FAVOR OF GOD [A PASSOVER MESSAGE]

Transcription

1 FAVOR OF GOD [A PASSOVER MESSAGE] Based on Exodus 12:1-48 We know God is love & He loves all people. John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Moreover, because God is love and He loves all people, he provides for all people. Matthew 5:45b 54b He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. But does God love everyone the same? NO. Malachi 1:2-3 2b Was not Esau Jacob s brother? the LORD says. Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated. I am thoroughly convinced that God loves His people so much more than those who are not! In fact, Jesus called some people who did not like Him, even though they were kings or priests, even though they appeared to be successful, blessed and even very religious and appeared very righteous, sons of devil, brood of vipers, and other severe names. The Scripture tells us that God is just, and everyone will reap what he has sown. Galatians 6:7 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. That is right, He is just, so He makes a distinction between those who are righteous and those who are wicked. Exodus 8:23a 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. So, what do you call it when God makes a distinction between His people and the people who are not His? To the world, it is called God s Wrath. To the saved, it is called God s Favor. Today, I want to share with you what happened four thousand years ago when God made a distinction between His people and those who are not. When we ask what the meaning of Passover is, the most of us would think of God s judgment on Egyptians, but Passover is all about God s love for His people Passover is when God gave a special favor to His people and made a distinction between His people and those who are not. And, let me remind you that it is not because of what we did, but because of His love for us. And let me remind you that it is because His love for you is so much greater than His love for those who refuse to come to Him. - 1

2 I am sure that most of us know what happened about four thousand years ago during the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt. Jacob loves His son from His favorite wife, Rachael Joseph Because of Jacob favored Joseph over his other ten sons, his other sons hated Joseph Joseph knew that his father favored him, so he brought bad report about his brothers which made the situation even worse Ten brothers decide to kill him, but at the last minute they sell him as a slave to traveling foreigners Thereafter, Joseph is sold to Egyptians and became a slave Joseph, although he was a slave and should have had no hope, he had hope in his God Joseph, against all odds, believed in and trusted His God Jehovah Therefore, God rescued Joseph and raised him up to be second in command of the greatest nation in the world at the time His brothers need Joseph s help and Joseph graciously forgives his brothers Joseph and his brothers, along with his father, lived in Egypt After Joseph had died, Egyptians became hateful of Israelites, because Israelites were becoming too powerful and numerous Egyptians made all Israelites into slaves After about 400 years, God sends Moses to bring His people out of slavery Pharaoh refuses to let Israelites leave Egypt, and challenges God Moses turns his staff into a snake as a sign from God, but the magicians of the Pharaoh make two snakes out of their staves however, Moses snake swallows two snakes of the magicians Pharaoh refuses to let His people go God sends ten plagues through Moses onto Egyptians. Exodus Of Israel Out Of Egypt Ten Plagues: Exodus The Plague of Blood Waters of Nile and all water of Egypt turns to blood Egyptian magicians copied this. 2. The Plague of Frogs Frogs came up and covered the land Egyptian magicians copied this. 3. The Plague of Gnats Gnats were all over Egypt Egyptian magicians could not copy this, or any other plagues from that moment on. 4. The Plague of Flies Flies were all over Egypt. 5. The Plague on Livestock All the livestock of Egypt died. 6. The Plague of Boils Festering boil broke out on all Egyptians and its animals. 7. The Plague of Hail The worst hail in the history of Egypt fell and destroyed Egyptians and their property. 8. The Plague of Locusts The locust came and ate all the eatable vegetations. 9. The Plague of Darkness The total darkness covered Egypt for three days and nights so no one could see. 10. The Plague on the Firstborn All of the first-born male died. Why do you think God had ten plagues He could have just done the Plague of the Firstborn or even something worse at the beginning to get His way Why? God was giving the Pharaoh to repent and humble before God because God did not want to destroy Egypt. He wanted them to repent and come to God. Romans 3:25b 25 because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. o The first four plagues, although each was more severe than the prior one, were only of nuisance. o Then, the fifth plague was the destruction of wealth o The sixth plague was the destruction of health o The seventh plague was the destruction of homes and property o The eighth plague was the hopelessness beyond any recovery o The ninth plague was the blindness and confusion - 2

3 o The tenth plague was the destruction of the sign of strength and the most valuable possession. God was also giving judgment to all gods of Egypt and showing the Egyptians that their idols are nothing more than woods, stones, and metal that they have no power and that they cannot rely on them so that the Egyptians would repent and humble before God but the Pharaoh and the Egyptians refused to humble before God. Exodus 12:12 12 On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn both men and animals and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. Do you have things you are kicking against the will of God? o I am sure that there is none of us here, but if you are continuously suffering from the following things, you may be are kicking against the will of God: On going rebellion On going refusal to forgive On going association with bad crowd, or wrong friends On going refusal to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior Additions not only drugs, but also money, cigarettes, alcohol, computer games, TV, pornography, or even comics Premarital Affairs tell the young people, the premarital sex is sin before God and sin before your future spouse Affairs The amazing thing during the ten plagues was not that God allowed the ten plagues and that these plagues were severe, but that only the Egyptians were harmed during the plagues, and none of the Israelites were harmed. Exodus 11:6-7 6 And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. 7 Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go. So, during the plagues, God made a distinction between His people and those who were not. Exodus 8:23a 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. So, what do you call it when God makes a distinction between His people and the people who are not His? To the world, it is called God s Wrath. To the saved, it is called God s Favor. Now, let us look at what Israelites did to guarantee His favor, rather than wrath? That is, what was it that God used to distinguish His people from the people who are not His? - 3

4 Exodus 12: The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, 6 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. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 12 On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn both men and animals and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 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. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. 14 This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD a lasting ordinance. 15 For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 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 doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. 48 An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. 49 The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you. Once again, Passover brought the judgment on all gods of Egypt (and therefore, on all Egyptians). Exodus 12:12 12 On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn both men and animals and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. Not only the Passover was the climax of all plagues on Egypt (thus, judging the gods of Egypt displaying them to be totally powerless before their people), but also the Passover is the symbolic and prophetic presentation of the Work of the Cross. Colossians 2:15 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. How does the Passover depict the work on the Cross? There are three aspects of Passover Meal 1. The Lamb Exodus 12:13 13 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. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Characteristics of the Lamb Signifies Jesus, the Lamb of God A. One Year Old At the prime of its life (Jesus was killed at His prime; 33) B. Without Defect No blemish (Jesus was perfect and sinless) [1 Peter 1:19] C. Slaughtered at Twilight Jesus died at the twilight Characteristics of the Blood A. Applied the Blood using hyssop We must apply the power of the Blood by faith (hyssop dipped in the blood was used to apply the blood) B. Apply on the top and the sides of the doorframe Open confession of our faith The water baptism & The baptism of the Holy Spirit. C. Not applied to the threshold The covenant of Blood is not to be willfully trampled upon [Heb. 10:29] - 4

5 Characteristics of the Meat A. Meat is the body of the lamb The Word and the Truth of God B. Roasted over the fire The Word must be applied through the Holy Spirit Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth. C. We are to eat the entire lamb We are to believe the Word and the Truth of God. D. We are to eat the entire lamb; no left over We are to accept the whole Gospel; not accept some because we agree with them or reject some because we disagree with them. E. We are to eat as a family The unity in the body of Christ is a must. F. We are to eat with bitter herbs We are to remember where we came from: the bitterness of the slavery to sin and its effect, such as, loneliness, fear, anxiety, hopelessness, pain, etc. because even the life is much better than the past, when a person focuses on the trials and/or temptations, then even the past bitterness which was much worse seems to be more desirable. Numbers 11:4-5 4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! 2. The Unleavened Bread The Bread Made Without Yeast represents our lives A. We are to be sinless leaven in the Bible represents sin Be holy unto the LORD B. If we were to sin We are to repent and ask forgiveness C. We are to eat it for seven days The fullness of time; our entire life shall be sinless 3. The Passover meal was only for the circumcised It is only for the covenanted people! Exodus 12:48 48 An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. A. No Israelite was to go out during the Passover because he or she would have died just like Egyptians, because he or she has rejected the covenant from God that is, he or she is outside of God s covenanted protection. a. Remember that not all Israelites were good, but they had faith in the promise of God about the Passover provision they were safe behind the blood. b. Also, remember that even if a very good Israelite went out of the house, he or she would have died because they were outside of the blood protection. c. Even aliens who were in the house protected by the blood were saved! Exodus 12:38 38 Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. d. Therefore, our salvation is not of our own, but the gift of God! Galatians 3:11 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, The righteous will live by faith. B. Anyone who eats bread with yeast was to be kicked out because the continued rebellion against God (not a temporary mistake or unintentional sin, but long-term continuous willful rebellion) rejects the love of God and the work of the Cross. So, it is clear that when God makes a distinction between His people and the people who are not His, it is based on whether people believe God. - 5

6 In Exodus, when the Passover came to His people, God made a distinction between His people and those who are not. To the world, it was God s Wrath. To the saved, it was God s Favor. Today is a Passover Sunday, and your Passover is here, and God once again makes a distinction between His people and those who are not. God wants to give favor to His people Pharaoh had kicked against goads (that is against thorns that can only hurt him) four thousands years ago by refusing to obey God then he and his people were destroyed because he did not humble himself before Almighty God. Saul of Tarsus kicked against goads two thousand years ago by persecuting the body of Christ then he humbled himself before Almighty God, and he was loved by God, became an apostle and lover of God, and wrote 1/3 of the New Testament. I used to kick against goads twenty years ago by refusing to humble myself before God, but by His absolute grace, he loved me and chose me to carry His word. I know I am loved by God, because I love Him. The choice is yours! In a crowd this large, it is possible that there is a person who has not accepted the LORD Jesus as his or her LORD and Savior, and is still under God s wrath. If you are one of those people who do not know LORD Jesus as the Lord and Savior, then you are just hoping that today is not your Passover because He makes no exceptions when he passes by It is either His wrath or His favor when He makes His distinction. If you already believe in Jesus, then even if you are currently burdened by sin, you are one of His people, if you repent before God and come to Him that is the eating of the unleavened bread. God is patient, and in that patience, He is waiting for you. Come, now is the time to receive His favor Today is your Passover! With everyone s head down, and with everyone s eyes closed, if you are one of those who are not sure whether you are His people, then humble yourself and pray the following prayer with me. In fact, let us all pray out loud together to help that person. Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. Thank you for dying for me so that I may be saved. Please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen. With everyone s head down, and with everyone s eyes closed, if you have made that prayer and made a commitment to the LORD Jesus as Lord and Savior, please raise your hand. Today is your Passover the day of favor! Do not be afraid to raise hand all of us in this room, at one time or another, had raised our hands and accepted the LORD Jesus into our hearts. Matthew 10: Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. - 6