Treasured Possession
Treasured Possession
Exodus 19:1-8; HC Q&A 1
Theme: God delivers, develops, and displays His treasured possession.
Introduction: Treasured Possession
A) Do you have a treasured possession?
1) This would be something that is uniquely yours and has special value to you
2) Treasured possession have stories
3) This Bible is one of mine
a) It was given to me by my wife and siblings on the day of my seminary graduation on May 23, 1981
b) It has been my preaching and teaching Bible ever since then
4) But let me tell you of another treasured possession, this watch
a) This was my father’s watch
b) It was given to him by his brother who purchased it as a soldier in Germany at the end of World War 2
c) When my father died of a heart attack at age 60, this was the one possession I wanted
d) I wear it whenever I preach, as a statement of the heritage of which I am a part
B) Now let me tell you of that heritage—Exodus 19:1-8
I. God delivers His Treasured Possession v. 4
A. Israel On Eagles’ Wings
1. God delivered his people on eagles’ wings
2. God reclaimed his people
3. One of the gods and symbols of Egypt was the soaring bird
a. Pharaoh thought these were his people, his slaves
b. God said, “No,” they are mine
B. Peter retells the story—1 Peter 2:9-10
C. The Heidelberg Catechism tells it—
1. This catechism is a way the Reformed tradition sought to express the Gospel
2. A. 1 b “He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.”
D. We are still telling the story God’s deliverance and goodness—testimony 1—Tom Visser
II. God Develops His Treasured Possession v. 5
A. God develops Israel through his covenant
1. Let me tell you something else about this watch
a. For years it did not run
b. It was still special to me, but it was not useful
c. Finally, I brought it to Peter Zylstra, a watch expert, to repair it
2. God seeks to repair and develop his people
a. This is the purpose of his law and covenant
b. This is even more his purpose in Jesus
B. Here is how Peter says it—1 Peter 2:4-5
C. Here is the Catechism—A. 1 b—“He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.”
D. We are still telling the story of God’s development, repair, in our lives
1. Testimony 2—David Kuiper—Prayer
2. Testimony 3—Beth Ackerman—Prayer