Sermon Transcript February 19, 2017

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Sermon Transcript February 19, 2017 Empowered to Serve Battle with Amalek Exodus 17:8-14 This message from the Bible was addressed originally to the people of Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church on

1 Sermon Transcript February 19, 2017 Empowered to Serve Battle with Amalek Exodus 17:8-14 This message from the Bible was addressed originally to the people of Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church on February 19, 2017 at 511 Maple Street, Wethersfield, CT, by Pastor Michael Conserva. This is a transcription that bears the strength and weaknesses of oral delivery. It is not meant to be a polished essay. An audio copy of the sermon on CD is available by request at (860) 563-1

2 Sermon Text Exodus 17:8-14 Introduction 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands. 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up one on one side, one on the other so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. We are coming into a week whereby we are focusing on missions. This is in alignment with our vision, our core values as well as our church health. The Theme of this week is Partnering with Our Missionaries and asking a very basic question, What does it look like for a church like WEFC to Partner with their missionaries? How does it show up? What practical things can we do? When it comes to partnerships, I have always fallen back to an old illustration that I have used to explain the importance of it. A Pair of Chopsticks. Here you have two sticks. The bottom stick sits in your hand like so. Notice it never moves. It is like the local sending church that is the base. It gives, prayers, writes, encourages so that the Missionary, who is represented by the top stick, which moves up and down on the food. When you combine the two you have a useful tool and you can accomplish a lot together. Without the bottom stick I couldn t eat and get nourishment, I couldn't travel, I can not do a lot of things. You see, both are needed, both a vitally important, neither are more or less important than the other. Both are significant in order to accomplish the task. In our passage this morning, we see a wonderful example of a partnership that is happening. We can ever see the results of that partnership and why that partnership is so important. We are talking about the Battle with Amalek in Exodus 17. The reason I chose this passage is because it illustrates for us in particular one of the ways we can stand with our 2

3 missionaries in real partnership. And is through what I call warfare praying or spiritual warfare. Standing g in the gap for our missionaries and lifting them to the throne. Holding the ropes for those who are out on the front lines. To be effective you have to know your enemy and why are they so dangerous so that we can protect ourselves, because believe me, if you start praying like this you will become the focus of much attack from the evil one. So this morning I want to talk with you about the reality of this battle. If like the children of Israel, we have been delivered from the bondage of Egypt and separated unto God for a Life of Worship and Witness, we can expect to be attacked by the enemy. If we know nothing about the clash of the battle if we are not conscious of the intensity of the conflict then we need to ask ourselves if we are really Christian at all! Three aspects of the battle of Amalek are illustrated in this passage. We need to be aware of these areas in our lives. 1. It is an Ominous Battle (Ex. 17:8) It is going to happen, it is happening. The Significance Of The Enemies Appearance. Then came Amalek. No one can be a committed Christian and seek to live a committed Christian life without encountering an enemy named Amalek. The children of Israel had been delivered from the bondage of Egypt and had passed through the Red Sea, speaking of their redemption by blood and by power. They were on their way to God s full purpose of blessing for them in Canaan. Deuteronomy says that they, the Children of Israel, were brought out in order to be brought in. You know the story of how they were led by the appearance of a pillar fire and a cloud? Recall for a moment what these people had gone through in less than 3 months. Supernatural Deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, Red Sea; Supernatural Guidance by a cloud and a fire; Supernatural Leadership God s man Moses; Supernatural Diet the manna and quail from heaven. And at this point, they could find no water to drink and they complained to Moses. The place was called v.7 Massah and Meribah, which means testing and quarreling, because it was there that they tempted the Lord. So what did Moses do? V.4 ff. cr. 1 Cor. 10:4 "So Moses cried to the LORD, What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said to Moses, Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink. And Moses did so, in 3

4 the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, Is the LORD among us or not? " "and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ." As soon as the rock was smitten and the people had appropriated the water, Amalek appeared. Herein is a parable of the spiritual experience that whenever men and woman put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and experience the cleansing of the blood of calvary and the indwelling of the Spirit of God, the spiritual battle begins, Amalek appears! Who is Amalek anyway? Amalek is type of the flesh in scripture. He was a grandson of Esau, the man after the flesh, the carnally minded man, the soul man who sold his birthright for a mess of porridge and lost his inheritance. Up and over against him stood Esau s twin brother, Jacob, who became Israel, the spiritual man. The Word of God makes it clear that the enemy of the Christian are, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Perhaps our greatest enemy is the flesh because rarely does the devil attack us unless it is through the flesh. Nor does the world allure us except through the flesh. From the moment of our new birth there is a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Listen to what Galatians 5:17 has to say, "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." Make no misunderstanding the scripture says v.16b "The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation. We must conquer Amalek. The significance of his appearance. Then notice the: The Subtlety of the Enemy s Attack. This war is serious because of the subtlety of the enemy's attacks, Dt. 25: "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, 18 how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God." He is subtle. He comes from behind and he attacks the faint and the weary. He seldom confronts us head on. When we find ourselves lagging behind in our faith we are extremely susceptible to his attacks. When we find ourselves overworked and stressed out we become tremendously vulnerable to his attacks. When we find ourselves getting comfortable with sin and with those things which are on the edge so to speak, He 4

5 pounces upon us and he catches us unawares. This brings me to the second aspect of this battle. II. It Is An Ongoing Battle (Ex. 17:12, 16) It's a battle that never ends. It's a day long age long battle that you and I will experience until we reach glory. From the moment Amalek struck his fist blow until now, the fight has been contentious. Look at verse 12. "But Moses hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." 1. It is a Day-Long Battle (Ex. 17:12) But Moses hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. An enemy who is prepared to fight until sunset is a vicious foe. This lesson applies to us today. At any moment the bow is bent, the arrow is poised on the string, the enemy is ready to attack. Watch and Pray so that you fall not into temptation. Take heed (I PT.5:8). Put on the full armor of God. 2. It is an Age-Long Battle (Ex. 17:16) The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. These people harassed the children of Israel from generation to generation. They did so under Joshua (Num. 14:45), under Saul (I Sam. 15) and under David (I Sam. 27:8). The battle still goes on today in the land of Palestine. The struggle between the Arabs and the Jews will never be stopped until Christ returns and winds up the earths affairs. III. It Is An Overcoming Battle (Ex. 17:9-13) Moses holding the staff of God above his head with both hands symbolized Israel's total dependence upon the power of God. What is the secret of victory against Amalek? It is first of all Dependence Upon a Life of Power (Ex. 17:9) "But Moses hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, 5

6 while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." The name Joshua means savior or deliverer. The N.T. Equivalent for Joshua is Jesus. In scripture Joshua is a type of Christ. Joshua represents Christ's power energizing the believers. Notice, however that Christ operates only through chosen people. People who are dedicated, disciplined and devoted men and women of God. A Life of Power is dependent upon the complete submission and surrender of the believer to the indwelling Christ. But even though Joshua and his chosen men were armed and ready to fight, there was still the possibility of defeat because the text says in verse 11, "Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed." Impending defeat brings into focus the need for a life of prayer (Ex. 17:12) "But Moses hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Dependence Upon A Life of Prayer Aron was of course the High Priest. It was he who went into the Tabernacle once a year and atoned and made intercession for the people. Aaron represents the Priesthood of the believer and the life of prayer. Moses on the other hand is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ enthroned in heaven carrying on His Priestly session, that of our High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). Christ is both to us--our Joshua, the captain of salvation who fights our battles but he is also our Moses who in the heavenliness ever lives to make intercession for us. So that our faith does not fail. We not only have Christ in us, but we have Christ for us. But I want to tell you even Christ on the throne doesn't mediate his power without His Aaron's. Prayer is dependent upon the Aaron's here on earth. Even though He is sovereign and omnipotent He has limited himself to the prayer of His people. John Wesley who said, God does nothing but in answer to prayer. There is no authority apart from persistent believing prayer. We have seen thus far that in order to be victorious there is first of all a Dependence 6

7 Upon a Life of Power--the Life of Power is Dependent Upon a Life of Prayer--the Life of Prayer is Dependent upon a Life of Purity (Ex. 17:12). "But Moses hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Dependence Upon A Life of Purity Hur was the grandfather of Bezabel of the tribe of Judah. He was the chief workman in the tabernacle. He practically made everything for the tabernacle in the wilderness. His name means whiteness and whiteness in scripture is always associated with purity. Whenever Hur is mentioned in scripture, he is associated with that which is holy. The lesson is this, prayer is cancelled out when there is no holiness (Ps 66:18; 1 Tim. 2:8). Paul says...a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. You see it is a chain reaction. If you are not pure Arron's ministry is powerless and if Arron's ministry fails--joshua fails. Are you beginning to see the partnership role that you play. The greatest thing you can do for us is to live a pure life, because then God will hear your prayer, and you will want to pray, and you will be powerful and defeat Amalek, the flesh. The secret lies in our vision with our heavenly Moses on the throne. As we live in fellowship with Him through lives of Purity and Prayer, the Power for victory flows and Amalek is defeated. There are too many Christians who are confused and are compromising with the world. Somebody has once said, "I looked for the church, I found it in the world, I looked for the world, I found it in the Church." Listen, in the battle with Amalek, there can be no compromise. In scripture it says, "make no provision for the flesh." You can't spare or refine the flesh, if you try it will defeat you. So we see that our enemy is real. There is no question about it. It is a life long battle, but we can rest assured that in Christ we do have the victory. The victory is inevitable! by Pastor Michael Conserva - All rights reserved 7

8 Sermon Title: Battle with Amalek Sermon Text: Exodus 17:8-14 Sermon Date: February 19, 2017 Getting To Know Me Questions 1. Each person take a moment and share the highs and lows of this past week? What are you looking forward to the most in the upcoming week? 2. Share about a time when you were prompted by the Spirit of God to pray for a particular individual and why? What where the circumstances? How did it impact your life? Diving Into The Word 3. Read Ex. 17:8-16. Who is Amalek and why is he such a dangerous foe? What is significant about their history with Israel? Read Deut. 25: Read Gal. 5:17, Rom. 8:7. What is Amalek a type of? Note: A type is a representation by one thing of another. Adam was a type of Christ (Rom. 5:14) and so was Isaac (Heb. 11:19). The Passover was a type of Christ (1 Cor. 5:7). There are many types in the Bible and most of them are too extensive and deep to be listed. How do Types bring the scripture alive? What are some things we need to be careful of in looking at types in scripture? 5. Who are the clear sworn enemies of the Christian? (cr. I John 2: In your mind which of the three is the most dangerous and why? 6. Read 1 Pet. 1:13. Why must we be prepared for the battle, especially when it comes to warfare praying? 7. Read 2 Pet. 1:3-4. What has God given to us and how do these things help us to achieve an ongoing victory? 8. Read Heb. 7:25. How is Moses a type of Christ? How does this encourage you? Taking It Home 9. How and what did the Spirit of God speak to you specifically about in this message and how can you apply it to your life? 10. How can we as individuals and as a Community Group partner with our missionaries? Create a list, choose one and act on it. 8

OUR BANNER SESSION 3. The Point. The Passage. The Bible Meets Life. The Setting. We are always covered by God s protection.

OUR BANNER SESSION 3. The Point. The Passage. The Bible Meets Life. The Setting. We are always covered by God s protection. SESSION 3 OUR BANNER The Point We are always covered by God s protection. The Passage Exodus 17:8-16 The Bible Meets Life The United States flag represents a lot of things to its citizens: freedom, democracy,