Let My People Go When My Servant Returns Exodus 2:13-22

Transcription

1 Let My People Go When My Servant Returns Exodus 2:13-22 Also available are a text-only version of the outline at or an audio podcast at This is a pdf file for the PowerPoint notes for the sermon by Pastor Dave Tietjen on March 30, 2014; continuing his series on Exodus.

2 A discouraging picture Failure in life Banishment scene from Ten Commandments At this point, a 2-minute clip from the director s cut of Cecil B. DeMille s The Ten Commandments was shown, with DeMille s narration of the scenes where Moses flees Egypt to wander in the wilderness before arriving at an oasis in Midian.

3 Exodus 2:13-15, 22b ESV When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, Why do you strike your companion? He answered, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid, and thought, Surely the thing is known. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.... I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

4 Hebrews 11:24-27 NIV By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

5 Bred in a palace, he espoused the cause of the people; nursed in the lap of luxury, he embraced adversity; reared in the school of despots, he became the champion of liberty; long associated with oppressors, he took the side of the oppressed; educated as her son, he forfeited the favor of a princess to maintain the rights of the poor;...

6 ... with a crown in prospect, he had the magnanimity to choose a cross; and for the sake of his God and Israel, he abandoned ease, refinement, luxuries and the highest earthly honors, to be a houseless wanderer. Anonymous

7 Which included suffering Which identified with slaves Which invited scorn

8 Faith s pillars God has a plan God keeps his promises God is powerful

9 Faith s perspective Telescope to glory Future rewards Future results

10 Faith s practice Value Christ most: He will reign Value earth less: It will be replaced

11 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Exodus 2:16-19 ESV Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.

12 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Exodus 2:16-19 ESV... When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, How is it that you have come home so soon today? They said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.

13 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in residence (wilderness) A land was found A palace was left

14 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in relationship (family) Found a wife Zipporah

15 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in relationship (family) Found a wife Zipporah Fathered a son Gershom

16 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in relationship (family) Found a wife Zipporah Fathered a son Gershom Followed an example Jethro Reuel

17 Exodus 3:1 ESV Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in resume (new career) Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

18 Moses rescued, relocated, revealed Fashioned in resume (new career) Psalm 77:20 ESV You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

19 God s work through us Ephesians 2:10 ESV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

20 God s work through us God can teach us through the failure of our own plans that He is capable of working for us and in us in spite of us. Only after we fail do we become aware that it is God and not ourselves who is working. James Boice

21 God s work through us Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. John Wesley

22 Our witness can be distinct Not fitting in with Egypt

23 Our witness can be distinct...if our faith is developed You must learn to believe promises better than possessions; things unseen better than things seen; things in heaven out of sight better than things on earth before your eyes; the praise of the invisible God better than the praise of visible man. Then, and then only, you will make a choice like Moses, and prefer God to the world. John Ryle