IT’S TIME TO GET WHERE WE ARE GOING
Exodus 13.17-14.31
S: Change
C: Resurrection and Exodus
Th: Movin’ On Up!
Pr: UNSWERVINGLY FOLLOW GOD’S PATH TO LIFE.
Type: Inductive
I. EXODUS
II. RESURRECTION
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Realize you cannot earn God’s blessing.
• Trust God with your life.
• Accept the changes that need to be made.
• Go forward in faith.
Version: ESV
RMBC 23 March 08 AM
Resurrection Sunday!
INTRODUCTION:
We have discovered that there is something we are to be joyful about today.
He is risen! (He is risen indeed!)
What seemed to be the end of the story, was not the end of the story!
But when you only see that front half, it can be pretty despairing.
This is not how you viewed it would be.
And you may describe it in many ways – being “in a pickle”, “up a tree”, with your “back against the wall”, “in a corner”, or “at your wits end”?
1. Have you ever been a predicament?
Have you ever made a major purchase like buying a car or buying a home and then after you did, you lost your job or had your income take a dive?
If so, then you know what it is to be in a predicament.
Have you ever made a job change and then after doing so you realized that the old one was better than than the new one?
If so, you have been in a predicament.
The best definition I have found of a predicament is this: “A lawyer who specializes in suing doctors for medical malpractice finding himself in need of major surgery.”
There are two defining moments in Scripture.
And interestingly, they both are easily labeled as predicaments.
In both situations, there is a conclusion of hopelessness.
Everything is falling apart.
A disaster is occurring, and ultimate failure is imminent.
But there is a turnaround.
The unexpected happens.
God moves in a way that no one foresees, and salvation occurs.
OUR STUDY:
The first is the…
I. EXODUS
We noted last week, that the plagues have finally softened pharaoh’s heart enough that he allows the children of Israel to leave.
The final plague, the death of the firstborn, freed up pharaoh’s iron-fisted grip.
The death of the firsborn – it came at a devastating price for the Egyptians, but not for those that had the faith to put lamb’s blood over the doorframe of their homes.
So…
2. The children of Israel were movin’ on out.
I can’t help but picture the Hebrews struttin’ their stuff a bit.
After all, they have suffered for quite a while under the pharaoh’s brutality.
So, as they go, there had to be a swagger in their step.
And…
3. God was in the lead.
The text in Exodus tells us that they were led by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
Now, wouldn’t you like to have that kind of divine direction for your life?
And those difficult questions in life, think how easy it would be to get the answers?
If the cloud moved to Virginia Beach, then you would know you were to move to Virginia Beach.
If the pillar of fire moved to the Florida Keys, you would know you were supposed to move to the Florida Keys.
(You can see I am thinking the Lord wants me to minister to a beach community.)
Should I change jobs?
Wait and see if the cloud moves over a certain building.
Should I marry this person?
Wait and see if the pillar of fire moves over their head.
Should I buy this house?
Wait and see if the cloud moves over it.
Israel has a tremendous advantage.
They know where to go, because God is giving them very specific directions.
So what does God do?
He takes the people the long way around!
First, they head down south for 60 miles.
Then they go east for 10 miles.
Then at the start of chapter 14, He tells them to head north again!
But there is one big problem at this point…
4. The people landed on a dead end.
To the west is desert – can’t go there.
To the east is lots of water – can’t go there.
And I suppose they could go back north, but that is back into Egypt.
Besides, in the distance, there is a huge cloud of dust.
You see, this is a predicament.
Pharaoh got over his soft heart, and decided that the children of Israel needed to come back to Egypt, by force if necessary.
So he brought together the mightiest army in the world and attacked.
Now the children of Israel were none too happy about this new state of affairs
They were trapped.
They are at a dead end, and just like the picture, the dead end is a graveyard.
They were dead men, and they knew it.
It was going to be a massacre.
But here is the truth of the matter.
God led them here.
It was not by accident.
It was not some random event with no rhyme or reason.
God placed them right where He wanted them.
And here is what Moses tells them…
5. “The Lord will fight for you.”
They do not need to be afraid of old pharaoh.
He is a loser.
They just need to stand firm and watch.
So look what happens.
The cloud moves from their front to their back, and actually, since it is now evening, it is a pillar of fire.
God now stands between them and the Egyptians.
The Egyptians were going nowhere, completely stymied by this obstruction.
And while this happens, the wind picks up, and blows hard all night.
It blows so hard, and so long, a huge path opens up in the middle of the sea.
In fact, the wind has blown so hard, that the path is dry.
So Moses says…
6. “Go forward…”
Go man go!
Millions of people are crossing the Red Sea, while the Egyptian army is completely frustrated.
They can’t get past God’s protection of the Israelites.
You see, pharaoh had once again fallen into God’s trap (some people never learn!).
So, after the people have successfully crossed, what they saw as their enemy, the sea, turns into their friend.
For the Egyptians follow, only to see the sea close in on them.
It is a just punishment for a country that killed babies by throwing them into the Nile.
On that day, once again, the children of Israel receive salvation and deliverance at God’s hand.
It was a defining moment.
But it was more than a defining moment, for it pointed to an even greater event that was yet to come…
II. RESURRECTION
Last week was Palm Sunday, and it is the day that…
7. Jesus entered Jerusalem as Messiah.
It is a very special day for Jesus, because He deliberately reveals Himself as He is.
He is the Messiah.
He is the Christ.
He is marching out of Egypt, so to speak, showing all of Jerusalem that He is the fulfillment of Scripture.
But…
8. In less than a week, Jesus is betrayed, arrested, convicted, and executed.
One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, betrays Him.
He is arrested in the middle of the night.
He is put through a mock trial.
He is found guilty by false witnesses.
And then He is delivered to the Romans to be executed by the most humiliating way for a state to kill someone – by crucifixion.
Jesus dies on the cross.
It looks hopeless.
It looks like the evil one has had his day.
And the disciples…
9. The disciples felt the cause was lost.
It was a dead end.
Jesus was now gone.
They were bewildered.
All their hopes had died.
There was nothing left but despair.
They felt hemmed in on all sides.
Their reason for living had disintegrated before their very eyes.
He was gone…so they thought…
10. Jesus, though, was defeating the power of sin.
ILL Resurrection (H)
Joseph of Arimathea was a very wealthy Pharisee, a member of the council, and a secret follower of Jesus. It was Joseph who went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body after the crucifixion. And it was Joseph who supplied the tomb for Jesus’ burial.
Well, it seems that someone pulled him aside and said, "Joseph, that was such beautiful, costly, hand-hewn tomb. Why on earth did you give it to someone else to be buried in?"
Joseph just smiled. "Why not? He only needed it for the weekend."
The body of Jesus may have died, but the spirit of Jesus was very much alive.
You see, He was fighting for us!
At the cross, as the choir sang this morning, He was the paschal lamb – his blood being poured out – covering the doorframes of our heart – protecting us for eternity.
And, He was in the process of defeating sin forever.
He was in the process of defeating our ultimate enemy – death.
He rose.
He rose from the dead.
He showed that death had no power over Him.
He was alive and well, living on planet earth.
Hell had no power over Him.
And in turn, offers us the same power.
He tells us to “go.”
For…
11. Jesus provides the way forward.
You see, Satan’s chariot wheels got derailed when Jesus rose from the dead.
He thought he had Him.
He was so wrong.
His plan fell apart at the One who says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
CHALLENGE:
Because Christ is risen…because He has utterly defeated the power of sin and death…we can live a kind of life that is characterized by goodness.
We can live a life that is not stuck on feeding our own ego.
God’s path to life can be followed!
And that is our encouragement…
12. Unswervingly follow God’s path to life.
Walk the path.
There may be walls of water on either side of you.
It may look dangerous.
But take the walk anyway.
Follow that path.
Don’t wander.
Don’t swerve.
Don’t veer off to the left or the right.
Stick to the path.
Jesus defeated death at the cross.
He has given us a path that leads to a full and abundant life here on earth and an eternal life in heaven.
This is the testimony of those that were baptized this morning.
[reflect on some of their comments]
And, as you could see, it does not matter what age you are, you can make the decision to follow Jesus.
When one makes this decision to follow Jesus, it is a humbling experience.
Why?
Because you must…
13. Humbly realize you cannot earn God’s blessing.
We want to think that there is something inherently good in us that will cause God to look down on us and say, “That person there, sitting in the 18th pew, 5th one in, that person is one of the good ones.”
We want to be good enough.
We want to think that we can do enough good things that God says, “Good job. Now you can receive my favor.”
But that is not how it works.
God wants us to understand that His blessing cannot be earned.
It is something He does because He chooses to.
It is something He does because He loves us.
So, He opens up the path through the water, because He wants to.
He goes to the cross, and raises again, because He loves us.
He gives us life as a gift, to be received, and not earned.
He offers it; we receive it.
It is that simple.
So, take the gift, and…
14. Trust God to do the unexpected with your life.
You may feel that you have a lot of reason to not trust God today.
Perhaps you are struggling with your health.
Perhaps you have ended up with more month than money.
Perhaps you have a child that is breaking your heart because of the way they are deciding to live.
Perhaps you have a spouse that is rejecting you instead of embracing you.
Perhaps you are in danger of losing your job.
One thing the Exodus and the Resurrection prove to us is that God has a tremendous track record when it comes to impossible situations.
He knows how to take what seems hopeless and bring hope.
He knows how to take what seems lifeless and bring life.
He knows how to take what seems loveless and bring love.
So trust Him!
And remember this, He brings answers that we do not expect.
We ask for one thing, but He brings something better.
So trust Him!
And at the same time…
15. Joyfully accept the changes that need to be made.
Here is the blessing of following the path the Lord has for us.
He never leaves us alone.
What I mean by this, He keeps directing our path and our ways of life with something better.
A fuller goodness…
A fuller righteousness…
A fuller compassion for others, and each other…
He brings His Holy Spirit into our lives so that we stay on that path to a better life, both present and future.
So, just as Moses told the people to go…
Just as Jesus, the one risen from he dead, told His disciples to go…to go and tell…
I encourage you today…
16. Follow Jesus and go forward in faith.
ILL Resurrection (S)
Imagine the mystery and delight of not just hearing, but seeing the story of Jesus for the first time, almost as an eyewitness.
That’s what happened to a tribe in the jungles of East Asia, when missionaries showed them the Jesus film. Not only had these people never heard of Jesus, they had never seen a motion picture. Then, all at once, on one unforgettable evening, they saw it all - the gospel in their own language, visible and real.
Imagine again how it felt to see this good man Jesus, who healed the sick and was adored by children, held without trial and beaten by jeering soldiers. As they watched this, the people came unglued. They stood up and began to shout at the cruel men on the screen, demanding that this outrage stop.
When nothing happened, they attacked the missionary running the projector. Perhaps he was responsible for this injustice! He was forced to stop the film and explain that the story wasn’t over yet, that there was more. So they settled back onto the ground, holding their emotions in tenuous check.
Then came the crucifixion. Again, the people could not hold back. They began to weep and wail with such loud grief that once again the film had to be stopped. The missionary again tried to calm them, explaining that the story still wasn’t over, that there was more. So they composed themselves and sat down to see what happened next.
Then came the resurrection. Pandemonium broke out this time, but for a different reason. The gathering had spontaneously erupted into a party. The noise now was of jubilation, and it was deafening. The people were dancing and slapping each other on the back. Christ is risen, indeed!
Again the missionary had to shut off the projector. But this time he didn’t tell them to calm down and wait for what was next. All that was supposed to happen - in the story and in their lives - was happening.
As we bow our heads, I want to give anyone that desires it, the opportunity to make a decision to receive the salvation (deliverance) that God offers to each one of us.
To do so, silently where you are, you can talk to God in prayer.
Say something like this:
Dear God,
I thank You for your grace and compassion and mercy that reaches to the very place I sit this day.
I admit that I have not followed You, but I want to receive the salvation that You freely offer us through Your Son Jesus on the cross.
Come into my heart, so that I might follow and love You and enjoy You forever.
Amen.
With heads still bowed, if you prayed a prayer similar to that just now, will you just raise your hand, to identify to yourself, to God and to me (so I can be praying for you) that decision?
Thank you.
Prayer…
For Further Study: Matthew 28.1-15; Mark 16.1-8; Luke 24.1-51; John 20.1-21.25; I Corinthians 10.1-2, 15.1-19; Philippians 4.19; Hebrews 11.29; Revelation 15.3-4
BENEDICTION:
Flowers…if you ordered flowers, take from the sides…and after the postlude is concluded, we will move the flowers that are in front to the sides as well. Do not come upfront. We have too much stuff here.
If you prayed that prayer today, after the postlude is concluded, I would like to ask you to make your way down to the left front to see me. I want to know who you are and how we can help you in your next steps as a follower of Jesus.
To those of you who are believers, I want to encourage you with these words…
Follow God’s path to life and enjoy the salvation that God has provided through Jesus…
Enjoy the miracle that He is risen.
It is time to celebrate – to shout, to dance – and to tell others!
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral:
Axelrod, Marc The Liberationn of God’s People
Boyd, Sheldon Cul-de-Sac Faith
Fuller, Tom Stripping Our Power so We Can See God’s
Hamby, John Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Harding, Joe Lessons from the Journey: From the Frying Pan into the Fire
Rogers, Darren Caught Between the Pharaoh and the Deep Red Sea
Vasicek, Ed God Makes a Way
Books:
Briscoe, Jill. "Here Am I -- Send Aaron!" Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1978.
Gispen, Willem H. Exodus. Translated by Ed M. van der Maas. Bible Student’s Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1982.
Pink, A. W. Gleanings in Exodus. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981.
Ramm, Bernard. His Way Out: A Fresh Look at Exodus. Glendale, CA: Regal Books, 1975.
Swindoll, Charles R. Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication. Great Lives from God’s Word, vol. 4. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1999.
