WEBVTT
00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.320
So once again, we're so glad that you're with us today.
00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:10.400
And as Reggie said in the video, if you are a guest, uh, we would love to connect with you after the service in our West lobby.
00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:13.119
Uh several of us on staff will be available to you.
00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:19.839
And we'd love if you just came up, introduced yourself, and it just gives us an opportunity to connect with you and thank you for joining us today.
00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:28.239
Uh want to welcome all those that are streaming in online or maybe watching later on demand, as we are now in Exodus, what we're calling part two.
00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:35.039
So we spent uh time earlier this year going through Exodus chapters one to twelve, and today we're gonna start chapter 13.
00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:41.439
Uh, just do want to remind you, if you don't have a Bible, we do have a vibe Bibles that we give away for free every single Sunday.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:43.679
You can grab one on your way out.
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:48.000
Uh, but we would love for you to bring your Bible, your Bible, with you every single Sunday.
00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:49.840
Bring a highlighter, bring a pen.
00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:54.719
Uh, this really just helps you engage with what it is that we're doing here on Sunday mornings.
00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:01.359
In fact, last week I gave you this 12-week spiritual challenge uh to be in church every single week.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:02.719
Every single week.
00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:11.359
And everyone said, and I'm so glad we're on the Eastern time zone, which means the earliest a Lions game will ever start is one o'clock.
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:18.560
Because I have friends that are pastors in Minnesota and I they struggle with their congregations, and I said, I don't know that struggle.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.680
Our people are diehard Lions fans, but they know to be in church.
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:22.239
Amen?
00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:24.799
All right, I'm hoping I'm that you're telling me the truth.
00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.799
Okay, then you're gonna read the text every week before you come to church.
00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.920
And so, just out of curiosity, because I asked this at the last service, how many of you had a chance to read Exodus chapter 13 before you came today?
00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:37.519
Look at all of those hands.
00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:38.239
Beautiful.
00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.680
How many of you got confused reading Exodus 13?
00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:43.840
And you're like, whoa, what in the world?
00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.920
How is Tim gonna pull this off today?
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.799
Uh and by the grace of God, we're gonna get through it.
00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:56.159
Then after we come together, we have dig deeper questions on the other side of the service that we would encourage you to look at.
00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:05.280
And then if you have a family, if you're blessed to be in a family, to either do it with your spouse, read it with your spouse, or to do the questions with your with your kids at home.
00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.840
Our kids uh program is learning the same exact thing that we're learning here on Sunday morning.
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:11.840
Here's a screenshot of our app.
00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:15.759
So if you haven't downloaded the app, it's super easy to use.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:19.840
It's even easier than updating your fantasy football roster.
00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:20.319
Okay?
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:26.800
So download the app, men in the room, I can see you in particular, be the spiritual leaders of your home.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:27.680
Got it?
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:29.280
Alright, we're all caught up.
00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.479
How do you know if God is leading you?
00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:34.080
That's the question for today.
00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:40.479
And that's the question that I believe Exodus chapter 13 is actually going to answer for us.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:42.479
How do you know?
00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:46.319
Is it a sense that you get from the Holy Spirit?
00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:52.719
Is it other people speaking into your life and they recognize certain skills and gifts that are within you?
00:02:54.400 --> 00:03:08.159
Or do you just day by day trust that whatever's happening to you on that day is the Lord's will and He's bringing people into your life to help navigate you with our time on the planet?
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.800
I mean, a lot of us have different views of whether or not we believe God is leading us.
00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:27.439
And maybe you've been in a situation where you've kind of stepped out in faith and you believe that God is giving you clear direction, only to come to the conclusion that as you stepped out in faith, all of a sudden hardships and trials started coming into your life that weren't in your life before.
00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.879
Has anyone ever had this happen to them throughout their spiritual journey?
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:40.000
And this is sometimes the difficult part of being a follower of Jesus, is because people think, well, I'm devoted to Jesus and I'm following Jesus and I'm going to church and I'm serving others.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:42.479
Why isn't my life getting easier?
00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:46.240
Why does it seem like my life is getting harder?
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:52.479
And what you're gonna see in the pages of Scripture is God actually doesn't take it easy on anyone.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:53.919
Did you know that?
00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.599
From Genesis to Revelation, Old Testament, New Testament.
00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.879
Everybody struggles this side of eternity.
00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:08.400
And I would submit to you that that's actually part of God's plan and helping us realize we are actually not in control.
00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:11.919
No one ever says amen on that one.
00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:13.280
We're not in control.
00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:26.079
This American Western mindset that we have, so often we think that we are, and then when you actually just pause long enough, you realize that God is at work way more than any of us actually want to admit.
00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:28.720
And you're gonna see that in the pages of Scripture today.
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:32.959
If you have your Bibles, turn to Exodus chapter 13, starting in verse 1.
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:34.639
This is what we saw in the video.
00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.160
God's coming to Moses and he's saying, Consecrate to me every firstborn male.
00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:49.439
And in that, every firstborn child from your home, whether it's a human being or whether it's from your livestock.
00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:53.360
And so it begs the question: what is the significance of having to do this?
00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:58.720
The children of Israel have been in bondage and slavery for 430 years.
00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.240
They're finally free.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.639
They've left everything that they've known.
00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:04.399
They have left Egypt.
00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:13.439
They're now headed into a desert, and the first thing that God does is give them requirements to set aside the very first thing.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:19.839
And what it shows us is that God wants the best, and God wants the first.
00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:22.560
Why does God do that?
00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:24.879
Does God need our first and best?
00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:27.920
Answer is no.
00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.000
He has everything that he needs.
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:31.920
He's doing that for us.
00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:39.040
And not only does he do this with their children and with their livestock, he does this all throughout Scripture.
00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.800
God asked us to set aside a day each week called the Sabbath.
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:45.439
This is why we're gathered here on Sunday morning, to rest.
00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:47.120
And he did that when he created the world.
00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:50.079
He modeled resting for us.
00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:55.120
He does this when it comes to our financial resources, that we would take a portion of that.
00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:03.199
And a lot of people would make the case, and I would make the case that your first and best, your tithe, the 10%, that you would set that aside for the Lord.
00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:12.160
And the reason he does that is because it helps us realize that we don't own the material possessions that we actually have in our hands.
00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.319
That God actually owns it all.
00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:18.800
And sometimes we give a portion of it to the Lord and we're like, oh shh, man, I got that taken care of.
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.560
Now I can just go over here and enjoy the 90% that I have left.
00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.279
When in fact God owns it all.
00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:40.480
So whether it's our finances, whether it's our uh rhythm of life and how we live, whether it's even our children setting aside, like what you did today, like what you saw today in this beautiful family that set aside their son and said, we are consecrating him to the Lord.
00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.399
We are giving him back to the Lord in the waters of baptism.
00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:53.600
And so for us in the Exodus passage, it shows us how valuable we are to God, that we belong to the Lord.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:59.199
And that God uses means to redeem us back to himself.
00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:14.800
Now, this is interesting because in verse 3, Moses is now saying to the people what God told them to say, that you're to actually commemorate this day, that you're to remember this day, that you're to celebrate the day that God freed us out of slavery.
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.680
And part of the requirement is you're not to eat anything containing yeast.
00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:26.399
Now, those of you that were here when we went through Exodus 12, some of this is going to start sounding familiar.
00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:30.319
God's going to start repeating what he said in the previous chapter.
00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:37.759
And those of you that were here for that know that one of my favorite types of bread to eat is sourdough bread.
00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:40.639
Because it doesn't have yeast in it.
00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:43.839
I think it's one of the most beautiful gifts that God has given us.
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:45.519
I don't know how he deviated from scripture.
00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:49.279
We should have just stuck to what God said from the very beginning when he talked about bread.
00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.600
Do any of you, by the way, make sourdough bread?
00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:53.519
Like you have that starter kick at your home?
00:07:53.759 --> 00:08:08.639
Now I just want to pause for a moment because if any of you happen to have leftover loaves and you get the urge to bless your pastor, I would love, I will take that off your hands so that you don't have to throw it away.
00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:11.120
Just throwing that out there for all of you.
00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.240
So here they are.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:25.600
They're on their way into the desert, and he's telling them uh what is about to happen, and he says, for seven days you're gonna eat this bread that doesn't have yeast in it, and then on the seventh day you're gonna hold a huge festival.
00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:29.439
So these aren't suggestions, these are commands from God.
00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:32.399
Same thing he's already told them.
00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:39.600
Now, sometimes people will ask, why is it that when I read the Bible, I read scripture, it seems like God repeats himself.
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.519
Does anybody ever wonder why God repeats himself?
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.000
Sometimes do you think that maybe we need to have things repeated to us?
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.799
I have this argument and debate all the time with my wife.
00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:00.480
Because she'll say, Well, I already told you that.
00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:06.240
And then I make the mistake of saying, I don't remember you saying that.
00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.759
But then I also give her permission to say, I'm okay if you repeat yourself to me.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:17.919
Like, I'm okay if you repeat, like, like even God had to tell the children of Israel and tells the people all throughout scripture over and over again.
00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:22.159
He knows we're human beings, he knows we're forgetful, he knows that we need to be reminded.
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:32.720
And so he ends this by saying that you're to keep this, uh, that you're to keep this festival, this ordinance, uh, not just this one time, but year after year after year moving forward.
00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:38.080
And so there's this feast of the unleavened bread, is what it ended up being called by the Israelites.
00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.039
They practice this for hundreds and hundreds of years.
00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:46.879
And then the Passover, if you're familiar with the Passover, is a specific night and meal.
00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.799
So he's going back and he's basically confirming these once again.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:59.600
What's fascinating is when you do go to the New Testament, you do hear it being called the festival of the unleavened bread by the disciples.
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.320
They knew these festivals because they had grown up Jewish.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:13.919
They had grown up in this system, they knew the sacrificial system, and so they're actually asking Jesus where during this week, when it gets to the end of the week, where they should actually make preparations to share the Passover meal.
00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:20.720
John, one of Jesus' disciples, when he saw Jesus coming toward him, said these words Look, the Lamb of God.
00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.799
This is the Lamb of God, and it's like no other lamb.
00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:33.840
It is like no other entity on the planet because this person is God, and he has the ability to take away the sins of the world.
00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:36.639
Everybody would have known what he was referring to.
00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:42.080
Everybody at the time in that culture would have known that he was tying this back to what we're reading this morning.
00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:50.240
In fact, Paul even did this in his writing to the church in Corinth when he said, For Christ Jesus, is our Passover lamb.
00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.039
He does the same thing that happened in the Gospels.
00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.960
And this Passover lamb has been sacrificed for you and for me.
00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.519
Thanks be to God, we don't have to abide by the sacrificial system anymore.
00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:08.080
But it's fun to read and it's interesting to kind of pull up the truths that are still applicable to our lives today.
00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.240
So look at verse 11 with me.
00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:19.120
Because it says, When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, so who's doing the work?
00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:23.440
God's giving it to them as he promised on oath to you.
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.960
And oh, by the way, he has said this to all of your ancestors.
00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:38.240
Everybody that we looked at when we went through Genesis, all of the people that came before you, God is a patient God, and God is able to work through the generations and the centuries.
00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:42.639
His vantage point on all of human uh history is phenomenal, right?
00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.240
He's God, he knows everything.
00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:54.960
And what I find so fascinating about getting to verse 11 is this they have just left Egypt, they have just been freed from slavery, and God is promising them.
00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.240
When I bring you to the promised land.
00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.080
It's not an if.
00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:07.279
It's not if you get everything correct, it's not if you live your life out exactly how I want you to live your life out.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.159
When?
00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.039
And he knew because he's God and he's sovereign, they were gonna screw up.
00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:14.960
He knew they were gonna sin.
00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.440
He knew they were gonna get it wrong.
00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:25.039
He knew that they would actually bring in false idols and worship things that are that are objects.
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:42.559
And yet, right from the very beginning, in his mercy and grace, he makes this incredible declaration and promise to them that maybe, just maybe, they would keep in the back of their minds as they now start this wilderness journey.
00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:49.440
Then it says this all the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:51.679
Redeem with a lamb.
00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:54.960
So imagine a nice cute little lamb that you saw in the video.
00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:57.360
Every firstborn donkey.
00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.559
Wait, what's going on with this?
00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:06.879
But if you do not redeem the little donkey, break its neck.
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.000
So what's up with God not liking donkeys?
00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.039
Did anybody think that when they read this?
00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:19.519
Did anybody underline this and go question for Pastor Tim?
00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.039
Like this is when people go, wait a second.
00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:27.279
What's going on in the text?
00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:35.360
And it's worth pausing to explain why this is in our Bibles and why he instituted this with them.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:41.840
See, God determined what animals were clean and what animals were unclean.
00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:45.840
And donkeys were part of unclean animals.
00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.960
So we don't get to pick what's clean and unclean.
00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:53.200
Because you might be here today and you might be like, well, this is why I don't believe the Bible, this is why I don't study the Bible.
00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:56.240
I thought God created all the animals back in Genesis.
00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:03.440
Why is there so many of them that are slaughtered and sacrificed throughout all of Scripture?
00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:06.639
Well, because we don't get to make the rules.
00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:12.399
Like we don't get to decide what God does and doesn't do and what he declares clean and unclean.
00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.600
And sometimes this is what we get tripped up on when we read scripture.
00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:22.080
And again, I'm going to say, especially from our American Western mindset, we want it to say what we want it to say.
00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:37.679
And yet we believe that God's the one that wrote this, knew exactly what he was writing, inspired the people that penned the words that are in our Bibles, and He ultimately gets to decide how things go in this world and in our lives.
00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:38.559
Amen.
00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:46.480
And so what's fascinating as well about this is that there wasn't there was other unclean animals, but only the donkeys had to be redeemed.
00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:53.679
And so if you had a donkey and you wanted to keep the firstborn of the donkey, you had to kill a lamb.
00:14:54.159 --> 00:15:00.799
Because some people are like, man, I feel so bad for the donkeys, and there's all these donkeys that are getting their necks broken.
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.080
What we should really feel sorry for are the little lamps.
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.840
So we all can just go, oh.
00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:13.279
But I trust God, and if God wants to use that as the system, then that's the system that God has created.
00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:28.320
Now what's even more fascinating about this passage, and you gotta spend a little bit more time on it to mine it out, is that the donkey represents something very specific.
00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:35.279
The donkey, believe it or not, actually represents you and me.
00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:39.279
We are unclean.
00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:49.039
Scripture tells us in Psalm 51, 5, we're sinful from birth, sinful from the time our mothers birthed us into this world.
00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:54.320
And that the only way out is what you saw today in the waters of baptism.
00:15:54.480 --> 00:16:09.360
That God is the one who comes with his mercy and grace, and because of Jesus Christ, because he's the spotless lamb, he is the one that redeems us and pays the price so that we are in right relationship with our heavenly Father.
00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.799
And some of you are like, did you just call me a donkey?
00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:16.240
Maybe this will help you.
00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:18.720
What's another word for donkey?
00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.440
Wait, don't say it.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.080
There's kids in the room.
00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.440
There's kids in the room, all right?
00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:28.559
And don't try to convince me that you're not at times, uh, you know what.
00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:41.200
And you should look at this because that's part of the law of oh man, I am a, I am sometimes an ornery, mean-spirited jerk.
00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:50.799
But thanks be to God, I have Jesus who's redeemed me, who calls me as his own, and I am his child.
00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:52.080
So this is what's important.
00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.559
It's the unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.159
The unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.240
The unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.720
Here's what you got to remember the donkey doesn't do anything to be clean.
00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:08.640
The donkey can't have perfect attendant church attendance and serve and do all these spiritual exercises and activities.
00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.759
There's absolutely nothing the donkey does other than exist.
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:18.400
And it's only through the bloodshed of the lamb that that donkey's life is actually spared.
00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.000
It is the same for us.
00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.680
We bring nothing to the equation.
00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:25.200
There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn or deserve our salvation.
00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.039
It's why we baptize infants.
00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:31.119
There is nothing that we can do to produce faith in our hearts.
00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.640
It is God who comes to us.
00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.079
It is God who rescues us.
00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.319
It is God who redeems us.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.519
Amen.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:43.039
So if you want to call your kids today a donkey after the service, you have every right to do it.
00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:45.839
But just remember, you're a donkey back, okay?
00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:47.359
Verse 14.
00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:52.799
In the days to come, this is key, parents, parents hone in on this one.
00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:59.119
When your sons or your family ask you, what the heck is this festival that we're not doing the unleavened bread?
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.359
And what does this whole Passover thing mean?
00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:11.680
And you are to remember that your ancestors were brought out of Egypt, that God was the one that worked and act on your behalf.
00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:20.480
And so, quite simply this morning, to kind of just recap these first several verses, it's this you are to remember what God has done.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:25.039
You are to retell what God has done, which is what we're doing here this morning.
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.559
And then here's the really cool part.
00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:27.359
What's the third part?
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.079
You get to?
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:38.079
Yes, this is awesome that God has rescued us, that we get to celebrate what he does for our lives and for our families.
00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:44.079
Now, in verse 15, he goes back and reminds them hey, Pharaoh was the one who refused to let us go.
00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:53.119
And so the Lord killed the firstborn of all of the people and the animals who were Egyptians or who were owned by Egyptians.
00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.599
And again, people will be like, wait a second.
00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:58.880
Are you telling me that God kills people?
00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.039
Yeah.
00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:03.680
Because that's what God says in his word.
00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:07.519
And sometimes we don't like reading these verses, and this is what gets us uncomfortable.
00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:12.160
And I said at the beginning, we're not a church that's going to skip over any parts of Scripture.
00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:21.039
But for us, we recognize that God gives people chance after chance after chance after chance to come to the, to, to know him as Lord and Savior.
00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:32.559
In fact, this caravan that's going through the desert is not just the Israelites, there's sojourners, there's other people that realize that he is the one true God, and they decided to leave Egypt with the Israelites.
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.759
Don't forget that.
00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:38.799
But there was plenty of people that stayed back in Egypt and said, nope, I'm going to live my life the way I want.
00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.400
And I'm not going to believe in God.
00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:46.319
I'm not going to believe that there's a creator, and I'm just going to do whatever I want with the time that I'm given here on earth.
00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:50.640
And those are the people that we pray for, those are the people that we pursue.
00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:58.240
Those are the people that we want to help wake up and say, listen, God has a bigger purpose and plan for your life than to be selfish.
00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:03.839
God has a bigger purpose and plan for your life for you just to think that it's all about you.
00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:04.799
No.
00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.359
God, through his son Jesus Christ, is the one who redeemed you.
00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:16.160
In fact, the air that's in your lungs is only there because Jesus has given it to you and he loves you.
00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.519
He's madly in love with you.
00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:23.759
In fact, read all throughout scripture how much he loves you and all the people that he has created.
00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.039
Goes on to say this.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:30.480
And we're still recapping here.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:37.039
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.880
And then look at what it says.
00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:41.039
Though that was shorter.
00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:45.759
Anyone pause on this part of the pre-reading?
00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:49.200
What's the shortest distance between two points?
00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:57.039
Wouldn't it have been a lot easier and make a lot more sense if God would have said, okay, they're leaving Egypt.
00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.640
Here's the promised land.
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:01.440
Moses, you just have to do a straight line from here to there.
00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:03.599
How many think that is what makes sense?
00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.279
All the engineers in the room say that makes sense.
00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:12.799
And if he can part the Red Sea, why can't he part the desert?
00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.920
Why do they have to go the shorter route?
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:17.759
Or not the shorter route?
00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:24.960
And then it says this if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:26.799
Think about this.
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.720
They've been enslaved for 430 years.
00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:32.720
They're not warriors, they're not trained for battle, they're trained to be slaves.
00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:38.400
They know how to make bricks, they know how to build buildings for Pharaoh and all of his people.
00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:42.799
I mean, you imagine they probably had very little weapons at this point.
00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:59.359
And God, knowing the human heart and mind, that if there was opposition, if other people came along or if they started traveling and they ran into another group of people that aren't followers of God and they decided to go at war, look at what he knows about them.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.440
They're going to turn around and run right back into slavery, right back into Egypt.
00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.680
And so God has to prepare them.
00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.440
That's what He's about to do as they enter the wilderness.
00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:13.279
This is so important.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:17.519
This could be another whole sermon today, but I just believe that this is for somebody.
00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:19.359
Somebody needs to hear this today.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:24.480
The shortest route isn't always the best route.
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.119
Let me say it again.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:32.319
The shortest route isn't always the best route.
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:36.480
And as an American, we hate that.
00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.880
If we want something, we want it and we want it now.
00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:49.279
God, I told you that I wanted to be married when I was 22 years old.
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:54.880
And I started saving for a ring when I was 18 years old.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.920
And I turned 23 years old and I got angry at God.
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:05.519
He was already a year off of the plan that I told him I had for my life.
00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.480
Some of you know this.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:16.640
And I didn't end up getting married until I was 31 years old.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:21.680
Because it wasn't my plan.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:28.400
He was going to do his will in my life according to his plan.
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:32.960
And so if you're single here today, don't be discouraged or dismayed.
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.519
If you're single again and you're frustrated and you're trying to figure out, God, where are you at?
00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:42.480
And I feel like I'm walking around a wilderness, don't be discouraged or dismayed.
00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:45.519
We do this when it comes to building businesses.
00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:48.640
We do this when it comes to getting promotions at work.
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:55.680
We do this even when it comes to educational pursuits where we always want to control every little facet of our lives.
00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:03.279
And then God comes along and he says, I'm never going to leave you or forsake you, but there's some speed bumps ahead that you don't know about.
00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:06.799
There's some battles that you're not prepared to fight.
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:13.279
There's some circumstances that you think you have the knowledge or the emotional fortitude that you really don't have.
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:23.680
And so I'm going to need to spend some more time with you and developing you over here in this area of your life before I'm allowing you to get to this next phase that I have for you.
00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:26.559
Not what you think is best for your life.
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.359
And here's the part of being a Christian and follower of Jesus that's really difficult, isn't it?
00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:33.519
This is when it gets really real.
00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:38.079
I've had one of the craziest weeks that I've had in a very long time.
00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:41.440
Do you mind if I just tell you about it for a couple minutes?
00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:52.880
On Tuesday, I picked my son up from high school, and the state of Michigan has determined that at the age of 15 he should be able to drive a car.
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:59.440
And because he knows that he's uh able to drive the car, he wants to drive the car from school home.
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:08.000
And so I get there and I go in the passenger seat, he gets in the driver's seat, and so we're on our way back to our house, and we're stopped at a red light.
00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:13.039
And I'll be honest with you, I'm looking down, checking emails on my phone because we're at a stoplight.
00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:15.200
Hopefully, there's no police officers in here.
00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.759
Okay.
00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:26.480
When all of a sudden he says, Dad, I think that car is going to, and then all of a sudden, bam! And we get rear-ended.
00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:37.039
Now, mind you, this is the same exact car, same exact bumper that was destroyed two years ago when he and I were in the car together.
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:39.759
And at that time I was driving the car.
00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:41.599
And I was like, you gotta be kidding me.
00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:47.440
I have appointments, I have emails, I have things on my agenda that need to get done.
00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:52.160
Like I'm already racing to get back home so I can get back on my computer and answer more emails.
00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:55.279
And I look over at him and thankfully he's okay, I'm okay.
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:57.279
And he's like, Dad, I totally saw it coming.
00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:02.319
Like I could see it, and I could see that the guy had a vape thing in his mouth, and there was smoke coming everywhere.
00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.240
I just don't think he was paying attention.
00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.720
And I was like, I mean, I don't know, I didn't see it.
00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.720
So we got out, and luckily the guy was super cool.
00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.519
He felt really bad.
00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:11.599
He apologized a bunch of times.
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.240
Uh, you know, I was like, it is what it is.
00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.200
I mean, you gotta wait for the cop to get here, fill out the police report.
00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:29.839
But you know the hassle of having to take your car and out, you gotta deal with the insurance companies, and sometimes they're like a little prickly on the phone, and then you gotta take it to the auto body shop, get a rental, go through all the rigmarole, figure out even what insurance you have.
00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.440
It's just annoying, isn't it?
00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.640
It's annoying when you get in something like that.
00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:44.079
Until Friday night comes, Friday night comes, and my son's out at a uh football game for his school, and so I had to go and get him when the game ended.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:59.759
And my wife is blowing up my phone because our neighbor across the street decided that she was gonna have 150 to 200 high school students over her house, and they completely consumed her backyard and her front yard.
00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:02.400
And she's like, Tim, you're not gonna believe this.
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:05.519
There are teenagers everywhere.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:13.359
And there are like a billion cars all up and down, all of and we live in this quiet little family-friendly subdivision.
00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:15.839
It's like only 252 homes.
00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:19.039
And I was like, oh my gosh, what's going on?
00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:24.640
And so trying to figure that out, and so I know my neighbor, I you know, we have a great relationship.
00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:30.799
I called her and it rolled the voicemail, which is so rude, isn't it?
00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:35.200
So I called her again, and again she rolled me the voicemail, and so I sent her a text.
00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:37.680
I said, Hey, do you are you by chance home?
00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:38.640
She said, Yeah, why?
00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:39.359
Is everything okay?
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.759
And I said, Do you know there's a party going on at your house?
00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.359
Oh yeah, my son decided to have some friends over after the football game.
00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.000
And I'm like, Do you know how many kids?
00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:56.720
So we finally get home, which took a while to get our my car down the the side street because there was so many uh cars.
00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.759
It's just amazing.
00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:03.119
You teenagers, teenagers, if you're in here, I'm amazed at the way that you guys network with your phone.
00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.559
I don't know if you drop pins or send addresses.
00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:13.119
Uh so I ended up getting out of the car and there was a group of neighbors, and they were just kind of taking it all in.
00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:18.000
And they were just watching teenagers just in droves, leave and come, leave and come and go to the party.
00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:20.240
And I said, Well, are any of you gonna go over to the party?
00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:21.680
And they're like, No, why would we do that?
00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:23.680
I'm like, Well, don't you want to go check out what's happening?
00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:25.200
I mean, it's in our own neighborhood.
00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.960
And they said, No, that's crazy.
00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.319
That's crazy talk.
00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:34.240
Instead, they started talking about all the parties that they went to when they were in high school.
00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:38.720
So it's just getting interesting.
00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:40.079
I said, Well, I'm gonna go check it out.
00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:40.480
You are not.
00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:42.000
I was like, Yeah, why not?
00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:48.799
So I just went over to their house and went into the backyard and I just started walking around the teenagers.
00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:53.440
And you know what's really weird is they were all looking at me like I was weird.
00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.480
They were like.
00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:00.400
And so I and my kids were like, What are you doing, Dad?
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.440
I don't know.
00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.440
It's in our neighborhood.
00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:05.680
I mean, just it looks like it's an open party.
00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:08.960
There's no sign that says you gotta be, you know, a high school student to go.
00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:10.319
I thought I would blend in.
00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.480
I mean, I don't know what the what the deal is.
00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:16.319
And maybe it's because of being a youth minister.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:19.359
I'm so used to being with teenagers that it didn't bother me.
00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:28.079
Uh, I ended up going up her back deck and I and I went into her house and I turned and around the corner and she was sitting on the couch and she was just scrolling her cell phone.
00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.079
And I was like, hi, and she said hi.
00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.920
And I was like, Do you know how many kids are in your yard?
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:36.079
And she's like, Yeah, there's a few back there.
00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.279
Here's what the thought that I had, though.
00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:40.960
Here's the thought that I had.
00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.119
I was like, how do you capture the heart of this next generation?
00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:54.480
How do you how do you take and make something so compelling that all of these kids would want to be part of the greatest movement on the planet?
00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:08.960
I guarantee you, her son probably sent out a text message to who knows, 20, 30 people, and from that created this chain where now all of these high school students, half of Macomb Township, is now across the street from my house.
00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:17.599
God, what is it that you would put us in situations that we could be around people that need to hear the hope that they can have in you?
00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:23.920
And I'm hoping this actually creates a relationship with my neighbor and her kids.
00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:28.000
And that maybe one day they would come through the doors of our church.
00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:40.640
Even the young man that rear-ended us, as I got to know him and find out where he works, he actually works right down the road from the church, and just tell him it's okay, man, accidents happen and you're gonna be okay.
00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:44.079
And he's like, I got insurance, and I'm gonna be able to pay for it, and all this.
00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:45.519
And I said, Here's some good news.
00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.960
We live in a weird state where they say there's no fault.
00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:50.640
So just he's like, really?
00:30:50.880 --> 00:31:12.720
And I was like trying to explain to him, no fault insurance, and you could just see he was like, Real, like, I'm giving this guy relief, and you know, it's just like sometimes God just puts us in situations and you gotta roll with it, and you gotta think, is there something maybe that's happening that's greater than the moment at hand, and that I'm not this victim that sometimes we like to paint ourselves to be?
00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:20.880
Verse 18 so God led the people around the desert toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up out of Egypt, ready for battle.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:25.519
And so the question I want to leave you with today is this Is God leading you?
00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:30.799
Is the Holy Spirit in your life?
00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:41.920
And are you yielding to the promptings that He gives you for your life and for your future, knowing He knows what's best for you?
00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:51.359
There's another part of this that kind of takes an interesting turn where Moses actually has the bones of Joseph, and Joseph, we find out, passes away in Genesis 50.
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.079
So they've actually been carrying Joseph's bones for 430 years now.
00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:05.359
Here's the part that's key on this verse is Joseph actually had the faith to believe that one day the children of Israel would get to the promised land.
00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:10.799
In fact, he actually says that, and he's listed in the Hall of Fame in Hebrews chapter 11.
00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:17.119
And so after they finally leave uh where they're at, they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:20.960
So God knows where to put them, he knows where to protect them.
00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:33.920
In fact, the final verses for today are this By day the Lord went up ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way, and by night a pillar of fire to give them light.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:42.240
Supernatural work of God to put a pillar of cloud, which nobody even knows how to come up with an image for that.
00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:55.680
What is a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire by night, so that they could travel day or night if they got in trouble, if enemies were coming, if there was any reason that God needed to move them, he would move them by his divine plan.
00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:01.200
And wouldn't you know that they were always there with God?
00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:03.359
And what does this show us?
00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:06.880
God never leaves or forsakes us.
00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:09.519
You're gonna see this over and over again in the coming weeks.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:16.799
The pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, it continues to be used by God to minister to them.
00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:25.039
And not only is it a visible sign that God is with them, Psalms actually tells us that the cloud is to give them covering.
00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:30.319
That God actually knows he put them in a desert, and what happens when you're in direct sunlight all day?
00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:34.880
Those with crappy white skin like me, what happens if we're in the desert all day?
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:38.960
We burn or we get dehydrated or we die.
00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:54.640
And yet, here God is also providing for them in their humanity by covering them and making sure that they have the world's biggest night light every night when they lay their head on their pillow, knowing and trusting, my God is with me.
00:33:55.839 --> 00:34:00.559
And so take that with you today, knowing and trusting that God is with you.
00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:09.039
He is with your marriage, he is with your kids, he is with your circumstance and whatever life has thrown at you in 2026.
00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:21.840
He has not abandoned you, even if you've screwed it up, even if you've run away, even if you have cursed God, God will never stop pursuing you, loving you, and putting you on the path that He has for you.
00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.719
Amen.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.960
Will you bow your heads and close your eyes with me this morning?
00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:36.000
Heavenly Father, I thank you for my friends that are gathered here, those watching online, and the opportunity once again to just see how rich your word is.
00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:55.280
And the way that it does convict our hearts, but even more than that, reminds us once again how much you are in control of this earth, how much you are in control of our lives, and that ultimately your will and your destiny will be fulfilled in your time according to your plans.
00:34:55.519 --> 00:35:11.280
So, God help us to continue to lean into you, to trust you, to put fear and doubt aside, and to leave here encouraged because you love us and you are never gonna stop working out your perfect plan.
00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:15.519
We love you, we thank you, we pray all these things in your most holy and precious name.
00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.400
Amen.
00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.320
So once again, we're so glad that you're with us today.
00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:10.400
And as Reggie said in the video, if you are a guest, uh, we would love to connect with you after the service in our West lobby.
00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:13.119
Uh several of us on staff will be available to you.
00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:19.839
And we'd love if you just came up, introduced yourself, and it just gives us an opportunity to connect with you and thank you for joining us today.
00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:28.239
Uh want to welcome all those that are streaming in online or maybe watching later on demand, as we are now in Exodus, what we're calling part two.
00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:35.039
So we spent uh time earlier this year going through Exodus chapters one to twelve, and today we're gonna start chapter 13.
00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:41.439
Uh, just do want to remind you, if you don't have a Bible, we do have a vibe Bibles that we give away for free every single Sunday.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:43.679
You can grab one on your way out.
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:48.000
Uh, but we would love for you to bring your Bible, your Bible, with you every single Sunday.
00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:49.840
Bring a highlighter, bring a pen.
00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:54.719
Uh, this really just helps you engage with what it is that we're doing here on Sunday mornings.
00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:01.359
In fact, last week I gave you this 12-week spiritual challenge uh to be in church every single week.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:02.719
Every single week.
00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:11.359
And everyone said, and I'm so glad we're on the Eastern time zone, which means the earliest a Lions game will ever start is one o'clock.
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:18.560
Because I have friends that are pastors in Minnesota and I they struggle with their congregations, and I said, I don't know that struggle.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.680
Our people are diehard Lions fans, but they know to be in church.
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:22.239
Amen?
00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:24.799
All right, I'm hoping I'm that you're telling me the truth.
00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.799
Okay, then you're gonna read the text every week before you come to church.
00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.920
And so, just out of curiosity, because I asked this at the last service, how many of you had a chance to read Exodus chapter 13 before you came today?
00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:37.519
Look at all of those hands.
00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:38.239
Beautiful.
00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.680
How many of you got confused reading Exodus 13?
00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:43.840
And you're like, whoa, what in the world?
00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.920
How is Tim gonna pull this off today?
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.799
Uh and by the grace of God, we're gonna get through it.
00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:56.159
Then after we come together, we have dig deeper questions on the other side of the service that we would encourage you to look at.
00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:05.280
And then if you have a family, if you're blessed to be in a family, to either do it with your spouse, read it with your spouse, or to do the questions with your with your kids at home.
00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.840
Our kids uh program is learning the same exact thing that we're learning here on Sunday morning.
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:11.840
Here's a screenshot of our app.
00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:15.759
So if you haven't downloaded the app, it's super easy to use.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:19.840
It's even easier than updating your fantasy football roster.
00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:20.319
Okay?
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:26.800
So download the app, men in the room, I can see you in particular, be the spiritual leaders of your home.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:27.680
Got it?
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:29.280
Alright, we're all caught up.
00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.479
How do you know if God is leading you?
00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:34.080
That's the question for today.
00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:40.479
And that's the question that I believe Exodus chapter 13 is actually going to answer for us.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:42.479
How do you know?
00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:46.319
Is it a sense that you get from the Holy Spirit?
00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:52.719
Is it other people speaking into your life and they recognize certain skills and gifts that are within you?
00:02:54.400 --> 00:03:08.159
Or do you just day by day trust that whatever's happening to you on that day is the Lord's will and He's bringing people into your life to help navigate you with our time on the planet?
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.800
I mean, a lot of us have different views of whether or not we believe God is leading us.
00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:27.439
And maybe you've been in a situation where you've kind of stepped out in faith and you believe that God is giving you clear direction, only to come to the conclusion that as you stepped out in faith, all of a sudden hardships and trials started coming into your life that weren't in your life before.
00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.879
Has anyone ever had this happen to them throughout their spiritual journey?
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:40.000
And this is sometimes the difficult part of being a follower of Jesus, is because people think, well, I'm devoted to Jesus and I'm following Jesus and I'm going to church and I'm serving others.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:42.479
Why isn't my life getting easier?
00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:46.240
Why does it seem like my life is getting harder?
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:52.479
And what you're gonna see in the pages of Scripture is God actually doesn't take it easy on anyone.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:53.919
Did you know that?
00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.599
From Genesis to Revelation, Old Testament, New Testament.
00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.879
Everybody struggles this side of eternity.
00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:08.400
And I would submit to you that that's actually part of God's plan and helping us realize we are actually not in control.
00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:11.919
No one ever says amen on that one.
00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:13.280
We're not in control.
00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:26.079
This American Western mindset that we have, so often we think that we are, and then when you actually just pause long enough, you realize that God is at work way more than any of us actually want to admit.
00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:28.720
And you're gonna see that in the pages of Scripture today.
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:32.959
If you have your Bibles, turn to Exodus chapter 13, starting in verse 1.
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:34.639
This is what we saw in the video.
00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.160
God's coming to Moses and he's saying, Consecrate to me every firstborn male.
00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:49.439
And in that, every firstborn child from your home, whether it's a human being or whether it's from your livestock.
00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:53.360
And so it begs the question: what is the significance of having to do this?
00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:58.720
The children of Israel have been in bondage and slavery for 430 years.
00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.240
They're finally free.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.639
They've left everything that they've known.
00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:04.399
They have left Egypt.
00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:13.439
They're now headed into a desert, and the first thing that God does is give them requirements to set aside the very first thing.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:19.839
And what it shows us is that God wants the best, and God wants the first.
00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:22.560
Why does God do that?
00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:24.879
Does God need our first and best?
00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:27.920
Answer is no.
00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.000
He has everything that he needs.
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:31.920
He's doing that for us.
00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:39.040
And not only does he do this with their children and with their livestock, he does this all throughout Scripture.
00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.800
God asked us to set aside a day each week called the Sabbath.
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:45.439
This is why we're gathered here on Sunday morning, to rest.
00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:47.120
And he did that when he created the world.
00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:50.079
He modeled resting for us.
00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:55.120
He does this when it comes to our financial resources, that we would take a portion of that.
00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:03.199
And a lot of people would make the case, and I would make the case that your first and best, your tithe, the 10%, that you would set that aside for the Lord.
00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:12.160
And the reason he does that is because it helps us realize that we don't own the material possessions that we actually have in our hands.
00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.319
That God actually owns it all.
00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:18.800
And sometimes we give a portion of it to the Lord and we're like, oh shh, man, I got that taken care of.
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.560
Now I can just go over here and enjoy the 90% that I have left.
00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.279
When in fact God owns it all.
00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:40.480
So whether it's our finances, whether it's our uh rhythm of life and how we live, whether it's even our children setting aside, like what you did today, like what you saw today in this beautiful family that set aside their son and said, we are consecrating him to the Lord.
00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.399
We are giving him back to the Lord in the waters of baptism.
00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:53.600
And so for us in the Exodus passage, it shows us how valuable we are to God, that we belong to the Lord.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:59.199
And that God uses means to redeem us back to himself.
00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:14.800
Now, this is interesting because in verse 3, Moses is now saying to the people what God told them to say, that you're to actually commemorate this day, that you're to remember this day, that you're to celebrate the day that God freed us out of slavery.
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.680
And part of the requirement is you're not to eat anything containing yeast.
00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:26.399
Now, those of you that were here when we went through Exodus 12, some of this is going to start sounding familiar.
00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:30.319
God's going to start repeating what he said in the previous chapter.
00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:37.759
And those of you that were here for that know that one of my favorite types of bread to eat is sourdough bread.
00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:40.639
Because it doesn't have yeast in it.
00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:43.839
I think it's one of the most beautiful gifts that God has given us.
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:45.519
I don't know how he deviated from scripture.
00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:49.279
We should have just stuck to what God said from the very beginning when he talked about bread.
00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.600
Do any of you, by the way, make sourdough bread?
00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:53.519
Like you have that starter kick at your home?
00:07:53.759 --> 00:08:08.639
Now I just want to pause for a moment because if any of you happen to have leftover loaves and you get the urge to bless your pastor, I would love, I will take that off your hands so that you don't have to throw it away.
00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:11.120
Just throwing that out there for all of you.
00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.240
So here they are.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:25.600
They're on their way into the desert, and he's telling them uh what is about to happen, and he says, for seven days you're gonna eat this bread that doesn't have yeast in it, and then on the seventh day you're gonna hold a huge festival.
00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:29.439
So these aren't suggestions, these are commands from God.
00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:32.399
Same thing he's already told them.
00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:39.600
Now, sometimes people will ask, why is it that when I read the Bible, I read scripture, it seems like God repeats himself.
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.519
Does anybody ever wonder why God repeats himself?
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.000
Sometimes do you think that maybe we need to have things repeated to us?
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.799
I have this argument and debate all the time with my wife.
00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:00.480
Because she'll say, Well, I already told you that.
00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:06.240
And then I make the mistake of saying, I don't remember you saying that.
00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.759
But then I also give her permission to say, I'm okay if you repeat yourself to me.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:17.919
Like, I'm okay if you repeat, like, like even God had to tell the children of Israel and tells the people all throughout scripture over and over again.
00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:22.159
He knows we're human beings, he knows we're forgetful, he knows that we need to be reminded.
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:32.720
And so he ends this by saying that you're to keep this, uh, that you're to keep this festival, this ordinance, uh, not just this one time, but year after year after year moving forward.
00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:38.080
And so there's this feast of the unleavened bread, is what it ended up being called by the Israelites.
00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.039
They practice this for hundreds and hundreds of years.
00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:46.879
And then the Passover, if you're familiar with the Passover, is a specific night and meal.
00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.799
So he's going back and he's basically confirming these once again.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:59.600
What's fascinating is when you do go to the New Testament, you do hear it being called the festival of the unleavened bread by the disciples.
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.320
They knew these festivals because they had grown up Jewish.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:13.919
They had grown up in this system, they knew the sacrificial system, and so they're actually asking Jesus where during this week, when it gets to the end of the week, where they should actually make preparations to share the Passover meal.
00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:20.720
John, one of Jesus' disciples, when he saw Jesus coming toward him, said these words Look, the Lamb of God.
00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.799
This is the Lamb of God, and it's like no other lamb.
00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:33.840
It is like no other entity on the planet because this person is God, and he has the ability to take away the sins of the world.
00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:36.639
Everybody would have known what he was referring to.
00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:42.080
Everybody at the time in that culture would have known that he was tying this back to what we're reading this morning.
00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:50.240
In fact, Paul even did this in his writing to the church in Corinth when he said, For Christ Jesus, is our Passover lamb.
00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.039
He does the same thing that happened in the Gospels.
00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.960
And this Passover lamb has been sacrificed for you and for me.
00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.519
Thanks be to God, we don't have to abide by the sacrificial system anymore.
00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:08.080
But it's fun to read and it's interesting to kind of pull up the truths that are still applicable to our lives today.
00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.240
So look at verse 11 with me.
00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:19.120
Because it says, When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, so who's doing the work?
00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:23.440
God's giving it to them as he promised on oath to you.
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.960
And oh, by the way, he has said this to all of your ancestors.
00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:38.240
Everybody that we looked at when we went through Genesis, all of the people that came before you, God is a patient God, and God is able to work through the generations and the centuries.
00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:42.639
His vantage point on all of human uh history is phenomenal, right?
00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.240
He's God, he knows everything.
00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:54.960
And what I find so fascinating about getting to verse 11 is this they have just left Egypt, they have just been freed from slavery, and God is promising them.
00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.240
When I bring you to the promised land.
00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.080
It's not an if.
00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:07.279
It's not if you get everything correct, it's not if you live your life out exactly how I want you to live your life out.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.159
When?
00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.039
And he knew because he's God and he's sovereign, they were gonna screw up.
00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:14.960
He knew they were gonna sin.
00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.440
He knew they were gonna get it wrong.
00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:25.039
He knew that they would actually bring in false idols and worship things that are that are objects.
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:42.559
And yet, right from the very beginning, in his mercy and grace, he makes this incredible declaration and promise to them that maybe, just maybe, they would keep in the back of their minds as they now start this wilderness journey.
00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:49.440
Then it says this all the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:51.679
Redeem with a lamb.
00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:54.960
So imagine a nice cute little lamb that you saw in the video.
00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:57.360
Every firstborn donkey.
00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.559
Wait, what's going on with this?
00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:06.879
But if you do not redeem the little donkey, break its neck.
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.000
So what's up with God not liking donkeys?
00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.039
Did anybody think that when they read this?
00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:19.519
Did anybody underline this and go question for Pastor Tim?
00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.039
Like this is when people go, wait a second.
00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:27.279
What's going on in the text?
00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:35.360
And it's worth pausing to explain why this is in our Bibles and why he instituted this with them.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:41.840
See, God determined what animals were clean and what animals were unclean.
00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:45.840
And donkeys were part of unclean animals.
00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.960
So we don't get to pick what's clean and unclean.
00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:53.200
Because you might be here today and you might be like, well, this is why I don't believe the Bible, this is why I don't study the Bible.
00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:56.240
I thought God created all the animals back in Genesis.
00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:03.440
Why is there so many of them that are slaughtered and sacrificed throughout all of Scripture?
00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:06.639
Well, because we don't get to make the rules.
00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:12.399
Like we don't get to decide what God does and doesn't do and what he declares clean and unclean.
00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.600
And sometimes this is what we get tripped up on when we read scripture.
00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:22.080
And again, I'm going to say, especially from our American Western mindset, we want it to say what we want it to say.
00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:37.679
And yet we believe that God's the one that wrote this, knew exactly what he was writing, inspired the people that penned the words that are in our Bibles, and He ultimately gets to decide how things go in this world and in our lives.
00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:38.559
Amen.
00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:46.480
And so what's fascinating as well about this is that there wasn't there was other unclean animals, but only the donkeys had to be redeemed.
00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:53.679
And so if you had a donkey and you wanted to keep the firstborn of the donkey, you had to kill a lamb.
00:14:54.159 --> 00:15:00.799
Because some people are like, man, I feel so bad for the donkeys, and there's all these donkeys that are getting their necks broken.
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.080
What we should really feel sorry for are the little lamps.
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.840
So we all can just go, oh.
00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:13.279
But I trust God, and if God wants to use that as the system, then that's the system that God has created.
00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:28.320
Now what's even more fascinating about this passage, and you gotta spend a little bit more time on it to mine it out, is that the donkey represents something very specific.
00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:35.279
The donkey, believe it or not, actually represents you and me.
00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:39.279
We are unclean.
00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:49.039
Scripture tells us in Psalm 51, 5, we're sinful from birth, sinful from the time our mothers birthed us into this world.
00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:54.320
And that the only way out is what you saw today in the waters of baptism.
00:15:54.480 --> 00:16:09.360
That God is the one who comes with his mercy and grace, and because of Jesus Christ, because he's the spotless lamb, he is the one that redeems us and pays the price so that we are in right relationship with our heavenly Father.
00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.799
And some of you are like, did you just call me a donkey?
00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:16.240
Maybe this will help you.
00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:18.720
What's another word for donkey?
00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.440
Wait, don't say it.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.080
There's kids in the room.
00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.440
There's kids in the room, all right?
00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:28.559
And don't try to convince me that you're not at times, uh, you know what.
00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:41.200
And you should look at this because that's part of the law of oh man, I am a, I am sometimes an ornery, mean-spirited jerk.
00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:50.799
But thanks be to God, I have Jesus who's redeemed me, who calls me as his own, and I am his child.
00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:52.080
So this is what's important.
00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.559
It's the unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.159
The unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.240
The unclean is redeemed by the clean.
00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.720
Here's what you got to remember the donkey doesn't do anything to be clean.
00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:08.640
The donkey can't have perfect attendant church attendance and serve and do all these spiritual exercises and activities.
00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.759
There's absolutely nothing the donkey does other than exist.
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:18.400
And it's only through the bloodshed of the lamb that that donkey's life is actually spared.
00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.000
It is the same for us.
00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.680
We bring nothing to the equation.
00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:25.200
There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn or deserve our salvation.
00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.039
It's why we baptize infants.
00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:31.119
There is nothing that we can do to produce faith in our hearts.
00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.640
It is God who comes to us.
00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.079
It is God who rescues us.
00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.319
It is God who redeems us.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.519
Amen.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:43.039
So if you want to call your kids today a donkey after the service, you have every right to do it.
00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:45.839
But just remember, you're a donkey back, okay?
00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:47.359
Verse 14.
00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:52.799
In the days to come, this is key, parents, parents hone in on this one.
00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:59.119
When your sons or your family ask you, what the heck is this festival that we're not doing the unleavened bread?
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.359
And what does this whole Passover thing mean?
00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:11.680
And you are to remember that your ancestors were brought out of Egypt, that God was the one that worked and act on your behalf.
00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:20.480
And so, quite simply this morning, to kind of just recap these first several verses, it's this you are to remember what God has done.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:25.039
You are to retell what God has done, which is what we're doing here this morning.
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.559
And then here's the really cool part.
00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:27.359
What's the third part?
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.079
You get to?
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:38.079
Yes, this is awesome that God has rescued us, that we get to celebrate what he does for our lives and for our families.
00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:44.079
Now, in verse 15, he goes back and reminds them hey, Pharaoh was the one who refused to let us go.
00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:53.119
And so the Lord killed the firstborn of all of the people and the animals who were Egyptians or who were owned by Egyptians.
00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.599
And again, people will be like, wait a second.
00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:58.880
Are you telling me that God kills people?
00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.039
Yeah.
00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:03.680
Because that's what God says in his word.
00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:07.519
And sometimes we don't like reading these verses, and this is what gets us uncomfortable.
00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:12.160
And I said at the beginning, we're not a church that's going to skip over any parts of Scripture.
00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:21.039
But for us, we recognize that God gives people chance after chance after chance after chance to come to the, to, to know him as Lord and Savior.
00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:32.559
In fact, this caravan that's going through the desert is not just the Israelites, there's sojourners, there's other people that realize that he is the one true God, and they decided to leave Egypt with the Israelites.
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.759
Don't forget that.
00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:38.799
But there was plenty of people that stayed back in Egypt and said, nope, I'm going to live my life the way I want.
00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.400
And I'm not going to believe in God.
00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:46.319
I'm not going to believe that there's a creator, and I'm just going to do whatever I want with the time that I'm given here on earth.
00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:50.640
And those are the people that we pray for, those are the people that we pursue.
00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:58.240
Those are the people that we want to help wake up and say, listen, God has a bigger purpose and plan for your life than to be selfish.
00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:03.839
God has a bigger purpose and plan for your life for you just to think that it's all about you.
00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:04.799
No.
00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.359
God, through his son Jesus Christ, is the one who redeemed you.
00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:16.160
In fact, the air that's in your lungs is only there because Jesus has given it to you and he loves you.
00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.519
He's madly in love with you.
00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:23.759
In fact, read all throughout scripture how much he loves you and all the people that he has created.
00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.039
Goes on to say this.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:30.480
And we're still recapping here.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:37.039
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.880
And then look at what it says.
00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:41.039
Though that was shorter.
00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:45.759
Anyone pause on this part of the pre-reading?
00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:49.200
What's the shortest distance between two points?
00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:57.039
Wouldn't it have been a lot easier and make a lot more sense if God would have said, okay, they're leaving Egypt.
00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.640
Here's the promised land.
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:01.440
Moses, you just have to do a straight line from here to there.
00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:03.599
How many think that is what makes sense?
00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.279
All the engineers in the room say that makes sense.
00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:12.799
And if he can part the Red Sea, why can't he part the desert?
00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.920
Why do they have to go the shorter route?
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:17.759
Or not the shorter route?
00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:24.960
And then it says this if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:26.799
Think about this.
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.720
They've been enslaved for 430 years.
00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:32.720
They're not warriors, they're not trained for battle, they're trained to be slaves.
00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:38.400
They know how to make bricks, they know how to build buildings for Pharaoh and all of his people.
00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:42.799
I mean, you imagine they probably had very little weapons at this point.
00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:59.359
And God, knowing the human heart and mind, that if there was opposition, if other people came along or if they started traveling and they ran into another group of people that aren't followers of God and they decided to go at war, look at what he knows about them.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.440
They're going to turn around and run right back into slavery, right back into Egypt.
00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.680
And so God has to prepare them.
00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.440
That's what He's about to do as they enter the wilderness.
00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:13.279
This is so important.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:17.519
This could be another whole sermon today, but I just believe that this is for somebody.
00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:19.359
Somebody needs to hear this today.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:24.480
The shortest route isn't always the best route.
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.119
Let me say it again.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:32.319
The shortest route isn't always the best route.
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:36.480
And as an American, we hate that.
00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.880
If we want something, we want it and we want it now.
00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:49.279
God, I told you that I wanted to be married when I was 22 years old.
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:54.880
And I started saving for a ring when I was 18 years old.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.920
And I turned 23 years old and I got angry at God.
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:05.519
He was already a year off of the plan that I told him I had for my life.
00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.480
Some of you know this.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:16.640
And I didn't end up getting married until I was 31 years old.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:21.680
Because it wasn't my plan.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:28.400
He was going to do his will in my life according to his plan.
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:32.960
And so if you're single here today, don't be discouraged or dismayed.
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.519
If you're single again and you're frustrated and you're trying to figure out, God, where are you at?
00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:42.480
And I feel like I'm walking around a wilderness, don't be discouraged or dismayed.
00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:45.519
We do this when it comes to building businesses.
00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:48.640
We do this when it comes to getting promotions at work.
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:55.680
We do this even when it comes to educational pursuits where we always want to control every little facet of our lives.
00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:03.279
And then God comes along and he says, I'm never going to leave you or forsake you, but there's some speed bumps ahead that you don't know about.
00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:06.799
There's some battles that you're not prepared to fight.
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:13.279
There's some circumstances that you think you have the knowledge or the emotional fortitude that you really don't have.
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:23.680
And so I'm going to need to spend some more time with you and developing you over here in this area of your life before I'm allowing you to get to this next phase that I have for you.
00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:26.559
Not what you think is best for your life.
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.359
And here's the part of being a Christian and follower of Jesus that's really difficult, isn't it?
00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:33.519
This is when it gets really real.
00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:38.079
I've had one of the craziest weeks that I've had in a very long time.
00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:41.440
Do you mind if I just tell you about it for a couple minutes?
00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:52.880
On Tuesday, I picked my son up from high school, and the state of Michigan has determined that at the age of 15 he should be able to drive a car.
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:59.440
And because he knows that he's uh able to drive the car, he wants to drive the car from school home.
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:08.000
And so I get there and I go in the passenger seat, he gets in the driver's seat, and so we're on our way back to our house, and we're stopped at a red light.
00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:13.039
And I'll be honest with you, I'm looking down, checking emails on my phone because we're at a stoplight.
00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:15.200
Hopefully, there's no police officers in here.
00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.759
Okay.
00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:26.480
When all of a sudden he says, Dad, I think that car is going to, and then all of a sudden, bam! And we get rear-ended.
00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:37.039
Now, mind you, this is the same exact car, same exact bumper that was destroyed two years ago when he and I were in the car together.
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:39.759
And at that time I was driving the car.
00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:41.599
And I was like, you gotta be kidding me.
00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:47.440
I have appointments, I have emails, I have things on my agenda that need to get done.
00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:52.160
Like I'm already racing to get back home so I can get back on my computer and answer more emails.
00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:55.279
And I look over at him and thankfully he's okay, I'm okay.
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:57.279
And he's like, Dad, I totally saw it coming.
00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:02.319
Like I could see it, and I could see that the guy had a vape thing in his mouth, and there was smoke coming everywhere.
00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.240
I just don't think he was paying attention.
00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.720
And I was like, I mean, I don't know, I didn't see it.
00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.720
So we got out, and luckily the guy was super cool.
00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.519
He felt really bad.
00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:11.599
He apologized a bunch of times.
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.240
Uh, you know, I was like, it is what it is.
00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.200
I mean, you gotta wait for the cop to get here, fill out the police report.
00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:29.839
But you know the hassle of having to take your car and out, you gotta deal with the insurance companies, and sometimes they're like a little prickly on the phone, and then you gotta take it to the auto body shop, get a rental, go through all the rigmarole, figure out even what insurance you have.
00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.440
It's just annoying, isn't it?
00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.640
It's annoying when you get in something like that.
00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:44.079
Until Friday night comes, Friday night comes, and my son's out at a uh football game for his school, and so I had to go and get him when the game ended.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:59.759
And my wife is blowing up my phone because our neighbor across the street decided that she was gonna have 150 to 200 high school students over her house, and they completely consumed her backyard and her front yard.
00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:02.400
And she's like, Tim, you're not gonna believe this.
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:05.519
There are teenagers everywhere.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:13.359
And there are like a billion cars all up and down, all of and we live in this quiet little family-friendly subdivision.
00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:15.839
It's like only 252 homes.
00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:19.039
And I was like, oh my gosh, what's going on?
00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:24.640
And so trying to figure that out, and so I know my neighbor, I you know, we have a great relationship.
00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:30.799
I called her and it rolled the voicemail, which is so rude, isn't it?
00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:35.200
So I called her again, and again she rolled me the voicemail, and so I sent her a text.
00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:37.680
I said, Hey, do you are you by chance home?
00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:38.640
She said, Yeah, why?
00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:39.359
Is everything okay?
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.759
And I said, Do you know there's a party going on at your house?
00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.359
Oh yeah, my son decided to have some friends over after the football game.
00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.000
And I'm like, Do you know how many kids?
00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:56.720
So we finally get home, which took a while to get our my car down the the side street because there was so many uh cars.
00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.759
It's just amazing.
00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:03.119
You teenagers, teenagers, if you're in here, I'm amazed at the way that you guys network with your phone.
00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.559
I don't know if you drop pins or send addresses.
00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:13.119
Uh so I ended up getting out of the car and there was a group of neighbors, and they were just kind of taking it all in.
00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:18.000
And they were just watching teenagers just in droves, leave and come, leave and come and go to the party.
00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:20.240
And I said, Well, are any of you gonna go over to the party?
00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:21.680
And they're like, No, why would we do that?
00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:23.680
I'm like, Well, don't you want to go check out what's happening?
00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:25.200
I mean, it's in our own neighborhood.
00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.960
And they said, No, that's crazy.
00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.319
That's crazy talk.
00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:34.240
Instead, they started talking about all the parties that they went to when they were in high school.
00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:38.720
So it's just getting interesting.
00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:40.079
I said, Well, I'm gonna go check it out.
00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:40.480
You are not.
00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:42.000
I was like, Yeah, why not?
00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:48.799
So I just went over to their house and went into the backyard and I just started walking around the teenagers.
00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:53.440
And you know what's really weird is they were all looking at me like I was weird.
00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.480
They were like.
00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:00.400
And so I and my kids were like, What are you doing, Dad?
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.440
I don't know.
00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.440
It's in our neighborhood.
00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:05.680
I mean, just it looks like it's an open party.
00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:08.960
There's no sign that says you gotta be, you know, a high school student to go.
00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:10.319
I thought I would blend in.
00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.480
I mean, I don't know what the what the deal is.
00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:16.319
And maybe it's because of being a youth minister.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:19.359
I'm so used to being with teenagers that it didn't bother me.
00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:28.079
Uh, I ended up going up her back deck and I and I went into her house and I turned and around the corner and she was sitting on the couch and she was just scrolling her cell phone.
00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.079
And I was like, hi, and she said hi.
00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.920
And I was like, Do you know how many kids are in your yard?
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:36.079
And she's like, Yeah, there's a few back there.
00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.279
Here's what the thought that I had, though.
00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:40.960
Here's the thought that I had.
00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.119
I was like, how do you capture the heart of this next generation?
00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:54.480
How do you how do you take and make something so compelling that all of these kids would want to be part of the greatest movement on the planet?
00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:08.960
I guarantee you, her son probably sent out a text message to who knows, 20, 30 people, and from that created this chain where now all of these high school students, half of Macomb Township, is now across the street from my house.
00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:17.599
God, what is it that you would put us in situations that we could be around people that need to hear the hope that they can have in you?
00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:23.920
And I'm hoping this actually creates a relationship with my neighbor and her kids.
00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:28.000
And that maybe one day they would come through the doors of our church.
00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:40.640
Even the young man that rear-ended us, as I got to know him and find out where he works, he actually works right down the road from the church, and just tell him it's okay, man, accidents happen and you're gonna be okay.
00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:44.079
And he's like, I got insurance, and I'm gonna be able to pay for it, and all this.
00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:45.519
And I said, Here's some good news.
00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.960
We live in a weird state where they say there's no fault.
00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:50.640
So just he's like, really?
00:30:50.880 --> 00:31:12.720
And I was like trying to explain to him, no fault insurance, and you could just see he was like, Real, like, I'm giving this guy relief, and you know, it's just like sometimes God just puts us in situations and you gotta roll with it, and you gotta think, is there something maybe that's happening that's greater than the moment at hand, and that I'm not this victim that sometimes we like to paint ourselves to be?
00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:20.880
Verse 18 so God led the people around the desert toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up out of Egypt, ready for battle.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:25.519
And so the question I want to leave you with today is this Is God leading you?
00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:30.799
Is the Holy Spirit in your life?
00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:41.920
And are you yielding to the promptings that He gives you for your life and for your future, knowing He knows what's best for you?
00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:51.359
There's another part of this that kind of takes an interesting turn where Moses actually has the bones of Joseph, and Joseph, we find out, passes away in Genesis 50.
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.079
So they've actually been carrying Joseph's bones for 430 years now.
00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:05.359
Here's the part that's key on this verse is Joseph actually had the faith to believe that one day the children of Israel would get to the promised land.
00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:10.799
In fact, he actually says that, and he's listed in the Hall of Fame in Hebrews chapter 11.
00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:17.119
And so after they finally leave uh where they're at, they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:20.960
So God knows where to put them, he knows where to protect them.
00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:33.920
In fact, the final verses for today are this By day the Lord went up ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way, and by night a pillar of fire to give them light.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:42.240
Supernatural work of God to put a pillar of cloud, which nobody even knows how to come up with an image for that.
00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:55.680
What is a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire by night, so that they could travel day or night if they got in trouble, if enemies were coming, if there was any reason that God needed to move them, he would move them by his divine plan.
00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:01.200
And wouldn't you know that they were always there with God?
00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:03.359
And what does this show us?
00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:06.880
God never leaves or forsakes us.
00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:09.519
You're gonna see this over and over again in the coming weeks.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:16.799
The pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, it continues to be used by God to minister to them.
00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:25.039
And not only is it a visible sign that God is with them, Psalms actually tells us that the cloud is to give them covering.
00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:30.319
That God actually knows he put them in a desert, and what happens when you're in direct sunlight all day?
00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:34.880
Those with crappy white skin like me, what happens if we're in the desert all day?
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:38.960
We burn or we get dehydrated or we die.
00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:54.640
And yet, here God is also providing for them in their humanity by covering them and making sure that they have the world's biggest night light every night when they lay their head on their pillow, knowing and trusting, my God is with me.
00:33:55.839 --> 00:34:00.559
And so take that with you today, knowing and trusting that God is with you.
00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:09.039
He is with your marriage, he is with your kids, he is with your circumstance and whatever life has thrown at you in 2026.
00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:21.840
He has not abandoned you, even if you've screwed it up, even if you've run away, even if you have cursed God, God will never stop pursuing you, loving you, and putting you on the path that He has for you.
00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.719
Amen.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.960
Will you bow your heads and close your eyes with me this morning?
00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:36.000
Heavenly Father, I thank you for my friends that are gathered here, those watching online, and the opportunity once again to just see how rich your word is.
00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:55.280
And the way that it does convict our hearts, but even more than that, reminds us once again how much you are in control of this earth, how much you are in control of our lives, and that ultimately your will and your destiny will be fulfilled in your time according to your plans.
00:34:55.519 --> 00:35:11.280
So, God help us to continue to lean into you, to trust you, to put fear and doubt aside, and to leave here encouraged because you love us and you are never gonna stop working out your perfect plan.
00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:15.519
We love you, we thank you, we pray all these things in your most holy and precious name.
00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.400
Amen.
