Exodus: January 22

January 23rd, 2023
by Emily Turner

January 22, 2023
Lead Pastor: Nate Levering
For the online bulletin, click here

We were so glad to see you on Sunday and apologize if you tried to watch live on YouTube. Our live stream was glitching and we are sincerely sorry. As we begin the study on Exodus, get ready! We'll be covering this book until the end of March while sharing incredible God-honoring stories of His faithfulness. Along with the Sunday morning teachings, we are also going through the book together as a congregational family and invite you in to that.
Today's reading is Exodus 1:

^{These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”}

As God's people move and are strengthened, there is opposition. Have you noticed? When you consider your own life, do you see this? Looking at the space and world around you, where do you see the most opposition? When I began this new role at the church, as the Director of Connection and Communication, my soul was set on fire. No other job has excited me like this, and I've had incredible jobs! But it took maybe a minute to then settle in with the dreaded imitation syndrome. Have you ever felt that way, questioning why you? What has qualified you to be there and have a seat and say at the table? That's how I felt. I'd come in and wrestle with my words, hesitate to offer an opinion and back down from speaking publicly because who am I to do this? I know that opposition is vastly different than what the Israelites fought, but it's all the evil one. The opposition that comes to tear us down is not from God but it's a very good thing He uses it and that He stands in the fire with us. Amen? Verse 8 says this, "But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong". It's no wonder the evil one needed to put a plan in place to oppose them. He was afraid. He was threatened. And when the evil one opposes you it's because you're a threat to him. When we obey God and His kingdom moves, God's name is known. That strength thwarts the plan of Satan and he won't back down. So let's not either. As a child of God, you have been given the qualification to do what God's asked of you and to live in where He has you. Have faith, my friends.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3)

Bulletin notes:

Our disobedience has consequences but living "by faith" is always rewarded.

"By faith" living will require bold action in the face of opposition.

The prerequisite to a life of exodus is the answer to one small question, Who Am I? Moses' answer: I am a child of God!

Every child of God has to settle a few things:

Knowing God and having what he provides is better than being god and getting what I want.
Poor with Christ is richer than all the world’s treasure.
Drawn by God’s love is better than driven by man’s anger.

_{EXODUS READING PLAN}