Road Construction

Slow Ahead

Call to Worship

Leader: Come, people of God, and behold the power of the Lord. People: For the heavens declare His glory, and the earth trembles at His voice. Leader: He performs signs and wonders that reveal His might. People: And yet, He draws near to save and deliver. Leader: Let us worship the One whose finger moves nations, whose word breaks chains, and whose light overcomes the darkness. All: We come to worship the Lord, who is mighty to save!

🙏 Opening Prayer

Almighty God, You are the Lord of heaven and earth. With the mere movement of Your finger, You humbled kings and confounded the wise. Your power cannot be matched, Your purposes cannot be stopped. Today, we gather to behold Your glory in the Scriptures and to hear again the story of signs and wonders that echo the urgency of Your Gospel and the reality of coming judgment. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts ready to respond. Shake our complacency, deepen our trust, and prepare us to walk in the light of Your salvation. May our worship today bring glory to Your name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

✝️ Sermon Title: The Finger of God

Text: Exodus 8:16–19; Exodus 10:21–29 Theme: God's real power is revealed through signs and wonders — a demonstration that demands response, points toward the Gospel, and warns of coming judgment.

🪔 Sermon Outline

I. The Finger of God Reveals Real Power

📖 Text: Exodus 8:16–19

“Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’” (v.19)

Key Points:

The plague of gnats was small, but unstoppable — a simple sign that exposed the limits of human and demonic power.

Pharaoh’s magicians, who replicated earlier signs, could not imitate this one. They recognized a higher power.

This confession ("finger of God") is not conversion — it is intellectual surrender to divine authority.

Importance: God demonstrates that His power is not a trick — it's sovereign, purposeful, and holy.

Application:

God's power still confounds human pride and spiritual deception today.

Just as the magicians had to acknowledge the finger of God, we too must recognize the real authority of God in our lives.

II. The Finger of God Casts Judgment and Illuminates Grace

📖 Text: Exodus 10:21–29

“So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.” (v.22)

Key Points:

This darkness is tangible — a complete absence of light that paralyzes the Egyptians.

The plague directly attacks Ra, the sun god, showing Yahweh's supremacy over Egypt’s spiritual powers.

Israel had light where they lived (v.23) — God's covenant people were protected.

Pharaoh’s hardened heart sets the stage for the final judgment: death of the firstborn.

Importance:

Darkness is a symbol of God’s judgment — echoed again at Jesus’ crucifixion (Luke 23:44).

This plague shows the line between God's people and the world — a foreshadowing of the Passover and Gospel deliverance.

Application:

The world still walks in spiritual darkness — but in Christ, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”

God’s mercy precedes judgment — but rejecting His light leads to separation.

Are we dwelling in light or resisting it?

III. Gospel Connection: Jesus and the Finger of God

📖 Luke 11:20 – “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Key Points:

Jesus claims divine authority using the same phrase — connecting Exodus power to Gospel power.

His miracles and exorcisms were not for show — they declared that the Kingdom of God had arrived.

On the Cross, darkness falls again — not as a plague on Egypt, but as God’s judgment on His own Son, to deliver the world from sin.

Application:

The plagues in Exodus warn and prepare, but Jesus’ work fulfills and redeems.

Just as Egypt faced judgment for rebellion, all who reject Christ face final judgment.

But all who trust in the One who endured the darkness will walk forever in His light.

🛐 Conclusion & Invitation

Which side are you on? Pharaoh hardened his heart — but we are invited to respond in repentance and faith.

The finger of God still moves — not just to warn, but to save.

Come into the light. Surrender to the One whose power overcomes all.

✝️ Benediction

Leader: Go now, in the power of the One whose finger parted the seas, shattered the darkness, and defeated death. People: We go, trusting in His power and walking in His light. Leader: May the God who judges with justice and redeems with mercy, lead you to live boldly for His Kingdom. All: Amen.

🗣️ Discussion Questions (for small groups or reflection)

Recognizing Real Power

The magicians said, “This is the finger of God.”

What are some modern "imitations" of power or truth that fail under the light of God's truth? Where have you seen God's unmistakable hand at work in your life?

Judgment and Mercy in the Darkness

In the plague of darkness, God separated His people from Egypt.

How does God still make distinctions today between light and darkness, life and death? How does this plague point forward to the Cross and the reality of final judgment?

The Finger of God in the Gospel

Jesus said He cast out demons “by the finger of God.”

How does Jesus' authority and power show that the Kingdom of God has come near? How should we live differently in light of the fact that we are citizens of this Kingdom?

Personal Response

Pharaoh hardened his heart even in the face of clear evidence of God's power.

What are the subtle ways we can harden our hearts today? What would it look like for you to fully trust in God’s power this week?

🖼️ Visual Illustration Ideas (for slides, bulletin, or preaching aids)

📷 Slide 1: The Finger of God

A close-up image of a hand reaching down from the heavens — echoing Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam,” but with darkness and light forming the background to reflect judgment and mercy.

📷 Slide 2: Gnats and Confession

A swirling cloud of small gnats and the magicians shielding their faces with the caption:

“This is the finger of God.” (Ex. 8:19)

📷 Slide 3: Thick Darkness

A stark image of people in darkness, some sitting frozen in fear, contrasted with another area glowing with soft light (Goshen).

📷 Slide 4: The Cross in Darkness

A silhouette of the cross at Golgotha under a darkened sky with a subtle beam of light breaking through — captioned with Luke 23:44 and Luke 11:20.

📷 Slide 5: Kingdom Has Come

A modern city landscape with a glowing crown superimposed, declaring:

“If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” – Luke 11:20