"The Ambassadors of God"(Exodus 7:1-13)

 Exodus 7:1-13

God sent Moses to Egypt as His ambassador. As ambassador to God, God empowered Moses to represent Him and to speak God's words to Pharaoh. Although Moses was like God, he was not God. More importantly, Moses would never consider himself a god.

 

And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.

Exodus 7:1 ESV

 

Moses could be God's ambassador not just because he had been empowered, but also because Moses was obedient. Whenever God commanded Moses to perform his service, Moses was obedient and performed great miracles. Moses knew where his power was coming from and knew God had specific tasks that needed to be done.

 

Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them.

Exodus 7:6 ESV

 

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.

Exodus 7:10 ESV

 

God has used many people to serve him. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt to the promised land. Noah was obedient and built an ark and his family and the animals. Jonah eventually saved the people of Nineveh when he obeyed God. God can only use us if we are obedient. We need to be humble like Moses and understand and admit our weaknesses and mistakes. It is only in humility that we can truly obey God. It is only in humility that we can hear the Holy Spirit to obey.  This was the opposite of Pharaoh.

 

Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

Exodus 7:13 ESV

 

Moses was humble, and so he could be obedient. An arrogant man is not going to submit to authority. The more arrogant a man is, the less likely he will submit. In fact, the Bible makes a point that Moses was the humblest man amongst the people of his time.

 

Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

Numbers 12:3 ESV

 

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

Acts 7:22 ESV

 

We were made in the image of God, but this has been marred by sin. We need the Holy Spirit to help us to do God's will. To effectively use the Holy Spirit, we need to be obedient to God's word and humble. That obedience includes taking the time to listen to God through scripture reading, meditation and prayer.

 

Let us look to the example of Jesus who was obedient to God and sacrificed His own life.

 

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Mark 14:36 ESV

 

Jesus was the ultimate ambassador to God and gives us the example to live by. No task was too great, and Jesus spoke God’s words to let all of humanity know God. Like Jesus and Moses, we are made in the image of God and have been called to be ambassadors for God.

 

"Whom Do We Trust?"(Exodus 4:12-23)

Exodus 4:12-23

 

Most people know who Moses was. They know he was a Hebrew who was raised as an Egyptian prince. While a young man, Moses killed an Egyptian to avenge the Hebrew people. Although he did this in secret, some Hebrews knew about this murder and were talking about and some even threaten Moses with this information. Moses then fled Egypt because of this murder. He goes to Midian and lives there for forty years before he sees God in a thornbush.

 

In Exodus 4, Moses demonstrates his diffidence and his doubt in God. When Moses was younger, he tried to bring justice in his own way, but this did not go well. He had killed a man and then had to flee as a murderer. Returning to Egypt as a much older man to lead a people who did not know him did or worse might remember him as the murderer who had fled did not inspire confidence in Moses.

 

He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Exodus 2:12 ESV

 

When God calls on Moses, Moses is 80 years old. It does not seem obvious at first, but Moses had been trained and equipped by God.

 

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

Acts 7:22 ESV.

 

God also gives Moses a staff which symbolically contains God's power. The staff is just a staff, but it was dedicated to being used to show and allow God's power to manifest.

 

So, Moses took his wife and his sons had them ride on a donkey and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

Exodus 4:20 ESV

 

Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.

Exodus 7:20 ESV

 

And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!’”

Exodus 8:5 ESV

 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’”

Exodus 8:16 ESV

 

We may be asked to do things that are bigger than our abilities or seems impossible, yet God will also give you strength to accomplish all that God asks you to do.

 

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 ESV

 

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Psalm 29:11 ESV

 

God had plans not only to take His people out of Egypt but also to prove to the Egyptians that He was the one true God.

 

And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

Exodus 4:21 ESV

 

Therefore, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that the signs and wonders, which are often called the ten plagues of Egypt, to show the Egyptians who God really was and to disprove the gods of Egypt. 

Moses had his role to play and although he had been reluctant at first, God equipped him to do the work God had set for Moses. Pharaoh also had a role to play, but Pharaoh also hardened his heart towards God at different  times without God's intervention. God found two leaders to do his will. One was willing, even though he was hesitant at first, and succeeded as a hero of the Bible. The other was stubborn and became more stubborn through God hardening his heart and is known as a foolish leader who needlessly lost his son and brought grief to his Kingdom.

 

Let us put our trust in God that he will train and equip us to do the good works set before us and do this with faith and a willing heart.

Worship Songs;

I Sing Praises to Your Name

Agnus Dei

At the Cross (I bow my knee)

With All My Heart

Sunday School Picnic & Baby Shower

 

"The Life of Blessed People"(Genesis 26:12-30)

Genesis 26:12-30

 

Isaac was a blessed man. He worked hard and God blessed him. 

 

And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.

Genesis 26:12‭-‬13 ESV

 

This blessing came from God, and Isaac understood this. This was promised from God to Isaac and his offspring.

 

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

Genesis 26:3‭-‬4 ESV

 

Unfortunately not everyone appreciates other people’s good fortunes. As was the case with Isaac. He was so blessed that others became jealous and felt threatened by how much he had. The Philistines even took measures to halt Isaac's success.

 

He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.)

Genesis 26:14‭-‬15 ESV

 

And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

Genesis 26:16 ESV

 

Isaac was stronger than Abimelech, yet Isaac leaves. He could have sought violence as a means to keep his home, but he sought peace. Isaac believed God would do what was needed to continue to bless him.

 

Isaac kept digging wells and kept persevering despite all the setbacks and hateful actions directed towards him. We also need endurance to see the fruits of God.

 

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Hebrews 10:36 ESV

 

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

Revelation 14:12 ESV

 

In time, Abimelech sees that God has blessed Isaac and it is foolish to have Isaac as an enemy. This God of Isaac was powerful and faithful. This was a god who would not abandon his servant, Isaac, so it is much better to have Isaac as an ally.

 

They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord .” So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

Genesis 26:28‭-‬30 ESV

 

Abimelech acted as the world does when it sees someone who is successful. The world feels threatened and works to stop the success before the blessed person becomes too powerful. Who wants a neighbor who can destroy or conquer you easily and especially one you cannot possibly defend against? When Abimelech sees that he cannot defeat Isaac because of his god, he seeks a peaceful relationship.

 

Isaac also realized that his God was stronger than his enemies. He also realized that the desire of God is that we make peace with everyone. Instead of seeking out revenge or gain through violence, Isaac seeks peace. Isaac could have a feast because God was being glorified through this peaceful settlement. Jesus tells us later in the new testament that we are to love our enemies. It is not enough to make treaties or official agreements; we need to love our enemies. This is how we become sons and daughters of God. 

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Matthew 5:43‭-‬47 ESV

Let us be like Isaac and remember where our blessings and strength come from, so that we can forgive others and make peace with everyone. In this way, God may be glorified as we may behave like sons and daughters of the Lord most high.

Worship Songs,

Majesty

Agnus Dei

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

At the Cross (I bow my knee)

"The Three Commandment of the Risen King"(John 20:19-22)

John 20:19-22

First, Jesus commanded us to have peace of mind

vv 19-22 Jesus mentioned twice ‘Peace be with you’

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
 Jesus was telling his disciple to have a peace because He is and will always be with them

We have to live the new life that Christ gave us. When we live as disciples of Christ we will face a lot of struggles suffering difficulties hardship and problems but if we don’t have peace of mind we won’t be able to handle all those things

This peace comes from trusting God who is and will be always with you and let the peace be in you.

Second, Jesus Christ commanded us to go

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Jesus was sent to initiate the ministry of new heaven and new earth through saving us from sin and being raised from the dead in other words he was here to save not only some chosen people but whole world (John 3:16)

Jesus Christ is sending his disciples to continue the ministry that he initiated which means Jesus Christ was sending disciples to this world as missionaries and we are one of the missionaries who were also sent by Jesus Christ.

It doesn’t’ mean that we all have to have a job as a missionary but we have to spread the gospel in our own mission field.

The mission field does not have to be other countries spreading gospel, doesn’t have to be preaching a sermon. We can show Christ’s love.

Do our best as who we are with Christ’s love. People will see God through us.

We should give ourselves to God as living sacrifices. We must respond to the ministry of Christ toward us through giving our life.

Jesus came to his people knowing that he had to die. This is the love of Christ

We are compelled to do it because Christ has done it for us

We are sent to go into our own mission field and save the world and people in our individual mission field through living out the love of Christ

Third, Jesus commanded us to receive the Holy Spirit

22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

We are saved from sin and yet we still have brokenness in us which will not be reconciled until the second coming of Jesus. Without Christ’s help we still make mistakes, however there is still a way in receiving the Holy Spirit. 

We cannot be perfect but can’t even do ministry unless Christ is in us. This is why Jesus ascended to heaven so that he could be with all of us and to give everyone the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit is the only way to live the new life in the right way.

Then how do we receive the Holy Spirit ?

First, we have to repent

Acts 2:38 

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Second, we have to believe that Jesus died for us

John 37:37-39 

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 15:26

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

 

Holy Spirit is the helper who helps testify Jesus and His ministry.

If we don’t believe in Jesus and don’t accept the invitation to live the new life that Christ gave us, there is no reason for the Holy Spirit to be with us.

We have to truly believe in Jesus and everything he has done for us. We should respond to it through testifying what he has done for us.

 

The believers of other religions they believe that they have to behave well and pray hard so that they can get the reward such as righteousness, heaven or forgiveness of sins from their own god.

Christians work for God and live for God because we believe that we already have received the reward which is the salvation.

Jesus has fully paid for all our sins with his precious blood. It is past tense which means it already happened. We already received the reward, the grace from God.

So we are called to respond to this grace by living the new life as disciples of Christ.

Go and live as disciples of Christ. 

Testify Jesus in your own mission field and have peace of mind because God will always be with you through the Holy Spirit.

Remember Jesus the Christ and what he has done for you and respond to that grace through your daily life.

Go with the peace that comes from the Holy Spirit

Worship Songs;

All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name

Because He lives

Your Grace Is Enough

Agnus Dei