From Slave to Servant
Moses The Evangelist • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
What did Jesus really mean when he said “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
Have you ever felt free? I started making a list in my head of all the things that enslave us and it became overwhelming real fast.
Free in your emotions: to love, feel, self expression, dream, build, selfishness, anxiety, wounds, trauma, failures
Freedom from: additions, bad habits, finances, work
Freedom in relationships: friendships, family ties, lack of trust
We live in so much bondage that most Christians today don’t understand what freedom in the Lord looks like.
We have so much entanglement to the world that we lose hope of ever being free. Some of us have lived in our generational curses for so long that we don’t even recognize that we are enslaved anymore. We just except our life as it is.
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
We just want our current life of slavery to be better. For true freedom to happen we must recognize the difference between a life of slavery to the world and the life of servitude to righteousness.
This morning, I want us to look at the children of Israel after they believed that the Lord had heard their cries of deliverance and sent them a deliverer. They are about embark on a 40 year process of entanglement from the world and will never experience the freedom that God has for them.
Exposition:
First Mind shift: Know the Lord that saves you.
First Mind shift: Know the Lord that saves you.
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”
The World denies the Lord.
The World denies the Lord.
21 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. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 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.
They have made themselves the authority of their own lives and others.
They have made themselves the authority of their own lives and others.
Yesterday in the Journey to Hope Conference Dr Karl was describing Society’s Vision problem and made this statement.
“Implicit Message: People are commodities or currency I can use to get my needs met.” Dr Karl Benzio
“Implicit Message: People are commodities or currency I can use to get my needs met.” Dr Karl Benzio
Slavery (exploitation at work: over working, overtime)
Usury (Overcharging, lending with high interest rates)
Debauchery (using others for selfish desires and personal fulfilment)
Embrace the Lord of your life.
Embrace the Lord of your life.
God takes ownership of his children
God takes ownership of his children
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ”
God takes responsiblity for his children
God takes responsiblity for his children
He listens and cares for his children.
He listens and cares for his children.
He provides for his children.
He provides for his children.
He protects his children.
He protects his children.
Second Mind Shift: Don’t turn God’s blessing into a curse.
Second Mind Shift: Don’t turn God’s blessing into a curse.
3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
Change your mind about the will of God.
Change your mind about the will of God.
The world thinks God is oppressive and selfish.
The world thinks God is oppressive and selfish.
God is keeping me from self-actualization. (keeping me from becoming my best self)
God is keeping me from self-actualization. (keeping me from becoming my best self)
When in reality self-actualization is living out the reason you were created.
When in reality self-actualization is living out the reason you were created.
Satan’s lie has always been that God is keeping you from being your best self.
Satan’s lie has always been that God is keeping you from being your best self.
5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
God’s commandments are always for our good.
God’s commandments are always for our good.
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God’s judgement falls on the wicked not the righteous.
God’s judgement falls on the wicked not the righteous.
Moses expressed fear instead of confidence in the Lord.
Moses expressed fear instead of confidence in the Lord.
Pharaoh felt no pressure from a God that destroys his own people.
Pharaoh felt no pressure from a God that destroys his own people.
Third Mind Shift: Choose Worship over Work.
Third Mind Shift: Choose Worship over Work.
4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”
The world sees worship as a waist of time and resources.
The world sees worship as a waist of time and resources.
The world says production is the key to self fulfilment.
The world says production is the key to self fulfilment.
Work more so you can have more so you can be more.
Work more so you can have more so you can be more.
When we live in worship to God, God blesses our work.
When we live in worship to God, God blesses our work.
Fourth Mind Shift: Become a Servant to God instead of a Slave of the World.
Fourth Mind Shift: Become a Servant to God instead of a Slave of the World.
15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.”
God’s people were still submitting to the rulers of this world instead of their Lord and Savior.
God’s people were still submitting to the rulers of this world instead of their Lord and Savior.
You must choose whom you will serve. Slave to the World or servant to God.
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The people of God wanted God to make their life of slavery better.
The people of God wanted God to make their life of slavery better.
20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
When moving from Slavery to Servant things get worse before they get better.
When moving from Slavery to Servant things get worse before they get better.
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”
Instead of questioning God’s calling look for God deliverance.
Instead of questioning God’s calling look for God deliverance.
God’s timing is perfect. God foretold the actions of Pharoah.
God’s timing is perfect. God foretold the actions of Pharoah.
19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.
Next Steps:
Get to know the God who saved you.
Refuse to be a slave to the world any longer.
Worship the Lord as you discover the new life he has for you.
Prayer Responce:
Ask God to give you the wisdom to walk in worship toward God. Choose this day to serve God alone as you renounce the gods of this world.
R-Group Questions: