Exodus 1

Introduction

If we have not had the pleasure of meeting my name is John Colunga and I have the privilige of serving as lead pastor here at New Day Pasadena

I also have the privilige of bringing this weeks sermon

So if you have your Bibles, please turn to Exodus 1

If you forgot your Bible please use the one in front of you and if you dont have a Bible at all, please take home the one in front of you as a free gift to you

Opening

Exodus Series

This week we are starting a new sermon series going through the book of Exodus

Exodus is the second book of the Bible and it is the second book of the Pentateuch

pentateuch means the law

And the law makes up the first five books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

And one of the reasons why I am so excited about this book is because we will be able to see God’s work of redemption and how it points to Jesus

The Old testament is the anticipation of Jesus and it always points to Jesus

The first five books are foundational to the manifestation of the work of God in redemption for his people

And that is exactly what we find in Exodus

We find redemption, we find faithfulness, we find sovereignty, we find providence, love, justice,

We can pull out from Exodus the attributes of God and we can pull out his plan for his people

Today

As we begin today, I will note that todays sermon will be more teaching that exhortation

If you have notes, I encourage you to take notes

Our sermon today is going to help set the foundation for helping us to see God at work in the life of the Israelites and how it translates to us

And so, as we open, I ask the question, do you know the difference between God’s sovereignty and his providence?

Second, do you believe that God is at work in your life?

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If you are able to stand, I ask that you please do so for the reading of God’s word. I’ll read it as you follow along,

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. 15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

This is the Word of the Lord - You may now be seated

Providence

Israel

We immediately find that the nation of Israel has changed

A whole generation has passed and the nation has multiplied

And in fear that Israel would rise up against the Egyptians, the Egyptians enslave them

And Pharoah wants to kill all of the male babies that are born

There is a persecution brought upon the nation of Israel

This persecution is not a judgement or punishment from God

They haven’t turned away from God

But in natural humanistic events, God’s people are being persecuted

And in a human perspective, we tend to want to ask the question why?

Why would God allow that to immediately?

Where is his goodness in this chapter?

But here is the thing, we tend to question God when we have a low view of who he is

We tend to question in moments of weakness

We tend to question when things aren’t going our way

But the beautiful thing is this, we can question God all we want but at the end of the day

God is God - He is who He is - He is who he has always been and he has never changed

And so, as we begin this new series.

Sovereignty

We believe that God knows all things, God sees all things, and God is in control of all things

Colossians 1:16–17 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

God is the creator, the sustainer, and the redeemer

God is at work and he holds everything in this world together

And so we, as his creation, are under his sovereignty, we are under his rule, and there is nothing we can do to thwart his sovereignty

God doesn’t learn and God doesn’t react - We cannot surprise God

So how does this play out - when you are tempted and you struggling wether or not you are going to give into the temptation

God isnt watching from above, wondering and hoping on pins and needles that you choose not to give into your sin - as if he doesnt know what you are going to choose

Rather God already knows whether you are going to sin or not

And when God is glorified by your resisting of temptation or glorified by the forgiveness of sins through Jesus,

That glorification is not a reaction to your choice

God does not look down the cooridors of time, learn what you are going to do, and then react accordingly

Rather, before you were born, before this earth was created, God knew you were going to be tempted and he already knew how it would be remedied

God before time knew and still knows all things and that is where we get the word foreknowledge from

God foreknows all things!

And so we, his creation, are not to place limits upon on God’s sovereignty

Sometimes we may think we know better than God

Sometimes we may think that our sins are being done in secret

Sometimes we may think that God isn’t interested in our day to day life

But boy are we wrong - and that is when God’s providence comes into play

Providence

Foreknowing all things, God does move into action at the exact and precise time that he means to

Foreknowing all things, God does move into action according to his will

Foreknowing all things, Gods will is for his glorification and the love and benefit of his people

God’s sovereignty is God being over all things and God’s providence is the how

Anytime one of God’s attributes is in full display, he is exhibiting his providence

Jeremiah 1:5 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.””

In God’s sovereignty - he knew you before he formed you

But in God’s providence - at the perfect time, when His will was for you to come into the world, when it was time for your purpose to be made known - you were conceived

providence is God being proactive - and within that word is active

providence is God in action

When God is displaying his love, mercy, justice, faithfulness, hope, joy, God is displaying his providence

Who?

Who is God’s providence for?

Short Answer: God’s providence is for his people

However, because God is sovereign - because all things are under his control, God is still over and still governs those who are outside of him

And as he governs those outside of him - he governs in a way that is providentially for his people

And so we can confidently say that providence is - God for us

Romans 8:28-33 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

God works all things!!!

For us today - unsderstand -

God’s providence for you is that you would be born, that he would know you would be separated from him, but that he made provision for you to be reconciled to him through Jesus

That by Jesus’ death and resurrection - for those of us born in the 1900s or in the 200s that you would be called, that you would be justified, and that one day you will be glorified

Christianity isnt just a religion

It’s a relationship where your heavenly Father loves you so so deeply that before time he knew you, he made reconciliation for you, and every single day his providence is at work in your life

God’s providence is also your provision

A couple of weeks ago we talked about prayer and we talked about how God meets your needs and God blesses you with good fifts!

He provides every single day

Text Application

So Pastor John, how does this apply to our text today?

Well, there is a temptation to read Exodus through the lense that undermines the providence of God

1. As if God is reacting - Bad things are happening to God’s people which God did not intend and now God has to act to save his people

Oh no Joseph died, what is God going to do?

Oh no the Israelites are enslaved, whats God going to do?

Oh no, the fist born sons are being killed, whats God going to do?

If someone were to pick up the Bible and not really know much about God

And start reading from the beginning Genesis and then land here in Exodus

And they have no clue whats going to happen

It’s perfectly fine to be on pins and needles wondering whats going to happen next

For many of us here, we have read through Exodus multiple times, have had Bible studies over it, have heard sermons over it, have done in depth studies of the life of Moses

No matter where you are at in the spectrum of knowledge in the book of Exodus

As we start this particular sermon series - I start with God’s soveregnty and providence -

Because as we go through this sermon series in this particular time

I do not want us to wonder aimlessly about what God is going to do

But I want us to read, and to learn, and to grow, with the expectation and anticipation of how God will providentially work things out for the good of his people

Corrected Lense - God knew these things were going to happen to his people and God already knows how he will act providentially to redeem them

God providentially chose his people to be the Israelites

God providentially chose Abraham to be the Father of many nations

God knew that there would be famine and that his people would need saving

So God providentially raised up Joseph and providentially worked in his life and in the life of unbelievers to ensure that his people are saved

God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be blessed him and have many decendents

In our text today we find God’s providence of this playing out that the Israelites were multiplying

God knew that his people would be enslaved

God knew that Pharoah would be killing the first born sons

And in the coming messages we do not have to wonder IF things will work out

We do not have to wonder IF Gods providence will be present

Rather, We should read with expectation and anticipation of how God will providentially work things out for the good of his people

BOTTOM LINE: GOD LOVES HIS PEOPLE

Application

What about you?

What about your life?

Believer

Have you seen the providence of God in your life?

Do you believe in his providence for you?

Ephesians 1:3–4“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

God Loves You - Before you were even born - before this world was even created

Unbeliever

Do you know for sure that you are a child of God?

Do you believe that God knew you before time?

That your sin has separated you from a Holy, Powerful, Righteous, Just, and Wise God?

And because he loves you he sent Jesus to live the perfect life that you have fallen short of

And that Jesus willinlgy went to a cross to die and pay the penalty of your sins

That through his death and resurrection on the third day, he conquered sin and death for you

And through your faith and trust in Jesus alone, you can be saved

That he forgives you of your sin and you can walk blameless before God

And if you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior

If the Holy Spirit is changing your heart today

I want to encourage you to give your life to Christ

Profess him as your Lord and Savior and submit to him as the final Authority in your life

There will be a time where we will pray and where you can profess that to him