Faith in a Promise

Chris Spenner, M.Min.

Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

0 ratings

· 9 views

Notes

Transcript

Handout

God always keeps His promises, always

We must keep the end goal in mind, not letting circumstances derail us

He has identified Himself, personally, and this is crucial to our conversion, our salvation, our sanctification

- God puts His promise into action

1) Understand the Real Battle

We see three basic, repeating aspects of the ongoing encounter

1 - Yahweh’s demand

2 - Pharaoh’s resistence

3 - Pharaoh’s stubbornness

We’ll see these develop more and more intensely as the narrative moves forward - spoiler alert - Yahweh will win

The promise was made to Abraham - it was a PROMISE - it WILL be fulfilled, is what Moses and Israelites need to understand and remember

Pharaoh is paranoid - he has no idea of, or will ever listen to, God’s plan

Battle is: Between God, Yahweh, and other gods

This is not a fight between Moses and Pharaoh - not at all

Here is how a non-believer hears God: “His words are lies that keep me from enjoying life on MY terms!” The nonbeliever wants and desires to conform to this world and its expectations.

Anyone can create false gods, and we let them compete with Yahweh

Q: Why DO we put so much in the way of just letting Him help us?

Yahweh fights for us - our fight is not us vs. the world - not at all

Spoiler alert - Yahweh wins, it’s already decided

Think we’re losing? Think again - His Word is true

Thus says the LORD = This is what the LORD says (PERIOD)

2) Diligent, CONTINUOUS Prayer

Don’t quit - EVER!

Moses is used to reveal God to the people

They bow and worship - and they have been praying

Moses confronts Pharaoh

AND LIFE GETS WORSE! (as if it wasn’t already hard enough!) - How do they respond? How would YOU respond?

Making bricks from stubble is what the text really says (that lower part of the stalk that is still in the ground) - this makes a miserable job extremely harder!

They blame Moses

Moses blames God

Q - Do you ever quit after one prayer? (Like, “well, that didn’t work, what else should I do?)

Understand how Yahweh answers

He had even told Moses that Pharaoh would resist

How HE sees “good” - not how we do

Our view of HOPE and FAITH get tested, often, even daily

Here - a situation that was full of hopefulness and faith shifts to resentment and doubt

Because Moses and the people see Pharaoh as immovable, unchanging, refusing to yield

(They need to be reminded that Yahweh is immovable, unchanging, refusing to yield)

Even in the most difficult of circumstances, Yahweh expects obedient followers

The tough times are not the best times to stop trusting Him!

3) Importance of Carrying Out God’s Commands

Doing so will not necessarily bring comfort here and now

God’s people should NEVER assume that carrying out God’s commands, obeying Him, will increase their own comfort!

Old, BAD belief

OLD, BAD BELIEF: “A good God never lets dangerous or harmful events happen to His people”

This is not new, unfortunately

Bad stuff judgment from God? People also tend to listen to people saying this - If believe wrong about OT text, this is what it leads to

COVID-19 is not a fulfillment of some OT prophecy, or some judgment against our nation (can’t pick and choose)

Our world is a fallen world, and if we expect it to become wonderful or free of disease and hardship, then we do not know how to read God’s Word and apply it - and we need to!

Sadly, many popular preachers and teachers are spouting false teaching today

BAD - God never gives you more than you can handle.

TRUTH - World is only manageable with Jesus, otherwise it is too much to handle, thus Hell

Turning point: Moses goes to Yahweh in prayer (“returned to the LORD”)

He turns to the LORD (once he comes to grips with the disappointment)

He had genuinely thought God was going to act swiftly, decisively, and pretty much immediately

Without setbacks, without disappointment

God’s timing - what we think about hardship does not always match up with what God feels - We have ideas about what we can take, and how much.

4) God Will Fulfill his Promise - His Way, His Timing

Believers, OT and NT alike, have had to learn for themselves:

God’s timing only sometimes matches up with our expectations

Hardships we go through - sometime matches up with what we think we can take

QUOTE: “God never gives you more than you can handle.”

VERY MISLEADING

TRUTH: This world, without Christ, is, by definition, more than anyone can handle

TRUTH: (In proper context)

Philippians 4:13 NASB95

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

ONLY through Christ, and by HIS strength, can we manage the world

People who choose to do it on their own - not relying on His strength, yeah, this world is so much more than you can handle

People tend to need everything to make sense, to them, on their terms

Israel, in Egypt - we prayed, we want a quick fix

Church, today - we prayed, we want a quick fix; granted, for many, we didn’t pray until something “bad” happened, but still...

People today are relying on their own intelligence and strength, instead of God’s strength and wisdom

GOD’S PEOPLE, then, and now, are doing the same

REM: 3 Days’ Journey

God’s plan is nothing short of a full exodus

God’s promise was for Abraham’s people to dwell in the Promised Land

Jacob left, came to Egypt, and his children and generations forgot that promise, they never went home

Genesis 15:13 NASB95

God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

READ - - already spoken truth

Now Yahweh says, “I’m going to deliver them, and judge Egypt

READ - - already spoken truth

Genesis 15:14 NASB95

“But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.

POINT: God’s keeps His promises - ALWAYS

Keep the end goal in mind (like Moses needed to do) - and don’t let circumstances, superficial suffering, derail you

Hard to believe - but we should feel a constant connection between what He has promised eternally, and our present, difficult circumstances

TURN TO HIM - Stick with Him, He’s not leaving you

Sadly, people do not turn to Yahweh, and the church, God’s chosen plan for this age, for truth and strength

Sadly, even believers do not turn to Him, and the church for truth and strength

Sadly, it’s because the church today, for the most part, has strayed from Yahweh

When we forget His promise, or don’t know it

FEAR - TERRIFIED - WORRY - DEPRESSION

WE, the CHURCH - need to point people to His promises

(and recall them ourselves, constantly turning to Him)

So people can see us, and see Christ

Meanwhile - BE HIS VOICE - Trust that God is still working - ALWAYS

Trust that God is still working - ALWAYS

God put His promise into action, long ago -

He is STILL in the process of fulfilling that promise

He told Moses “I will respond, and I am going into action, based on my promises”

The promise was made, IS made, to all believers - it WILL be fulfilled, it IS being fulfilled

Moses and people: But I want proof, NOW!

God: I already gave you the proof, the promise, now trust me

Optimism can be crushed by suffering, especially when it is ongoing

Very common to be comforted by God, and then depressed the next time something bad happens, or bad continues

CHALLENGE TODAY:

Don’t believe false teaching that “tickles ears,” catchy phrases and memes, Bible passages taken out of context - just to try to feel better

INSTEAD - Focus on the original promise

What does it take to get through?

We preach truth, but people choose to give in to worry, doubt, frustration, fear

Moses got discouraged, and he wanted out - God knew better what was in store

We get discouraged, maybe we want “out” - God definitely knows better, and expects and demands His followers, believers, to shine that amazing light of Christ in the darkest of times, like now.