Sermon Tone Analysis

The Hard Road

Pharaoh had experienced the worst that God could throw at him.

God had given Pharaoh the opportunity to “Let my people go” in every instance Pharaoh had said “No”

These plagues that were given attacked Pharaoh where Pharaoh thought he was safe..

Nile - Water is turned “blood red”

Frogs - Millions of Frogs in opposition to the frog-goddess Heqt

Gnats - “Mosquitoes” probably a better translation.

The dust of the earth became mosquitoes.

Sorcerers failed to explain this one...

They know that Moses and Aaron are not performing magic tricks or sleight of hand…this is real.

Flies (4th Plague) - Flies will attack all of the Egyptian land, except Goshen where Israel walks

Egyptian Livestock Die (5th Plague) as a punishment for the rampant animal sacrifice.

All the animals died...

Boils (6th Plague) -

Hail (7th Plague) -

Locusts (8th Plague)

Darkness (9th Plague)

When is enough, enough?

Of the first born...

Mark a time in your life when God was trying to get your attention...

How many times, how many circumstances, how much heartache, how many trials, how many failures, how far can we go away from God’s love, God’s guidance, God’s perfect standard.

Never so far that we are out of the reach of the Grace and Mercy of Christ.

Again…Never so far that we are out of the Grace and Mercy that is provided by God to the people who call on his name.

Never so far that we are away from His loving arms.

BUT HE WILL DRIVE US TO OUR KNEES!

WE WILL COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN BUT TO GOD.

Our lives may be in a ruin… but got will not leave us wallowing in our own mess

__________________________

I never planned on being a Christian, I mocked them, I plied them.

I was on my way to being happy, successful and wealthy.

I toyed with God, used him when it suited my needs but rarely, to never in a situation that would be called “honoring.”

I was hit, right between the eyes with the reality of God…There is no denying when you have been hit, there is no escape when you are face-to-face with Jesus.

What is the result of that…death, cast into the pit of fire, annihilated and our very existence wipe out of the memory of everyone… hardley

What waits in Jesus, not as judge, jury and executioner but as Savior, Redeemer, Justifier.

Like I’ve said before we serve a Jealous God that demands all of us…not 90% but all of us!

Mt 26

God

God demands righteousness and gives us the pathway to that righteousness.

Finally and not without great fanfare did God finally impress enough on Pharaoh that he let the Hebrew go!

And then changed his mind and wanted them all back...

So then after all of this...

God heard the mumbling… he knew how much the people could bear.

He knew not press them to hard to quickly.

God began to run the people of Israel through a series of “Confidence Building Exercises”

This was a test…the Egyptians were so close they could see the Jews.

Because the Jews were so close to the enemy, so vulnerable (in human terms).

The Egyptians thought they could recapture them…they thought they could recapture.

After my epic fails, and there have been more than one epic fail, I have been at my weak-est, my most vulnerable… satan or one his minions were lurching about waiting to pounce on me.

I figuratively looked up and saw the Egyptians bearing down upon me.

I knew that I was toast...

ex 14

FINALLY, FINALLY THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL GOT IT!!!

OR NOT!!!

Moses… the one raised as a member of the King’s own family, the one who murdered a fellow Egyptian, the one who fled to Midian, the one who was called back into God’s service, but “couldn’t” because he couldn’t speak clearly, the who listened to God and lead his people out of captivity.

That guy had baggage, lots of baggage he had not a single solitary reason that the Jews should follow him…except that God was with him.

ex

Who are the “Egyptians” in your life?

Who or what has held you captive for far to long?

Who or what makes you miserable every time that you look up.

Whose image do you see in place of God’s in your life?

What area of your life do you NOT trust to God?

What is that image in your life to blocks access to God

… Is it a bottle of alcohol?

… Is it a bottle of pills?

… Is it an addiction to porn

… Is it a relationship that is not God honoring

… Is it a relationship that is toxic

What strikes you today that stops your complete devotion to the Lord.

I’ll tell you what it is for me… it’s me!

… I can do it

… I don’t need anyone else

… I am stronger, I have a will that is unbeatable

… I can work any problem and have a solution