FREED TO WORSHIP: IT'S TIME TO GO

His mission. Is to be loved, adored, craved, longed for AS of one who is an ETERNAL LOVER WITH AN ETERNAL LOVE

o GOD HAS PUT THIS MISSION ON THIS BAND OF PEOPLE

o GOD HAS PUT THIS MISSION ON THE CHURCH

EGTPY AND PHARAOH DON’T WANT THAT

§ THE IDOLS OF THIS WORK DONT WANT THAT

§ THE IDOLS OF YIUR HEART DONT WANT THAT.

§ AND THEY ARE FIERCE IN THEIR OPPOSITION.

· BUT GOD IS FIERCER

· GOD is unique - Egypt had BUNCHES OF GOD (GOD ALONE IS LORD OF ALL)

· Christ is THE unique Son of God

· The church is the unique Presenceof God

· You are the uniquE gift of God

And as the WE engage in that mission WE must realize that Pharaoh will not let you go easy but

· God HAS rescued

· GOD HAS delivered

· GOD IS DELIVERING

GOD Will empower His People

God will impress your oppressor

God will destroy the idols that instigate your idols

GOD IN THESE SIGNS AGAINST EGYPT HAS BEEN MAKING A STATEMENT: HE AND NOT PHAROAH OR ANY OTHER SO CALLED GOD - HE ALONE IS LORD

BUT PHARAOH JUST WOULD NOT REPENT SO HERE IS WHAT MOSES WRITES

Exodus 9:13 ESV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exodus 9:14 ESV

For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Exodus 9:15 ESV

For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.

Exodus 9:16 ESV

But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

Exodus 9:17 ESV

You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go.

Exodus 9:18 ESV

Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.

Exodus 9:19 ESV

Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.” ’ ”

Exodus 9:20 ESV

Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses,

Exodus 9:21 ESV

but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field.

HERE IS THE MESSAGE TO US:

GOD WILL OPPOSE ANYTHING OR ANYONE THAT OPPOSES HIS MISSION TO BE KNOWN

YOU JUST MADE IT PERSONAL

NOW THE SCENE IS SHIFTING WITH THIS 9TH SIGN AND IT IS THIS SIGN THAT WE USE AS OUR CAPTURING WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT

I. SIN IS DECEPTIVE

- GOD’S OPPOSITION WILL BE OPPOSED BY DECEPTION

o EVE IN GARDEN

o MAGICIANS

§ AS LONG AS WE THINK THAT THIS WORLD OFFERS US ENOUGH A JOY THAT IS EQUAL TO THE JOY IN CHRIST, WE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE THIS WORLD

- BUT THE WORK OF GOD IN THE WORD OF GOD IS OPPOSING THAT HEART OF MAN AND SWOLLOWING UP THE DECEPTIONS OF THE IDOLS (7:12)

Exodus 7:12 ESV

For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

o THIS IS TO SHOW THAT WHATEVER “MATCHING” THAT THE MAGICIANS DO IS ULTIMATELY NO MATCH FOR THE LORD

o HE IS TRYING TO SHOW YOU TODAY THAT THE WAYS YOU HAVE TRUSTED THIS WORLD AND THE WAY IN WHICH YOU HAVE TRUSTED YOURSELF IS THE FRUIT OF YOUR HEART BEING DECEIVED AND HARDENED

EVERY TIME WE GIVE INTO DECEPTION, WE CREATE A CALLOUS UPON OUR HEART THAT MAKE IT INSENSITIVE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD

SIN IS DECEPTIVE WITH FALSE SIGNS

1. FALSE SIGNS OF BEING SUFFICIENT

o BOILS SHOW THEIR WEAKNESS

Exodus 9:11 ESV

And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.

o THE LORD SHOWS HE IS ABOVE THEM 7:12

2. FALSE SIGNS OF LIFE

WHAT ARE FALSE SIGNS OF LIFE IN US?

- CLAIMING TO LOVE CHRIST BUT PURSUING IDOLS

ROMANS 1:21-25-

Romans 1:21 ESV

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:22 ESV

Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:23 ESV

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:24 ESV

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

Romans 1:25 ESV

because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:7-10 -

· WE CLAIM LOVE FOR CHRIST BUT CONTINUE IN IDOLATRY (V7)

· WE CLAIM LOVE FOR CHRIST BUT CONTINUE IN SEXUAL IMMORALITY (V8)

· WE CLAIM LOVE FOR CHRIST BUT CONTINUE TO PUT CHRIST TO THE TEST (V9)

· WE CLAIM LOVE FOR CHRIST BUT CONTINUE TO GRUMBLE (V 10)

FALSE REPENTANCE

Exodus 9:34 ESV

But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

· THE LORD KNOWS

Exodus 9:30 ESV

But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”

HEAR THIS....

WHAT IF GOD KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE NO INTENTION TO BE SERIOUS IN YOUR REPENTANCE?

WHY THIS FALSE REPENTANCE? - HARD HEART

SIGNS OF A HARD HEART

REFUSAL TO YEIELD TO THE LORDSHIP OF GOD

A DESIRE TO ALWAYS DO WHAT IS IN OUR DESIRES

DOING THAT WHICH CLEARLY OPPOSES GOD WITH VEILED ATTEMPTS AT

PLEAS FOR FORGIVENESS

ALWAYS RETURINING TO SIN WHEN THE STORM CLEARS

AND HERE IS THE FEAR…

THIS HARDNESS FROM THE LORD

Exodus 9:12 ESV

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Exodus 10:1 ESV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,

Exodus 10:20 ESV

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.

ON ALL OF THESE FALSE SIGNS COMES THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

II. JUDGEMENT FOR SIN IS HAPPENING

- PHAROAH IS THE PERSONIFIED OPPRESSION OF GOD’S PEOPLE - HE IS DONE

JUDGMENT OF SIN IS HAPPENING – WRATH

· HARD HEART IS A JUDGMENT

o NOW ITS PERSONAL 14 (SEE NOTES BELOW)

§ HE COULD HAVE HANDLED HIM EARLIER -THIS SHOWS SIGNS OF MERCY

§ SHOW PHAROAH’S ISSUES 7:23

Exodus 7:23 ESV

Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.

· NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LORD (V21) IS A JUDGEMENT

Hebrews 2:1 ESV

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Hebrews 2:2 ESV

For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

Hebrews 2:3 ESV

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

Hebrews 2:4 ESV

while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

o COULD HAVE STUCK THE FINAL BLOW ON YOUR LIFE AND SOUL – THAT YOU ARE HERE AND ALIVE TODAY SHOWS MERCY

o BUT WE MUST NOT PRESUME UPON THE LORD

III. PREPARATION TIME IS NOW

EXODUS 12 -

· BLOOD OF THE LAMB

o EX 12:21-28

Exodus 12:21 ESV

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb.

Exodus 12:22 ESV

Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

Exodus 12:23 ESV

For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.

Exodus 12:24 ESV

You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever.

Exodus 12:25 ESV

And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service.

Exodus 12:26 ESV

And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’

Exodus 12:27 ESV

you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 12:28 ESV

Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

o JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD JOHN 1:29

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

· NOTE

o JUDE 5

Jude 5 ESV

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

o CHRIST IS THE DETROYER AND THE DELIVERER

o HOW WILL YOU MEET HIM? DO NOT PRESUME UPON TIME

§ 2 COR 6:1-2

2 Corinthians 6:1 ESV

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

§ HEBREWS 3:7FF

Hebrews 3:7 ESV

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,

Hebrews 3:8 ESV

do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

Hebrews 3:9 ESV

where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.

Hebrews 3:10 ESV

Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’

Hebrews 3:11 ESV

As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

Hebrews 3:12 ESV

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

· IF THE BLOOD WAS NOT ON THE DOORPOSTS THE DESTRPYER WOULD HAVE NETERED EVEN THE HOUSE OF THOSE WHO PROFESSED TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD (V23)

o GOD’S RESTRAINING PATIENCE IS RUNNING OUT

§ 2 PETER 2:20-22

2 Peter 2:20 ESV

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

2 PET 2 21

2 Peter 2:22 ESV

What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

§ 2 PETER 3: 14, 17, 18

2 Peter 3:14 ESV

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

2 Peter 3:17 ESV

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.

2 Peter 3:18 ESV

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.