God’s call and plan for every Christian. Exodus 5:1-7:7

God’s call and plan for every Christian.

Exodus 5:1-7:7

Walking through the passage:

Moses and Aaron obey God and speak to Pharaoh- Exodus 5:1-9

“Thus says the Lord..”

Pharaoh responds…

Moses and Aaron respond…

Pharaoh responds with judgment

Pharaoh’s orders are carried out- Exodus 5:10-14

From now on gather the straw on your own (Whoever was doing this may be getting to rest now)

The assignment is the same with less time

The foreman and task masters were beaten because the work wasn’t completed

The foreman and people of Israel come to Pharaoh to come complain- Exodus 5:15-21

Why are you treating us this way?

Pharaoh responds- because Moses and Aaron said you have time to go worship your God.

Pharaoh doesn’t change his mind

The foreman and people confront Moses and Aaron

Moses turns to God with questions and doubt- Exodus 5:22-6:5

God responds with the promise to deliver Israel by his mighty hand. (If Egypt will oppress God’s “son”, then He will oppress Egypt.)

God’s message to the people of Israel- Exodus 6:6-9

Moses speaks- “Thus says the Lord…”

The people of Israel did not listen because of what Pharaoh had done.

God sends Moses back to Pharaoh- Exodus 6:10-13

Moses challenges and questions God based on what has already happened.

God doesn’t change his mind or his charge

God’s plan to deliver Israel and use Moses began long before Moses was born- Exodus 6:14-27

Genealogy of Moses and Aaron prepares them for their work

This section is like an aside, or excuses… like an interruption that helps the whole thing make sense.

Back to our story Exodus 6:28-7:7

God’s plan and purpose for Moses and Aaron was in motion long before they were born.

God’s purpose for Moses and Aaron was determined by His plans, not by the response of Pharaoh.

God judged Moses and Aaron based on their obedience, not the response of Pharaoh or the Israelites.

God’s plan for your life has been in motion long before your current situation.

We have learned a lot over the last few years in our sermons. One of these lessons is that God has a plan for each one of us. First, because God has a big plan for all things. Before God ever said ‘Let there be light” He had a plan. When we studied through Ephesians we saw that Jesus was the plan to save us from our sins before God made the world.

And, when you look to the Old Testament you see examples like Jeremiah the prophet…

(You formed me… Jeremiah’s call… etc)

Like God’s call to the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:4-10, [4] Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [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.” [6] Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” [7] But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” [9] Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. [10] See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

God’s plan and purpose for Jeremiah was before he was born. And, whether you have thought about before or not, God has a plan for you and for your life.

The current situation, and everything you have been through before today, are all part of God’s plan. His plan for you begins before your birth, and His plan for you is carried out in all of the circumstances you face.

This moment may be difficult, or another situation was difficult and now it is beginning to make sense with the season you are in right now. Or, God is presently preparing you for the season that is to come.

But, becuase God has a plan and purpose for your life… we can also know that-

God’s plan and purpose for your life won’t change based on your circumstances.

Moses and Aaron had a charge from the Lord, and God’s charge and message for them did not change when Pharaoh rejected them, or even when the Israelites turned on them.

Look at this way… when pilots are flying and see a storm ahead, they set their their instruments for the destination. In the middle of the storm, when they lose their visibility they can look to their instruments. Pilots don’t set their instruments during the storm, they do it before so that they can stick to the course in the middle.

God’s plan for your life isn’t changing with each passing moment and difficulty. When things are uncertain, or when things are difficult, go back to the last thing God told you to do, and stick with it.

Your obedience isn’t determined by the result.

How do you determine if the effort was worth it? Well in a pragmatic society you determine it by the outcome. The dilemma with this is that things like character, righteousness, etc are then only worth it if accomplishes a desired outcome. And, if the outcome determines if something is worth it then obedience is no longer the goal. Instead, this makes obedience or faithfulness the means to something else. And, this goes completely against the Bible, against God’s Word.

God doesn’t say that obedience is the means to something else… no God says that we are called to be faithful regardless of the outcome. In fact, staying faithful to God when things are not going your way demonstrates your love and your commitment to him over your own successes and comforts.

God calls every Christian to be faithful and to trust Him with the results.

NT example would be Paul’s word to the Corinthians… Corinthians 3:7-8, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.”

God is more concerned with our obedience and our faithfulness, it’s not that he isn’t concerned with the results… He’s responsible for the results. He calls us to be faithful. If obedience feels risky, be obedient. If obedience isn’t the most practical or pragmatic approach, be obedient. If obedience means you will be lonely, less popular, or even ridiculed… Be obedient. Jesus is our example.

Paul wrote that we are servants of Christ and stewards of the Gospel… 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 says, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

Our culture is obsessed with success and failure.

We celebrate those who are successful

We celebrate those who are

Jesus was faithful and it resulted in His arrest, punishment, crucifixion, and glory.

Praying in the Garden

Opportunity before Jewish and Roman leaders

Jesus was faithful all the way to the point of death.

Jesus demonstrates what it means to live for the glory of God, regardless of the outcome of the moment.

Jesus reveals that God’s plan and promises are true, even when it seems like they have failed. (Death)

Jesus displays the supernatural plan and power of God through His resurrection and ascension.

God plans depend on His power.

We learn from Moses and Aaron that God’s plans depend on God’s power. And the NT tells us that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The word in the NT that is translated as “power” has the same root word as dynamite.

Becuase God’s plans depend on His power, we are called to live obedient to His word, and even then we are called to rely on the Spirit for the help we need to do so.

God’s power doesn’t absolve us any responsibility, it just clarifies for what we are responsible for. God calls us to be faithful, and He promises to produce the fruit.

Faithfulness isn’t measured by the results, it’s measured by obedience.

At the time Moses and Aaron are discouraged by the way things are going. They are trusting in God’s promise to deliver… but the present day results are not what they had hoped for.

Obedience to God will lead through times of uncertainty and what often feels like failure. But, as we know happened for Moses and the Israelites- God isn’t done. God’s promises are not bound to our expectations and our time lines… In fact, our obedience and faithfulness through the hard times is one of the primary ways that God grows our faith.