When Your Flight Has Been Delayed

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.