Sermon Tone Analysis

*/[43]/*

*/What in the World is God Up To?/*

*Exodus 5:22-6:8*

*September 28th, 2008, Pastor Jeff Germo*

*/[44]/*

/ “The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice.

It looked good- natured, she thought: still it had /very/ long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect./

/‘Cheshire Puss,’ she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider.

‘Come, it’s pleased so far,’ thought Alice, and she went on.

‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’/

/‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat./

/‘I don’t much care where—’ said Alice./

/‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat./

/‘—so long as I get /somewhere/,’ Alice added as an explanation./

/‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.’”/

Anyone recognize this scenario?

Alice in Wonderland.

Alice is lost and she happens upon this strange looking cat whom she asks for directions to no place in particular and the cat tells her that if she doesn’t care where she is going than it doesn’t matter what direction she goes.

*/[45]/*

Sometimes that’s how we live our lives as Christians, and how we organize the church, isn’t it.

We don’t always understand why we are doing what we’re doing so we just pick a direction and go.

And sometimes we do it simply because we’ve always done it that way.

We have no idea why.

Here’s a story that someone tells about a tradition in their church.

*/“Coffee was always served at our church after the sermon.

One Sunday our minister asked one of the smaller members of the congregation if he knew why we had coffee hour.

Without hesitating, the youngster replied, ‘To wake people up before they have to drive home.’"/*

I can remember when I was growing up we would go to church every single Sunday without fail, and my parents would say that we were going to worship God in our worship service.

And I always wondered what that meant.

What about what we did was worship?

Nobody could explain it to me.

But we would do it over and over again.

We’d get up early on Sunday mornings, all nine of us, scramble to get ready to go to Sunday school and church in our best Sunday go to meetin’ clothes.

And we’d go to our mid-week bible study, and I would go to the youth meetings on Fridays, and my parents would go to other committee meetings to make sure the church was running well.

And I didn’t understand what it was all about.

For all I could tell we did these things because we had always done them.

It was tradition.

*/[46]/*

I found some old civic laws related to church, on the internet, that are apparently still on the books, and nobody knows why they are there.

*/[46a]/*

*/Young girls are never allowed to walk a tightrope in Wheeler, Mississippi, unless it's in a church./*

*/[46b]/*

*/In Blackwater, Kentucky, tickling a woman under her chin with a feather duster while she’s in church service carries a penalty of $10.00 and one day in jail./*

*/[47a]/*

*/No one can eat unshelled, roasted peanuts while attending church in Idanha, Oregon./*

*/[47b]/*

*/In Honey Creek, Iowa, no one is permitted to carry a slingshot to church except a policeman./*

*/[47c]/*

*/No citizen in Leecreek, Arkansas, is allowed to attend church in any red-colored garment./*

*/[48a]/*

*/Swinging a yo-yo in church or anywhere in public on the Sabbath is prohibited in Studley, Virginia./*

*/[48b]/*

*/Turtle races are not permitted within 100 yards of a local church at any time in Slaughter, Louisiana./*

These rules probably made sense to those people at that time, a hundred or two hundred years ago, or whenever they were put in place, but to us in the 21st century they sound quite silly and unnecessary.

*/[49]/*

So, all that to say that it is so important for us to know why we do the things we do.

What is the church about?

Is it simply a safe place, or a sanctuary for Christians to feel protected from the outside world?

Why do we do what we do week in and week out?

This morning I want to lay the foundation for what we will be doing from this point on, not only in the Sunday morning services, but also for what I believe God’s desire is for everything that we do as His people, both individually and corporately.

The last three weeks we looked at God’s mission for us, and we are going to continue on with that theme this morning.

Today we’re going to take a look at the call that Moses received from God.

And then beginning next week we will go back to Genesis where we’ll stay until the first Sunday of Advent.

And everything that is said from the pulpit and everything that we do as a church will be for the purpose of the mission that God has given us, which is to teach people how to love God and love people.

My job as your pastor is not simply to give you more information about the Bible.

My job is not just to teach you more theology or doctrine.

My job as pastor is the same job that the apostle Paul was passionate about.

*/[50]/*

*Colossians 1:28-29*

* *

*/28 /**/We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

/*[1]

* *

Paul was passionate about moving the hearts of God’s people on to God’s program.

Like we said last week, it’s about a transformation of the heart.

We’re going to look at Exodus 5:22-6:8, but before we do that I want to remind you of what preceded this.

*/[51]/*

Remember God met Moses at the burning bush and told him that he had been duly chosen to lead Israel out of captivity in Egypt where they had been slaves for 400 years.

Moses doesn’t think this is a very good idea.

He says, “God, you have chosen the wrong guy.

Why would Israel listen to me?

Why would Pharaoh listen to me?

 

I’m a nobody.

I can’t even speak well and I have a speech impediment.

They will just laugh.”

Anyway, all of Moses’ whining and complaining come to naught, but God does acquiesce a bit and allows Moses to partner with Aaron, his brother who would be his mouthpiece.

And God tells them that He is going to do such great miracles through them that Pharaoh will be brought to his knees so that he will gladly send Israel packing.

So, with this information straight from God, Aaron and Moses gather the elders of Israel and tell them the great news that Yahweh had showed up and told Moses that He has heard the cry of the Israelites and He is going to use Moses to deliver the Israelites from the oppressive hand of the Egyptians.

So, all Israel is thrilled and they celebrate and bow down and worship God because finally after 400 years of being brutally oppressed by Egypt, He has heard their cries and is going to rescue them.

Moses is a hero in their eyes.

They put him on their shoulders and sing, “For he’s the jolly good fellow.”

*/[52]/*

And so, feeling good about themselves, Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and tell him the news that Yahweh, the God of the Israelites has said that he is supposed to let the people go.

Pharaoh laughed at them and said, “I don’t know this Yahweh.

Who is He to me?

There is no way in the world that I am going to let the Israelites go.

Our economy depends on their slave labour.

I would be crazy to do that.

As a matter of fact, I am going to make your work harder.

We used to supply the straw for you to make bricks.

We aren’t going to do that any more.

Now, you have to make the same amount of bricks, but you also have to gather your own straw, and if you don’t meet your quota your workers will be beaten.”

Well, the Israelites found it impossible to keep up, so they were beaten and oppressed even further.

And, so they go to the Pharaoh and tell him that he is being unreasonable and begged him to treat them more fairly.

*/[53]/*

*Exodus 5 (NLT)*

* *

*/17 But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy!

Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’/*

*/ /*

In other words, if you want to blame someone, blame your leader Moses.

He’s the one who got you into this mess.

*/[54]/*

*/ 18 Now get back to work!