Sermon Tone Analysis

The things that you love… the things that you’re passionate about will naturally come up in your conversations.

Right?

Well, a couple of months ago, I was chatting with a guy… and we started talking about Jesus.

And as we talked… this guy seemed to have a pretty good knowledge of the things of God… and so I came right out and asked him… So, do you know Christ?

Do you have a relationship with him?

And he confirmed to me that he indeed did.

And so, we continued to talk… and he shared that he has just been having some difficulty overcoming temptation.

And so, I recommended a book to him.

I actually, purchased the audio book for him and sent it to him.

Has anyone here ever read “The Screwtape Letters” from C.S. Lewis?

The Screwtape Letters is a fictional account of an old, wise demon named Screwtape.

And Screwtape is writing a series of letters to his young nephew Wormwood.

And in these letters, Screwtape is instructing Wormwood on how to tempt the person that he’s been assigned to.

If you’ve never read it, I encourage you to do so.

It’s got some great insights into how our enemy comes at us… to tempt us… to attack us… to keep us away from the things of God.

One of the things that Screwtape tells Wormwood is about the law of undulation.

He explains that all people experience the law of undulation in every area of their lives.

The law of undulation is simply is this… a series of highs and lows… and these highs and lows are in every aspect of our lives.

Think about your relationships.

Every relationship you have will go through a series of highs and lows.

There are good times when you feel deeply connected to that other person… perhaps you’ve had a significant conversation together… spent some significant time together that brought you closer… and you just feel that that you’re on the same wavelength… you feel close to them.

But then, there are other times when you don’t feel that closeness.

You haven’t spent enough time together… or perhaps you’ve spent too much time together or you’re irritated with that person.

It’s the law of undulation in relationships.

But like I said… the law of undulation affects every area of our lives.

If you’ve had children… and your kiddo has a big test at school that day… something they’re really not looking forward to… they don’t want to get out of bed that day… they want to sleep in!

But… when there’s something they’re looking forward to… maybe a field trip at school… their birthday party… Christmas morning… buddy… they are up… jumping on your bed trying to get you to wake up! Let’s get this day moving!

Right?! It’s the law of undulation.

Well… If we’re honest with ourselves… the law of undulation… having highs and lows… is true in our relationship with God as well.

You’ve experienced this right?

Those times when you feel like especially close to God.

You feel worshipful… You feel thankful… You just can’t get enough of His Word… You can see Him working in your life and it just blows you away that the God of the universe knows your name and cares about you.

But then, there are other times that we feel like God is nowhere near us.

You’re not really feeling His presence in your life… You don’t feel like you’re growing in your relationship with God… and you look around and think… God… are you even there?

Are you doing anything in my life?

And these times can lead to questions… and doubts.

This morning, we’re beginning a new series through the book of Exodus.

If you have your Bible, and I hope that you do, turn with me to Exodus chapter 1.

And right away, in Exodus chapter 1, we’re going to see that the nation of Israel has gone through the law of undulation themselves.

Look at verse 1 with me.

Those verses don’t sound like a whole lot… just sounds like the Bible is naming some people of Israel… but those seven verses are an absolute high point of Israel.

Things were going very well for them.

God was blessing them tremendously!

In these seven verses, Israel was experiencing a deep connection with God.

And this makes perfect sense when we understand the beginning of Exodus in context of what came before… the book of Genesis.

So, very briefly, let’s remind ourselves of the context.

Genesis chapter 12. God chooses a man named Abraham.

And He says to Abraham… I’m going to bless you… I’m going to bless you with offspring that out numbers the stars in the sky… And you and your offspring will become a great nation and the world will be blessed through you.

What a high point for Abraham that must’ve been!

And when Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were old, they had a son named Isaac… and then Isaac had a son named Jacob.

And then Jacob had 12 sons.

And understand, I’m simplifying this very heavily… there were a lot of ups and downs through this whole thing… but time and time again, through the highs and the lows, God keeps reiterating His promise… I will make you a great nation… I will make your descendants like the stars in the sky.

As Jacob’s 12 sons are growing up, one of them, Joseph, is sold into slavery and winds up in Egypt.

Joseph ends up in a position of power and authority… working for the Pharoah there.

Joseph begins preparing Egypt for a great famine that God told him was coming.

And then… the famine hits the land… and it’s devastating.

But because Joseph prepared the Pharaoh and Egypt… Egypt is in great shape!

The Pharaoh is pleased… Joseph is the hero of the story.

In the meantime… God also intervenes and brings the rest of Jacob’s family to Egypt to save them.

And during this famine, Egypt now becomes a safe haven for Israel.

Egypt becomes a place of safety and security for Abraham’s family.

And that’s exactly where Exodus chapter 1 picks things up.

Exodus chapter 1 is a continuation of the story.

Look at verse 6 again.

Do you see what’s happening here?

They are experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham… that he would become a great nation… descendants like the stars in the sky… and it’s happening right here in Egypt.

At this time, they are exclaiming… Yes… God is good!

God has been faithful to His promise to our father Abraham.

This is a high point for the nation of Israel.

But things are about to change.

Look at verse 8…

There’s a new King in Egypt… a new Pharaoh… and this Pharaoh doesn’t know Joseph.

He doesn’t care about who Joseph was or what Joseph did.

Joseph means absolutely nothing to this new Pharoah.

In fact, this new Pharaoh sees Joseph’s family as a threat… and they’re a threat that needs to be dealt with.

Look at verse 9…

Notice the dramatic change that has taken place and how low things have become for Israel.

I can imagine Israelite moms telling the story to their children about how God brought them to Egypt to provide for them.

I can hear them telling the story… There was a famine back home and our people were going to die… but God provided for us… God brought Joseph to Egypt… and through Joseph’s leadership, they built up and stored food… and God used that to save our people.

We’re here in Egypt because of God’s provision… we’re here because of God’s protection.

But now… Everything has changed.

There’s a new Pharaoh who turns them into slaves and treats them horribly… ruthlessly… back breaking slavery.

And I can imagine the kids looking up at their moms and saying… Mom, I thought God brought us here to protect us?

I thought God brought us here to save us?

How can that be?

We’re slaves.

What’s going on?

What is God doing?

Is God even real?

But we’re not finished… Things actually gets worse.

Look at verse 15…

Think about how low Israel must feel from God. Yes… God brought them to Egypt to save them… but man… it sure seems like God had forgotten about them.

As if this ruthless slavery wasn’t enough… Now the Pharaoh declares a system of genocide.

Kill every single baby boy.

Pharoah is determined to end Abraham’s family.

How is Israel going to respond to this new low?

We really don’t have a lot of answers.

The Bible simply tells us about two midwives… and how they respond.

Verse 17…

Here’s what we need to know about these midwives… One… They fear God over man.