The Relentless Pursuit of Divine Love
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INTRODUCTION
We relate with the Exodus story more than we realize.
We relate with the Bible stories more than we realize.
(1) There’s a misunderstanding that the Old Testament isn’t relevant or applicable anymore… But if we pay attention when reading these stories we will realize these are our stories, these are the stories of our lives.
The Exodus narrative is central to the Old Testament as a whole, and sheds light on major themes about God and how God relates to us
(2) Another misunderstanding we have is thinking God is absent in the world
You’ve heard the refrain, “how can God be good or real with all the suffering that exists in the world?”
So many conclude that either God is: (1) absent or worse (2) God isn’t good
(3) A third misunderstanding is that God wants to rob us of good experiences and of joy. Many who think of God think about a set of rules to keep us bound and burdened.
In this view, religion is really about power and control.
Interestingly and I think, encouragingly, this is not what we see in this narrative.
So today I want to discuss the Exodus narrative in terms of three things:
(1) relevance to us… in other words, “what does this have to do with us modern, sophisticated people?”
(2) how this Exodus narrative depicts God’s presence… in other words, “is God present? is God good?”
(3) how this Exodus narrative depicts God’s purposes… in other words, “why the rules? why the pain? can God be trusted?”
[Let’s Pray]
3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
Exodus 13:5b “to give you a land flowing with milk and honey”
8 You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
ANCHOR TEXT
exodus 13:14b “by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
The Relevance of the Exodus Story
When we tell a story context is important…
When I say context, I am talking about who we are talking about, when it took, what is happening…
We don’t want to go over all this because it’s not ALL necessary to know for today…
But a couple points of context regarding the Exodus story & also our story, our context…
Here’s the deal, the people of Israel, God’s chosen people that he promised to build a great nation from have now spent 430 years in captivity in Egypt
For perspective, America wasn’t even a country 430 years ago!
430 years ago would have been November of 1592
America wouldn’t have been founded for another 184 years!
So for that whole length of time (430 years), God’s people were enslaved in Egypt… let that sink in, that is a long time!
God’s people were oppressed and beaten and forced into slave labor and they were NOT FREE!
Things were not going well for them, for a long time!
Too long for us to really grasp, I think!
And the reality is their story may feel like our story, or your story!
Because here’s the deal:
suffering,
tragedy,
loneliness,
addiction,
trauma,
abuse — these are universal experiences…
This story is relevant to us because there is a parallel between the Exodus story and our story
maybe you haven’t been physically enslaved, but maybe your life has felt that way for seasons and for moments.
Coming from someone who leads an addiction ministry, I can tell you… addiction looks a lot like enslavement to me.
And it doesn’t always have to be that severe… it does no good to compare our suffering to others...
Because maybe you deal with:
depression,
assaulted,
chronic anxiety or loneliness,
you fee abandoned by those closest to you…
stuck in a job or a marriage that feels lifeless…
maybe life just hasn’t panned out like you’d dreamed and you’re losing hope!
Personally, I remember 2018-2019, a dark season in my life… feeling alone, feeling tired, feeling stuck, feeling hopeless, no energy… I was going through some situational depression.
I wasn’t physically enslaved, but I felt all alone and like there was nothing I can do about it. Maybe you have felt that way. Maybe you feel something like that right now!
Yes, this story took place thousands of years ago, but it rings true today!
Without purpose, hope & a future human beings despair and resort to the worst kinds of behavior!
Maybe that is you today… life is feeling futile, “it all feels pointless!”
No future
Losing hope
No purpose
This story is relevant… because it is your story, it is my story. The Bible meets us where we are...
What does the Exodus Story Reveal about God’s Presence?
Ok, so this story may be relevant, but how is it good news for us?
If we stop there… “okay we all suffer, so what now???”
Often, we think god is absent but that’s because we don’t always see the big picture!
We live in a world where humans (we) make choices and those choices have consequences and they’re not always good, right?
So suffering abounds, pain abounds, things don’t always go our way — and often we get so hyper-focused on that that we don’t see anything else.
You turn on the news and that’s all you see and hear… “everything is broken, everything is bad...”
But that is only partially true… We have been given the power to make choices and sometimes those choices lead to harm… sometimes we get sick, sometimes life doesn’t feel fair…
That is probably how the people of Israel felt as they were slaves in Egypt for 430 years… many generations lived and died in slavery… hundreds of years went by!
It seemed like all hope was lost!
But God made a promise to his people, that he would deliver them that he would make them a great nation and bless them!
And despite all their fumbling and bumbling around... God kept his promise to his people.
It didn’t happen exactly how they might’ve wanted or when they might’ve wanted… but God was faithful and remains faithful!
What looked like endless evil and a hopeless situation, God brought redemption and freedom and peace!!!
[Here’s what’s hard for us] We focus on the gross way more than we focus on the good!
We get addicted to negativity… We go through disappointments and traumas and it leaves us scarred: walking through life defensiveness and distrusting and angry!!!
We can’t help ourselves from only seeing what’s wrong… 10 things could be going right, and all of a sudden 1 disappointment happens and that is all we focus on!
We cry out, “How can God be good? How can God be loving?”
We live from a posture of reactivity and anger and distrust!!!
And unfortunately, this only leads us towards more pain..
Unless we intentionally break the cycle of evil, it always goes the same way… pain begets pain which begets pain which begets more pain!
[Here’s the deal and here’s the crux of the Exodus story!] God is trying to redeem you just like he redeemed his people out of Egypt!
Moses, like all other OT figures, foreshadows Jesus…
Yes, God used Moses to lead the people out of Egypt… not because Moses was special… Moses was a murderer and he was selfish and troubled...
But Moses foreshadows the ONE who comes many many years later, who we are about to celebrate in this Advent season coming up — the Christ, Jesus himself.
And Jesus doesn’t stop at just delivering Israel out of Egypt — talk about presence — Jesus comes down from the perfection of Heaven, takes on flesh, lives amongst our suffering and mess and takes on Evil, Pain and Suffering once and for ALL!!!
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Yes, we still deal with hard stuff — but we don’t have to do it alone!
We have a God, in Jesus, who has experienced what we have experienced, who has struggled as we have struggled, who knows what it’s like to be hungry and poor and lonely!!
And he didn’t give up on us!
In the same way God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Jesus wants to lead you towards freedom from your addictions, your loneliness and your pain!
We have a God who suffers with us, who is present with us in our suffering and in our doubt —
Why??? Because we are loved by God! You are loved!!!!
The story of the Exodus is a story about the relentless pursuit of divine love!
God never gives up on his people, never! Never!
[(1) this story is relevant to us… (2) in this story we recognize God’s constant presence and pursuit towards us]
What does the Exodus Story Reveal about the Purposes of God?
“Okay, I can how this relates to me… I too struggle in ways like the people in Egypt… Okay, I can see how God is present… but what is the purpose of all this? Why?
“Why the rules, why the rituals, why?”
exodus 13:14b “by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”
Because God is all about restoring what is broken back to its original design!
This is a story about redemption and you and I need redemption… “because sure, we’ve messed up… we’ve dabbled in things we shouldn’t have… we have lied and cheated and caused pain.”
And we need to be restored, to be made right again. That’s what God intends to do! That is what God has purposed to do!
The rules aren’t there to stifle you or limit you or to cause a hassle for you!!!
The rules and the rituals and the limits are there to PROTECT you & because ultimately it’s what will lead you to JOY!!!
God is passionate about your joy!
God is passionate about your flourishing!
God is purposefully pursuing you, so much so that he gave up himself so that you could find peace!
That is the nature of God that we see in the Bible!
God is love and his love is aimed at you and at me!
The story of the Exodus is a story about the relentless pursuit of divine love!
Foundationally, the primary reason your life feels empty and lifeless is because you do not believe you are lovable! You refuse to accept that you are deeply loved!
And so you try to earn it: through sex, service, drugs, work, friends, success, food, drink… on and on
That is what repentance is: coming home to God’s love and your capacity to trust again.
That is what takes faith and that is what will change your life for the better!
Application:
Receive God’s Love
we can’t mature beyond our ability and/or willingness to receive divine love
Healthy giving/service is rooted in a soul that knows it’s loved!
Tell your story:
false: “my story isn’t interesting”
false: “nothing good will come of it”
what you don’t own will own you
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”
I would challenge that the answer to many, if not all, of your chronic struggles trace back to your story
Be curious, open and compassionate
vs. being closed, rigid and judgmental
Communion:
L: In the night in which he was betrayed, Our lord Jesus took bread,He gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.Do this for the remembrance of me.
L: Again, after supper,He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying; this cup is The new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.Do this for the remembrance of me. Silent Reflection – to prepare our hearts toCome to the Lords table
L: Jesus' death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.
C: We rejoice that You have died, have risen, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.
L: With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.
C: We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.
L: If you believe Jesus died to forgive you your sins you are welcome to come,
L: Come for all is ready
Benediction: