Evangelist Herman E. Wesley III
WHEN YOUR FLIGHT HAS BEEN DELAYED
Exodus 3:7-10
INTRODUCTION
Nothing is as frustrating in the life of the traveler, than to:
Pack your bags...on time,
Get in your car...on time,
Leave your house...on time,
Arrive at the airport...on time,
To be at the appropriate terminal...on time,
To check your bags...on time,
To manuever through the various security checkpoints...on time,
To make it to your designated gate...on time,
only to hear announced over the airport’s public address system that,
"We are sorry, but your flight has been delayed!"
This is frustrating to us, because somewhere in our psyche we believe that if we do everything we’re supposed to do, everything is going to happen like it’s supposed to happen!
This delay does not occur based on anything you may or may not have done. As a matter of fact, the reason why this situation is so frustrating is because, in general, this situation is really out of your hands. It does not matter who you are, how intelligent you are, how accomplished you are, or how important you think you are...you can be a medical doctor or a ticket taker down at the movie house, but when that announcement is made, you find that in the eyes of the airlines, you are all simply passengers, and you can steam, you can stew, you can shout and you can pout, but one thing is for certain, "’you gone have to wait!"
Now for all you homiletical and hermeneutical scholars in the house, you need to understand that I have requested a short runway tonight! Ya’ll have been having some good, solid 747 Jumbo Jet preaching all week, so I’m going to travel light tonight, I’m in a Learjet tonight, and the control tower has already been notified that it ain’t gonna be long...the three blips on your radar screen tonight are as follows:
WHEN YOUR FLIGHT HAS BEEN DELAYED...
I. THE AIRLINE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE.
II. THE AIRLINE KNOWS THAT IT’S THEIR REPUTATION AT STAKE.
III. A GOOD AIRLINE WILL DELIVER.
Now first of all, when your flight has been delayed,
I. THE AIRLINE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE.
A. The airline is not ignorant of your location, because they are the ones
who told you where to go.
1. They printed the ticket.
2. They secured a plane.
3. They secured a pilot.
B. Isn’t that just like God in our text tonight?
He knew the location of His Children! He knew they were in Egypt. He also knew their condition. This speaks to the magnificent omniscience of my God! Look at the text, and read the words in verse 6 and verse 7 and verse 8 and verse 9!
God identifies Himself! He says in essence, I know there a lot of gods out there, but let me tell you who I am, so you’ll understand the authority by which you move! I AM THE GOD OF THY FATHER, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB! When your flight has been delayed make sure you deal with the proper authority! If you’re flying Delta, don’t run over to the American Airlines counter, they can’t help you! If you’re flying Continental, don’t run over to United! You’d better deal with the proper authority!
He says in verse 6 and 7 and 8 and 9, I am aware of your situation! I know what you’re going through, I am in contact with your frustration...look at it...
Verse 7...I HAVE SURELY SEEN!
Verse 7...I HAVE HEARD THEIR CRY!
Verse 8...I AM COME DOWN!
Verse 9...I HAVE ALSO SEEN!
Our text reveals to us God’s awesome loving care of His children who were in Egyptian bondage, and God, in His own Sovereign right, gives them a promise. He tells them that they are going somewhere. He’s going to come down, and He’s going to bring them up out of that land (Egypt) unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey! He was telling them to get ready for a journey, get ready for a flight...they were headed out of Egypt, and headed toward the Promised Land!
II. THE AIRLINE KNOWS THEIR REPUTATION IS AT STAKE.
A man’s word is his bond. That’s what the old folks say. A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. When you’re standing at that gate in the airport, frustrated because your flight has been delayed, you start making promises to yourself. "I am never going to fly this airline again." You need to know that the airline understands that it is their reputation at stake.
Isn’t that just like God in our text? He made a promise to His Children, but wouldn’t you know it, something came up to delay their flight. He had already identified Himself as the God of their fathers, and they knew that Abraham trusted His word. They knew that Isaac trusted His word. They knew that Jacob trusted His word. However, there is nothing like a personal testimony! God is so magnificent and complete in His knowledge that He actually told them they were going to be delayed before it even happened.
Chapter 3 and verse number 19:
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders, which I will
do in the midst thereof, and after that, he will let you go.
You all know the story. How Moses went before Pharaoh requesting a clearing for takeoff, and Pharaoh refused. How at the base of the river, with the rod God blessed, the Nile was turned to blood. The fish died, The river stank. The Egyptians didn’t have bottled water to turn to, so they began to thirst. And yet, Pharaoh delayed their flight.
You all know the story. How Moses went before Pharaoh requesting a clearing for takeoff, and Pharaoh refused. How the river brought forth frogs abundantly, and they went in the house, and in the bedchamber, and on the bed. Got in the oven and in the kneading troughs. And yet, Pharaoh delayed their flight.
You all know the story. How Moses went before Pharaoh requesting a clearing for takeoff, and Pharaoh refused. How the dust of the land became lice throughout all of Egypt...even Pharaoh’s magicians stood in awe, and proclaimed...THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD....AND YET, Pharaoh DELAYED THEIR FLIGHT!
• Swarms of flies, disease,
• boils upon their bodies,
• pestilence,
• thunder and hail, clothed with fire,
• locusts, darkness and yet... Pharaoh DELAYED THEIR FLIGHT!
But the God of Heaven had made a promise, and His word is always good! He sent one final blow to the throne room of Pharaoh that was so devastating it knocked him to his knees and shook him to his senses! The death of the Firstborn!
Pardon me for just a second of praise...BUT I THINK I OUGHTTA TELL YOU...LET THE LORD FIGHT YOUR BATTLE! When He gives His Word, it’s His battle to win. One songstress so aptly declared, THE BATTLE IS NOT YOUR’S , IT’S THE LORD’S!
Pharaoh told Moses, go...get out of here, and take whatever you want with you! 430 years in Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12:41), but they’re ready now to take flight!
Can’t you feel the excitement...
...camels loaded, bedrolls packed
...donkeys, weighted down with housewares and tools,
...sleds laden with pots and pans, pottery and jewelry, shep and oxen,
...rugs and blankets, goats and chicken
...the twelve tribes lined up under the standards of their forefathers
...Judah, Reuben, Gad
...Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh
...Simeon, Levi, Issachar
...Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin
PACKING UP AND READY TO GO!
But there’s always ONE MORE THING. Sometimes you can get so excited, because the gate agent says, "we are now boarding all passengers," and you hurriedly grab your carry-on bag and push your way through, down the jetway, find your seat and securely fasten your seatbelt. You have finally made it on the plane. The plane pushes back from the gate, you begin to taxi, and you feel like it’s alright now, only to have the plane abruptly stop to inform you once again that the message from air traffic control is you’re going to have to wait some more.
The children of God came to the Red Sea.
They came to the Red Sea, having been led by the Lord. Exodus 13:21:
"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way;
and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:..."
Here they are now, weary from a long day’s journey, mountain ranges on either side, Pharaoh’s mounted army in hot pursuit, and they have been delayed again. I need to land this plane now, so I think I oughtta tell you that...
III. A GOOD AIRLINE WILL DELIVER. ANY AIRLINE JUST WON’T DO.
God equipped Moses with something, and after blocking the complaints of the people, and contemplating his communion with God, late in the night, [any of ya’ll been struggling late in the night]...as Moses stretched out his hand, an east wind came. This east wind blew strong, and it blew all night, and it made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided (Exodus 14:21). Anybody here know anything about a strong east wind?
When you come to your Red Sea, just make sure you were led there by the Lord, and if the Lord led you, the Lord will deliver you...and He’ll deliver you with an east wind!
When the east wind blows, obstacles become opportunities...
when the east wind blows.
When the east wind blows, stumblingblocks become steppingstones,
when the east wind blows...
When the east wind blows, skeptics become believers...
when the east wind blows...
God can do some awesome things when he lets loose His wind...
His wind dried up the forty day rains...
His wind brought animation to some dry bones down in the valley...
His wind, rushing and mighty, blew open the doors of the church on Pentecost...
Seems like His wind is always making a way!
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING...
AIN’T IT GOOD TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON GOD.
TO DEPEND ON JESUS.
I DON’T DEPEND ON THE PSYCHIC FRIENDS NETWORK!
I DON’T DEPEND ON STAYING AWAY FROM BLACK CATS.
I DON’T DEPEND ON THE STARS LINING UP IN MY FAVOR!
David said:
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the
name of the Lord our God!" (Psalms 20:7)
HE’S RELIABLE! Did you hear what I said? HE’S RELIABLE!
Liable means responsible, you can count on Him, and re means over and
over and over and over again!
You see, just like our runway text, you need to know that:
He sees us, and He knows where we are!
He hears our cry, and He knows our sorrows!
He’ll come down to bring us up..
HE’LL COME DOWN TO BRING US UP... ARE YOU HEARING WHAT I’M SAYING?
God knows that while we sojourn on this old earth,
we’re going to be laden with sorrows,
and He’s acquainted with our sorrows...
God knows that while we sojourn on this old earth,
we’ll be oppressed by our adversary, the devil...
and He’s acquainted with the evil one....
And because He knew all this, just like His children of old,
He sends messengers, to give us the good news of God, coming down,
to deliver His people...
WHEN GOD CAME DOWN...
there was no public demonstration of military might.
WHEN GOD CAME DOWN...
There was no blaring signal of the trumpets,
no worldwide press conferences,
no beating drums, no marching soldier’s feet...
WHEN GOD CAME DOWN...
heaven hung out its brightest star, and angelic messengers
told trembling shepherds,
"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people..."
HE CAME DOWN while the Jewish race slept...
folded in the robes of Old Testament prophecy!
HE CAME DOWN while Athens lay in a stupor,
drunk with the wine of skepticism!
GOD CAME DOWN, TO DELIVER US UP...
to a good land, a large land, flowing with milk and honey,
and if in your flight you get delayed, if need be,
He’ll send a strong east wind, because you’re headed to a land,
a good land, and a large, flowing with milk and honey!
Your flight might be delayed, but it will not be denied!
CONCLUSION
I’M HEADED FOR A LAND, A GOOD LAND AND A LARGE...
where the wicked shall cease from troubling, and the weary shall be at rest!
I’M HEADED FOR A LAND, A GOOD LAND AND A LARGE...
where the brilliance of the Son will beam brightly against the horizon!
I’M HEADED FOR A LAND, A GOOD LAND AND A LARGE...
where the bill collectors don’t call,
and taxes are never due,
where hospitals have no real estate,
and where hearses don’t roll by!
YES, MY FLIGHT MIGHT BE DELAYED, BUT IT WILL NOT BE DENIED...
ANYTHING GOD’S GOT FOR ME, YOU CAN’T KEEP IT FROM ME...
SO I’M GONNA WAIT...I’M GONNA WAIT ON THE LORD...
Because He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us...
WAIT ON THE LORD...
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure...
WAIT ON THE LORD...
For it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord..
WAIT ON THE LORD...
For all things work together for good to them who love God and are called
according to His purpose...
WAIT ON THE LORD...MICAH KNEW...i will WAIT for the God of my salvation,
He will hear! (Micah 7:7)
JOB KNEW...all the days of my appointed time will I WAIT, till my change comes!
(Job 14:14)
ISAIAH KNEW...He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might,
He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not get weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)
WHEN YOUR FLIGHT HAS BEEN DELAYED, JUST HEARKEN TO THE WORDS OF DAVID...
WAIT on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, I say, on the Lord! (Psalms 27:14)
