3. Pharaoh offered Moses FOUR (4) COMPROMISES, during the 10 plagues, to keep Israel from getting free:

a. 8:25; “SACRIFICE to your God IN THE LAND” (Egypt). This is the same advice you hear, “You can stay in sin and still be a Christian.” Obviously, that isn’t true, since God said to leave it behind!

b. 8:28; “GO into the wilderness, BUT NOT VERY FAR.” Many people will discourage you from 100% commitment, saying you’re being extreme, but God says it’s necessary & right!

c. 10:8,11; “LET THE MEN GO.” People will tell you that not everyone has to be sold out, in order to please God. God says there’s only one price tag and all must meet the same requirements!

d. 10:24; “Go SERVE THE LORD, BUT LEAVE YOUR FLOCKS & HERDS BEHIND;” in other words, sacrifices aren’t necessary to complete your obedience! You don’t need to lose anything, or give up anything. Not so! We’re to be living sacrifices to God!

4. A compromise is where both parties get to keep some of what they want. Christ won TOTAL VICTORY! Why would we GIVE the enemy anything that Jesus purchased at so high a price? We won’t leave Satan even one, sick dying cow!

5. BIG PICTURE. This morning’s message is about spiritual warfare. When Adam & Eve fell, our spiritual territory was invaded. Our friends and family have been captured by sin. Shall we resign any of them to the enemy? Shouldn’t we fight to regain all of them, and every blessing the enemy has stolen?

C. MOSES VOCALIZED WHAT CHRIST SAYS ABOUT YOU

1. Ex. 10:26, “Not a hoof shall be left behind!” When Jesus redeemed us on the Cross, He paid to buy back every blessing that was in Paradise. Jesus intends for us to have all of it!

2. So what would Jesus mean by the statement, “Not a hoof shall be left behind” in our lives?

I. CHRIST CLAIMS “ALL” OF THE CHRISTIAN

A. HE WILL REIGN, WITHOUT RIVAL

1. Many people think that if they let Christ save one corner of their life for God, that is sufficient. But it’s not true! Christ says, “Not one part will be left in sin!” HE WILL HAVE ALL OF US, OR NONE OF US! He won’t be a part-owner, with the devil owning the other part.

2. ILLUS. F.B. Meyer had a dream where Christ came to him and asked him for the keys to his life. “Yes, Lord,” said Meyer, and handed him a bundle of keys. Jesus asked, “Are these all the keys?” Meyer said, “No, I have only one small key left to a very tiny room. Surely you wouldn’t want that key?” Jesus handed all the keys back. “No, I must have all the keys or none of them at all.” Meyer awakened with hot tears streaming down his face. He knelt by his bed and surrendered every part of his life. Dr. Meyer said, “From that hour, there came a new power in my life!” [Source Unknown]

3. If you’ve never experienced the delivering power of Jesus, it could be because you’ve never surrendered all the keys to Him! He won’t take over until you fully surrender!

4. If your watch gets broken, you put it into the hand of the watchmaker. God made you and He knows how to fix you.