come out of Egypt, my son

12-12-04

BCC

Prayer

Text: Matt. 2:13-15

Title: come out of Egypt, my Son

Subject: transforming your thinking

Discuss how we celebrate Xmas today
Discuss God’s plan

XP gift from God = Savior
Need for a savior = fall of man

Sin = missing the mark

Sin = bondage

Egypt symbolic for bondage

Hebrews life in Egypt = slaves
Hostile environment
Ruin relationships
Keep you from fulfilling Gods purpose for your life
You are either serving someone or something other than God

Background:

Herod troubled = nervous about wise men looking for the new King
Joseph and family runs to Egypt by warning from angel
Herod=

Appointed by Romans because he was a loyal Jew to Roman Govt
Cruel
Suspicious
Killed anyone he was suspicious of
Killed the entire royal family of the Hasmonaeans
Killed any Jew in his region that opposed him
Killed his wife
Killed his own sons
Wanted to kill all males babies in Bethlehem because he learned that the new King of the Jews would be born there.

Flee to Egypt:

Why would God sent Joseph to Egypt knowing that Egypt is hostile to those that serve him?

Sometimes we have to go to hostile places to be saved

Save us from self
Save us from our environment
Save us from those that would rather see us dead

If Jesus has to go into hostile environment, then we should expect no less

Herod seeks to destroy (ap-ol-loo-mee) apollumi

To lay waste – render you useless, misuse, squander
To utterly destroy – make you impotent
Disintegrate – is to break into pieces, to fragment, to collapse

Stay there until Herod is dead

Herod doesn’t have to be a person, Herod can be a state mind and state of being.

State of mind is:

The way you think

State of being is:

The way you act, your way of life

And some of you are still in Egypt because your herod isn’t dead

Let me say that another way:

Some of you are still in Egypt that is still in: bondage, hostile environment, in unproductive places, in ruined relationships, servicing something or someone other than God = because of Herod, your way of thinking and being has not died. That God may bring you back to your rightful place.

Traveling around Egypt but not coming out

Q: How do we get out of Egypt?

· Change our thinking = changed behavior

§ Have you ever wondered why, as much as your try to change you don’t

· Change what you pout into your head = change what comes out of your being

· If you change environment and not thinking all you are doing is traveling around in Egypt. Environment wouldn’t change you, your thinking will.

· Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

· Computer analogy: = junk in junk out

· You change the result of a program by changing the input or changing the program

· Like putting in JZ CD but listening for 50cent lyrics to sound out

· Re-evaluate your definition of manhood and of success.

· Let God guide you (relationship)

If herod is not dead you cant get out of Egypt.

But tell your neighbor, I’m coming out

Whatever has held you back, let it go and come out.

Tell the devil enough is enough

God says, I am calling you out of Egypt, my sons.

Everything the devil has bond up, I want to deliver to you

Your joy

Peace,

family

I want to prosper you in all things,

Prosper your finance
Bless your relationships