Sermon notes from Sunday 27 October 2013
Genesis 12 verses 1 – 5, Isaiah 51 verses 1 and 2, Acts 7 verses 1 – 4
The nation of Israel is a unique
nation in many ways. Israel holds the
place of supreme importance in the future of world events. God gave this nation the word of God first
and foremost. Bethlehem was where God’s
own son was born, he grew up in that land of Israel, he lived and died
there. We need to remember that it was
from that place he arose from the dead.
It is to that place where Jesus will come again, where the nations will
be drawn. One day in the valley of
Megiddo the greatest battle will take place.
Every child of God is gone home to heaven by this stage but now he will
come again to reign on the earth. His
feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. In these days in which we are living in we
are very near to the very day when Christ will return again. The Lord Jesus could come at any moment in
time. He will take every child of God to
be home with him. If that were to happen
today if God were to call every child home today will you be there? Would you rise to meet the Lord? Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of
life? Maybe you say ‘I have been brought
up in a good home, sat in Sunday School, sat at the communion table, is that
not enough?’ God asks for you to turn
from your sin, repent, to know the blood of Christ applied to your life.
Abraham was the founder of the
nation Israel. It is the only nation
that can point to this and Israel is unique in this sense. He was summoned
by a call. He lived in Ur of the
Chaldees, lived in a secular society not unlike the one we live in today. It was a rich and fertile part of the
world. It was into such a place that the
call of God penetrated the heart of one man.
God by his call comes and he calls you to himself today. How many times has God called you, spoken to
you, invited you to come to him? Joshua
taking the children of Israel into the land of Canaan told them ‘you have a
choice to make, you can choose the gods you served before the flood or you can
choose the God of Israel.’ There’s many
a call from this old world today to take up your heart and mind. We need to be listening to the call of God and
not take any other call. Paul challenged
the people of Athens. They were a
superstitious nation and had many altars, but they had never taken the Lord as
Saviour. They even had an altar to the
unknown God. Like society today we
worship the gods of pleasure and luxury.
God’s call was to summon this man Abraham. He had a task for him to do
which no-one else could do. Abraham was
living amongst a materialistic society.
God still calls today in the same form and fashion. In Acts chapter 7 we read that before Abraham
“dwelled in Charran (Haran)” the word of the Lord came to this man. The call was “get thee out of thy
country.” God was clear with his
call. This is the second time he was
coming to this young man. He was told to
get out from his family, country and kindred.
Abraham came half way to the land of Haran. It would seem that whenever this man received
the call he maybe went to his father Terah and told him of the call of
God. Terah said to Abraham “let’s be
wise about this, you cannot just up sticks and go all that distance, we will go
half way to Haran, set up our living there, wait and see what happens.” He was influenced by his father Terah. We need to be sure we are not influenced by
anyone else. In chapter 15 of Genesis
God promised Abraham a son. He was long
in coming verses 2 – 4. “This shall not
be your heir” God said to him. He went
on to tell him he was going to be the father of a son not by adoption. In Genesis 16 Abraham explains to Sarah they
will have a son but nothing happens. In
verses 1 and 2 Abraham had this vulnerability in listening to others. He listened to his father who stopped short
of going to where he ought to be. Now he is told he will have a son. His wife told him to use Hagar for this
purpose. Abraham listened again. He got off course, again influenced by what
she said. There was a son born into that
relationship with Hagar. Verse 12 “he
will be a wild man, his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand
against him.” A son born out of a wrong
decision. Abraham fathered that child who
was called Ishmael. He was the father of
the Arab nation. Every Arab nation is
coming against Israel today. They want
them driven out into the Mediterranean Sea.
The problems stem from disobedience.
We need to be careful not influenced by a wrong decision. Peter called by the Lord was influenced by
John. The Lord said to Peter ‘Follow
thou me.’ Peter turned around and said
“and what shall this man do.” Jesus told
him not to worry about him but rather follow him. We need to get away from listening to others.
Abraham was the foundation stone of the
nation Israel. Don’t look over your
shoulder for someone else to summon you today.
Notice Abraham was now surrendered to the call of God to
him. He showed him what way he was
going. God found this man whose heart
was in touch with him. God is looking
for someone today whose heart is in touch with him. He wants to do a mighty work through us. Maybe God wants to bring revival today. And
he will maybe do it through you today. Abraham’s
heart was opened to God’s call and he was surrendered the whole way. His trust and dependence was on the one who
called him. God didn’t tell him ‘here’s
the land I want you to dwell in it.’ No
he showed him piece by piece. Abraham
responded to it, he knew it was from God.
It was special, it lingered in his heart. The call of God doesn’t fade away. The call of God rests in your heart. God doesn’t give up on you. He didn’t give up on Jonah. He didn’t give up on Moses. It took him 40 years to bring him back to that
place he would have him to go. He recognised
the voice of God. Do I recognise the
call of God? Do I know where God is
leading and guiding me into something?
Jeremiah was the most unsuccessful man of God. He saw a nation taken from under his feet,
taken into Babylon. Despite it all he
never gave up. He kept going on. Didn’t care when the people turned against
him. One time when in prison God told
him about a field. Your uncle is going
to come and see you, I have a field want you to buy it. What would this teach? It set an example of faith in the living God.
God told Jeremiah that the children of
Israel would be taken into Babylon for 70 years and they would return by God’s
leading. God wanted Jeremiah to prove him
in this situation. “Buy that field off
your uncle then you are really saying I believe what God says.” In 70 years God would bring him back and he
would have a field to work and build in.
His uncle came with the offer of a field and Jeremiah knew this was the
word of God. Chapter 32 verse 8. Do we recognise God when he speaks to
us? He still speaks to us today. The Holy Spirit takes his word and brings it
to our hearts. The responsibility is on
us to recognise that word. Remember Naomi
in the book of Ruth. Her husband came to
her and told her they would have to move to Moab as there was no food in the
land they were living in. That family
lived in Bethlehem Judah. The name means
the house of bread. Here was this
husband saying we are going to move from the house of bread for there is a
famine. He moved down to live in Moab. It was a costly decision because her husband
and 2 sons died. Word came to where
Naomi was that God had visited the land in which she used to dwell with
food. She packed her bags and went
home. She recognised this was the voice
and word of God. Do you recognise his
word in this busy age in which we live? Do we set aside time or rush out into a
day? Do we spend time before the God of
heaven? Jonathan Edwards said he got up
in the morning to spend time with God.
Has God spoken to you about something?
Does he want to come to our lives and show us something
Sermon notes from Sunday 3 November 2013
Genesis 17 verses 1 – 27
Every leader of the world when
the debate comes up will ask “what are we going to do with Israel?” Commentators can think about it and give
ideas but no-one has the answer to it.
The same arguments come up time and time again. We read about Israeli and Arab relationships
and think about them. Until we go back
to the word of God, back to the book of Genesis then we will see that God has a
regard for Israel that will never ever be broken. A covenant made with Abraham for him, his
family, his nation, his land. This
covenant will not be broken. It is an
everlasting covenant and is so important to the whole world history and the
world’s future. Abraham was summoned by
the call. That one God would make him a
great nation. Others can influence us
away from that programme. Maybe God has
been speaking to you of the salvation of your soul. God has been clear to you. You have never been to the Lord, to the cross
of Calvary, never given your heart and life to him, the one who shed his
precious blood of Christ. You perhaps
think in your heart you are not a bad person, you do the best you can and when
you add it all up you think you are on the way to heaven and home. This heart can influence you but we are told
in God’s word that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17 verse 9)
Maybe you are influenced by your family, by your friends, people you
work with. Somehow that influence is too
strong. Maybe God has been speaking
about service to God and somehow you cannot get around it because of the
influence of others.
Abraham was sensitive to the voice of God.
It came in the quietness. Jeremiah
was in prison when God spoke to him. God
can lay a finger on your life. He is not
confined to a certain place. Jeremiah
was asked to do a certain thing. He knew
it was the word of God.
Abraham’s submission to this call. As
he hears this call he was certain of it.
He was living in a very idolatrous system, people worshipped other gods
of the sun, moon and stars. In the midst
of all this turmoil God comes to Abraham and says “I have a task for you.” He tells Abraham to hear the word of God and
to know the word of God. It is one thing
to come to that place where we submit to the word of God but a totally thing to
say “take my life and let it be.” He was
ready to submit to God. For Peter it was
like that out in the boat. One night he
was out fishing but caught nothing. The
next morning as he was sitting on the shore mending his nets he was very
discouraged. He was simply getting ready
to go out the next night. Jesus told him
to launch out into the deep and let down his nets. Peter knew you didn’t do that, you don’t go
out in the middle of the day to fish. He
told the Lord “we have fished all night and caught nothing, nevertheless at thy
word we will do as you say.” He did go
out and caught a great many fish. The
Lord was teaching him a great lesson when he caught nothing. Sometimes the Lord teaches us something very
special in those barren times. Peter was
sensitive to the word of God but he also submitted himself to the will of
God. Think of Hannah. She came first to the house of the Lord to
cry and plead with the God of heaven – “if you give me a man child I will give
him back to you.” It is easy at that
point. She didn’t have a child and was
bargaining with God. God gave her that
child and she gave him back to the Lord.
Samuel was raised in the house of the Lord. What a wrench giving him back to the
Lord. She admitted to Eli that this was
the child she had asked the Lord for.
Hannah had to turn her back and walk away, leave him in the presence of Eli
to work for God. She gave all she wanted
and loved back to the Lord. Are we
expecting blessing but we are holding back from God? Jephthah in Judges who fought against the
Ammonites asked the Lord “give me victory this day and when I go home with that
victory the first thing that comes out of my house I will give it back to
you.” God gave him great victory and the
first thing that came out of his home was his little daughter. Jephthah said “I have opened my mouth unto
the Lord and I cannot go back.” It was
easy when the vow was made but he knew there would be a day when it had to be
fulfilled. When he discovered it was his
daughter it was not a easy task to fulfil.
Abraham took Isaac and sacrificed him.
God told Abraham to prove how much he loved him. Abraham surrendered to God and when he was
just about to do it God showed him the ram in the thicket to be offered instead
of Isaac. Is there something God wants
you to do for him? Maybe God wants something
of us that we find it impossible to give.
Abraham was separated by the call. The
call was to summon him to the work he wanted him to do. If he wants to carry out God’s will
everything else had to go. Our sinful
practices have to be set to one side and step out for God. Genesis 12 “get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show
thee.” Abraham had to submit and
surrender and separate himself for God.
God would make of him a mighty nation, a blessing to the whole
world. Maybe God wants you to do the
same, a blessing in your home, in your fellowship, in this town, in this
province. You cannot do it in the
situation you are in today because there is something you have to step away
from first of all. All Abraham had to do
was obey. That is all he wants you to do
today. “For the which cause I also
suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1 verse 9) There’s still a call for separation. “Look unto Abraham your father and unto Sarah
that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”
(Isaiah 51 verse 2) “Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6
verse 14) Paul gives the picture of 2
animals ploughing in the field. He then
goes on to say “come out from among them and be ye separate.” In Acts 19 when Paul preached the people gave
their lives to Christ but there were those who hardened their hearts. Paul separated that band of believers and in
the school of Tyrannus he taught them for 2 years. We need to be careful when we worship that
it is set in religious context. We need
to get into a place where God can really separate us to the word of God and
submit to the will of God.
Why bother with the nation of
Israel? Israel is the most important
nation in this whole wide world. A
nation God brought into existence. He gave
birth to the nation of Israel for a specific purpose – that he might bring
forth the Saviour, the Messiah, the great sacrifice for sin. He died on the cross for your place and my
place. The nation of Israel is not
finished with yet. A very important
purpose has to be fulfilled in this nation one day. It has already born much fruit. That nation has given us the word of God, the
gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ himself too.
Think of the roots of this nation
in Abraham, the rise of this nation, the rebellion of the nation and the
restoration of Israel. Ezekiel gives an
image of the dry bones in the valley.
The question comes to him “can these live?” Ezekiel replied “thou God knowest this.” The valley of the dry bones represented the
nation of Israel. Those bones did come together
when Ezekiel prophesied to them. God
breathed into them. They still have a
purpose to be fulfilled.
Genesis 21 needs to be read in
conjunction with Galatians 4 verses 21 to the end. Paul gives a commentary on this chapter in
Genesis. Paul brings it right up to date
that affects our lives and the life of our fellowship too.
Isaac is born into Abraham’s
house. He was the son God had promised
to Abraham. Both he and Sarah were past
child bearing age. There was nothing they
could do themselves to produce a child.
There is nothing we can do for the new birth, to save ourselves, to
enhance our position with God. We were
dead in trespasses and in sin. The Lord
loved us so much that he gave his life for us.
The only thing we can do to know our sins forgiven is trust the Lord,
turn from our sins and take him as Saviour and Lord. The miracle in the days of Abraham - we can
have that miracle today in the new birth in Christ. We don’t have to go away hoping to be in
heaven. We can know we have full
assurance that we will be there.
Notice firstly a conflict of interests. This is at the roots of Israel. Isaac was born into the home. He was the son of promise. Who else was in the home? Ishmael was in the home. He was the offspring of impatience and
disobedience. God had promised Abraham a
son but years went by when they didn’t have any child. Sarah told him to take Hagar her handmaid who
would bear him a son which would please God.
It didn’t please God. God had
made his promise to Abraham that he would give him his son. Sarah wanted to give God a help. Ishmael was the fruit of a wrong
relationship. Galatians 4 verse 22. Paul takes up the story of Abraham and
Sarah. Sarah realised they needed to
cast Hagar and her son out of the home for the real joy to come to her and Abraham. In verse 8 we see Isaac is beyond the infant
age, probably at 3 or 5 years of age.
For 15 years Ishmael was the pride and joy as far as Abraham and Sarah
were concerned. Isaac was now the centre
of attention. Ishmael was watching all
this. He was a young teenager now. Things had to be handled very carefully. He maybe felt no longer important. Verse 9 he was mocking Isaac. He spurned him, mocked him, he was brunt of
the jokes. In the spiritual side we see
something more of a concern. The natural
was attacking the spiritual. Here was
God’s plan being attacked in its infancy.
Is God speaking to you about something?
God is leading you into something today, service for him but you will be
attacked. Nehemiah went down to the city
of Jerusalem. The city had been burnt
with fire but God wanted him to build up the walls again and replace the
gates. Night after night he went around
the walls, saw the task around him and spoke to the rest of the people. The enemy was looking down, saw all the
people working together. The enemy said
“what do these feeble Jews do?” Many today
will look at us and they will laugh. All
we want to see is souls saved. Sarah saw
something else. She saw the mocking.
Sarah saw a crisis that was impending.
She had the spirit of discernment.
She could see it coming before it happened. Verse 9 she saw the mocking and knew that
this could not go on. Honesty had to be
produced in this situation. She knew she
had disobeyed God when she told Abraham to have a child by Hagar and it was now
bringing a crisis in her life. We need
to be careful, not to be side tracked.
There could be a crisis awaiting to happen. Here was God’s own plan in jeopardy because
of something that had happened 15 years before.
Eve never thought when she handled that fruit and took a bite and when
she gave it to her husband to try it as well.
She never thought for one moment what the result of that moment of
disobedience would bring right from that Garden of Eden. We see the results of disobedience. Achan never though as he ran into ruins of
Jericho, never thought as he looked on the gold, on the Babylonian garment that
this situation would ruin his family and his family circle. He was judged and stoned as a result of that
decision. Ishmael is the father of the
nations surrounding Israel today. Psalm
83 verse 6 lists the nations that all came from Ishmael. Genesis 16 verse 12.
A challenge that is imposed – verse 10. By casting him out he thought everything
would be ok. The Psalmist tried to do
the same with Bathsheba, to keep silence but it affected his very bones. Psalm 90 verse 8 “thou hast set our
iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.” Dealing with something here that far
outreaches any one of us. Jesus died on
the cross to deal with sin. Verse 10 we
cannot allow sin in our hearts and live the life of God at the same time. Have I the ability to do it? No but I have the ability to stand up to it,
to ask the Lord about it. We cannot
harbour sin and expect God to carry out his plans. Sarah told Abraham Isaac needs every
chance. Verse 11 it causes hurt to
Abraham. He recognises the situation as
wrong. It grieves us that we have to
open up to things before God puts them right.
Some times we excuse things but if it is doubtful cast it out.
A confirmation that is important – verse 12. God confirmed what Sarah said to be
correct. Verse 13 God did promise that
Ishmael would become a great nation too.
Verse 14 Abraham rose early in the morning. No sitting still. He got Hagar and her son, provided them with
food and transport and sent them on their way.
That is what happened in Berea.
They listened to the word of God then went home and searched the
scriptures for themselves to see if the things said were true. God has tremendous blessings for us but
something has to be cast out first and foremost.
Sermon notes from Sunday 24 November 2013
Genesis 37 verses 18 – 36
We move on a generation or 2 in
our thinking of the nation of Israel.
God’s people may have rejected and rebelled against him but one day he
will take a dealing with them again. He
will raise a nation as he did before. We
have looked at Abraham and his 2 sons Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac had 2 sons Esau and Jacob. Jacob went on to have 12 sons, the tribes of
Israel, the Patriarchs. In Genesis 12
verse 2 he promised a nation and a land.
Israel is not yet done, one day it will inhabit every square inch of
it. In Genesis 26 verse 24 we see the promise
given to Isaac and in Genesis 28 verse 15 that promise was given to Jacob. What is included in the promise of God?
The promise of God includes patience to be able to deal with one
another, to deal with the situations in our homes and family circles and to go
out into society to work with others.
Patience is something that is worked at and it comes with time. Notice what God said to Abraham in Genesis 15
verse 4. God was promising him a
son. He already had one in the family
and thought this was the one to be used.
God came back to him and said “no he would not be his heir.” Verse 5 ”look now toward heaven”. Maybe our hearts are in things that are not
going the way we want them to be going.
Sometimes we need to get alone with God and allow him to show us. As Christians we need to be looking up,
getting ourselves off everything that is happening around us, get them fixed on
the author and finisher of our faith.
Are we looking unto the Lord? The
one who died on the old rugged cross, who left heaven’s glory and came into the
world to die for you and I to receive eternal life but now a little way down
the road where are our eyes? It takes
patience for the promise of God. Verse 6
and 7 “give thee this land to inherit it.”
That is how the nation of Israel will be. This is what the nation would be like, under
the control of God. Verse 13 shows that
it would happen 400 years later. Now
that would require patience. Maybe God has
given you a promise but maybe it is a long time since you heard that promise
directly to you. The promise of God
takes patience. Abraham went out not
knowing where he went. Hebrews 11 verse
13 “these all died in faith not having received the promise of God.” They never seen the promise materialise in
their lifetime. They held onto it
knowing one day God would accomplish it.
Are we still holding onto God for a loved one? Sometimes we take the situation of instant
meals or instant purchases into our spiritual lives and expect it to be there
as soon as possible. God doesn’t promise
when we will get an answer from him. It
takes patience for the promise of God to materialise. Not only do we see a promise here that
included patience but …
The preparation God had to make for this promise to be fulfilled. There had to be a degree of sacrifice. Joseph in Genesis 37 was the brunt of all his
brothers jealousy. One day Jacob asked
him to take food to his brothers and come back with a report of them. The brothers had a hatred for this young
man. They watched the shadow of their
brother coming to them. He wore a coat
of many colours, a coat of distinction that they didn’t have. God had given him dreams of what would happen
in days to come. They had a hatred of
him. Joseph is a picture of Jesus. He came unto his own and his own received him
not. Joseph was coming with food for his
brothers but they turned their backs on him.
Maybe to this day you are still saying “I don’t want this life, I don’t
want any relationship with Jesus.” For
every ounce of evil these men meant God was going to take it and turn it
around. God was preparing the way for
his father and brothers to come to Egypt almost 20 years later. Maybe it will take sacrifice on your behalf
before you see the promise of God fulfilled.
A provision that was given. He
was giving them the means whereby they would begin their sojourn to Egypt. There had to be a purpose and plan in
it. Maybe things are happening in your
life that you cannot make much sense out of but God understands and he is
working it out for you. God is maybe
preparing some work for you now. God
could see the bigger picture. Genesis 41
verse 56. Joseph was the one who sorted
out this great famine. Genesis 42 verse
1 God would bring blessing out of these circumstances. Jacob saw there were corn in Egypt and said
“lets go down there and buy the corn there.”
Sometimes our circumstances change in order to be brought into the place
God can use us. “I am God the God of thy
father fear not to go down into Egypt for I will make of thee a great
nation.” Not what you are or where you
would think you are. God will make
something of your life. Genesis 46 verse
3 God gave that promise to Jacob so he knew he should go down to Egypt. Paul and Silas had to suffer beating in a
Philippian jail – why – just to see one man saved for God. How was Paul when he had that beating? He was singing and praising God. Jacob was told to go down to Egypt by God not
send his sons for it. Are we in the
place God would want us to be in for his glory?
The promise included persecution – Acts 7 verses 17 and
18. God’s work still goes on. The promise went on from generation to
generation. Jacob died and Joseph died
but the work went on. Moses died but
there was a Joshua to take God’s people into the land of Canaan. God didn’t leave his people without the
possibility of someone taking over the work.
Elijah was taken into the whirlwind but there was an Elisha who would
take the work of God. Are you prepared
to step into someone’s shoes to see the work accomplished? God raises his own people to take up the
mantle and go on. Are we prepared like
these men of old? Are we holding onto
the promise of God for our families and loved ones?
The promise also included the pleadings. “I have heard their cry I
have seen their affliction and I am coming down to deal with it.” God still waits for his people to cry, call and
plead. We have forgotten to pray. We want the blessing but left the praying to
one side. God is waiting for his
people. “If my people which are called
by my name shall humble themselves and pray.”
Sermon notes from Sunday 1 December 2013
Exodus 12 verses 1 – 13
The redemption of the nation of Israel
Last week we left the nation of
Israel down in Egypt. There was a famine
in the land. Joseph was there paving the
way for his family to come down.
Deuteronomy 10 verses 22 400 years spent in Egypt in slavery. When all hope was gone God came down once
again and lifted them out of that place.
God wants our lives to be in the control of his hand. To be in the palm of his hand. I’m sure Jacob never thought for a moment
dwelling in Canaan God would come in and stir up. It was necessary and take him right down into
the land of Egypt. Maybe God is speaking
today to do something for him. Something
we would never imagine doing. Notice
firstly …
The battle that is fixed.
When we go back to Exodus 4 Moses and Aaron coming down into Egypt. Chapter 4 verse 29 Moses gathered all the
elders of Israel together. Verses 30 and
31 and the people believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the
children of Israel that he looked upon their affliction then they bowed their
head and worshipped. God has something
great for you today. God has something
better for you today, to bring you into the land of blessing only if we allow
him to do it. Chapter 4 verse 31. Moses and Aaron spoke unto the people about
the battle that was fixed. Chapter 5
verse 1 battle is fixed now going into presence of Pharaoh and asked them to
let them go. The response of Pharaoh in
verse 2 “who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know
not the Lord neither will I let Israel go.
Reflects the hardness of every sinner’s heart. Even here we can see how it was close to
God. We see Pharaoh’s heart was hard
against the things of God. The battle
was on for the people. See a picture
here painted. Egypt is a picture of the
world. The nation of Israel as
sinners. Pharaoh as picture of devil
running over the world. Sinners wander
around the streets unconcerned in his very grip. There is a great redemption plan fulfilled at
Calvary. Jesus took upon himself the
form of a servant and died there to claim us back from the grips of Satan
himself. Jesus has broke the power of
the devil over our lives. Are you
walking in the light of what Christ as done?
Are we taking the battle for precious souls into the domain of Satan
himself? Moses went down to argue the
point. Ephesians 6 we wrestle not
against flesh and blood. These people
were not Pharaoh’s charge. Moses had to
win them for God. Are we prepared to see
soul saved under God’s redemption plan. Exodus 17 Amalekites came down you choose out
men this day I will stand on the hill top with the rod of God in my hand. Got to face the enemy cannot run away not
give up we must stand in that today. Got
to face it. We must go out and warn as
Moses did. The battle that is fixed.
The barriers that are formed.
There is a battle being waged against the children of God. Pharaoh was going to put up barriers to stop
the people going out. 400 years later 2
million people were present would walk out under the redemption of God. Pharaoh didn’t want them to go free. He didn’t want to see this shepherd coming in
from the wilderness that they should be led away. The old enemy will trick and deceive us into
thinking that we are not capable of standing against him. Paul said we have to put on the whole armour
of God. We cannot enter into the battle
with one piece missing. Why because you
will face the strategy of the enemy.
Satan doesn’t want us to enjoy God’s blessing. Once God laid his hand on you his grace to
save you once you surrender your will to him the devil was defeated became a
child of God doesn’t want you to enjoy the word of God the house of prayer
worship services at the evening gospel meeting joy of knowing on way to heaven
and home. Paul said we are not ignorant
of his devices, will do everything to hinder us. Paul tried to get back to the Thessalonians,
he wanted to teach them the word of God.
He tried but explained to them Satan hindered me. We will know the hindrances of Satan just as
Moses knew the hindrances of Pharaoh.
Tried to discourage them. Who is
this Lord I do not know him. Satan
always tried to discourage those in God’s work.
He will do everything he can to bring us down. Paul lost his friends, not one was willing to
stand with him. Elijah stood on Mount
Carmel defeated the prophets of Baal.
The next day he was discouraged, out in the wilderness. Notice what Pharaoh does here – chapter 5
verse 17 you are a people who want to go out and sacrifice in the wilderness
but you are idle. Up to know you have
had straw to make blocks but now you will bring your own straw. That will take the thought of sacrifice out
of your head. He always tried to
discourage us, too much time on your hands.
When that happens the devil can discourage us. Verse 21 the elders met Moses and Aaron and
told him. They began to blame
Moses. Pharaoh was turning the people
against their leader. The devil will
come to you and turn you against a brother or sister in the Lord, breaks
relationships, tries to discourage people.
Turns people against a Pastor and a Pastor against his people. Satan loves to turn people against each
other. Satan keeps his people busy. Whenever the plagues came the priests were
able to mimic a lot of the plagues.
Pharaoh plotted to keep them thinking they were alright. The blood that was in focus and the blessing
for the future.
Sermon notes from Sunday 8 December 2013
1 Peter 1 verses 12 – 25
God had taken the children of
Israel down into Egypt to see the rise of this great nation. It was a rise through pain and persecution. God wasn’t taking them down there to bring
great comfort. God would fulfil his word
and make of them a great nation. 70 went
down out of Jacob’s family to Egypt and out of that family brought 2 million
people out. 400 years later he fulfilled
his promise and he will continue to do that.
Peter talked about scoffers in the last days and that God is not slack
concerning his promise, because he is not willing that any should perish. We saw how the battle was fixed and the
barriers that were formed.
The blood that was in focus. The
fulfilment of this picture – Egypt is a picture of the world, Pharaoh is the
picture of the devil and the children of Israel were under Satan’s control. Now we see the lamb slain and the redemption
plan of God put into plan. It is a
picture of God’s only son who was slain to save this world. God was going to bring the people out of
Egypt under the banner of the blood.
There was no other way. How are
you going to be saved, to be in heaven?
Who is the Lord coming back for?
Only those under the banner of the blood. There is no other way to be saved than the way
God set out.
The blood that was appointed.
They were told very clearly in verse 12 God was coming to the land. In Exodus 11 verse 4 we see one remedy for
all. “When I see the blood.” The blood was appointed for all. For the very son in the palace to the very
son in the pauper. That blood was for
one and all. When Christ died there is
no difference because we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We were all born in sin. God stepped in with great plan of salvation
on the cross. He shed his blood for you
and I. There is no difference. All have sinned and come short of the glory
of God. It does not matter who we are. God has appointed a way. When we seek to ignore the way God has
provided for us. “There is a way that
seemeth right unto man but the end of that way are the ways of death.” God has an appointed way for you and I to
come into his house to worship God that we might come into his house. Not taking things for granted that we might
come afresh and meet with him here.
Whenever we seek for him with all our hearts then we shall be with
him. We come in with our minds
concentrated on the one who shed his blood.
Exodus appoints that very way. In
the holy place of the tabernacles in the model elected and for worship for the
people on way to the promised land. Once
they arrived they built a temple but in the wilderness the tabernacle was
erected each time they stopped. Only the
priestly tribe could erect it. God
appointed Aaron to be the high priest to come in before him, to stand in his
presence, to bring the needs of the nation to God. He would take God’s word
back to the people. His sons were to be by
divine appointments and they would help their father. There would come a day when they overstepped
the mark. They took the censors, filled
them with coal and went in to offer incense before God. God said they offered strange fire, taken on
a role they shouldn’t have taken on.
They usurped their position disrespecting a ministry God had given to
them. Fire went out from God and he
consumed them that day. In Acts 5
Ananias and Sapphira watched the apostles.
At that time they sold a bit of property and took it to them. They sold their land but when they saw the
money they thought they could keep some back and gave the rest to the
Lord. When they gave it to the apostles
Peter knew they were lieing. There is a
way God has appointed for you and I.
Aaron’s sons had disrespect for the way God wanted them to offer
sacrifices. Imagine if the people of
Israel had done that on the night they fled Egypt. We are living in a land today Paul wrote to
Timothy about “in the last days men shall have a form of godliness but they
will deny the power thereof.” God has
still in this day demanded blood. You
may have a religion but if you do not have a day when you come to the foot of
the cross, when you can say you asked the Lord to come into your life and asked
him to take away your sins you are then not saved.
The blood that was to be applied.
This was a great redemption plan of God to be exercised. “When I see the blood”. Every home had to have the blood applied on
the door posts. Here was a man who
believed in what God said and applied the message to the saving of his family. When God came down that night imagine what he
must have felt when he saw the blood on the door posts. Remember the instructions in the book of
Joshua given to the spies. They came to
spy out the land and Rahab hid them to give them a safe way of escape. She asked when they came back to save her
house. They told her they would be saved
by the same cord she had used for them to escape from. Rahab was busy and gathered all her family in
behind the crimson cord. Are we busy
today? Do we see the need in our own home
today? Do we see those still out on the
way to a Christless hell? Are we
pleading that God might come and save them?
Are we gathering them in to God’s house that they might hear his word
and be saved as a result? Joshua 2
verses 18 and 19. In Exodus 12 verse 22 we
see the only safe place was behind the blood.
“None of you shall go out at the door of his house until the
morning.” God is not looking for those
better than anyone else. For those who
may be prominent in the church but only those who have applied the blood of
Christ on their lives and are saved by his grace. It is God’s great redemption plan. Many today prefer the stories of a living
Saviour. Here in this lamb - as long as the
blood was in the veins of the lamb it was of no value. Think of what Christ did on that middle cross
of Calvary when he gave his life for you and I.
The soldiers spear brought forth blood and water. Is that blood applied for you today? John Wesley couldn’t get over this step when
he preached to the Indians and realised he wasn’t saved himself. He was brought up in a good home and became a
minister in the church. John Wesley
couldn’t see what value a dieing Saviour was.
He could see that he died for the world but not for himself. Maybe that is our problem. We think Jesus died for everyone else but he
died for you and I.
The blood that was accepted.
Verse 13 “when I see the blood I will pass over.” That is enough for me. The only requirement was the blood. Colossians 1 verse 20 “having made peace
through the blood of his cross”. That
night in Egypt I wonder how many didn’t comply with the word, neglected their
duty and disobeyed God? God looked at
his son on the middle cross and it pleased him to bear your sins and mine. He accepted that blood offered for you. Is the blood applied to your life? Do you know him as Saviour and Lord? Thank God you can do today. You can trust him with all your heart. Don’t leave it another moment, come to
Christ.
Sermon notes from Sunday 2 February 2014
Joshua 23 verses 1 – 16
Israel and her rebellion
We
began a few months back to look at the nation of Israel. This wonderful piece of land in the Middle
East. Israel indeed holds the key to all
of the prophetic scriptures we have today.
Through Israel the Messiah came.
Through Israel you and I received the word of God. Israel conjures up such major interest in all
the political powers today. One time the
nation was highly thought of as it rose to great power in the ancient
world. Today she is more of a forgotten
nation. Some boast they will rise up and
drive them into the sea. Paul says in
Romans 11 “hath God cast away his people?
God forbid.” He was talking about
the nation of Israel. One day the nation
of Israel will be the centre stage again.
One day the Lord will set his feet on the Mount of Olives outside
Jerusalem. We noticed Israel and its
past roots. Abraham called out of Ur of
Chaldees. His son Isaac and grandson
Jacob. Prophesied they would be in the
land of Egypt for 400 years. Then we
looked at the redemption through the lamb’s blood spread on the doors. The children of Israel were brought out on
that night from Egypt.
Israel
and its rebellion. Israel is in a state
of rebellion today. She is not in the
land where it should be, cast out among the nations of the world. One day she will be gathered and re-formed. One day she will be in the land God has
promised.
A rebellion through the privileges that
are ignored. There are lessons for you and I to learn
today. We have the most tremendous
privileges bestowed on us yet ignored today.
We might say we are in a state of rebellion against God through the
privileges we ignore. God has relished
all sorts of great gifts upon the children of Israel yet they lifted up their
heads and hearts in rebellion. Remember
the prodigal son in scriptures. Think of
the privileges he had. It led to a great
rebellion in his heart and soul and his family circle. He was brought up in a good home, under the
hand of a loving father. He wanted for
nothing. He had the best he could want. His father had set aside a future for him
financially. One day he would take the
privileges he had but he wanted to ignore those privileges. He wanted it then and there. He wanted to enjoy it now rather than in the
future. He took his inheritance and went
to a land that was foreign to him. He
found friends and forgot about the privileges at home until one day he found
himself without any job, a roof over his head or friends. He found himself doing something he thought
he never would do. Sin takes us further
than we want to go. It keeps us away
longer than we want to be. He found
himself amongst the pigs and wanting to eat their food. Then the privileges of his home flashed in
his mind again. He thought he would
return home and say sorry to his father.
We have rebellion in our hearts because we have set the privileges
aside. Deuteronomy 28 verse 63 “the Lord
rejoiced over you to do you good.” If
you take these privileges for granted Moses said he will set you aside, take
you out of all that. What a privilege
these Israelites had in being brought out of Egypt and slavery. What a privilege if you are child of God, to
know he has redeemed you from your sin.
The children of Israel were led through the wilderness, saw the visible
sign of God’s presence through that pillar of cloud. God was with them. God made a way through the Red Sea, brought
them to the flowing rivers of Jordan and divided them in front of their
eyes. Are you saved today? Are you living in the blessing God has
bestowed on you? Joshua told this people
God has given you a land you did not labour for, cities you did not build and
crops you did not plant but you have soon forgotten about God and all the
privileges he has given to you.
A rebellion that soon saw problems
invited. Imagine Israel in the land God had promised
to them. They had settled down. They were told once they entered into the
land they were to go and drive out the enemy before them but they didn’t do
that. They lived with their enemies,
communed with them, fellowshipped with them.
Judges 1 verse 28 “and it came to pass when Israel was strong … did not
utterly drive them out.” They decided to
make the inhabitants pay for living in the land. In other words they dwelt amongst them. Sin is serious. Here was rebellion to God. God had given them the land of blessing yet
they were not fulfilling the blessing God had given them. They were doing it their way. We need to be careful. It is important that you and I do not harbour
anything in our hearts that would give way to the devil himself. A bad spirit about someone else, don’t give
ourselves over to a secret passion for criticism or gossip. God says the man who speaks about religion
and cannot bridle his tongue that man is a fool. All manner of communication from these lips
needs to be guarded. We cannot afford to
take any risks. These things in our
hearts need to be turned out. When I see
the privileges God has granted to me – saved and cleansed by the precious blood
of Christ I need to be careful not to harbour things that are against the word
of God. Remember the woman taken in
adultery. The people pointed the finger
at her. She had been caught in the very
act. They said she should be
stoned. Jesus said “let him that hath no
sin cast the first stone.” When all the
accusers had left Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Romans 6 “shall we continue in sin that grace
may abound? God forbid.” The word of God
hasn’t changed. Israel began to look on
these nations. They said to Samuel on
one occasion “see all these nations settled in the land, we no longer want a
prophet of God but we want a king like all the other nations.” Isn’t that the reason God would have them
driven out in the first place? “Be not
unequally yoked.” Why? God is guarding our relationship with
himself. The children of Israel thought
the nations had something they really wanted.
God told Samuel “this people have rejected me not you.” That is the problem with unequal yoke. Israel rebelled against God. They placed their eyes on other nations and
began to enjoy what they enjoyed. This
was to be a special people. Deuteronomy
7 verse 7. Remember Lot who chose the
land that looked good? Lot went a bit a
farther. He set his tent toward Sodom,
then he entered into Sodom. He became a
governor in Sodom. The pathway to Sodom
is not quick but a step by step process.
A rebellion in the heart brings problems. The Lord gave himself for us that he might
redeem us from all iniquity. They were a
peculiar people unto himself. Ephesians 5
verse 11.
Rebellion brings a penalty that was
incurred. The inevitable happened. God removed them out of the land. Deuteronomy 28 “and the Lord shall scatter
thee from one end of the earth to the other.”
That is where the Jew is today.
God will draw them back again from every tongue and nation, plant them
in the land he has promised to them.
There is a great warning to you and I today. Romans 11 shows the picture of a wild olive
tree – you and I have been grafted in to it.
God didn’t tolerate the natural branches in the tree, they were cut off
because of their rebellion. We are grafted
in to that vine, to the body of Christ.
Think it not strange if you are cut off too because you are grafted in. Do you know the Lord today? Do you know the privileges he has given to
you today?
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