The Story - Chapter 4 - Deliverance
The Story - Chapter 4 - Deliverance
Offering Prayer – Instructions then Video – Giving Communicates! Giving communicates to God that you want His blessing in your life! Giving means you are willfully walking through the door of blessing.
Meet two people who could not be more opposite. One woman gave and another woman took. One left a legacy of love, the other left a legacy of hate. First, let’s meet Mary A. "Pink" Mullaney. Mrs. Mullaney died recently and her obituary was hailed as "the best thing you'll read today." Here are a few quotes about a woman nicknamed “PINK” from her 6 children and 17 grandchildren: "We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Pink during her 85 years, among them …. Go to church with a chicken sandwich in your purse …. Give the chicken sandwich to your homeless friend after [the service] …. Go to a nursing home and kiss everyone …. Invite new friends to Thanksgiving dinner. If they are from another country and you have trouble understanding them, learn to "listen with an accent." Never say mean things about anybody.
Those who've taken her lessons to heart will continue to ensure that a cold drink will be left for the overheated garbage collector and mail carrier, every baby will be kissed, every nursing home resident will be visited, the hungry will have a sandwich, [and] every guest will have a warm bed and soft nightlight …." Mary Pink Mullaney just loved people and according to her family she will be greatly missed.
Meet a second woman - Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick[i] who died on August 30 at a Reno, Nevada Nursing Home. Her eight children have been estranged from her for more than 30 years. Six of Johnson-Reddick’s eight kids were admitted to the Nevada Children’s Home from 1963 to 1964 after they endured continual beatings. Katherine Reddick, Marianne’s daughter, placed these scathing remarks in her Mom’s obituary, On behalf of her children who she abrasively exposed to her evil and violent life, we celebrate her passing from this earth and hope she lives in the after-life reliving each gesture of violence, cruelty and shame that she delivered on her children. Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit.” Marianne Reddick was described as a “wicked, wicked witch” and according to her family they are grateful she’s gone.
Two completely different people. One loved; one hated! Isn’t it amazing how good life can be when someone’s in your court or on your side? But the opposite is also true. Just ask the people of God! I pray you read chapter 4 of The Story this past week. The first three chapters took us through the 50 chapters of Genesis. We saw God moving through the lives of people. These people - Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel. The original couple sinned. Cain murdered Abel and the wickedness of the earth only grew stronger. Finally God calls Noah to build him an ark. Noah and his wife have three sons. Shem, Ham & Japheth. From Shem comes Abraham. Abraham has a wife named Sarah but she cannot conceive so she gives her husband her slave named Hagar and Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. But eventually Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Isaac married Rebekah and they have twin sons Esau & Jacob. Jacob will end up with four wives but his favorite is Rachel and Rachel will give birth to Joseph and die giving birth to Benjamin! Last week Joseph was on top of the world – second in command to Pharaoh himself. Joseph was large and in charge. Pharaoh loved him and Joseph loved Pharaoh. But everything is about to change! Turn in your Bible to Exodus 1:6. DO YOU NEED A BIBLE? This week is our last week to be WARM for WARM. Please bring decaffeinated coffee, tea bags and hot chocolate to help fill community Thanksgiving baskets! When you see the word Exodus think exit! It’s time for the children of God to exit Egypt and here’s why!
Read 1:6-11. Have you seem this Rice Krispies commercial? If you think that’s tough to digest look at verse 22. Giving birth is supposed to be an exciting time. But not if you have a baby boy! This is exactly what happens to both Amram and Jochebed![ii] But instead of throwing him in, Jochebed floats him down. The one who will rescue God’s people must first be rescued himself. Find Exodus 2:5. (Read 5-9) Jochebed had to make a brutal decision. Let Moses live with someone else or let him die! She chose life! So Moses is Hebrew by birth, but raised to walk and talk and think like an Egyptian. Look at this picture of my daughter Jeanna. She’s growing up. Moses did too. Moses is now an adult. Turn to Exodus 2:23. (23-25)
God is concerned about His people. If he’s concerned about his people He should help them. If I were God here’s what I would do. I would send Superman or better yet I would send someone who’s considered super! He would have impeccable leadership skills. He would be a dynamic communicator. His self-esteem would be solid and his rap sheet would be clean! But that’s not what God does. God sends Moses. The most unlikely hero, deliverer, rescuer on the planet! Find Exodus 4:10. (Read 10-13)
Yes, God, by all means get someone else! Because Moses isn’t qualified to deliver your people. His self-esteem is poor. He gets rattled when speaking in front of groups. Plus, there’s a wanted poster - his mug shot hangs on the walls of Egypt because he murdered a man! Moses isn’t qualified!
Where is God trying to use you right now but you find yourself reluctant? I can’t lead that group. We make excuses. I don’t have the time to go. I don’t have the money to go. There is a bookmark on every chair. Team Haiti leaves for Grand Goave on October 12. Duane Gray leads a team of nine. Would you pray for them? Do you know what a short term mission trip will do for you? Your weakness will become God’s strength – just like Moses.
The clash of Gods is about to begin! Reluctant Moses finds himself in Egypt with his brother Aaron at his side and a staff in his hand. That staff is God’s reminder to Moses – I AM WHO I AM – I AM SENT YOU – I AM WITH YOU!
Don’t be afraid of these Egyptian gods. Exodus is the real home of the Big Ten! The ten plagues and the ten commandments. Look at this chart. Don’t think that God went all “willy-nilly” with the plagues. Each plague defeated an Egyptian God! Isis is the goddess of the Nile. Haget is the goddess of birth represented by a frog head. Apis is the bull god. Imhotep is the god of medicine. Set is the god of storms. Osiris is the god of crops. Re /Ra is the sun god. Isis was also the goddess who protected children.[iii]
This final plague was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Pharaoh is beside himself. His first born son lay dead. The Egyptians are grieving and the Israelites are waiting. Turn to Exodus 12:21.
Why an unblemished lamb? Because these people raised livestock and livestock are valuable. This is a high price to pay, a genuine sacrifice. Why shed blood? Because forgiveness only takes place through the shedding of blood. The Angel of God saw the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of Hebrew’s houses and passed over them.
“Passover began in Exodus and is still celebrated by Jews today. Jesus also celebrated Passover. 2,000 years ago on a Passover night, the disciples and Jesus celebrated what God did hundreds of years before by delivering His people. It seemed like another ordinary Passover. But from that night on, Passover would never be the same.”[iv] Look at Luke 22:7, 17-20. John the Baptist described Jesus as the lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. Why a lamb? Because a lamb is vulnerable and innocent. This is a high price to pay, a genuine sacrifice. God used Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt! And God used Jesus to deliver the world from sin! The question is why?
In 2012, a lady tourist was reported missing. The tour bus driver waited for an hour and then notified the police. Search and rescue teams were sent to the area, but the rescue efforts were called off at 3 A.M. It turns out the missing woman had been on the bus the whole time. She even participated in the search for herself. Apparently, before reentering the bus she changed clothes and no on recognized her. She “had no idea that she was missing.”
Did you know that you went missing? Many people have no idea they need rescued. Others know they need rescued. (THIS KID DOES-CHAIR) Our sin has pushed us away from God and God wants us back. So he sacrificed His first born son. Your trust in Jesus means God will not just pass over your sin, but forgive it forever.
But the story isn’t over! Despite Pharaoh’s grief and tears. It dawns on him. I am Pharaoh. I am a God. Have you seen this Johnny Bravo quote? “I do my best work when I’m being worshipped as a God!” Pharaoh would agree. So he along with 600 of his best chariots chase after Moses and the 2 million plus people herding out of Egypt. They find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. Between Pharaoh himself and the Red Sea! Listen to Moses in Exodus 14:13. (13-15)
Do you find yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place? God says to MOVE! Sometimes we can’t walk around our problems. I have a Bible riddle for you. Here it goes “One is blue, one is dead, one is sweet, one is red.[v]” What am I? Israel’s four seas. The Great Blue Mediterranean Sea, the Dead Sea – water flows in but doesn’t flow out. The sweet Sea of Gallilee – vibrant with fish and the Red Sea where God made a way. Look at this picture!
Moses could have looked at the Egyptian Army. He could have looked at the Red Sea itself. He could have focused on the complaining Israelites. But he didn’t – he looked to God. Are you? Do you need a deliverer? A physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual deliverer? Our God is mighty to save! David Platt said, “Christianity does not start with an invitation we offer to Jesus but with an invitation Jesus offers to us.”[vi] Jesus says to come to him. Come to your deliverer as we sing!
Decisions:
Danny & Chris Ripple – Sat Night
Jason & Carolyn Monsul – Sun AM
Daniel & Samantha Gump baptism after 2nd service
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[ii] Exodus 6:20 (NIV)
[iii] Adam T. Barr, Exploring the Story, 30
[iv] Steve Murphy
[v] Logos Bible Software, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations/2589 Israel’s Four Seas
[vi] David Platt, Follow Me, 29