Skip to content EXODUS | Plagues & Passovers Part B with Kenny Luck Oct 20 · 33 min ...more
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The Desire to Believe and the Counterfeit Gods 0:01 Greetings, and welcome to part 2 of our Exodus series. By way of review from part 1, let's just kinda review some main themes that we got from part 1 in in case0:13 you weren't with us for that. But some of the main themes that we identified in part 1, the the first 3 that I really want us to think about as we get into part 2 of0:25 plagues and Passovers is this. Number 1, every man is created with a desire to believe. Right? The scripture says in Ecclesiastes0:37 3 11, he has planted eternity in the human heart. So we are created with a desire to believe0:49 in something that is beyond ourselves and we all have that desire and longing for something eternal. But because that's true, that every man is created with a desire to1:00 believe, then every man in today's broken fallen world in which there is a spiritual battle, every man will be tempted to accept counterfeit gods.1:13 Right? And this is from the beginning. Since we have that longing and desire, there's the 1 true original god, which we talked about in part 1, and then there is counterfeit gods that are1:24 offered that that take the place of the 1 true original god. Now these are counterfeits and forgeries, but because of the desire that we have, we are really tempted1:36 and lean toward belief in God's little g at the expense of the 1 true original God. And what we really, came to the1:47 conclusion with after looking through, our part 1 study of the plagues was this, is that every counterfeit will be exposed by the power of God. And so just by way of review,1:59 that's that's a good place to start as a foundation. Every man is created with the desire to believe. That's what scripture says. Because we have that longing, we're gonna be tempted to believe in counterfeit gods, and2:11 then we really see in the book of Exodus, god exposed through his power. Right? That's what we see. He exposes those forgeries, those counterfeit,2:23 those false gods. Now just for context, God's people have been enslaved for 400 years, and when when you have a conquering, in2:35 that culture and in that time of history, it's not just a culture, a conquering of an an army, but it's a mindset of if we conquered you, then our gods conquered you.2:47 So pharaoh plus the gods of Egypt conquered Israel and the God of Israel, Yahweh. And so2:58 that's the mindset, that's going on as this story in the Exodus is unfolding. So God finds and locates Moses. He says, Moses, go to Pharaoh and tell3:10 him to let my people go, and I'm gonna stretch forth my hand. And that is divine warfare language, where I'm gonna stretch forth my hand in3:22 divine warfare, and I am going to show who is the 1 true original God, and who are the forgeries and the counterfeits. And I'm going to use plagues, and we discussed in part 13:34 that that plagues have a twofold purpose, and that is to release the grip of pharaoh. So the plagues have, a purpose of that's going to liberate, it's going to release the3:46 grip of Pharaoh because it's going to show God's power. Power talks, absolute power talks absolutely. And so there's the theme of release connected to the plagues, but3:58 there's also the revelation connected to the plagues. And that's more important. Liberation is great, but the revelation that the 1 true God, the God of4:10 Israel, Yahweh, is alone, uniquely, singularly God. And when we concluded part 1, it it's4:22 it's a it's a parallel kinda to us that we are not unlike the Egyptians or unlike any person ever created with a desire to believe in the context of a broken fallen world, and there's spiritual warfareThe Tenth Plague and the Passover Lamb 4:34 and an enemy that's trying to get us to accept counterfeit gods, forgeries. There is a deceiver who wants4:46 us to believe in lesser gods and that these lesser gods somehow are going to serve us, and they're going to save4:57 us. And here's the ultimate deception, we we get deceived into believing that these lesser gods, right, are going to meet the deeper needs of5:09 our heart, and that somehow we're going to arrive at some form of peace. And so I don't want us to see ourselves as different5:21 from the Egyptians, which biblically is symbolic of the world, that you and I can be deceived as well. So in part 2 of plagues and Passovers, we wanna get,5:34 to the next plague. Now remember, we had the blood plague, we had the frog plague, we had the ground plague, and the ground turns into gnats. We have the5:46 flies, the livestock, the boils. Yay. That was gross. We have the hail and the locusts, and plague number 95:58 was the darkness. And these plagues are releasing pharaoh's grip. They are revealing the the 1 true God. These6:09 are plagues of water. They are plagues of land and plagues of sky, and each plague picks off6:21 an Egyptian god that they're praying to, to restore what is being lost, but they're out to lunch, all 9 of them. Okay? And this last plague, darkness,6:34 that really must have had not just a psychological, spiritual, emotional effect, because the scripture says it was a darkness that could be felt. Those are God's own words. I'm gonna I'm gonna put a darkness on people6:46 that they can actually feel, but it also picked off Ra, which is he's gotta be in the top 2 of Egyptian god. So God is6:57 showing his power. He's exposing all the counterfeits, but now he is going to get Pharaoh's full attention with the tenth7:10 and the final plague. I'd like to read Exodus chapter 11 4 through 7. We'll put that up on the screen and follow along with me. This is7:22 what the Lord says. About midnight, I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die. From the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son7:34 of the female slave who is at her hand mill, and all of the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt, worse than7:46 there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites, not a dog will bark at any person or animal. Then7:58 you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Now I want to talk about the whole idea of the tenth plague8:10 and death, and the firstborn. You see, with the tenth plague, it involves the heart of man. You see, when you take the firstborn,8:22 what you're taking in Egyptian culture and Semitic culture is your future legacy. So firstborns are synonymous with your future legacy.8:35 Secondly, what you're taking is firstborns are also synonymous with future power. K. So legacy, power. Right? And then8:46 third, firstborns are synonymous with future eternity. So when you stack those words together, legacy, power, and8:59 eternity, that's what firstborns represented to the people of Egypt, certainly Pharaoh. And the idea is, I can control my future and cement my legacy,9:11 that that's all within my power. Right? Now, this is certainly Pharaoh, this is certainly all of Egypt. This is also9:23 God's own people. It's not that the only the Egyptians think this way, but so do the Israelites. This is an equal opportunity9:34 plague, so to speak, because the first 9, those are aimed at Egypt. But this tenth plague, it applies to both Egyptians9:47 and Israel. Now if that's Pharaoh and that's Egypt and that's Israel, the question is, is this me and is this you? This this idea9:59 that that that in the heart of man, there is pride and there is control of the future. You see, I I tend to believe that that10:10 there's a little pharaoh in all of us. But you know who the original pharaoh is in the Exodus story? You find that original pharaoh story10:22 and the power of God knocking down the original pharaoh in Isaiah 14. Let's read scripture. You speaking of Satan, God's talking about10:34 you said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit enthroned on the amount of assembly, on the10:46 utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds. I will make myself like the most high, but you10:58 are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Wow. You see, what's happening in Exodus actually happened in heaven.11:10 There was a created being, a cherubim class angel by the name of Lucifer, and he thought that he could be11:22 the 1 who could receive the glory, get on the top of the mount, and these words are mission critical. I will make myself like the most high. He11:34 wasn't created to be the most high, but there is that desire in his heart to be like the Most High. And and here we see the original11:46 Pharaoh. It is Satan himself where he wants to embezzle God's glory and receive worship to himself. Of course, we all know as11:57 scripture describes and as that passage in Isaiah describes, there is only 1 creator and 1 God that deserves all glory, and it's not the created,12:09 it's the creator. And so God does not tolerate pride and self sufficiency in heaven. And so he is abandoned to the realm of the dead, to the12:21 depths of the pit. It's an interesting parallel to see where spiritual warfare comes from. It is inspired by the original pharaoh who got knocked down to the bottom of the12:33 pit, and then man comes onto the scene. And throughout the ages, since the dawn of man in the garden, there is that you need to be in control. Now, don't you think12:45 that because we are now in that vulnerable place of living in a sinful broken fallen state, that the tempter would wanna make a little pharaoh out of all of12:57 us? Have you ever acted in pride or self sufficiency where you've said, hey. You know, God, I hear what you're saying, but, hey. I'll I'll take it from here. Right? God's word13:10 says there is that pull in each of us to take the reins, to act independently, and to take the place of god and become our own masters.13:21 Where do you think the suggestions or ideas come from? It comes from the original wannabe god, the original pharaoh little p13:33 in heaven who fell. And since he fell and the dawn of man came, he's been trying to reproduce himself in us and through us to take the place of god. So just13:45 by way of review, plagues 1 through 9, they're aimed at pharaoh and Egypt alone, and god's people were exempt. Plague 10, every family in Egypt and among god's own people were13:57 in danger of losing their firstborn. All were endangered. Why? Because all were guilty before God of having worshiped14:09 something other than their creator. So God would have been just inflicting this last plague on his own people. 2, that's an interesting thought right there. So14:21 plague 10 applies to everybody, but God wants to reveal that alongside of his power, which is great, he is also a gracious and kind savior. And these are14:33 the themes of plagues and Passover. Right? The plagues represent man. He is a God of power, but the Passover represents God's kindness. You see the rescue14:45 of God's people, is equally dependent on his kindness and his sacrificial love. And how do we know that? Because God provided a way14:57 for his people to be spared of his judgment, and this was the only way to get out of a family's firstborn15:09 perishing. Right? So if and only if there was a sacrificial substitute that would die in the firstborn's place, right, to be saved,15:21 God commands this to his people. He says, every household will take a lamb, you will take its blood, and you will mark the wooden post of your home, and that will15:33 be the sign that there will be a sacrificial lamb substitute because something has to die. And God promised when he saw the blood of the lamb, he15:44 would pass over that home and their firstborn, listen, and their future would be saved and that he would protect their firstborn.15:56 So the day after, this tenth plague happened, everyone would have to say, well, something died, either a16:08 firstborn or a sacrificial lamb. Right? The only question is, was that death deserved, or did16:20 the substitute die an undeserved death on behalf of the people. And I think you can begin to see the redemptive picture of16:32 god saving his people through the blood of the lamb. Were god's people rescued? Yes, they were. Exactly as God had said. Exodus chapterJesus, the Lamb of God and Our Savior 16:44 12 verses 35 and 36. The Israelites acted on Moses's word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold items and for clothing. And the Lord gave the16:56 people such favor with the Egyptians that they gave them what they requested. In this way, they plundered the Egyptians. And so plagues 1 through17:07 9, those showed the power of God. Plague 10 shows both his power and his kindness. And through the blood of the lamb,17:20 the god the people of Israel conquer and now plunder I mean, spike the ball and dispossess the the pharaoh of this world17:32 of his riches. So not only did they escape, they conquered not because of God's power and might, but because the substitute died in their place. So their17:44 powerful creator is also their gracious savior. Now fast forward in time, imagine thousands of years after17:57 telling and retelling this story, the most important story to be told among God's people generation after generation. I mean, every Hebrew would have heard John the18:09 Baptist shout upon seeing Jesus these words. Now think about it. Passover, celebration of Passover. Right? And then you hear John the Baptist say,18:20 behold, look, the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world. Okay? Now, imagine you're a Hebrew and18:32 you're hearing, you know, John see you're watching John see Jesus. Jesus is coming home, and he goes, look. The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.18:44 Now travel through time again, right to this day, this modern day Egypt that we live in today with all of its counterfeit gods,18:56 all of the hedonism, all of the mar the materialism, all of the narcissism, making material possessions are are are gods, making self importance,19:08 empower, and title are gods, making our fulfillment of our our our selfish desires, our gods. Think about the modern day Egypt and culture that we live in.19:20 God's pretending to be gods, you know, and here is here's the lord. Here's Yahweh, our 1 true original creator, and he has the same19:32 issue with us. That we are born with eternity in our hearts. We're tempted to believe in counterfeits.19:45 And then maybe you're listening to me this morning and you're like, man, that's me. I've been trusting in things to save me, to rescue me,19:56 and the things that I've trusted in haven't worked. The paths that I've trusted in haven't worked. The people I've trusted in haven't worked. And God wants you20:09 to know right now that he alone is your source of life. Your creator wants you to know that you can't20:21 save yourself from what pride and sin and self sufficiency deserve from his hand, which is death.20:33 Your creator wants you to know that the judgment that you deserve can pass over you. Your creator wants you to be rescued20:45 by the lamb of God, by the blood that he shed so that you can escape the grip. Listen, so that you can escape the grip of whatever is oppressing20:57 you in this world and become a conqueror through his love. And so this is why after god's people are liberated and freed21:09 from pharaoh, god commands a celebration to remind his people of who he is and what he did to deliver them. It's called the Passover feast. It's not called21:20 a plague feast. It's called the Passover feast. Now why did God do that? Because there were 9 plagues and 1 Passover. It's because God is saying, don't remember my powerful acts against21:32 Pharaoh for you. Remember how gracious and how kind I was in saving you.21:44 Now, as believers in Jesus Christ, we need to remember that there would be another wooden post that was marked by the blood21:56 of the lamb who would die so that God's judgment of death would pass over you. It would actually be22:08 God himself. Our powerful creator hung and bled on the formed wood of22:20 a cross. The first son born of all creation would become the lamb of God for us,22:32 the the substitute. Either we die or he dies. And God decided that in his love for us and in his22:44 desire for a relationship with us, that he would send his son to be the lamb of God who takes away your sin and my sin. And in his body, he would22:56 absorb, listen, the plagues of sin and self sufficiency and idolatry on23:07 your behalf. Jesus, the powerful creator. Jesus, the loving savor. Jesus, the23:19 power and kindness of God. And maybe you're listening, and if you would say right now to God, God, I I wanna live for you23:32 until I come to you. Then I want you to celebrate with me right now what God has done and what it's calling you to23:44 do. In second Corinthians 5 15 the scripture says this, and he died for all, so that those who live should no longer live23:56 for themselves, but for the 1 who died for them and was raised. How do you honor24:09 the lamb that was slain for you so that God wouldn't judge you for your sins and so that you could continue a relationship with him. 324:20 ways that we do that. Number 1, you recognize the sacrifice of the lamb. You recognize the lamb of God, Jesus Christ.24:32 You recognize that he is the lamb of God who takes away your sin. You see, to become a believer, you have to become vulnerable.24:44 You have to admit and confess your own sin, your own pride, your own self sufficiency, your own24:57 believing in things other than the 1 true god to try to save or serve you. So number 1, we recognize the sacrifice. Number 2, after you recognize the25:09 person of Christ and the work of Christ, you respond with your life. God sent his only son to die for25:21 you. Now what are you gonna do with it? Are you going to believe that he is the son of God and that and that he died to take away your sins? And are you gonna respond with25:32 belief and commitment to the 1 who sacrificed himself? Will you follow Jesus? The 1 who saves you from your sin. That's the second thing we25:44 do. So we recognize sacrifice. We respond with our lives and receive the person and work of Christ into our lives by believing. And then,25:56 third, we release ourselves to God's purposes. We now, through our belief in the person and work of Christ, we become a child of God, we enter God's family, and now26:07 we release ourselves to God's will and God's ways for our lives as revealed in the life of Christ, as revealed in scripture. So we're gonna pray right now,26:19 and I'm gonna ask for the power and the kindness of God to meet you where you are. Would you bow your heads with me? Father, I don't know who is listening to the sound of my voice26:31 right now, but I see that there are thousands of people there who are ready to say yes to the Lamb of God.26:44 They're ready to say yes to you, Jesus. They're ready to say yes to the power and kindness of God expressed toward them. And if that's you and that's your desire, all you have to do is26:55 say, Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Lamb of God. I believe that the blood that you shed was for me.27:09 It was for my sin. It was for my selfishness. It was for my self sufficiency.27:21 And now I accept and believe what you did for me. I ask you to come into my life and to take control27:33 and to make me the person that you created me to be. I give you my life, and I commit to following you with all of my heart, all of my soul,27:45 all of my strength, and all of my mind until we are face to face. And I can see and feel the scars on your body27:58 which were created on my behalf. Thank you, Jesus, for being my powerful creator and my loving savior. I will live for you. In Jesus' name, I ask. Amen.28:14 Greetings, men. Kenny Luck, founder of Everyman Ministries. You You know, after 30 years of helping men in the mental health, pastoral, and coaching context, the 1 working assumption I've operated on is28:26 this. Men, they're like icebergs. You only see the tip. Under the waterline line of the image that they are projecting and the lives that they are living are massive spiritual, emotional, and relational28:38 battles they recognize, but they're just not talking about. And it creates a dissonance. It creates spiritual plateaus. It creates unresolved tensions28:49 within that start to eat away at their faith, eat away at their hope. It opens them up to spiritual attack and lies to the point where so many, if they were honest, I believe in God and I believe his29:01 promises are true, just not for me right now. Have you ever felt that or thought that? Well, here's the thing. So many men I counsel and coach say the same thing. I'm attending church. I'm reading my bible. I'm29:13 going to men's group. I'm praying. But I'm not sensing or experiencing God the way I see it promised in the bible. You know, that abundant life that Jesus speaks of. I'm I'm not breaking through29:25 and I know there's more. I just don't know how to get there, and it's confusing me. It's affecting my relationships with God and other people. Now if you've ever felt the same way, if you've ever had any of those29:37 thoughts, welcome to the club. As men, we go through different seasons of personal, professional, and, yes, spiritual life. And listen, that calls29:48 for new Christ formation, new faith steps, new discoveries, and new thinking. You see, there's no big mystery here. The big wheels of life, of relationships,30:01 Christ formation, and of fulfillment turn on the hidden axles of what the Bible calls your inner man. So when the Bible says, watch over your heart with all diligence for30:12 from it flow the springs of life, it's not calling for new outer spiritual behavior management. It's calling for a new you. You say, how do you know, Kenny? Because God30:24 called me personally into a new season of Christ formation after 25 years as a pastor and counselor. And you know what I needed? I needed a community of brave brothers,30:36 of professional men who were spirit filled, and I needed a solid process and godly coaching to walk me into a new place of strength, a place of powerful sacrifice, a place of complete30:49 tenacity in my purpose, a place of growing authentic generosity, and a place of meaningful insight into myself first and for other31:01 people. That's my promise land. What's yours? If you're like me and you want a new place of growth, if you want the dissonance to go away, if you want an inner breakthrough in Christ, if you want to discover what is31:12 it that is holding you back spiritually versus continuing to say some narrative to yourself and other people, just lean in right now. There is a next adventure in God31:24 and in life waiting for you. But the old thinking, the old victories you cling to, the old patterns of living, just the old thought processes are not going31:36 to cut it in this next adventure God has for you. The promised land that he has for you. And that's why I'm inviting you into the every man promised land living experience, where Christ formation31:49 advances in new ways, where the language of the heart is spoken, And where the enemy, he takes it on the chin and strongholds are broken. You want your next adventure in Christ to32:01 begin? Then fight the good fight like I did. Believe. God is at work. Register. Get into an every man promised land group. Our team of trained coaches are eager to meet32:13 you and to start getting you prepared for the greater works of Jesus in and through you for this next season and adventure of life.In this video 0:00 The Desire to Believe and the Counterfeit Gods4:33 The Tenth Plague and the Passover Lamb16:38 Jesus, the Lamb of God and Our Savior
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