Bricks Without Straw (Exodus)

Appleton Gospel Church

Bricks Without Straw (Exodus): When God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go," Moses did exactly what God told him to do. But the suffering of the Israelites got worse, not better! The truth is, in a broken world, obedience to God’s word is no guarantee of short-term prosperity. But this doesn't mean that God has abandoned you or that no good will ever come from times of suffering. Our God is faithful to redeem. You'll see. Recorded on Oct 13, 2024, on Exodus 5:1-6:12 by Pastor David Parks. This message is part of our Exodus series called Journey to Freedom. Exodus is a story of liberation — of God working to rescue and redeem a people for himself, freeing them from slavery and leading them to the land he promised to the family of Abraham and Sarah. Exodus is also a picture of the gospel and the Christian life. In Christ, we, too, are freed from captivity to sin and death and led through the wilderness of life by God’s Word and Presence as we make our way to the Promised Land of the world to come. Join us as we make this journey to find true and lasting freedom. Sermon Transcript We’re working through a sermon series on the book of Exodus called Journey to Freedom. And we’ve said that Exodus is a story of liberation, of God rescuing and redeeming a people for himself. The first few chapters of Exodus describe the bitter suffering of the family of Abraham and Sarah (ancient Israelites) when they were slaves in Egypt, the most powerful kingdom in the world at the time. We’re introduced to Moses, who would go on to be the mighty prophet and deliverer of Israel for Yahweh God. But his story was not this smooth rise into power. It didn’t seem to go according to any sort of plan. But God was faithful, and he didn’t abandon Moses even after his forty-year exile in Midian. But when the set time had fully come, God sent Moses, born in Egypt and adopted into the royal household of Egypt, back to Egypt to redeem his people who were still enslaved in Egypt. But this was a mission Moses didn’t want. Maybe he thought he was too old. Or maybe after his first disastrous attempt at leadership, he doubted his leadership abilities. But Moses gave one excuse after another before asking Yahweh just to send someone else. But God was merciful (and patient) and provided miraculous signs to verify his message and calling. He also allowed Moses’ brother, Aaron, to help him speak and lead. But the most important thing God promised was his own Presence. Yahweh would go with Moses. So Moses packed up his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons and went to Egypt to do this crazy thing God called him to do. In Egypt, Moses and Aaron spoke to the elders of the Israelites and shared the message God gave them: that Yahweh God, the God of their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was going to deliver them from Egypt and would bring them out into the land he had promised them. They performed the signs, as well, and the Israelites believed and worshipped the God who had seen their suffering, heard their prayers, and had concern for them. Chapter 5 picks up the story in the courts of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. How would he respond to Moses and the message and miracles of Yahweh God? If you have your Bible/app, please open it to Exodus 5:1. Exodus 5:1–9 (NIV), “1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” 5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look,