The House You're Building

  Introduction This week we will encounter another familiar section of Exodus, the 10 commandments.  Many people, including those who aren’t religious, are familiar with these commandments.  For example, most would agree that theft and murder are wrong.  Yet beyond these 10 moral statements, we will read about more detailed and specific laws.  At first glance, many may seem to not apply to God followers today.     This brings the reader to consider what commands and covenants are good for?  Let’s consider God’s words from chapter 19 to set up our study today.  In a summary statement in verses 5-6 set the tone for all that is to follow.     Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for the earth is mine,  and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:5-6    A theme ...

  Introduction :  All over the world, no matter what culture or time period, traditions are part of the human experience.  Anticipating a gathering of friends and family, food, music, rest, and joy is something we all need.  The God who created us designed and implanted this desire into humanity and guided His people to memorialize His story of rescue with them.  As we continue our broad survey of Exodus, this week’s section of the book is as familiar as the plagues to most readers-the Passover and the Israelites escape from Egypt as they cross the Red Sea.     Not only did God establish these rituals to remind His people of His great power and holiness, He established them as a symbol for His people today.  The Passover commemorated the Israelites escape from death, the blood on the door signaled the angel to pass over their home, the Unleavened bread gathered in haste as they left quickly. Our exodus from the slavery of ...

  Introduction:   I have two children and raising them into their teens has taken two different approaches.  My son is pretty straight forward.  He is a logical young man and it’s always been rational conversation that has helped him see the light.  My daughter on the other hand is all heart.  She fires up quickly and needs time to process her emotions before having a conversation where she can admit to wrongdoing.  Though I did my best to treat them the same, their response to my authority had two different outcomes.     In this section of Exodus, we see God the Father begin to parent His children.  He begins His rescue mission by showing His power to the Israelites.  We see two different responses to His displays of power.  In beholding the majesty of God, the Hebrews begin to trust in God and Pharaoh becomes more and more stubborn and determined to rebel.  Despite their ...

  Introduction Sometimes when a group of moms go out together, they start recounting their labor experiences.  These are never my favorite stories as the bones of the story are all roughly the same, there was lots of pain and then a baby.  Moses’s mother on the other hand had a unique story to tell and we are privileged to hear it again in this section of Exodus.  Instead of showers and visitors, she broke the law by giving birth and keeping her son.  She hid him for months and then made the courageous decision to set him adrift on the river, hoping for a miracle.     And one did come, God had plans for Moses to lead His people from Egypt.  No matter what is happening around us, what are circumstances may be, God in His sovereignty looks ahead and positions us right where we need to be.       Scripture Read Exodus 2-4:17   Chapter 2:1-22 Moses Born and Flees to Midian Moses was born to parents...

  22  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  23  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  24  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,  26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [ a ]   28  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  29  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,  30  because...