This exposition of Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16 by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, October 7, 2018.
Intro:
Why are we here? What is it we are supposed to do? What is the work of the church?
[sections collapse="always"][section title="Read More"]
It is, on the one hand a complicated question and yet on the other hand it’s not difficult to grasp. Obviously we are to be salt and light. We are to serve as a preservative within culture and enlighten people to the glory and wonder of God. But the need is so great. How do we preserve? How do we enlighten? Are we to crusade against the evils of society? God knows there is a need for that. We are to be a voice for those who have no voice. That would certainly include the unborn. There is clearly a need to speak out against abortion and to work toward the elimination of the government sanctioned killing of the unborn. Yet, it is not enough to stop abortion we have to care for those mothers who seek abortion because they see no other option. We need to care for those children once they are born. That necessitates that we care for the poor, that we seek viable ways to help the homeless, the unemployed, the fatherless, the widowed and the list goes on. Meanwhile we cannot tend to the physical and the emotional to the neglect of the spiritual. We are backed to complicated.
How do we sort it all out? Where do we begin? How do we determine what we are to do and in what order? I don’t think it is a matter of “either or.” I don’t think we either do “salt work” or “light work.” We are called to do both. I do think the best approach is to make primary what is primary in Scripture. I’m convinced there is a primary work from which the others flow. That primary work is what sets the church apart from all other social or public service organizations. The Red Cross, the United Way and any number of service organizations do great work everyday in our world. There are wonderful groups serving children, providing medical care, shelters for the homeless, drug rehab and many other services for the public good. What sets the church apart is that we preach the gospel. The “Great Commission” given to us by our Lord and Master is that we are to go and make disciples of all nations. We are to go preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and as men, women, boys and girls come to faith, we are to disciple them so that they in turn make other disciples. As these disciples go about the work of kingdom building they are caring for the poor, fighting for the oppressed, speaking for those who have no voice as the means of living out their faith. What is primary is an authentic gospel witness. Our text this morning is found in the 13th chapter of Exodus.
Text: Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16
For 400 years they cried out to God for deliverance.
God has heard their cry and now he has come to deliver them.
He delivered them in dramatic fashion - 10 different plagues - the final the most dramatic.
Because He did not want them to forget, He placed reminders in their national calendar.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Passover.
This morning we find yet another vivid reminder - the consecration of the firstborn.
This goes back to Exodus 4:22-23 - “You’ve taken my firstborn, I will take yours.”
The night of the Passover the firstborn died, man and beast, from Pharaoh down to the lowest.
[Read Text]
The Exodus is a theology of Salvation - Remember the “big picture?”
The Exodus Event:
teaches about sin and judgment (plagues = judgment on sin)
teaches about election - God chose a people
teaches about substitutionary atonement - the lamb slain
teaches propitiation
teaches the communion of the saints - rescued together/worship together
teaches sanctification - unleavened bread
Now, in our text - teaches redemption.
As we consider Exodus 13 and its message for us we discover that…
Thesis: Gospel faithfulness demands that we faithfully proclaim God’s sovereign claim over every life and His gracious provision through redemption by a substitute.
There are three things I want you to note.
- God holds a sovereign claim on your life. (13:1-2)
- God’s sovereign claim is satisfied through redemption. (13:11-13)
- God’s claim and his satisfaction through redemption must be faithfully proclaimed. (13:14-16)
Conclusion:
Think of the practical impact of this on a child, a mom and dad if they really understand it. You are not made for your own pleasure, or your parent’s pleasure, you were made for God’s pleasure and you will not find joy until you commit your life to Him.
When it comes to deciding how to live knowing that you are made for Him and His glory makes all the difference. As you make choices about where you will live, what you will do, how you will spend your time, what you will do with your talents, your resources - your primary concern is not to please yourself, or to please your parents, but to please the One who saved you for His own glory!
That makes all the difference in the world!
[/section][/sections]