The Gospel, The Passover, The Children
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Great week last week
Amazing family night.
Continuing in our study of the Gospel throughout scripture we are going to be looking at the Israelites exodus from Egypt today and the amazing feast that was established to remember what God had done.
Go ahead and open your Bibles to Exodus 12
While your getting there I want you to remember something.
God doesn’t change.
Mal 3:6
6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
We see the way He interacts with His creation changes but He does not change.
The nation of Israel was chosen by God to be the people that the world would know Him through.
You may think of the nation of Israel as 12 tribes, or maybe 2 nations, or maybe you don’t know anything about the nation of Israel and your just trying to figure out where I’m going with this.
No matter which situation you find yourself in, I want to tell you how to think of the nation of Israel…It’s not one country, It’s not one group, it’s one person. It’s one person and another person, and another person, and another person.
The nation is made up of individuals. Just as the church is made up of individuals.
New Testament believers and the nation of Israel are two different groups. The church did not replace Israel. The church does not have the promises and curses that the nation of Israel has.
While there are differences, the God who does not change, interacts with them the same way.
By faith and on an individual basis.
Today we are going to see where a group of individual people made a decision to have faith in God, and God did a great work in their individual lives and their group.
Today I want you to examine this scripture with me seeking to find the answer to this question “Am I choosing God or am I choosing the world?”
Exodus 12:21-28
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
PRAY
Let’s Make a Deal
2 boxes: both empty…say they have a $20 gift card
Have $5 bill
Call up teen…offer $5 for 10 jumping jacks.
OR
they choose a box where one is empty and the other has a $20 gift card.
Choose box, get nothing, this is what happens when we choose the world, when we choose to operate in opposition to the Word of God. We believe that by living according to the world’s systems of sinfulness that we will make out better than if we choose to follow God.
God has told you what you will get when you follow Him. The devil may tell you but he is lying to you. He is the father of lies.
If you choose to follow the world, you will end up empty handed. If you choose to follow God, you will find blessings.
Round of applause
Notice who had to make the decision up here? It wasn’t a large group, it was one individual. The conversation was between him and I. It was a personal conversation.
The first thing for you to observe with me this morning is
I. Your relationship with God is personal
I. Your relationship with God is personal
In verse 21 Moses called the elders of Isreal, these were the heads of the individual houses. Most likely the fathers and husbands of the familes.
Each of them had to take a lamb, known as a pashcal lamb, that just means it’s a lamb chosen for the passover, and sacrifice it.
Not just any lamb could be chosen though.
Exodus 12:5
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
It must be a male lamb that is without blemish. It had to be perfect. It would have been a beautiful lamb. A pure white coat of wool, no spots or imperfections could be found on this small animal.
Then, they would take this innocent lamb and sacrifice it. The sacrifice would have nothing wasted to include the blood that was spilled.
This lamb is represenative of the lamb slain prior to the foundation of the world.
The sacrifice that would cover the sins of those who chose to accept it.
That lamb is the one John the Baptist spoke of in
John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
As the lamb was perfect and without blemish so was the Lamb of God sent to be the sacrifice that would pay the debt no man could pay.
It was a vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice that Jesus would make for you and for me.
The blood from the sacrificial lamb in Exodus was to be applied to the doorposts with Hyssop.
Hyssop grows and bushes and can be used like a paintbrush in this sense to apply the blood to the doorposts.
The hyssop plant is not strong or sturdy. The individual Israelites were not called to have their faith in the Hyssop, they were called to have faith in God.
They took the hyssop and applied the blood to the door posts and the lentil which is that outward facing piece above their head.
I love the symbolism here. The blood was not placed inside their home. It was not hid where no one could see. It was unashamedly applied to the outward facing side of the door for all to see.
I believe it’s important for us to have scripture and Christian symbols in our home. We want our families to know we are Christians. We should also have a desire to express it outwardly to the world. Let us not be ashamed of our Savior and the sacrifice He made. Let us proclaim it loudly for all to hear and see.
And not just in what’s in your yard or on the outside of your house, car, or clothing, let’s exhibit Christianity in our lifestyles so that others may know we have faith in Jesus.
The day this was done the Egyptians would have have walked around seeing that there was something different about these Israelites. They would have known not just by their position in life but by their very loud statement made with the swashing of blood on the doorposts.
What a symbol for how we should live in the world.
We should be looked at and thought of as different
1 Peter 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
We are to be different. Not just because we dress different, don’t watch some shows or listen to some music, those are important but if that’s all you are focusing on you are missing the point of this passage entirely.
Your faith in the Gospel and Jesus’ desire for you is not to conform to a set of rules and regulations. It is for your heart to be changed.
Jesus speaking a parable makes mention of why this is important.
Mark 7:18-23
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The jews were concerned about the food they were consuming believing it defiled them when it isn’t the meat going into the belly that defiles but the evils that can come from the heart.
Jesus doesn’t work in the textile industry making changes to your clothing. Jesus works in the heart. And it is in your heart as you seek to be filled with more of the Holy Spirit, that you will find your desires to be change and your life transformed. But that is a personal decision you have to make.
You have to say “Jesus, I don’t want conformity. Jesus I don’t want to look the part. Jesus I don’t want to be just another Christian. Jesus I want to be your disciple.”
As the Israelites put their faith in God to deliver them from the death angel that would come that, it is your faith in the gospel to deliver you from sin and eternal death in hell.
By your faith in the Gospel God will work in your heart.
It’s a personal decision though, because your relationship with God is a personal relationship.
And He has called you as an individual to live for Him.
II. You are called to obedience, not understanding
II. You are called to obedience, not understanding
Now, if you’ve been around here since the beginning of January. You know that I believe in understanding the Bible. I believe in seeking truth and understanding from scripture. So please know, I’m not telling you to not understand the Bible. I’m not telling you to settle for “my Pastor said so I should do...” I’m telling you not to wait for understanding to be obededient.
We too often have a desire to understand not just how things work by why things work.
Anyone here a tinkerer? Maybe you have a kid that’s a tinkerer? You take things apart just to see how they work?
I find learning those things interesting but I’ve learned that when I take something apart, I usually do one of two things.
I will either put it back together and have parts/screws left over and it still works OR I won’t be able to get it back together.
Some of you though are better than me at that. You take it apart, inspect it, and figure it all out in shot and then put it back together able to explain it all.
That’s great. However, that’s not faith.
The Israelites didn’t debate with Moses and say “Um, wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Lambs blood will keep my firstborn child from dying? And we have to use Hyssop to apply it…Why? How is that supposed to do anything?”
In our desire to control situations we won’t begin to adjust our lifestyles unless we fully understand how it all will work out.
God doesn’t call us to understand how, or why, He calls us to obey.
He said Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. Why? because He’s God. Why not through baptism? Why not through church attendance? Because He’s God and He said so.
God said peacemakers, poor in spirit, those who are meek, and others are blessed. How? Why? Because He is God and He said so.
He said He resists the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Why? Because He’s God and he said so.
He said to not set wicked things before our eyes, He said to dress modestly, He said to tell others about the gospel, baptize them, and then teach them all we know. Why? Because He said so.
The sooner we accept He is God and we are not. The sooner He can work in our hearts.
Had the Israelites chose to not apply the blood, they would not have received the blessing of being passed over. When you choose to not trust in Jesus as your Savior you are choosing to not receive the blessing of Salvation.
When you choose to oppose God’s Word in any light, you are choosing to not receive the blessings associated with living for Him.
Your waiting to fully understand everything before you move is like being the kid at the top of the waterslide overthinking it. You just need to go down the chute.
2 Cor 5:7
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Faith isn’t understanding everything, it’s being obedient.
God has called you to be obedience and not understanding…are you being obedient in your life?
III. Your obedience will make an impact
III. Your obedience will make an impact
The vision we have for Liberty Baptist church is for us to be a church that Loves God, Serves Others, and Makes an Impact.
A gospel impact in our world, in our community, in our church, and in your life is all made the same way. Not by an organization…it’s made by individuals.
Individuals deciding, I’m going to follow God rather than man. I’m going to serve God rather than the world. I’m going to live my life for Him rather than living my life for self.
Luke 9:23
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
John 14:15
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Not, “If ye love me, you will understand why I’ve asked you do this or how this is all supposed to work out.” If you love me....keep my commandments.
I believe the commandments Jesus spoke of in that verse are the two great commandments he gave in another area of the Bible
Matthew 22:36-40
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
At Liberty Baptist we seek to be individuals cominng together as a group that are doing just that. Loving God with all that we are, and Serving our neighbors.
What does that look like? It looks like what Paul wrote about in
1 Cor 15:31
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Dieing daily to your agenda, your will, to your own flesh, and allowing Christ to live through you.
Dieing to the sin nature that can consume you. Not pursuing the American dream but desiring to live the Kingdom Dream.
The Kingdom Dream of Loving God, Serving Others, and Making an Impact.
It all starts with faith in the blood of Jesus. Then as you live your life God will use you great when you choose to be obedient to Him.
Have you ever thought of who is impacted by your actions? Who is impacted by your obedience to God?
We often think of stories of men God has used to reach many people.
Men like Adnoriam Judson
When Adoniram Judson graduated from college and seminary he received a call from a fashionable church in Boston to become its assistant pastor. Everyone congratulated him. His mother and sister rejoiced that he could live at home with them and do his life work, but Judson shook his head. “My work is not here,” he said. “God is calling me beyond the seas. To stay here, even to serve God in His ministry, I feel would be only partial obedience, and I could not be happy in that.” Although it cost him a great struggle he left mother and sister to follow the heavenly call.
Judson’s churches in Burma have had fifty thousand converts, and the influence of his consecrated life is felt around the world.
Those are great for us to recall. But not everyone is called to do works like that.
What are you called to do though?
Who is impacted by your obedience?
Notice this verse
Mark 8:36
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Great verse for us to remember that we could have every yacht, car, home and island we ever wanted. but if we lose our soul, what does it matter.
I’d like to pose this question to you based upon this same principle:
What does it profit a Christian if they were to gain the whole world and lose their family?
You can work all the overtime, spend all the time at the church, have every car you want, go on all the vacations, and so on and so forth. But if you do so to the detriment of your family....was it worth it?
In our pursuit of the American Dream and keeping up with the Joneses, we are sacrificing the first ministry God has given to us and that is our families.
We don’t gather around God’s Word because what’s on the tv is easier for us all to sit around. It doesn’t require as much work. It’s entertaining.
We don’t get our kids off of their games or phones because then we would have to spend time with them. Too many American homes have live in nanny’s that are destroying the hearts and minds of our children while parents and spouses believe they are being successful because they got overtime, got a promotion, or saved up enough for that vacation.
Following the night night of Passover God gave more instruction to the Israelites.
Exodus 12:26-28
26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
Of all the things God could have said or did in this instance, He told them to keep this feast to remind the children. To pass on the faith.
God instituted 2 instiutions, the family and the church. In that order.
All others should be adjusted based upon how those are affected.
God forbid we make a million dollars and reach a million souls and lose our families.
Your obedience to the Lord isn’t just about your testimony with unbeleivers, it is about your own family. It is about glorifying God and leading your family in how to live for Him. Resulting in others seeing the work God does in your life and accompanied with your verbal witnessing, leads them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Your Obedience will make an impact.
Are you choosing obedience? Or are you choosing the world?
Time of Response
Time of Response