Pain & Promise

 Mountainview Church "FOLLOWING MOSES, FINDING JESUS" "PAIN & PROMISE" (Ex. 5:1-9, 22-23 & 6:1-8) OUTLINE STYLE: INDUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION: 1. (01 SLIDE) PAIN & PROMISE a) Last week we discussed having the courage to accept God's call. b) What happens when we follow God's call and life doesn't get easier? What happens if life actually gets more difficult after God's call? What happens when we start experience pain and suffering after God's call? Maybe even because of God's call on our lives? Will we give up or will we depend on His promise? c) This happened to Moses. He answer God's call and life got harder. Life got painful, more painful for the people of Israel and more painful for Moses. And yet, God responded by reminding Moses of His covenant promise to Israel. d) We'll parallel this with the pain of Jesus' first disciples, the covenant promise of His resurrection and the covenant promise for us in His return. 2. FOLLOWING MOSES, FINDING JESUS Ø Series highlights. TEACHING - FOLLOWING MOSES: 3. (02 VERSE SLIDES) EXODUS 5:1-9 4. (03 SLIDE) ISRAEL'S PAIN a) Moses answers God's call and life gets worse for Israel! b) (04 SLIDE) Exodus 5:22-23 i) Moses loses heart. (He experiences the weight of his call.) 5. (05 VERSE SLIDES) EXODUS 6:1-8 6. (06 SLIDE) ISRAEL'S PROMISE (Cue Rocky Theme Music) a) God's words are like a storm rolling in, distant thunder and lightning. b) There's a sense that a battle is coming...training for the main event! i) Look out Pharaoh! Ø God reminds Moses of His covenant promise to Israel. APPLICATION - FINDING JESUS: 7. (07 SLIDE) A DISCIPLE'S PAIN a) There's a cost to following Jesus. Ø Last week, we discussed the call to take up our cross! b) (08 VERSE SLIDES) Matthew 10:16-23 i) (09 SLIDE) Vs. 22: "...you will be hated by all for my name's sake." Ø A life of following Jesus might get painful! People might hate us because we follow Jesus! (It's happening all over the world!) 8. A DISICPLE'S PROMISE (Cue Eye of the Tiger!) a) (10 VERSE SLIDES) Matthew 24:29-31 i) (11 SLIDE) Vs. 30: "...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Ø Jesus has made a covenant promise to those who follow Him! CONCLUSION: IDEA 9. (12 SLIDE) OUR CURRENT PAIN (Following Jesus is starting to cost.) a) Mt. 19:4-6 (Marriage should be between man and woman.) Ø "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife..." b) Eph. 5:22-27 (Wives should submit & husbands should be sacrificial.) Ø "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord...Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." c) Jn. 14:6 (Jesus is the only way to heaven!) Ø “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ii) (13 SLIDE) James 1:2-4 & 12 Hold on to that promise! Ø "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Ø "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." 10. (14 SLIDE) SING - PRAY - GIVE