We Belong

We belong to the Lord and the Lord belongs to us

One of the things you will hear us baby boomers say is we wish things were like they were when we were growing up.

And all kinds of nit-wits say that’s code for us wishing that there were no black people

And that women would sit down, shut up and that all gays would die.

All of that is insanity.

What we want, what we miss desperately, is simplicity.

Take fishing for instance.

When I was a kid, you got a Zebco 33.

You’d take a tin can and fill it full of worms that you dug up.

And you’d go to a creek or a pond

You’d bait your hook, put a cork on your line and you’d toss it out and wait.

And while you were waiting, you would sit, and talk, and tell stories.

If you were with your dad and lunch rolled along

You’d pop open a can of Vienna Sausage and pull out a sleeve of saltines

And maybe if you were lucky you’d get a plug of hoop cheese and an ice cold Pepsi in a bottle

And you’d eat a feast.

You’d fish until it was time to go - sometimes until the sun was going down.

Then you’d pull your stringer up with your catch for the day

You’d pour your left-over worms in the water to feed the fish

And you’d hop in the station wagon and head home.

Maybe a little sunburned but a whole lot happy.

Now, catching fish was exciting

But the really important part was simply being with dad and hearing the stories.

That’s where we learned where we came from and

It’s how we learned we belonged.

That we were a part of a family that had a past and a present

And all of that is what gave us our future.

You want to change the world?

Take a kid fishing.

Keep it ridiculously simple.

Ditch the bass boat and the hundreds of dollars of rig.

Grab a Zebco 33 and a can of worms.

Get a small tackle box and put hooks, corks, swivels and pliers in there.

Go to a creek or a pond and bring Vienna Sausages and Saltines.

And live dangerously - leave your phone in the glove box of your car.

I promise - if there is an emergency, you’ll be able to get back to it soon enough.

Because there is nothing on that phone that’s more important in all of the cosmos

Than that little boy or that little girl hearing where they have come from

So they can know where they need to go when you are no longer around.

Our text today is the 13th chapter of Exodus - all 22 verses - I know that eats a lot of time, but we need to hear where we have come from.

The journey has started.

Chapter 12 ends like this: Exodus 12:50–51 “All the people of Israel did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.”

By their hosts means like an army.

They weren’t running scared.

They weren’t running on empty.

They were people with a hope and a future and chapter 13 tells them how to keep it.

While you are looking it up, let me speak to the kids for just a moment.

Kids, my prayer is your parents do not give you a smart phone for a long, long time.

I know I sound mean, but you don’t need it.

I know it looks like fun, everyone has Insta- everything and can see everybody posting about their amazing lives.

But please trust me on this - there is nothing - nothing more fascinating than the people you love and the world around you.

As I wrote this message, a thunderstorm was booming outside my window and I was sad.

I wanted to be on the porch, listening to the thunder and the wind in the trees.

I love to see the power that God unleashes to show His glory.

The power of the storm that terrifies so many people, thrills me.

Because as a kid, I sat on the porch in the storms with my granddad.

It helped me understand the power and protection of God.

There are a lot of things that are shiny and exciting - like a smart phone - and it will steal all of that good stuff from you.

You need to hear and see the Lord in the storm.

As you listen to the message this morning, listen for how the Lord told His people how to remember what is important.

Listen to me, the future of this church, this community and our nation depends on you remembering what is important.

Today, we’re going to talk about how.

The three words to help you listen are family, first or firstborn, and Jesus.

Now, I trust you all have found Exodus 13.

Hear now the Word of the Lord from Exodus 13

Exodus 13 ESV

The Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” 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. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year. “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s. Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.” 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.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 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. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Exodus 13:2 ““Consecrate to me all the firstborn...””

I want you to re-enter the story of the Passover.

Remember it - the sacrifice of the lamb, the painting of the blood on the lintel of their houses with a hyssop branch.

The warning to stay in the house tonight - do not go outside because the angel of the Lord is going to kill the firstborn.

We’ve heard that hundreds of times right?

But in all of those re-tellings, did you ever think about how the first-born who didn’t die took all of this?

Let’s think, now

Until just a few months ago, even the Hebrews had not heard the name Yahweh.

They knew of the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob - that would have been passed down to them.

But as far as seeing any real evidence of a God named Yahweh around them - not so much.

And now, this Moses and Aaron have come in and called the name of Yahweh.

And it seems this Yahweh has incredible power - just look at how He has decimated Egypt

Made it into a place you really wouldn’t want to stay in anymore.

This Yahweh who is so powerful He’s ruined the greatest dynasty of the time

Says - if you are a first-born boy or girl - if you don’t paint your door with lamb’s blood and you don’t stay indoors

Then you - the first born child - will die.

That had never happened before ever in anyone’s lifetime.

I can hear everyone’s question - will the blood work?

I can tell you what that night would have looked like for me.

I would have painted my doorpost with blood.

I would have put my children to bed.

And I would have sat all night long by Anna’s door - Anna is my first born.

And I would have listened.

And if Anna had been old enough to understand what was going on.

She would have laid in bed listening to every noise, every creak in the house,

Listening to the noise in the street and the growing sound of grief in the neighborhood

And wondering the whole time, am I going to die tonight?

I know this Yahweh said I will not - but this is my first time to have faith in Yahweh.

Will He deliver me?

Will He deliver my girl?

You feel that way sometimes, don’t you?

I know I’m supposed to trust the Lord, but what if?

What if He doesn’t do what He said He would do?

What if I’ve done something?

What if - name it - you’ve thought it - haven’t you?

I have.

The problem is so huge

The stakes seems so high

What if God doesn’t come through?

That’s what the first-born lived with that night.

That’s what the first-born’s mom and dad lived with that night.

What if.... I believe - help thou mine unbelief.

And then you glance out the window and sky is starting to lighten up

And Anna is still alive

There would be tears - tears of great joy.

Yahweh delivered

He did exactly what He said He would do.

This brings a whole new meaning to Exodus 13:2 ““Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.””

“Whatever is first…is mine.”

Absolutely Lord - absolutely they are yours.

You could have taken their lives like you did the rest - but you didn’t.

Yes, we will consecrate them.

Yes - we will recognize them as holy - set apart - for the Lord delivered them in His mercy and as a sign.

A sign that “I am Yahweh.”

You saved my child when you didn’t have to.

I am forever grateful.

Please, I trust you, do with my child going forward as you will.

Because I know, because of Your power, we belong to you.

But there’s more than I belong.

There is I will belong

Graduation has just past - I’m sure lots of people have used this verse.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

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.

See, here’s the deal.

In those societies, the first born son - and we’ll find out later that daughters will be included if there are no sons

But the first born son was considered the one who will carry on the family heritage.

The dad is the leader of the family and when dad passes, Junior will take over his role.

When the inheritance is divvy’ed up, Junior will get double portion so he can keep the family business going

And he can make sure that the entire family is taken care of.

Junior is now the hope for his family.

He is responsible for their future.

The Lord wants them to have a hope and a future.

So what did Yahweh do in Egypt?

As punishment for their unbelief

He killed all of their firstborn - what does that mean?

He killed their hope

He killed their future.

Not only did Yahweh decimate their country for today.

He decimated it for generations to come.

And because He did that, He is telling us to this

First - Remember what God has done for you and celebrate it.

The Lord said from this day forward, in the springtime, in the month of Abib, you will have a seven day party.

Your food will be different from normal but you’ll have a feast.

And you will remember how I showed you that you belonged to me

Exodus 13:8 “You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’”

But, but - look here

Second - Remember that I have given you a hope and a future.

In verse 13 the Lord says, “Every firstborn of man among your sons...” every first born boy.

What does the first born boy represent?

A hope and a future for the family.

And what is the parent’s job to guarantee a hope and a future for the family?

Exodus 13:14–15 “And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’”

The parent’s job is to remind the son that He belongs to the Lord.

For - now listen - for as long as you remember that, as long you live by it, you will have a hope and a future.

Exodus 13:16 “It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.””

Marks on your hands, frontlets between your eyes were tattoos given by slave owners to their slaves so everyone would know to whom they belong.

Let this memory of what I have done for you be like a tattoo on your hand and on your forehead - why hand and forehead?

So that it guides everything you think - your forehead and do - your hand.

We have a hope and a future when we remember - in everything we do and everything we think - we remember that we belong to the Lord.

Parent’s remember that the only guarantee for your children’s future is that you teach them who they belong to.

I know you - you are like me.

You wanted to give your children every opportunity to do better in life than you did.

So you’ve guided their school work and their extracurricular’s.

You’ve paid big bucks for lessons and equipment

And you’ve shuttled them a million miles - but you be frank and I’ll be honest.

If you do not tell your kids in no uncertain terms where they came from and to whom they belong

They may end up highly educated, intelligent and wealthy fuel for the fires of hell.

They may live a life of worldly worth but of no eternal consequence.

Don’t believe the lie that your child deserves to choose their own path

You don’t do that in any other venue

Why would you do that in the one area that can guarantee the success or failure

Listen - the success and failure of our entire society?

Or is the real problem - the reason that you don’t drive them as hard to Jesus as you do to be the best ball player or to make the highest grades - is the real problem that you really don’t believe?

Parents, do you know who you belong to?

Do you trust the Lord to do what’s best for you and your children regardless if things go differently than you plan?

Have you trusted Jesus?

Notice I didn’t ask you if you’ve been baptized

I asked, have you trusted Jesus with your life?

You can’t teach them what you don’t know.

Chapter 13 ends up with the Lord leading the Israelites away from bondage and towards the promised land.

The sign of His presence “did not depart from before the people.”

He was always there.

Do you know that?

Are you following Jesus out of your own bondage, into His promised land?

You know, we do a hymn of response every week so you can have a few minutes to think about what we’ve talked about.

Cause I know you - been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

When you walk out those doors, all of the demons of busy-ness and obligation will attack you full force

And you won’t remember what we talked about 10 minutes from now.

So remember now - right now.

Ask yourself the hard questions now - right now.

Don’t leave here until you know that you know that you know that you have turned your life over to Jesus

And then once you know that, don’t leave here until you are fully committed to tell your kids about Jesus.

Over and over again - until they get it.

They don’t have a prayer unless you do.

Let us pray:

communion

The Lord is big on special occasions.

I mean really, who forgets Christmas and Easter, right?

The Lord made sure that the passover would be remembered forever - and it’s still celebrated among the Jews.

So, when Jesus was here, he gave us something to remind us that we belong in the family.

I know the old saying is, the family that prays together stays together - but I’d add something to that.

The family that eats together knows they belong together.

Eating a meal as a family - well - it’s special

There’s no way around it.

So Jesus took the meal and turned it into a party.

We get all somber and stuff but really, I don’t think it was meant to be that way.

At a meal, Jesus did this:

Luke 22:19–20 “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

What did Jesus do?

He made food a symbol that we belong to the family.

Not just that I belong to the family - but that we belong to the family.

Even that business about eating in an unworthy manner isn’t about me - it’s about us.

Am I right with the body?

So let’s take a moment and pray.

Let’s make sure we are right in our hearts with the body.

Let’s make sure we are right in our hearts with Jesus.

Let’s pray:

If you are a baptized believer, baptized after you professed Christ as your savior, you are welcome to celebrate with us.

We know Jesus is coming again to set everything right - it is a celebration.

However, you may not be a Christ follower and these next few minutes might be awkward to you.

And there’s really nothing I can do or say to make that better.

This is a family meal - and the cool thing is - you get to see the family celebrate

And funny thing is, you may know some of our junk and wonder why so and so who you know does such and such gets to take the Lord’s supper

And my answer to you is simple: Because they are family

And because our Father loves them and if they are living out of bounds, our Father will discipline them.

You are welcome to come through the line with them so you don’t have to sit alone

Just when you come to the table, simply walk on by.

But do know this - this family sure wants you to be a part and we’re praying Jesus convinces you to follow Him.

We want you to have a future and a hope.

Everyone please exit your pew to the left and proceed to the station closest to you.

If you are gluten free, come to ______ table.

When you are served, you may eat the elements then or take them to your seat - whichever you want.

When everyone is served, we’ll sing a song and go to our homes.

So now, will you stand and come to the Lord’s table.