Push Through (Part 1)

In this sermon series, we are walking through the book of the Exodus.

Our immediate goal is draw out principals from the biblical text that can guide us on our journey of Relaunching this congregation as multi-site, missional congregation in the Southside of Chicago and South Suburbs.

But, these principles also apply to any area of personal, social, or spiritual life whenever God is forming something new in you for His glory.

We met Moses

a descendant of Joseph born in Egypt under difficult circumstances, the Pharaoh seeking to take his life.

Moses is taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised as an Egyptian.

But, when he is an adult he seeks to come to the aid of his Hebrew brethren. But, that doesn’t work out.

Moses is rejected by the Hebrews and convicted by the Egyptians…

he runs away to a place called “struggle” and builds a life there.

Until one day God calls Moses to return to Egypt and deliver His people.

But, we learn in today’s text that even though Moses was called by God…and even though Moses was equipped by God, Moses’ mission to liberate the Hebrew people faced setbacks and opposition.

And I want to tell you this morning, God has called us to this Relaunch. And God has equipped us for this Relaunch. But, that doesn’t mean that we will not face setbacks and opposition.

God has called you to some things…and God has equipped you with the grace and gifting to accomplish those things. But, beloved you will face setbacks and you will face opposition.

Too many times, we miss what God has for us in life because we give up too easily.

We allow the enemy to convince us that anything that does not just fall into our laps is not for us.

We become discouraged when things don’t go well in the beginning that we fail to see a thing through until the end.

Beloved, can I tell you that sometimes the road gets rough and sometimes the way gets hard…

but that does not mean that God has left your side…that does not mean that God has reneged on His purpose.

And if you just keep pushing and believing, you will see the promise of God manifested in your life.

So I want to preach a sermon called “Push Through: Principles for Surviving Setbacks and Overcoming Opposition”

Now I have 12 points in this sermon.

But don’t worry, I’m not going to cover all of them today…

This will be a mini-series within the series…

Today, we will look at how God prepared Moses to face hardship in the mission to which he had been called.

PRAYER

Proceed with Purpose (4:18-20)

God spoke to Moses in the mountain and Moses got ready to leave for Egypt.

Too often we are slow to move out when we receive a word from the Lord

God told you in the worship gathering that it is time for you to write. So, you went home and sat by the phone waiting for somebody to call you and invite you to join a writing group.

God told you in your morning prayer time that it is time for you to start a business. So you went to the office and googled “how to know when it is time to start a business”

Believers must not get caught up in the paralysis of analysis.

The rest of these principles do not apply if you are not willing to move when the Spirit says move

Now this does mean that you move without thinking or that you move without process.

Moses went to Jethro and got his blessing

Our God is a God of order, not chaos.

But, there is no room in the Kingdom for half-hearted commitment.

I love what the text says…

Moses packed up his family and he took the staff of the Lord with him.

THIS WAS NOT A VACATION, THIS WAS CHANGE OF RESIDENTS.

Why are we involved with the Relaunch?

because God has spoken in our hearts.

You ought to tell 3 people, “IT’S TIME TO MOVE”

Prepare for Problems (4:21-23)

God says to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh…do miracles in front him…tell him the word of the Lord…and IT WON’T MEAN A THING, HE WILL NOT LET THE PEOPLE GO”

Now, somebody might say, it would be easier for me if I knew when I was going to face opposition and setbacks.

Well, just like the Lord forewarned Moses in the Hebrew scriptures, Jesus has forewarns us in the Gospels.

John 16:33 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

When will you face trouble? As long as you are in this life.

You have to treat trouble like that cousin you don’t much care for.

Don’t let it make itself at home in your life.

But, don’t be surprised when it shows up for a visit.

Purge your Past (4:24-26)

Moses had run away to Midian

For forty years he had been shepherding struggle and running from his purpose.

And now he’s headed back to Egypt to get back on his purpose, but there are Midianite things associated with Moses

A Midianite wife

A half-Midianite child

Now there is controversy among biblical scholars about whether it was Moses or Moses' son who was about to die here.

But that is not the most important thing

The most important thing to take from the text is how the problem was solved…

Zapporah, Midianite wife, had the foresight to perform a circumcision on her son.

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant

God told Abraham to circumcise every male:

Sons...

Slaves…

and Strangers

Circumcise them as a sign of the Covenant

(get ready to turn) By performing the circumcision on her son, Zapporah - the Midianite wife - brought herself and her son under the blood of the covenant.

Beloved, can I remind you right here that we have a better covenant that is sealed by more precious blood

At the last supper before his crucifixion, Jesus blessed the cup and gave it to His disciples and said this cup is the NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD

If the blood of a circumcision can redeem a Midianite wife and half Midianite child, then how much more can the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross at Calvary redeem you?

Friend, you might be like Moses today.

You messed up royally

You spent years and decades outside the will of God

And there are things from that season that are still associated with you.

A bad reputation

A messed up credit report

A child out of wedlock

A failed marriage

A criminal record

A guilty conscience

Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore, he is able to save to the uttermost…”

That means that not only is He able to save you by His blood

He is able to save everything about you by His blood

If you try to ignore you past, it will sneak up and kill your hope, your faith, your dreams

But, beloved, when we believe in Jesus we experience what Paul calls a “circumcision of the heart”

because of the cross, you don’t have to run from your past sin…you can bring it under the blood

Are you today living with the baggage of your past? You need to learn this phrase: IT’S UNDER THE BLOOD

Yes, I messed up. But, I still have a future. Because my past is under the blood.

Yes, I got locked up. But, I’m still getting a job and building a business. Because my past is under the blood.

Yes, Brenda had a baby. But, Brenda is still build a godly household and family. Because my past is under the blood.

Yes, I was fired off my job.

Yes, I had an abortion.

Yes, I filed for bankruptcy.

Yes, I got a divorce.

But, I declare that I am healed, I am whole. I am delivered. I am blessed. I am set free.

I am not what I did…my past is under the blood.

If its under the blood, that means…

Its purified

Its purged

It’s not weighing you down.

It’s not holding you back.

“What can wash away my sins…”

Partner with People

Over and over again throughout the account of the exodus, Moses will return to this statement, “I am a man of uncircumcised lips”...which is a hindrance to his speaking ability.

Now you could apply an idiomatic meaning to this statement, which would be something like “I never know the right thing to say”.

But, some bible interpreters see a more literal meaning: that Moses had something a lisp…

“I have a big tongue”

It obstructs the airflow needed to form words with fricatives like “s” and “z”

The word for 3 in Hebrew is “shalosh”

Whatever the impairment, God never fixes it for Moses.

God never made Moses a great orator.

God did not give Moses another gift or another ability…God gave Moses a brother.

If there is a great work that God has called you to do, know this: He has not called you to do it alone.

You need partners.

You need help.

You need community.

Shaka Khan and Whitney Houston both recorded “I’m every woman”…Great song. Bad theology.

You are not every woman.

You are not every man.

You are a particular woman…You are particular man…with a discrete set of gifts and talents. And while they are tremendous and important, they are not sufficient to accomplish the purpose and plan of God in this world.

As my Bishop would say, “WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER. WE CAN DO MORE TOGETHER.”

If we are going to survive setbacks and overcome opposition, we have to be ready for it.

I didn’t say “get ready”, we have to “be ready”

Don’t get ready. Be ready.

Our resolve to pursue the vision of God has to be sure.

We must understand that challenges will come and that we can get through them.

We must know that our past is under the blood.

We must value and commit to one another.

Most of the United States military is not involved (at a given time) in conflict. A great deal of military resources are devoted to maintaining a state of readiness.

Running drills

Checking Equipment

Training and evaluating leaders

Because they never know when a conflict might arise, so the goal is to maintain a constant state of readiness.

It’s such a serious thing that Congress requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to regularly assess and report on the readiness of the armed services.

I think we need to form a habit of regular assessment of our own state of readiness to pursue the mission that God has for this congregation, for our households, and for us individually.

Am I proceeding in God’s purpose, or have I stalled out?

Am I prepared for problems, or am I expecting the easy road?

Have I purged my past, or am I allowing the devil to torment me with the things I used to do and be?

Am I partnering with people, or have I allowed the enemy to begin to isolate me?

And don’t just assess, report.

Find an accountability partner

Someone you can be honest with. Someone who will pray with you and for you.

The first key to surviving setbacks and overcoming opposition is “BE READY”

We will continue this conversation next week…