Salvation – God rescues people

Please.

Thanks, Alex.

Okay, if you could turn to your Bibles, please, to the end of Genesis.

The very last chapter, I haven't got a page number, but it's the first book in the Bible.

And as always, you'll need your Bible.

We're going to be reading quite a few chunks from the book of Exodus,

so it'll help you to follow along to make sure that what I'm saying is what God says.

This is all part of our big series looking at God's big story,

and central to that is his plan of salvation.

So we're going to pray and ask for God's help as we look at this together.

Let's pray.

Father, we come to you and we ask.

We ask things of you because you are a good and generous God,

loving towards all that you have made.

And you love to give the gift of your Spirit to your children,

to all who will come with open and empty hands,

so that you may fill us afresh.

So we come to you completely dependent on you.

We submit ourselves to you, to the authority of your Word and its truth,

asking that by your Spirit,

you would speak into our lives

and help us to see the wonder of your salvation plan,

not just for us,

but for the whole world.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, you can't help but notice it.

The more that people rebel,

the more God's determination to rescue.

The more that people sin,

the more God's desire to save.

And that's the recurring theme of God's big story.

We see it right at the very beginning of the story,

where Adam and Eve disobey God,

but yet God responds with a promise to crush the head of Satan.

As the story progresses,

we see that wickedness and rebellion against God increases,

yet God intervenes and saves Noah and his family.

But even with that act of salvation,

the world continues to defy God,

yet into the midst of the broken world,

God announces his plan

to bring the blessing of salvation to the nations

through Abraham.

God is determined to save.

And we also see this

at the very end of Genesis in chapter 50.

You see, over the course of history,

it seems that each new generation

is worse than the one before.

In fact, the story of Genesis ends

with an out-of-control, dysfunctional family.

The father, Jacob,

who had lived a life of deception,

sends his 11 lying and scheming sons to Egypt

because there's been a severe famine.

Now, when the brothers arrive in Egypt,

they get the shock of their lives.

Why?

Well, they come face to face

with the youngest brother,

Joseph,

who they had hated

and they had sold into slavery years before

and told lies to their father

saying that he'd been eaten by wolves.

Little did they know,

but under God's amazing control,

this younger brother

who had been sold into slavery

was now the second most powerful ruler

in the whole of Egypt.

So God's plan of salvation

is still being worked out.

Look what Joseph says to his brothers

when he meets them

after all of these years.

Chapter 50, verse 19.

So you can imagine Joseph,

who's been put into slavery,

now risen to the heights of great power,

meeting his brothers.

And look what he says.

Verse 19 of chapter 50,

But Joseph said to them,

Don't be afraid.

Am I in the place of God?

You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good

to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives.

You see,

despite people's continued rebellion,

God's salvation plan

is still on course.

the saving of many lives.

So let's see this plan of salvation

in action.

We might jump from Genesis to Exodus

to continue the story,

but we need to remember

as we turn the page,

400 years have passed,

and things are not looking good.

Over time,

this ever-growing family

who have now come to be called

the nation of Israel

have ended up

just as Joseph did.

They're all slaves.

And they're now under a new ruler

who's come to power,

Pharaoh,

who is a brutal oppressor

and dictator.

So look at Exodus chapter 1, verse 8.

Exodus 1:8

Then a new king,

who did not know about Joseph,

came to power in Egypt.

Look,

he said to his people,

the Israelites have become too much,

too numerous for us.

Come,

we must deal shrewdly with them,

or they will become even more numerous.

And if war breaks out,

we'll join our enemies,

fight against us,

and leave the country.

verse 14.

They made their lives bitter

with hard labour,

in brick and mortar,

and with all kinds of work

in the fields.

In all their hard labour,

the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.

And so ruthless was their slavery,

and in an attempt to keep

these people under control,

look at verse 22.

Pharaoh gave this order

to all his people.

Every boy

that is born

to the Israelites,

well,

you must throw them

into the Nile,

into the river Nile.

That's to kill them.

But let every girl

live.

So this nation,

this people,

are in a complete mess,

in a life

of absolute

misery.

And so we're asking

the question

at the very beginning,

well,

what about this

saving of many lives?

What about

God's salvation's plan?

Well,

God has made a promise.

He knows

our condition,

and nothing

will ever derail

his plan.

Look at chapter 2,

verse 23.

Chapter 2,

verse 23.

During that long period,

the king of Egypt

died.

And the Israelites

groaned in their slavery

and cried out.

It's a cry of salvation.

And their cry for help

because of their slavery

went up to God.

God heard their groaning,

and he remembered

his covenant

with Abraham,

with Isaac,

and with Jacob.

So God looked

on the Israelites

and was concerned

about them.

You see,

God in his love

does not give up

on his people.

Another 400 years

of rebellion

had passed,

but God

is still

in pursuit.

God is relentless

in his desire

to rescue us.

He has made

a promise

to save,

and he will keep

that promise

to save.

So we're going

to look at

three things

about God's

salvation plan

in action.

Here's the first one.

God frees us

from our slavery

to sin.

Look at chapter 3,

verse 7.

The Lord said,

I have indeed

seen the misery

of my people

in Egypt.

I have heard

them crying out

because of their

slave drivers,

and I am concerned

about their suffering.

So I have come

down to rescue

them from the

hand of the Egyptians

and to bring them

up out of the land

into a good

and spacious land,

a land flowing

with milk and honey,

the home of the

Canaanites,

Hittites,

Amorites,

Perizzites,

and Hivites,

and Jebusites.

And now the cry

of the Israelites

has reached me,

and I have seen

the way the Egyptians

are oppressing them.

Did you hear

what God said

to them

in verse 8?

He says,

I will bring

them up

out.

It's the language

of redemption.

In other words,

God is going

to free them

from their

slavery.

slavery.

You see,

Israel's

physical slavery

under Pharaoh

is just a picture

of their

spiritual slavery

to sin.

Generation

after generation,

this people

have pushed God

out of their lives.

And when we live

in rebellion

against God,

we don't just

gain our freedom,

we lose our freedom.

Just like Israel,

we live under the

control of an

evil oppressor

who wrecks our lives,

who holds us in

bondage to our sin,

Satan himself.

And we've followed

in his ways

and we've joined

in this rebellion

against God.

And the problem

is, like Israel,

we're enslaved

to sin.

We're under

a brutal oppressor

and we cannot

save ourselves.

That's why

this book

is called

Exodus.

Exodus

simply means

exit

or

departure.

In other words,

God is going

to come and

defeat the oppressor

so that they

can be released.

They will

exit

their slavery

and live life

in a new land

as God

intends.

Now,

the way in which

God is going

to save

his people

is through

his chosen

servant,

Moses.

Have a look

at chapter 6,

verse 1.

Chapter 6,

verse 1.

Then the Lord

said to Moses,

Now you will

see what I

will do

to Pharaoh.

Because of

my mighty

hand,

he will

let them

go.

Because of

my mighty

hand,

he will

drive them

out of

his country.

Chapter 6,

verse 6.

Therefore,

say to the

Israelites,

I am the

Lord,

and I will

bring you

out from

under the

yoke of

the Egyptians.

I will

free you

from being

slaves to

them.

I will

redeem you

with an

outstretched

arm,

with mighty

acts of

judgment.

I will

take you

as my

own

people,

and I

will be

your God.

Then you

will know

that I

am the

Lord,

your God,

who brought

you out

from under

the yoke

of the

Egyptians.

And I

will bring

you to

the land

I swore

with uplifted

hands to

give to

Abraham,

to Isaac,

and to

Jacob.

I will

give it

to you

as a

possession.

I am

the Lord.

You see,

God is

going to

work his

plan of

salvation

through his

servant

Moses,

but let's

not miss

the point.

It is

God who

is going

to save.

Look what

it says

in those

verses.

I will

bring you

out.

I will

set you

free.

I will

redeem you.

I will

take you.

I will

bring you.

Salvation

is something

that we

cannot achieve

on our

own.

It is

something

that God

does for

us on

our behalf.

Now

incredibly,

what God

does for

one nation,

freeing them

from slavery,

God has

promised to

do for

all nations

through his

servant

son,

Jesus

Christ.

Listen to

what Jesus

said about

us.

It comes

from John's

Gospel,

chapter 8.

He says,

I tell you

the truth,

everyone who

sins is a

slave to

sin.

Now a

slave has

no permanent

place in the

family,

but a son

belongs to

it forever.

forever.

So if the

son,

that's

Jesus,

sets you

free,

you will

be free

indeed.

Do you

see?

Jesus is

our true

and ultimate

exodus.

He is the

one who

brings us

out.

He is the

one who

sets us

free from

our bondage

to Satan

and our

slavery to

sin,

freeing us

from the

oppressor

Satan,

crushing him

through his

death and

resurrection,

so that we

can be free

people and

live in a

relationship

with God.

So he

sets us

free from

our slavery

to sin.

Second,

he sets us

free from

the judgment

we deserve.

You see,

to bring about

Israel's

freedom,

God promises

to bring

his judgment.

And what

follows through

Exodus in

the next

section is

a series of

ten plagues.

We've probably

heard about it,

we may have

even seen it

on a film

on television.

Each plague

that God

sends is a

response to

Pharaoh's

stubborn refusal

to let the

people go.

So have a

look at

chapter 7,

verse 14.

Then the

Lord said

to Moses,

Pharaoh's

heart is

unyielding.

He refuses

to let the

people go.

So go to

Pharaoh in

the morning

as he goes

out to the

water.

Verse 16.

Then say

to him,

The Lord,

the God of

the Hebrews,

has sent me

to say to

you,

Let my

people go

so that

they may

worship me

in the

desert.

But until

now you

have not

listened.

This is

what the

Lord says,

By this

you will

know that

I am

the Lord.

With the

staff that

is in

my hand,

I will

strike the

water of

the Nile,

and it

will be

changed

into

blood.

The fish

in the

Nile will

die,

and the

river will

stink.

The Egyptians

will not be

able to

drink its

water.

And that's

what happens.

But even

though that

happens,

Pharaoh refuses

still to let

the people

go.

So in

response to

that,

the plagues

intensify,

one after

another,

and with

that the

severity of

judgment

increases with

each plague.

each one

is carefully

delivered to

provoke a

response so

that the

people would

wake up to

the situation

they are in

and turn

back to

God.

And we

see this

most clearly

with the

plague of

hail.

Have a

look at

chapter 9,

verse 13.

Then the

Lord said

to Moses,

Get up

early in

the morning,

confront

Pharaoh and

say to

him,

this is

what the

Lord,

the God

of the

Hebrew

says,

Let my

people go

so that

they may

worship me.

For this

time I will

send the

full force

of my

plagues

against you

and against

your officials

and your

people,

so you

may know

that there

is no one

like me

in all the

earth.

Down to

verse 19.

give an

order now

to bring

your

livestock and

everything you

have in the

field to a

place of

shelter,

because the

hail will

fall on

every man

and animal

that has

not been

brought in

and is still

out in the

field and

they will

die.

Now get

this,

verse 20,

those

officials of

Pharaoh who

feared the

word of

the Lord

hurried to

bring their

slaves and

their livestock

inside.

But those

who ignored

the word of

the Lord

left their

slaves and

livestock in

the field

and they

died.

Verse 27,

Then Pharaoh

summoned Moses

and Aaron,

This time I

have sinned,

he said to

them.

The Lord

is in the

right and

I and my

people are

in the wrong.

Pray to the

Lord, for we

have had enough

thunder and

hail.

I will let

you go.

You don't

have to stay

any longer.

Verse 34,

When Pharaoh

saw that the

rain and

hail and

thunder had

stopped,

he sinned

again.

He and his

officials hardened

their hearts.

So Pharaoh's

heart was

hard and he

would not let

the Israelites

go, just as

the Lord had

said, through

Moses.

Do you

see this

defiance

that continues

against God

and God

true to his

word delivered

the tenth

and last

plague.

Now all

these plagues

that we see

recorded here

is God's

just and

fair response

to those who

continually

rebel against

him.

And in case

we think God

is a bit too

quick and a bit

too harsh to

judge, remember

Egypt also

has had 400

years to

turn back to

God.

400 years

God has been

patient.

You see we

can't continue

to reject

God and

expect to

get away with

it.

This is God's

world.

He made us,

we belong to

him.

It's not our

life to do

whatever we

like.

Now the

problem with

this last

plague is

the tenth

plague is

going to

pass over

the whole

nation

of Egypt.

You see

Israel may

know of

God's promise

to save

but they

are no

less guilty

than the

Egyptians.

Christians.

And the

last plague

is most

serious

because

look at

chapter 11

verse 4.

Chapter 11

verse 4.

Moses said

this is what

the Lord

says.

About

midnight

I will

go

throughout

Egypt.

Every

firstborn

son in

Egypt will

die.

From the

firstborn

son of

Pharaoh sits

on the

throne to

the

firstborn

son of

the

slave

girl who

is at

her

hand

mill and

all the

firstborn of

the cattle

as well.

There will

be loud

wailing

throughout

Egypt worse

than there

has ever

been or

ever will

be again.

But among

the Israelites

not a dog

will bark

or any

man or

animal.

Then you

will know

that the

Lord makes

a distinction

between

Egypt and

Israel.

God will

keep his

promise to

save not

because Israel

deserve it

but because

of God's

intervening

grace.

Now to

experience

this

salvation

they must

do something

that seems

very strange

to us.

each family

or home

must go

and take

a lamb.

Look at

chapter 12

verse 5.

the animals

you choose

must be

year old

males

without

defect

and you

may take

them from

the sheep

or the

goats.

Take care

of them

until the

fourteenth

day of

the month

when all

the people

of the

community

of Israel

must slaughter

them at

twilight.

then they

are to

take some

of the

blood

and put

it on

the sides

and tops

of the

door frames

of the

houses

where they

eat the

lambs.

Now that's

really messy

isn't it?

Could you

imagine

getting a

bowl of

blood and

painting it

all round

the door

of your

house?

What would

your neighbours

think?

Why would

God tell

them to do

such a thing

like that?

Well look

at verse

12.

On that

same night

I will

pass through

Egypt

and strike

down every

firstborn

both man

and animals

and I

will bring

judgment

on all

the gods

of Egypt.

I am

the Lord.

The blood

will be

a sign

for you

on the

houses

where you

are

and when

I see

the blood

I will

pass

over you

and no

destructive

plague

will touch

you

when I

strike

Egypt.

God

graciously

provides a

means and a

way for the

people to

know salvation.

You see

God is

teaching them

and he's

teaching us

a really

important

lesson.

someone

something

must die

for all

this rebellion

and this

ongoing

defiance.

Remember

what God

had said

to Adam

and Eve

right at

the beginning

of the

story

when they

turned

against

God

if you

rebel

against

me

you

will

die.

You

die.

So

when they

took this

lamb

and they

slaughtered

this lamb

they're in

effect saying

this lamb

dies

instead of

me.

When they

got that

paint and

they put

that blood

on the

door

they're

thinking

this

is what

should

happen

to me.

This

should be

my blood.

of course

no lamb

could ever

deal with

the world's

sin

and God's

judgment

as the

sins

mountain

as the

rebellion

continued

God's

judgment

was still

there

but God's

plan of

salvation

continues

down through

the generations

and God

did something

that he said

he would do

and promise

he sent

his son

Jesus

our ultimate

Passover lamb.

Listen to

what the

apostle Peter

says

For you

know

that it

was not

with perishable

things such

as silver

and gold

that you

were redeemed

from your

empty way

of life

handed down

to you

by your

forefathers

but with

the precious

blood of

Christ

a lamb

without

blemish

or defect

Jesus

Christ

the

sinless

one

comes

and dies

instead

of you

and for

me

just as

Israel

stood

under the

blood

under the

door frames

and were

in their

houses

so we

come now

and we

stand under

that blood

spattered

cross

because at

the cross

the judgment

of God

passes

over

us

and instead

falls on

the lamb

Jesus

his son

he takes

the blame

for the guilt

of all

of our sin

freeing us

from the

judgment

that we

deserve

so he

frees us

from our

slavery

to sin

he frees

us

from the

judgment

we

deserve

and he

frees us

to live

in his

gracious

provision

you see

God would

set his

people free

from an

evil oppressor

but he

would do

more than

that

he would

graciously

provide for

them all

that they

needed for

their new

life

look what

happens in

chapter 12

verse 31

so the

Passover

has come

the last

plague has

fallen

judgment

has come

and we

read in

chapter 12

verse 31

during the

night

Pharaoh

summoned

Moses and

Aaron and

said up

leave my

people

you and

the Israelites

go worship

the Lord

as you have

requested

take your

flocks and

your herds

as you have

said and

go and

also bless

me

verse 35

the Israelites

did as

Moses had

instructed

and asked

the Egyptians

for articles

of silver

and gold

and for

clothing

and the

Lord had

made the

Egyptians

favorably

disposed

towards the

people

and they

gave them

what they

asked for

so they

plundered

the Egyptians

you see

not only

are the

people

redeemed

set free

from their

oppressor

not only

have they

been rescued

set free

from God's

just judgment

they are

now blessed

they've been

given all

that they

need for

their new

life

gold

silver

clothing

everything

they've

taken for

the Egyptians

and they've

carried it

with them

as they

go out

to start

their new

life

they're

free

people

and God

has given

them every

resource

as they

journey

with him

to go

and worship

him

now what

was material

blessing

for Israel

our same

great God

has supplied

us with

every spiritual

blessing

as we

continue to

journey

with him

again

listen

to the

apostle

Peter

his

divine

power

has

given

us

everything

we

need

for life

and

godliness

through

our

knowledge

of him

who

has

called

us

by his

own

glory

and

goodness

so

that

we

may

participate

in the

divine

nature

and escape

the corruption

in the

world

caused

by its

evil

desires

do you

see

that

god

has

given

us

all

that

we

need

as we

follow

him

we

no

longer

have

to

turn

back

to

sin

for

its

momentary

pleasures

we

no

longer

have

to

listen

to

satan

and

his

lies

and

live

under

his

oppression

we

no

longer

have

to

live

under

the

fear

of

god's

judgment

why

because

we've

been

set

free

and

in

our

freedom

we

now

run

to

christ

so

that

we

can

participate

in

his

divine

nature

and

know

the

power

of

his

holy

spirit

in

our

lives

working

within

us

and

through

us

so

that

people

like

you

and

me

can

escape

the

corruption

in

the

world

caused

by

its

evil

desires

he

has

supplied

us

with

everything

to

live

life

his

way

so

how

does

all

of

this

become

a

reality

for

us

how

can

we

know

god's

full

and

free

salvation

and

experience

it

on a

daily

basis

well

I

want

you

to

imagine

for a

minute

imagine

your

family

home

on

the

night

of

that

last

plague

there

you

are

in

your

house

you

watch

your

children

playing

on

the

floor

and

then

your

eldest

son

walks

in

he

knows

something's

not

right

but

he

doesn't

quite

understand

all

that's

going

on

he

can

feel

the

tension

and

you

look

at

your

wife

standing

motionless

the

blood

drained

from

her

face

in

worry

and

anxiousness

what

are we

going

to

do

and

then

you

remember

what

god

had

said

read

chapter

12

verse

22

take

take

a bunch

of

hyssop

dip

it

into

the

blood

in

the

basin

and

put

some

of

the

blood

on

the

top

and

on

both

sides

of

the

door

frame

not

one

of

you

shall

go

out

of

the

door

of

this

house

until

morning

when

the

lord

goes

through

the

land

to

strike

down

the

Egyptians

he

will

see

the

blood

on

the

tops

and

the

sides

of

the

door

frame

and

will

pass

over

that

doorway

and

he

will

not

permit

the

destroyer

to

enter

your

houses

and

strike

you

down

you

go

outside

and

then

you

take

one

of

those

lamps

it

might

seem

harsh

but

you

cut

its

throat

and

your

son

is

there

looking

at

you

what

are

you

doing

dad

well

son

it's

like

this

it's

me

who

deserves

to

die

we

all

deserve

to

die

but

the

death

of

this

lamb

means

it

dies

instead

of

you

and

then

you

begin

to

paint

and

put

that

blood

on

the

door

frames

and

when

you

finish

you

gather

all

your

children

and

all

your

family

and

you

come

inside

the

house

and

you

close

the

door

and

then

you

wait

you

see

it's

all

an

act

of

faith

they

are

simply

trusting

in

what

God

said

he

would