Don't Be Afraid of the Future; It's All in God's Hands

begin our worship and we're singing firstly tonight from Psalm 105.

Psalm 105 on page 138, June of Saint Daniel, and we're singing verses 1 to 11.

Give thanks to the Lord God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.

Sing praises to him and his exploits at record. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.

You chosen ones look to the Lord and his might. Seek ever his face and his wondrous recite.

His miracles too and his judgments divine. You children of Abraham, Jacob's own line.

Reminding us how important it is to sing praise to God, to praise him for all his acts,

and especially for those that we experience ourselves from day to day. Give thanks to the Lord God.

Amen.

Amen.

Let our God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.

Sing praises to him and his ex-wife's regard. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.

Amen.

Mormon God and call on his side.

This pardon me.

Make us do, and each judgment's divine,

You children of Israel and Jacob's own life.

The Lord is our God, and He rules all the earth.

Remember in His covenant, the word He set forth.

He worked for the ages to come to make good,

His promise to Abraham, to rise and renew.

To take up this sovereign decree was made sure,

With His service coming would always endure.

To you I will give past your portion to stand,

The country of kingdom, the beautiful land.

Let's now call upon the Lord in prayer.

We're going to join together in prayer.

Our gracious and eternal God, we thank you that we too have come to receive your covenant blessings,

That covenant which has been enforced throughout all the ages of your church.

And we thank you that tonight we enter into further experience of your covenant promises,

And your covenant blessings.

Where we gather together as a people who worship the God who is mentioned in these words we have sung,

The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of the living and not of the dead,

The God who continues to bless His people,

And the God whose promises we continue to enjoy and to anticipate those that have yet to be fulfilled.

Oh Lord, we thank you for your commitment and steadfastness to all that you have promised to do for your people.

We know that many of these have already been fulfilled,

And fulfilled abundantly and wonderfully in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For that great promise that He would come and be the Savior of His people,

That He would come into this world and give Himself a ransom for many.

How wonderfully, Lord, that has been accomplished already.

And we give thanks for the opportunity to remember His death that we engaged in last Lord's Day.

And we thank you, O Lord, for all that accompanies your promises in the teaching of your word.

We thank you that they are especially accompanied by your faithfulness and your power,

Your ability to bring these promises to pass,

And your faithfulness to ensure that they will do so.

We thank you, O Lord, tonight that we come as a congregation of promises.

For we are in some way or other the product of those who have come to reveal,

To be recipients of your promises in generations before us.

We thank you that we are the product of their prayers.

As we have come into the possession of the blessings of your covenant.

We pray tonight, Lord, for further blessing.

The blessing of your Holy Spirit taking the things of Christ and showing them to us.

And the blessing of instilling in our hearts an enlargement of that hope that belongs to your people.

That hope that looks towards the fulfillment of the Canaan of the Old Testament in the heaven that you hold before us.

As the final terminus of blessedness for your people.

We pray tonight, O Lord, that your blessing will encompass us and come to involve each one of us.

Lord, each one of us, as we gather before you, come to acknowledge our need.

And come to acknowledge that we stand before you as those who once again come to open our hearts to receive that supply of your own holy blessing that will meet us in our need.

And so bless us, we pray each one.

Bless us together as a congregation.

Bless us, Lord, in all our activities.

Those that we anticipate in this week to come.

We pray that your blessing will be with us in all our times of worship.

And in all our other activities as well.

And we thank you for all that we are able to engage in.

And to participate in as a people.

Your goodness, Lord, is opened up for us each day.

And provides for us each day.

And we give thanks, O Lord, that in your goodness you continue so to bless us.

Lord, we remember tonight those who have different needs to our own in different parts of the world.

And we think especially of those who are not able to be with us in our own community.

Those who are confined to hospitals, to care homes, to their own homes as well.

Through illness, through recovery, through various types of ailments that affect us from day to day, from time to time.

And we ask your blessing, O Lord, especially on those whose faculties have begun to fail.

Whether it be in terms of mental ability or physical.

O Lord, we pray for them.

We pray for those who care for them.

Those who are anxious over them.

Those who look to their needs.

And pray that you would bless them, O Lord, as all of them together share in these difficult issues of life.

We pray for those who mourn the passing of loved ones.

We pray that you would grant them your comfort, your consolation.

And we pray for your guidance for them, for your strengthening of them.

Help them, we pray, to face the issues of living without loved ones.

Especially, Lord, when we find that so often in life we have unexpected developments, even in the passing of loved ones.

And we pray that you would bless all those who are tonight in such situations.

We pray your blessing, too, for all that we, Lord, know of in our own midst, as difficulties in our community.

Those who wrestle with addictions of various kinds.

And those who seek to help them.

Those who have loneliness to contend with day by day.

Remember them, we pray.

And grant to them that they may know your own company and your own fellowship.

For that is above all what we prize in this life, O Lord, by way of companionship.

To have the Lord with us.

And to know that the Lord is indeed in our hearts and in our homes.

In all aspects of our life.

We pray your blessing on all who go out with the gospel to various parts of the world.

We pray that you would remember her own Muriel.

As she continues in Cambodia to serve you.

Be with her there and grant her continued safety and continued blessing on her work.

Remember the work of SGA, especially in these difficult times.

In Central Europe, Ukraine especially.

Grant them your continued blessing and provision for them.

Oh Lord, we thank you for the account recently given to us by them.

That they see further blessing despite the difficulties.

And even increased blessing in places despite the challenges they face.

Continue, Lord, we pray to provide for them.

And all who witness to the Jewish people.

All who witness to Muslim people in different parts of the world.

Oh gracious one, we're so conscious of tensions.

And of violence and conflict.

Even between such people.

And we pray for days of peace.

We pray that you would come and show us your power once again.

In the advancement of your kingdom.

And in the love of Christ being shown amongst so many people throughout the world.

Remember us then now we pray as we continue here before you.

Grant us your blessing as we seek your word, Lord, to be once again placed in our hearts.

By the power of your spirit.

And help us in all of these aspects of our worship.

To give glory and honor and praise to your glorious majestic name.

We pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

We'll sing once again to God's praise.

This time is Psalm 3.

Psalm number 3 in the Sing Psalms version.

That's on page 3.

We're singing verses 1 to 6.

The tune is Finart.

Oh Lord, how many are my foes.

How many up against me rise.

They all are saying now to me, in vain, he on his God relies.

But you are my protector, Lord.

You are a shield around me spread.

My glory comes from you alone.

The one who raises up my head.

When to the Lord I lift my voice in face of those who hate me still.

The Lord will hear my cry to him and answer from his holy hill.

I settle down and sleep in peace.

I wake in God's upholding hand.

I will not fear ten thousand foes whose circling round against me stand.

Difficult to sleep on a battlefield, isn't it?

Yet in the Christian battle, in the various conflicts of the Christian life,

we find the psalmist so often pointing us to the place of peace in the Lord,

where here he calls upon the Lord as his shield, his protector,

the one who gives him the raising up of his head in victory.

And we sing these verses knowing that the Lord has already given us that in Jesus Christ,

that we come to share in that when we come to place our life in his hands.

Oh Lord, how many are my foes. How many up against me rise.

May Allah say in the hour of me rise.

And may Allah say in the hour of me.

And may he on his love.

May Allah say in the hour of me.

And may he on his love.

May Allah say in the hour of me.

But you are my,

How many up against me rise.

How many up against me rise.

May Allah say in the hour of me.

And may he on his love.

May Allah say in the hour of me.

But you are my protector, Lord.

You have a shield around me, say.

My glory comes from you alone,

The one who raises up my head.

When to the Lord I lift my voice,

In face of those who hate me still,

The Lord will hear my guide to him,

And answer from his glory.

I settle down and sleep in peace.

I wake in God's upholding hand.

I will not fear ten thousand holes,

Who serve the man against his hand.

Now let's turn to read God's word.

Our reading tonight is from the book of Genesis.

The book of Genesis and chapter 45.

At verse 16.

And we'll read into the first part of chapter 46.

Down as far as verse 7.

So that's Genesis chapter 45.

Genesis 45 · chapter mention

From verse 16.

This is when Joseph's brothers had arrived in Egypt.

The report was given in Pharaoh's house that they had arrived.

And so we read from that point as Pharaoh speaks.

And then on into the next chapter.

So from verse 16.

When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house,

Joseph's brothers have come.

It pleased Pharaoh and his servants.

And Pharaoh said to Joseph,

Say to your brothers,

Do this.

Load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan.

And take your father and your households and come to me.

And I will give you the best of the land of Egypt.

And you shall eat the fat of the land.

And you, Joseph, are commanded to say,

Do this.

Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives.

And bring your father and come.

Have no concern for your goods.

For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.

The sons of Israel did so.

And Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh.

And gave them provisions for the journey.

To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes.

But to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver.

And five changes of clothes.

To his father he sent as follows.

Ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt.

And ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread and provision for his father on the journey.

Then he sent his brothers away.

And as they departed he said to them.

Do not quarrel on the way.

So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.

And they told him,

Joseph is still alive.

And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.

And his heart became numb.

For he did not believe them.

But when they told him all the words of Joseph.

Which he had said to them.

And when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him.

The spirit of their father Jacob revived.

And Israel said,

It is enough.

Joseph my son is still alive.

I will go and see him before I die.

So Israel took his journey.

With all that he had.

And came to Beersheba.

And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night.

And he said,

Jacob, Jacob.

And he said,

Here am I.

Then he said,

I am God.

The God of your father.

Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.

For there I will make you into a great nation.

I myself will go down with you to Egypt.

And I will also bring you up again.

And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.

Then Jacob set out from Beersheba.

The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father.

Their little ones and their wives in the wagons.

That Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

They also took their livestock and their goods.

Which they had gained in the land of Canaan.

And came into Egypt Jacob and all his offspring with him.

His sons and his sons' sons with him.

His daughters and his sons' daughters.

All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

Amen.

May God again bless us as we read his precious word.

We'll sing once again in Psalm 37.

This time Psalm 37 on page 254.

And the tune this time is Weatherby.

Psalm 37 from verse 23.

Down as far as verse 28.

A good man's footsteps by the Lord are ordered aright.

And in the way wherein he walks he greatly doth delight.

Although he fall, yet shall he not be cast down utterly.

Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.

I have been young and now am old.

Yet have I never seen the just man left.

Nor that his seed for bread have beggars been.

And so on down as far as verse 28.

A good man's footsteps by the Lord.

I have been young and now, but I am young and now.

And so on down as far as verse 28.

And the Lord is in the way.

I have been young and now.

And so on down as far as verse 28.

And so on down as far as verse 28.

And the words or whilst white are ordered air aright.

And in the way where he walks, he greatly glad he lies.

O glory, O yet shall he not be cast of lottery,

Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.

I have been young and never old, yet have I never seen

The just one left, nor the ungecee, Forbred a beggar dream.

He's never merciful and blessed, His seed is blessed before.

Depart from evil and new good And dwell forevermore.

For God loves judgment and his saints, Bleeds not in any case.

They are death, ever but the Lord Shall lead the sinners with him.

Well, if you turn with me now, please, to Genesis chapter 46.

Genesis 46 · chapter mention

In Genesis 46, we're going to look at the first four verses of Genesis 46.

Let's just read these verses again.

So Israel, that's of course Jacob,

He took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba

And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said,

Jacob, Jacob.

And he said, Here am I.

Then he said, I am God, the God of your father.

Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,

For there I will make you into a great nation.

I myself will go down with you to Egypt,

And I will also bring you up again.

And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.

The fear of the future, to some extent at least,

Is very common, I'm sure, to every human being,

To some extent or other.

It's a very natural part of our experience,

To have some element of fear,

As we look into the future.

Especially when we consider certain possibilities.

They may never happen,

But they come to our minds as possibilities.

But there are also things which you know are going to be inevitable,

Which also may instill a sense of fear in our hearts about the future.

For all of us as individuals.

For all of us as individuals.

Serious illness.

The issue of death itself.

Unemployment.

For younger ones, the development of our career.

Various other items like that,

And many other items like that.

As they form part of our daily experience in life,

Can be a source of fear for us.

As we look into a future,

Which we ourselves actually cannot control.

Which we ourselves cannot see clearly,

At least most of the time.

So the fear of the future is a natural element in our thinking.

And that also applies to groups of people.

It applies to congregations like yourselves.

There are many things in the experiences of congregations,

As congregations,

That they may have some sense of foreboding,

Or fear, or anxiety over.

For example,

A vacancy such as you yourselves are going to experience,

Very shortly.

And for me,

Fear may actually be part of

What looks,

As I look ahead to retirement,

Which I don't know anything about just now.

Even though I've taken some soundings

From some people who are already retired.

But there are certain aspects of that,

When it's something you're not being used to.

There are aspects of that,

That may instill some anxiety,

Or doubts,

Or even fear in one's mind.

And it really means that

Congregations,

As well as individuals,

Need from God,

From time to time,

From God,

A reassurance,

That everything is well in His hands.

And that's what we're going to look at tonight.

And we're going to try and apply this

To the future,

Whatever it may hold for us,

Not to be afraid.

We're giving it the title,

Don't be afraid of the future.

It's all in God's hands.

And we're looking at it

From the perspective of Jacob,

And his meeting with God here,

And what God said to him,

As Jacob prepared to go,

Down into the land of Egypt.

Believers need reassurance,

From time to time.

We all need reassurance,

And our great reassurance,

Comes from God Himself,

Primarily.

That is the kind of reassurance,

We require.

Now that's not contrary,

To faith.

Just because somebody needs reassurance,

Or comes to God with certain questions,

About an unknown future,

That doesn't mean,

Even if there's fear accompanying it,

And some doubt accompanying it,

Doesn't mean it's not real faith.

Faith needs to be assured.

The believer needs to be assured,

I should say.

And that happens all the way through the Bible.

You find people coming to Jesus Himself,

With questions relating to the future,

The disciples especially were anxious,

About Jesus no longer being physically with them.

He had told them that he had to go away,

That it was expedient for them.

They couldn't,

Of course,

Then understand that at the time.

And so they came to him,

With perplexed minds,

And you'll find in John's gospel,

Especially these great chapters,

Verse 15,

16,

14,

15,

16,

17,

The way in which Jesus addressed that fear,

And especially,

Let not your hearts be troubled.

You believe in God.

You believe also in me.

And here is Jacob,

Leaving Egypt,

Leaving,

To go to Egypt,

Leaving Canaan,

And taking his journey with all that he had,

On his way to Egypt,

To go back to sea,

To go down there to see Joseph,

Who he thought for many years was dead.

And here his heart revived again.

It's hard to imagine just how he must have felt,

When this news came to him,

That Joseph was still alive.

And not only was Joseph still alive,

He was under Pharaoh,

The most important man in Egypt.

He was in charge of Egypt.

He was a ruler in Egypt.

And when it came to him,

That this was indeed the case,

When he saw the evidence for himself,

The goods that Joseph had sent to him,

The spirit of Jacob revived.

And he said,

It's enough.

Joseph, my son, is still alive.

I will go and see him before I die.

And as he came to take his journey,

God came to meet with him.

And God spoke to him in visions of the night,

And said,

Jacob, Jacob.

And he said,

Here am I.

And then he said,

I am God,

The God of your father.

God came to address a very real fear

In Jacob's mind,

In Jacob's heart.

What would be the point of trying to reassure him

If there was no fear there to begin with?

And it may well be that

What had been passed on,

Because we believe that,

Of course,

His father Isaac,

And grandfather Abraham,

Would have passed on much of what they themselves

Had come to learn from God

During the course of these long years.

And one of the things that

God revealed to Abraham

Was that

His descendants would be

In Egypt,

Would be in Egypt

At a very difficult time.

In chapter 15,

You find God revealing this to Abraham.

Know for certain

That your offspring

Will be sojourners

In a land that is not theirs

And will be servants

By which he meant slaves there

And they will be afflicted

For four hundred years.

But I will bring judgment

On that nation.

It will appear that

I'm sure that

That was passed on to

His son Isaac

And then on to his son

That he would pass on

Orally these great teachings

From God

That had come to them.

And you can really understand

Why there might be

In Jacob's mind

A certain anxiety.

He had reasons to be anxious.

Was this going to be something

That enveloped him

If he went down to Egypt?

Was this going to be

The beginning of troubles?

Were the things that were revealed there

To Abraham

Going to start with him?

Going down to Egypt?

At that stage

He wouldn't know.

But here God comes

To address his mind

And address his anxiety.

And notice how he calls him

Jacob

Jacob

Personally

He comes

To this individual

Jacob

He's got all of these

Other people with him

But he's coming now

Especially to him

To address his

Sense of anxiety

As he's going down to Egypt

With all of those people

With him

And all his goods.

And he says

Jacob

Jacob

You see Jacob

Like ourselves

Had a specific need

At that time

And God came to him

Not in a general fashion

But he came to him

To address that specific need

And to speak into that specific need

To assure and to reassure Jacob

That he need not be afraid

And that very personal call

Jacob

Jacob

Showed Jacob

That God already knew everything about him

And when you come to have

Your own heart

And it's anxiety

Brought before God

When you come before God

And you receive

From the Bible

That reassurance

That you're seeking

At least you're praying

That that assurance

Or reassurance

Would be your

God doesn't go to somebody else with it

God doesn't say

Well I'll tell so and so

I'll tell your minister

And then he'll come and tell you

Or I'll tell your elders

It comes to yourself

That's why you've got a Bible

In your possession

So that you'll hear God

Speaking to you through it

That's why it's such a wonderful privilege

To have that particular word of God here

And of course you find similarly

When Jesus came to Peter

And he said to him

Simon, Simon

Luke 22

Simon, Simon

Satan has desired to have you

That he might sift you as wheat

He meant his desire to have all of you disciples

So that he might sift you like wheat

Just scatter you

Like you scatter wheat into the air

To get rid of the dross

He's desired to have you

That's Jesus coming to Peter

And saying

Simon, Simon

Individually

You, personally

I want to tell you this

Satan has desired to have you

But I have prayed for you

I've prayed for you

And today

And tonight

And always

If we are Christ

Then we are inside

His intercession

We are inside

What he is setting before

God the Father

What he himself

Is committed to

To protect us

And to keep us

And to guide us

Well here he says

Jacob

Jacob

And Jacob

Responds here

Am I

That brings us really to the crux of our study this evening

Where Jacob

Hears the voice of God

And said

I am God

I am God

Now you can pause there

Because these words themselves

Are really special

And very important

And very powerful

Because what God is saying is

This is the fundamental point

That you have to remember

This is what you must have

Underlying all your thoughts

Jacob

Whatever lies in the future for you

Never depart in your mind

From this great fact

I am God

And the word God there in Hebrew

Is the word El

Which you find attached to many Hebrew names

Elijah

Elusha

All of these names beginning with El

El is the name for God

And it particularly in Hebrew

That shortened form

Means

God Almighty

It has an emphasis on God's

Almightyness

On God's power

On God's ability

That limitless

Eternal

Ever unchanging

Ability and power

Of God

And there is this

Jacob hearing God

Saying to him

I am

God

I am God

The mighty God

The omnipotent God

The omnipotent God

That's who I am

He's saying

Why is he saying this

To Jacob

Why is that his introduction

Because he's going on to say

What that means

And it's working out

In the future of

Of

Of Jacob

As he will go down to Egypt

Spend some time there

And experience things there

I am

God

I am

El

A psalm we sang together

Psalm 3

Brings similar matters

Before us

The psalmist

As we sang there

Really saying

In his

His prayer to God

He is saying

Lord how many

Are my foes

Many are rising up

Against me

Many are saying

Of my soul

There is no salvation

For him

In God

But

You

You oh Lord

Are a shield

About me

My glory

And the oblifter

Of my head

You know it doesn't really

Matter in a sense

To any

Great extent

What somebody says to you

What somebody's

Opposition to you

Might be

What anxieties

May come into your mind

And whatever source

They may be from

What you really want to hear

Addressing

That is God

Saying to you

And God assuring you

I am God

I am ill

I am the almighty one

What he's effectively

Saying

To

To Jacob here is

I am God

You're going to go down

To Egypt

But I'm the master

Of Egypt

Egypt is in my hand

Just as Canaan is

I'm the boss

When it comes to Egypt

Not Pharaoh

So don't be afraid

To go down to Egypt

I am God

Not Pharaoh

Not the Egyptians

I am God

You know in 1 Kings

In chapter 17

Remember that incident

With Elijah

Where Elijah was

At the brook

Kerith

He was being fed

There

Ravens brought him

Food

And then God

Came to him

And he said to him

Get up from here

And go to Zarephath

A city in Sidon

For I have commanded

A widow woman there

To feed you

To look after you

Just think about that

Here is Elijah

By the brook

Kerith

Being cared for

By God

Through aspects

Of the creation itself

Of the natural world

And here is God

Saying to him

Get up from here

You need to move

From here

You need to go

To Zarephath

And what are you

Going to find

In Zarephath

Elijah

You're going to find

A woman

Already prepared

By God

To look after you

You know

In other words

Wherever you go

In life

If God is your guide

If God is your God

Wherever you go

In life

If this mighty

Ale is on your side

If this God

Who introduces himself

And says

I am God

You can be sure

Not only is he

Looking after you

Where you are

But he's going

To be ahead of you

Wherever you go

And he's going

To make preparation

For you

As he sees your need

As he sees fit

And so he's saying

Don't be afraid

Because I

Am God

What is making you

Anxious tonight

Where is the anxiety

In your heart

Coming from

Is it something

In your own life

Personally

Is it something

Happening in the world

Or in our community

Or in your family

Or in your neighborhood

That brings you

That anxiety

Is it a loved one

That's a source

Of anxiety

To you

Well here is God

Saying to you

I

Am God

It's all within

Who I am

As God

And what I am

And the fact

That I am God

Means that

In your

Particular

Personal

Circumstances

All that I am

Can be directed

To look after you

To guide you

To comfort you

To assure you

To bless you

You know

God being with

His people

Is a great truth

For us to actually

Have comfort from

But not only

Is it the fact

That God

Is with us

We'll see more

Of that in a minute

But there is also

The fact that

God actually

Is always ahead of us

Always

Ahead of you

You never have to

Have God

Catch up with you

But sometimes

We have to catch up

With God

And come to realize

Well yes

That preparation

Has been made for me

It's just like God said

I

Am God

But then he went on

To say I am God

The God of your father

He didn't just

Introduce himself

As God

The mighty one

He added to that

I am the God

Of your father

I'm your covenant God

I'm the God

Who has entered

Into covenant

With your father

Your grandfather

And others before them

And that covenant

Is a covenant

To which God

Is committed

A covenant

Which would involve

Which involves

So much blessing

So many assurances

And as we said earlier

All that would have been

Passed on to Jacob

From his father Isaac

And grandfather Abraham

That this God

Was a God

Of covenant

And covenant blessings

And covenant mercies

And covenant

Privileges

Abraham

You remember

Himself went down

To Egypt

And he was afraid

He was afraid

That the Egyptians

Would see that

Because his wife

Was very beautiful

Sarai

They would take her

And something would

Happen to him

Perhaps even be killed

And so he

Made a pact

With Sarai

And said

Don't say that

You're my wife

Tell them

You're my sister

That came out

Of fear

An unneeded fear

On the part

Of Abraham

And it didn't work

Well for him

Never does

When we pass

Something off

As untruth

Or even as a

Half truth

As it was then

He didn't tell

The whole truth

And so that fear

That was in Abraham

Some of that

Might have been

Here in

Jacob's heart

As well

As we said

The prospect

Of going down

To Egypt

Especially the prospect

As we said earlier

That maybe that

Would involve him

In what had been

Revealed to Abraham

Would happen

To his descendants

But God

Is committed

To his covenant

People

And his covenant

Promises

And wherever

God has promised

Something

You must never

Doubt that promise

You must never

Think that God

Is different

To what he has

Promised

That God is going

To change

His promises

That God is going

To suddenly not

Look after you

When all of

The way through

To this moment

He said

I am here

To look after you

I will guide you

I will keep you

I will bless you

And because

Something's happened

In your life

Or my life

That was unexpected

That doesn't mean

God has changed

Doesn't mean

His promises

Are no longer valid

Doesn't mean

He's no longer

Trustworthy

That's what the devil

Will try and persuade you of

That's what the world

Will try and persuade you of

That's what the psalmist

Had in Psalm 23

In Psalm 3

As we sang

How many say

There is no help

For him in God

The world's influence

Pouring into his mind

And saying

What's the point

Of actually trusting

In God

And of course

Then he realized

Well God's actually

My protector

He's my shield

He's the one

Who looks after me

And always will

I am the God

Of your father

I am your covenant

God

I am God

I am the God

Of your father

And then he goes

Into reasons

More in more detail

As to why Jacob

Need not

And must not

Be afraid

I am the God

Of your father

Do not be afraid

To go down

To Egypt

He didn't just

Leave it at saying

I am God

So don't be afraid

He added

In his kindness

Other things to that

That would actually be

Experienced by Jacob

Do not be afraid

For there

I will make you

Into a great nation

Now there's something

Here is a man

Who's been told

Through what's been

Passed by his father

And grandfather

That is descend

That his people

The people he belongs to

Are going to be

In great distress

In Egypt

They're going to be

Slaves in Egypt

They're going to be

Mistreated

They're going to be

There for a long

Long time

And here is God

Saying to him

There I will make

You a great nation

Now somebody reading

That or hearing

That might say

But God

Didn't you say

That there were

Going to be

All of these years

When these people

Of Abraham

And Isaac

And Jacob

And their descendants

Would be intensely

Persecuted

And in distress

And afflicted

How can it be

That they're going

To be multiplied

That they're going

To actually increase

That they're going

To be made

Into a great nation

There

Yes they're going

To be made

Into a great nation

But surely

It's when they

Come out

And end up

In Canaan

At last

Whenever that will be

Surely that's where

They're going to

Become a great nation

No that's not

What God is saying

There I will make you

A great nation

God knew very well

How they would be

Treated

Or mistreated

And yet here

He is assuring

Jacob

That's where

I'm going to

Make you a great nation

That's where

You'll know

My blessing

In your descendants

That's where

You will know

That I am God

That I am the

God of your father

That's where

You will know

That the difficulties

The afflictions

Of Egypt

The persecution

Your people

Will experience

In Egypt

Is no barrier

To my making

My promise

Fulfilled

To make you

A great nation

Now there's

So much of that

That we can

Pass into

Our own

Situation as well

For example

We had a recent

Vision from SGA

Who told us

About the situation

In Ukraine

And how challenging

That situation is

In Ukraine

For them

With all that

Still going on

In Ukraine

From the oppressive

Regime in Russia

That are trying

To still press on

And overtake

People of Ukraine

The church in Ukraine

Is active

In all of these

Difficult circumstances

But we heard

We heard

With tremendous

Encouragement

For ourselves

And a sense

Of gratitude

To God

And a sense

Indeed

Of feeling

Absolutely humbled

By hearing

Of these things

That there are

Churches there

And they are

Queuing to get

Into the churches

Even under

Such situations

And perhaps

Because of

Such situations

God as he is

Blessing that

Situation to them

Is not saying

To them

Don't go to

Churches now

It's too dangerous

God's spirit

At work

In them

Is bringing

People to see

As we heard

From the SGA

Representative

Derek Maxwell

Is bringing

People to see

The things

Of this world

Can disappear

Just like that

And we need

Something

More than this

World can offer

Us

As a foundation

For life

And a foundation

For eternity

Where is it

It's in this

I am God

I am the God

Of your father

There I will

Make you into

A great nation

The God of blessing

The God of power

The God whose power

Ensures that

Even in the depths

Of oppression

In Egypt

Jacob's descendants

Will multiply

They will become

A great nation

Because God

Had said so

And because

God will do so

Now you take

That with you

Into

Your own life

As well

Into the history

And experiences

Of the church

Of God

Of ourselves

As a congregation

Or denomination

Of your own life

As an individual

Think of the challenges

The difficulties

The trials

The pains

You've already

Experienced

As a Christian

The things

That were not

Expected

That caused you

Some bewilderment

And that you

Found difficult

To adjust

To

Loss of loved

Ones

Other providences

That

Were surprising

Unexpected

And caused

Affliction

To some extent

In your life

But here is something

You can go back to

And I can go back to

I know it's not

Always easy

We have to

We have to readjust

Sometimes our

Vision and come back

To God

And to what God

Is saying

Rather than just

Let our own thoughts

Dictate as to how

The way ahead

Should be

Here is God

Saying to you

And to me

In all the

Difficulties of life

I am God

I am the God

Of your Father

I am your covenant

God

And there

There in your

Afflictions

I can do things

That you just

Could not

Possibly measure

Or possibly expect

Isn't that why

Paul wrote to the

Corinthians

In the way he did

Our light

Affliction

Which is but

Temporary

Is working for us

A far more

Exceeding

And eternal

Weight

Of glory

You see what he's doing

He's saying

Afflictions

These Corinthians

Knew affliction

Paul knew affliction

He knew the difficulties

Of and the challenges

Of living as a Christian

And an apostle

In this world

But he calls them

Light afflictions

How can he possibly

Call them light afflictions

When you read later on

Of the list of things

That he went through

In the providence of God

That hurt him deeply

That caused him

To find such suffering

In his life

As he cried out

To God from

How can he call these

Light afflictions

Well because he's putting it

In the balance

If you like

And on the other side

There is

The glory that's in Christ

The glory that's in salvation

That exceeding

Weight

Of glory

And he says

These afflictions

Are working for us

By God's blessing

An eternal weight

Of glory

While we look not

At the things

Which are seen

But at the things

Which are unseen

For the things

Which are seen

Are temporal

Short lived

But the things

Which are unseen

Are eternal

And in a sense

That's what he's saying

To Jacob

Don't be afraid

To go down to Egypt

For there

I will make you

Into a great nation

There is where

Jacob's people

Are going to multiply

What God has purposed

What God brings about

Can't be reversed

You could say

There's more power

In a gram

Of grace

Than in a ton

Of affliction

And that follows

Through

Into

The Christian life

Today

But it's not just that

I will go with you

And I will make of you

There a great nation

I myself

Will go down

With you

To Egypt

It wasn't enough

For Jacob

And it wasn't as far

As God was concerned

It wasn't enough

That he would say

To Jacob

Don't be afraid

To go to Egypt

For there I will make you

Into a great nation

Full stop

No he added to that again

I myself

Will go with you

What a remarkable statement

God

Going down

To Egypt

To be with this man

Jacob

And that's what he's saying

I myself

Will go down

With you

To Egypt

He's not just going

To send an angel

He's not going to send

A representative

From heaven

To accompany Jacob

To go with him

And to be with him

In Egypt

I myself

Will go with you

Are there any words

More precious

In human experience

Than that

And God

Saying to his

Believing people

I will go with you

Into your afflictions

Into your challenges

Into your difficulties

Into your trials

I'll not just take you

To the borders

Of Egypt

If you need to go

Right into Egypt

Jacob

As you need to

I will go down

With you

You'll find me

In Egypt

There are no barriers

To my entrance

To Egypt

And so it is true

Still

You can depend

On God

To have his company

As he has promised

There are so many

Instances in the Bible

Of that

Daniel

The fiery furnace

You remember

Nebuchadnezzar's

Astonish

When he was astonished

That he had thrown

Three of these Hebrew lads

Into the fire

Not only were they not burnt

But there was a fourth figure

And he was just astonished

When he saw this

And he said

Did we not cast

Three men

Into the fire

But I see a fourth

And his appearance

Is like

A son of the gods

I think we should

Translate it that way

Rather than

The son of God

His appearance

Is like

A son of the gods

In other words

Nebuchadnezzar

Was astonished

At what he saw

And what astonished him

As much as anyone else

Not as anything else

Not just that these three men

Were untouched by the fire

There was another person

And that person

Was divine

There was something about him

Different to the other three

The presence

Of the Lord

Was with them

Even there

I will make you

A great nation

All the way through

To

Matthew's

Jesus in Matthew 28

Lo I am with you

To the end of the age

Go into the world

And

Make disciples

And I am with you

But if you remember

Moses

In Exodus

Exodus 33 · chapter mention

Chapter 33

It's a wonderful passage

That personally

I've many often found

As

Something to enter

Into my own prayers

As well

Moses

In his

Speaking with God

There

As they were going to

Move on

As a people

Here is Moses saying

Chapter 33

Of Exodus

And verse

12

Moses said

See now you say to me

Bring up this people

But you have not

Let me know

Whom you will send

With me

Yet you have said

I know you by name

And you have also

Found favour

In my sight

Now therefore

If I have found

Favour in your sight

Please show me

Now your ways

That I may know you

In order to find

Favour in your sight

Consider too

That this nation

Is your people

And God said

My presence

Will go with you

And I will give you rest

And then what did

Moses say

Well he took

Encouragement from that

And he immediately said

If your presence

Will not go with me

Do not bring us

Up from here

For how shall it be known

That I have found

Favour in your sight

I and your people

Is it not

In your going with us

So that we are distinct

I and your people

From every other people

On the face of the earth

And the Lord said to Moses

This very thing

That you have spoken

I will do

You see

God had said to them

Previously

Shortly before that

Because of the grievous sin

Of this golden calf

That they had made

This image

That he would not

Go with them

That he would send

His angel

And Moses knew

Well we need more

Than an angel

Lord we need yourself

And if you do not

Go with us

Don't take us up

Just leave us here

What will be the point

And so for you

And for me tonight too

Surely

That's what you find

Included in these words

To Jacob

I myself

Will go with you

Aren't you thankful

Tonight

To have all kinds

Of assistance

From God

Aren't you thankful

Tonight

To read in the Bible

That the angels

Of God

Surround his people

That they accompany

His people

That they have

Manifested themselves

At times

To his people

But here's the most

Wonderful truth of all

That God is with you

That God will always

Be with you

That he will go with you

Into every Egypt

He has for you

In his providence

And that you will

Know him there

As the God

Whose presence

Is invaluable

To you

And always

Will be

I am God

I am the God

Of your Father

I myself

Will go with you

Into Egypt

And then

And I will bring you

Up again

I will bring you

Up again

Not only am I God

And am I your

Covenant God

And not only

Is there with that

That I will go with you

Into Egypt

But I won't leave you there

I will bring you

Up again

You see

There is God

Assuring

Jacob

As he's about to

Go on his journey

To Egypt

Egypt's not going

To be your resting place

Jacob of course

Was buried in Canaan

And the people

That descended from him

Having spent all of these years

Oppressed in Egypt

Yet they were brought out

By God

And led onwards

To the land of Canaan

The land of promise

I will not leave you there

It's interesting

And it's significant

That a number of times

In this passage

The word Israel

Is used along with

The word Jacob

As well as the word Jacob

Israel of course

Being the name

That God gave

To Jacob

At a certain juncture

Before this

And here is the word again

Israel

Just putting us in mind

And anticipating really

What you find in the book

Of Exodus onwards

That Israel means

Not just Jacob in person

But his descendants

The people

That came from him

Israel took his journey

Then Jacob sent out

Set out from Beersheba

Here is Jacob

Being assured

That Egypt's not going

To be the final

Dwelling place

For himself

Or for his people

And so it is too

With whatever afflictions

Come your way

God's not going

To leave you there

As Jeremiah found out

And as he tells us

In his Lamentations

In that great chapter 3

Of Lamentations

Though the Lord

Cause grief

Yet will he have

Compassion

According to his

Steadfast love

For he does not

Willingly afflict

Or grieve

The children of men

God doesn't bring us

Into afflictions

To leave us there

They have their own use

And as they've made

As they are made

By God

A means by which

We get to know him

Better

So the assurance

Is that's not

Your final resting place

That's not where

I'm going to leave you

I will take you up again

And that ultimately

Of course

Applies to death itself

Because you have

The language here really

Which in other parts

Of the Bible

Is used as the language

Of resurrection

I will bring you up again

I will raise you again

I will bring you up

Out of Egypt

So if you think of

Egypt as a temporary

Place for Jacob

To dwell in

A place of oppression

A place of difficulty

For his descendants

I'm not going to leave you

There God is saying

I will bring you up again

And so you find

Jesus in John chapter 6

John 6 · chapter mention

You remember his teaching

There saying

In verse 40 especially

Where he spoke of himself

In that chapter

As the bread of life

And where he came

In verse 40

For this is the will

Of my father

That everyone

Who looks on the son

And believes in him

Should have eternal life

And I will raise him up

On the last day

I will bring

His body back up again

On the last day

I will raise him up

I will not leave him

In the grave

They will come to be with me

God says in heaven

And you see he's saying

In a marvelous way

Of finishing this

Just allow me to

To say this point

In verse 4

I myself will bring

I will go down with you

To Egypt

And I will also

Bring you up again

And Joseph's hand

Shall close your eyes

That's so beautiful

Because this man

Jacob had said

Of his son Joseph

He is undoubtedly dead

When you go to chapter 37

And in 37 verse 35

Just read the words there

Of Jacob

In chapter 37

35

Well in 33

He identified the garment

As the son's robe

Joseph's robe

He said

A fierce animal has devoured him

Joseph is without doubt

Torn to pieces

Then Jacob tore his garments

And put sackcloth on his loins

And mourned for his son

For many days

All his sons

And all his daughters

Rose up to comfort him

But he refused

To be comforted

And said

No

I shall go down to Sheol

I shall go down to the grave

To my son

Mourning

And here he is

In chapter 46

What a difference

To what he had envisaged

And feared

I shall go down

To the grave

Mourning

With my son

And here's God

Saying to him

Joseph

Shall close your eyes

In other words

He's saying to Jacob

When you die

Joseph will be there

And the closing of your eyes

In death

Most people die

Or some people anyway

With their eyes open

They pass away

Their eyes need to be closed

Then by somebody there

Just to take their eyelids

And close them down

Joseph