February 28, 2021 Sunday Morning Service
to glorify right now
Well, good morning. We are getting a new series of lessons called I am And really the question comes down to what the question comes down to is. How do you say God? We see him through the pages of the Bible in the Bible tells us about him and through those pages. We understand that he's called the I Am The Great I Am and he's Desiring us to know that we should be able to say that about him and think those thoughts about him that he is. I am and he's not was the I am or will be but he is The Great I Am and we've looked at a number of I am statements in the past. There's seven or eight depending on how you want to divide them up. But at least seven I am statements in the Book of John and John writes to prove that Jesus is the son of God. You said truly Jesus did the many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and so that's why John wrote his book to prove that Jesus is the Christ the son of God. But Jesus also identifies himself as we see in the gospels, but in particular John takes note of these passages where Jesus talks about himself as being deity being one with God being equal with the father so much. So when he starts talking about equality with the Father the Jews want to Stone him and kill him for blasphemy. But on several occasions, we know that he calls himself the Messiah. Do you remember when the woman at the well was talking with Jesus? He says the hours coming in now is when the true worship worshippers of God shall worship the father in spirit and Truth. He says true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth little bit later she comes back with a question and says, yes, we all know the Messiah is coming and he will come and he responds by saying I am key. I am here and so he declares himself to be the Messiah in John chapter 10 that great passage about the Sheepfold where he says that he's the Good Shepherd right that he's the door and then in chapter 10, he says I and the father are one right there one purpose there one in unity there one in purpose and goal there one in substance and then a little bit later and John chapter 10 to even declare. That he is the Son of God. I am the Son of God a lot of Skeptics a lot of atheists like to make light of the fact that there's not much information about Jesus saying who you was well I beg to differ there's plenty of information in the New Testament, especially that one passage where he says I am the Son of God and over and over again. He says I am No, I am has a reference to God the Father to Jehovah God that the Jews looked up to and you remember that when Moses met God in the burning bush. It was I am. I am who I am. That's what I am means. It's present tense. It simply means he is the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is he's the god of the living not of the Dead. He is the I am and then Jesus also declares that he is eternal in the same passage. He says that if you do not believe that I am he you shall die in your sins. So it starts there talking about his eternality his everlasting life and then also describes himself in the same book. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the door. I am a good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life I am the way the truth and the life and I am the True Vine. And he says that I'm the truth why my father is the vinedresser every branch in me that does not bear fruit. He will take away and every branch in me that does bear fruit. He the Father the vinedresser, he will prove that you may bear more fruit. So he is the vine that's why we consider his divinity and what Jesus is talking about concerning his life as the Son of God. We're going to be looking at some more I am statements. But we're going to be looking at them from the Old Testament perspective and you just got a glimpse where God says that I want to prove to the Egyptians that I am the Lord. I am the Lord. I know that through 54 years of coming up on 55 55 years of my life. I think I've learned a little bit about life. I know and you've heard me preach it that life is hard. It's not hard for some. hard for everybody Some will say well so and so they they don't have any problems. How do you know do you really know what they've gone through in their lives? Do you really know what they're going through at the present? Everyone has some season some trial of difficulty. There are seasons of hardness and so as we think about that We think about those who survived those seasons of hard times. When I look back I see that the spiritually mature. They're the ones that survived the season of hard times. It's the spiritually mature that survived the season of hard times. Because they put their trust. They put their hope in the I am. The Great I Am about God we need to have these thoughts in our mind to understand Why our hearts are in tune with him why we desire to put our trust in him? he is a great way maker and
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Way maker. I never sang the song but I heard about it came across the lyrics says way maker Miracle Worker promise keeper light in the darkness. My God, that is who you are way maker Miracle Worker promise keeper light in the darkness my God, that is who you are. Even when I don't see it. You're working even when I don't feel it. You're working. You never stop. You. Never stop working. You never stop. You never stop working.
And that's why we need to think about what you think about God when we think about the hard Seasons that we enter into and certainly 2020 was a hard season. Hopefully we're leaving it behind us and hopefully God Will Make A Way. We got to believe that he will that's why we pray. You know if we pray and James says we do so with doubting we're not praying and we don't don't have the faith necessary to ask God the question or presenting him with our petition. He says ask without doubting. Ask without doubting. That is part and parcel of the story that were reading about here with Moses and the Israelites. They put their trust in God. And we consider more about that trust we're talkin about I am I think about I am I think about as a little boy I would say my dad could beat your dad up my Jaws the strongest dad in the world. I think most of us probably have said that along the way in our lives for think about my Father in heaven. I'm thinking about the greatest. I was going to put up Muhammad Ali. All right. He's the greatest no doubt about that stands at the top. I can probably put a maybe one or two more up there. But to me as a Young Man In 1976 during the Montreal Olympics. There was a young man named Sugar Ray Leonard. and this guy the fastest hands I have ever witnessed in my life and he won by knockout in the Olympics and won the gold medal that year and was even more interesting than Bruce Jenner but there was 10 rounds is that God said he was going to fight Farrah over. And so he entered into the boxing match with Pharaoh. Remember it was Pharaoh that came to Moses and said I don't know who your I am is but I am pharaoh of my people. So it's I am versus I am pharaoh and they go ten rounds and 10, you know about the different types of play. Is that began? Basically, they were Idols Idols of the land whether they were grotesque or not, but the Egyptians had an aisle for everything just like many of the pagans did in the days of Christ, but He goes one by one knocking out the idols of the Egyptians the idols that supposed to be supported marrow the ultimate Idol before the people and of course it begins with blood and then it goes on to frogs. What else you remember Locust lice Idols they had an idol of lice. Because it was all a part of life everything was part of life. And so there had to be a god behind every part of life and saw there was a God for Life synagogue for Darkness write in a card for the flies and the God for the killing of the caliph. Someone had to kill the cattle. What head of cattle. Thank God for everything. It's all guess what the imagery? This is the imagery Behind These 10 plagues. And then we think about the boils the boils that were spread to the people and then the hell then the locusts into the darkness and then the final one the tenth one more blunt. But this one he says you better put blood upon over your doors because I'm coming through during the night. And if I don't see blood over the doors gas will be visited on your house. So the Israelites put the blood on the doors and the death angel came by and passed over. has Passover So there is this 10th round of which God said, I'm going to knock out Farrow and as we come into the 10th round notice in Exodus chapter 13 says then it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines. Although that was near for God said less perhaps the people change their minds when they see War. And return to Egypt so God let the people around let the people around by way of the Wilderness of the Red Sea and the children of Israel went up an orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. So God is going to take them. He's making them away because he's the Waymaker. He's the I am and notice the people put yourself in their shoes. How would you have felt How would you have felt going through this time? Now you just came out of bondage and your people have been in bondage for some 400 years. Right what happens? Well, the people get out into the Wilderness and they begin to think well, maybe bondage wasn't so bad. Really you think being a slave to somebody's not so bad. Freedom is about breaking bondage and be willing to die for that freedom. That's what freedom is. That's what Jesus exemplified Jesus example of exemplify the fact that he was bringing freedom. That he was letting people go who were slaves to sin and that he was willing to die for that freedom. And the same thing with us. Jesus says love me with all your heart be willing to die.
Because God is The Great. I Am. so if you think about the blood it wasn't just the way I am. It wasn't just the lamb that Moses required of the people. He said I want you to deliver a perfect lamp a perfect lamb an unspotted lamb. an unblemished lamb it's so that was from which the blood would come to be put over the doors, but then he says I'm going to now bring farro to his knees. He's mine. It's time for The Knockout. Know if you recall the story.
God is taking them out of the land of Egypt and they're entering into the Wilderness noticed that text that we read said he wasn't going to take them to easy way. He wasn't going to take them to the the best way. He was going to take them the best way for them.
Not the best way but the best way for them and so they were going to go through the wilderness. And that says a lot and we'll talk about that in just a moment. But as they come down through those different areas and cities which will read about now. He says when the lord gave these instructions to Moses or the Israelites to turn back. Camp by Peter off between migdol and the Sea Camp there along the shore across from Bowser Farm. Then Pharaoh will think the Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness. And when Moses was saying here is that God let them to the shores of the Red Sea. But behind them is the see in front of them is the Wilderness and all around them is are the mountains. They're trapped. If if Moses was a military leader, he was a military failure at this point. According to the Wayfarer o saw it. But God is a way maker. God is a way maker notice. He says and once again, I will harden Pharaoh's heart and he will chase after you I have planned this I have planned this in order to display my glory. My glory Sarah and his whole Army glorify God.
Because God made a way for his people after this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. So the Israelites Camp there as they were told when they can. You can see the brother.
There it is. You can see the mountain region here and the pathway that goes through those mountains and this is the sun believe the area. Where they were camped out so we have that area. That's the The beachfront where the river is there was a Red Sea and there is another picture you can see the mountains in front of them and Beyond the mountains are is the Wilderness and in back of them or in front of them depending which direction you're going is the Red Sea.
And here's what it looks like in 2005. That's the area where all the children of Israel and gather now. It's interesting. There's that little path that goes across the Red Sea it's flat dry ground when it was uncovered but as that little piece of land that went through it was 300 ft now on either side of where they crossed was over 3000 ft. So it seems that this was the fitting area where God would separate the waters from the land.
Now that's a chapter 14. It says then the Lord said to Moses. Why are you crying out to me? Tell me his relax to move on.
Tell the Israelites to move on raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
I will harden the hearts of the Egyptian so that they will go in after them and I will gain Glory through pharaoh and his army through this through his chariots and his Horsemen the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain Glory from Pharaoh his chariots and his Horsemen.
So here we have Moses stretched out his hand and he separating The Waters from the dry land and I think maybe they should make a movie about this one day. Maybe they will. Coming up again. I think they showed every Easter right cuz it's produced by Jews really so there's the people of Israel going through. and that right there is a picture of Moses really Moses was really Charlton Heston. He did know that right. So here is Charlton Heston now, he's bringing the waters back down. Cuz all that the army of the Pharaoh of the Egyptians are now fully within destruction and here is what happens. He wiped out the entire Army of the Egyptians. I'm not sure about this. I heard this one boy found chariot wheels and gold and and so forth, but I don't know some people dispute that some people don't doesn't matter. All we know is that God wiped the people out from the face of the Earth and that was the end of the 10th round. That was exactly how God destroyed Pharaoh how I am defeated. I am Pharaoh don't want to have three points. We always have to have three points or message and a number one is that God does not let us go our own Direction. Again, we go back to the path of Court said God took them along the long way the long way around because it was just too easy to go the easy way. I wonder how many people are saying. Hey, we should have taken a left over here right? Maybe we should go back. Well, thankfully they they kept stammering. They kept arguing that point and then they ask themselves. What are we doing here? In fact when they got down to the beaches to the Shoreline?
You brought us here. Now we're trapped.
We rather go back and be slaves and Dyer. Again, the idea that some people are just more comfortable being slaves then enjoying the freedom that God desires for them. And so we come back.
God is not. Let us go our own directions to SAC Proverbs Chapter 14 and verse 12 says tells us that there is a way which seems right to a man but in the end of its way is death. He always had this idea that we know especially US male drivers. We know the way right we don't want to ask for directions anywhere. But the point is we don't know especially in spiritual matters here God is is way ahead of the Israelites. He knows what's before then And so he knows that he's going to make a way for them and he does and he provides them this way and so we often think there's no way for us and we try to help ourselves out by trying to help out God. Trying to help out God. Well, he hasn't responded yet. So I guess it's up to me. And then we do our own thing. The point number two is God takes us through that which we want to avoid. That's on 23 again. They do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for you are with me. You're wrong and your staff they comfort me don't we look at the passages of found in the New Testament twice? We learned that Jesus says I am with you. I will never leave you I will never forsake you.
So we understand that when we go through the trials of life when we go through seasons of hardness when you go through difficulties likely have through 2020. God's widows
process what shall we fear? If God be with us who can be against us.
Why do we fear? It's because we have yet to trust the way God desires us to trust him. Look what the people did here. They're in a place where there's no estate. But God knows there's an escape God is going to provide an escape 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13 talking about temptation. He says with every Temptation God will provide an escape. We just have to be cognizant of that fact that we have to be ready to take advantage of the opportunity that comes our way. God said he won't turn his back on you. He won't turn his back on me. But I'm so bad. I've been sitting in and I've been doing this will change your mind change your mind about him change your mind about the directory of your life. Play great things are going to happen. Great. Things are going to happen. You know when God provides a commission when he commissioned Moses. He wasn't going to leave Moses to himself. When he commissioned the people of Israel to do what he desired them to do. He wasn't going to abandoned.
Jesus commissioned the church to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He was not going to abandon us. We understand that. This is part of the commission just like the apostles did in the first century. They established a church here for a number of years caring Corps the Lake Road Church of Christ. We have a mission and he's not going to abandon us. He's always going to make a way for us. We have to understand that and to understand that we have to put our trust in that. That's how much we have to trust. So do we also have responsibilities that comes with trust that is we got to do what God desires us to do to share Jesus with others to share Jesus with others. That's what we can do now if we do that. I wonder what kind of way God can make for us? God's willing to make that way are we willing to trust him to make that way? and so
Psalm 77 says your path LED through the sea your way through the mighty Waters though. Your Footprints were not seen you led. You let your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. God found a way to lead his people and He will lead you and he will leave me when I say you and me. I say he's going to lead you individually and he's going to lead us collectively as a body of Christ. We have to believe that we have to put our trust our faith in him. God is Not merely provide the best way but the way that is best for you. We also have to understand that. You often we go through troubles and crisis and we think maybe he's not listening to me. Maybe he has abandoned me. But you know, that's an absurdity, you know, that's an absurdity. Jesus exemplifies that fact on the cross He said my God my God. Why have you forsaken me? I asked you to this question. Do you think Jesus knew the scriptures?
He knew so I'm 22. He pointed this on 22 for purpose. It wasn't just to say my God. You have forsaken me. That's how we felt. But you read the rest of that song. And it says you have heard me you have not left me. Jesus is pointing that out perhaps to the crowds that were walking by and spitting on them. And calling him all sorts of vile names blaspheming him. And he's calling their attention to Psalm 22. God hasn't left him. God is with him. And you need to know that. And I didn't know that at the time but they knew it 3 days later. They surely knew it 3 days later.
Isaiah 43 says this is what the Lord says your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel for your sakes. I will send an Army against Babylon.
Forcing the Babylonians to flee into those into those ships. They are so proud of I am the Lord your holy one is real kreator in King. I am the Lord who open the way through the waters making a dry pass through the sea I call forth the mighty Army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves. They drowned their last snuffed out like a smoldering Candlestick candle wick. That's what Isaiah is prophesying here trying to cope with the people of Israel. He says remember back remember what I am did. Over and over again. He called out saying I am the Lord I am the Lord.
We need to know he is indeed is the Lord.
The finally becoming the Hebrews chapter 10. Does therefore Brethren having a boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a New and Living Way a New and Living Way the neighbors Rider here's contrasting the way that was made previously called the old Covenant law and now he says no no. No, we have a New and Living Way that always gone. It's dead. We don't live by that but he says we live by a New and Living Way, which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart and full Assurance of faith.
but in the same context He says previously saying sacrifice and offering burnt offerings and offerings for send you did not desire nor had pleasure in them, which are offered according to the law. Then he said behold. I have come to do your Will O God, he takes away the first that he may establish the second talking about the first Covenant and now the second Covenant the old Covenant the New Covenant, so he says I have made a way. And it's called a new coven. It's called the second Covenant and noticed what he says by that will. We have been Sanctified not by the old will but by that second will we have been Sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus?
once for all It's all Jesus has indeed made a way yet again for his people. And that ought to be good news for us because that's what the Bible is about. It points to Jesus. He's the good news and what he says is good news. And here's what Jesus said about. Being consecrated by a New and Living Way. He says he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. He's provided a new way away that was separate and apart distinct. Totally in holy from what was previously mentioned before and the Old Law and just like giving his people in the of the Israelites leaving them out of Egypt he gave them away. And now he's leaving us out of the Wilderness of sin and providing us a new way no longer in bondage to sin no longer enslaved to sin because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. That's the second way. That's the Wheel by which we live. If you're subject to that invitation when she calls us to want you come forward and say that's Together We Stand and sing.