Please.
Thanks, Alex.
Okay, if you could turn to your Bibles, please, to the end of Genesis.
The very last chapter, I haven't got a page number, but it's the first book in the Bible.
And as always, you'll need your Bible.
We're going to be reading quite a few chunks from the book of Exodus,
so it'll help you to follow along to make sure that what I'm saying is what God says.
This is all part of our big series looking at God's big story,
and central to that is his plan of salvation.
So we're going to pray and ask for God's help as we look at this together.
Let's pray.
Father, we come to you and we ask.
We ask things of you because you are a good and generous God,
loving towards all that you have made.
And you love to give the gift of your Spirit to your children,
to all who will come with open and empty hands,
so that you may fill us afresh.
So we come to you completely dependent on you.
We submit ourselves to you, to the authority of your Word and its truth,
asking that by your Spirit,
you would speak into our lives
and help us to see the wonder of your salvation plan,
not just for us,
but for the whole world.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, you can't help but notice it.
The more that people rebel,
the more God's determination to rescue.
The more that people sin,
the more God's desire to save.
And that's the recurring theme of God's big story.
We see it right at the very beginning of the story,
where Adam and Eve disobey God,
but yet God responds with a promise to crush the head of Satan.
As the story progresses,
we see that wickedness and rebellion against God increases,
yet God intervenes and saves Noah and his family.
But even with that act of salvation,
the world continues to defy God,
yet into the midst of the broken world,
God announces his plan
to bring the blessing of salvation to the nations
through Abraham.
God is determined to save.
And we also see this
at the very end of Genesis in chapter 50.
You see, over the course of history,
it seems that each new generation
is worse than the one before.
In fact, the story of Genesis ends
with an out-of-control, dysfunctional family.
The father, Jacob,
who had lived a life of deception,
sends his 11 lying and scheming sons to Egypt
because there's been a severe famine.
Now, when the brothers arrive in Egypt,
they get the shock of their lives.
Why?
Well, they come face to face
with the youngest brother,
Joseph,
who they had hated
and they had sold into slavery years before
and told lies to their father
saying that he'd been eaten by wolves.
Little did they know,
but under God's amazing control,
this younger brother
who had been sold into slavery
was now the second most powerful ruler
in the whole of Egypt.
So God's plan of salvation
is still being worked out.
Look what Joseph says to his brothers
when he meets them
after all of these years.
Chapter 50, verse 19.
So you can imagine Joseph,
who's been put into slavery,
now risen to the heights of great power,
meeting his brothers.
And look what he says.
Verse 19 of chapter 50,
But Joseph said to them,
Don't be afraid.
Am I in the place of God?
You intended to harm me,
but God intended it for good
to accomplish what is now being done,
the saving of many lives.
You see,
despite people's continued rebellion,
God's salvation plan
is still on course.
the saving of many lives.
So let's see this plan of salvation
in action.
We might jump from Genesis to Exodus
to continue the story,
but we need to remember
as we turn the page,
400 years have passed,
and things are not looking good.
Over time,
this ever-growing family
who have now come to be called
the nation of Israel
have ended up
just as Joseph did.
They're all slaves.
And they're now under a new ruler
who's come to power,
Pharaoh,
who is a brutal oppressor
and dictator.
So look at Exodus chapter 1, verse 8.
Then a new king,
who did not know about Joseph,
came to power in Egypt.
Look,
he said to his people,
the Israelites have become too much,
too numerous for us.
Come,
we must deal shrewdly with them,
or they will become even more numerous.
And if war breaks out,
we'll join our enemies,
fight against us,
and leave the country.
verse 14.
They made their lives bitter
with hard labour,
in brick and mortar,
and with all kinds of work
in the fields.
In all their hard labour,
the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
And so ruthless was their slavery,
and in an attempt to keep
these people under control,
look at verse 22.
Pharaoh gave this order
to all his people.
Every boy
that is born
to the Israelites,
well,
you must throw them
into the Nile,
into the river Nile.
That's to kill them.
But let every girl
live.
So this nation,
this people,
are in a complete mess,
in a life
of absolute
misery.
And so we're asking
the question
at the very beginning,
well,
what about this
saving of many lives?
What about
God's salvation's plan?
Well,
God has made a promise.
He knows
our condition,
and nothing
will ever derail
his plan.
Look at chapter 2,
verse 23.
Chapter 2,
verse 23.
During that long period,
the king of Egypt
died.
And the Israelites
groaned in their slavery
and cried out.
It's a cry of salvation.
And their cry for help
because of their slavery
went up to God.
God heard their groaning,
and he remembered
his covenant
with Abraham,
with Isaac,
and with Jacob.
So God looked
on the Israelites
and was concerned
about them.
You see,
God in his love
does not give up
on his people.
Another 400 years
of rebellion
had passed,
but God
is still
in pursuit.
God is relentless
in his desire
to rescue us.
He has made
a promise
to save,
and he will keep
that promise
to save.
So we're going
to look at
three things
about God's
salvation plan
in action.
Here's the first one.
God frees us
from our slavery
to sin.
Look at chapter 3,
verse 7.
The Lord said,
I have indeed
seen the misery
of my people
in Egypt.
I have heard
them crying out
because of their
slave drivers,
and I am concerned
about their suffering.
So I have come
down to rescue
them from the
hand of the Egyptians
and to bring them
up out of the land
into a good
and spacious land,
a land flowing
with milk and honey,
the home of the
Canaanites,
Hittites,
Amorites,
Perizzites,
and Hivites,
and Jebusites.
And now the cry
of the Israelites
has reached me,
and I have seen
the way the Egyptians
are oppressing them.
Did you hear
what God said
to them
in verse 8?
He says,
I will bring
them up
out.
It's the language
of redemption.
In other words,
God is going
to free them
from their
slavery.
You see,
Israel's
physical slavery
under Pharaoh
is just a picture
of their
spiritual slavery
to sin.
Generation
after generation,
this people
have pushed God
out of their lives.
And when we live
in rebellion
against God,
we don't just
gain our freedom,
we lose our freedom.
Just like Israel,
we live under the
control of an
evil oppressor
who wrecks our lives,
who holds us in
bondage to our sin,
Satan himself.
And we've followed
in his ways
and we've joined
in this rebellion
against God.
And the problem
is, like Israel,
we're enslaved
to sin.
We're under
a brutal oppressor
and we cannot
save ourselves.
That's why
this book
is called
Exodus.
Exodus
simply means
exit
or
departure.
In other words,
God is going
to come and
defeat the oppressor
so that they
can be released.
They will
exit
their slavery
and live life
in a new land
as God
intends.
Now,
the way in which
God is going
to save
his people
is through
his chosen
servant,
Moses.
Have a look
at chapter 6,
verse 1.
Chapter 6,
verse 1.
Then the Lord
said to Moses,
Now you will
see what I
will do
to Pharaoh.
Because of
my mighty
hand,
he will
let them
go.
Because of
my mighty
hand,
he will
drive them
out of
his country.
Chapter 6,
verse 6.
Therefore,
say to the
Israelites,
I am the
Lord,
and I will
bring you
out from
under the
yoke of
the Egyptians.
I will
free you
from being
slaves to
them.
I will
redeem you
with an
outstretched
arm,
with mighty
acts of
judgment.
I will
take you
as my
own
people,
and I
will be
your God.
Then you
will know
that I
am the
Lord,
your God,
who brought
you out
from under
the yoke
of the
Egyptians.
And I
will bring
you to
the land
I swore
with uplifted
hands to
give to
Abraham,
to Isaac,
and to
Jacob.
I will
give it
to you
as a
possession.
I am
the Lord.
You see,
God is
going to
work his
plan of
salvation
through his
servant
Moses,
but let's
not miss
the point.
It is
God who
is going
to save.
Look what
it says
in those
verses.
I will
bring you
out.
I will
set you
free.
I will
redeem you.
I will
take you.
I will
bring you.
Salvation
is something
that we
cannot achieve
on our
own.
It is
something
that God
does for
us on
our behalf.
Now
incredibly,
what God
does for
one nation,
freeing them
from slavery,
God has
promised to
do for
all nations
through his
servant
son,
Jesus
Christ.
Listen to
what Jesus
said about
us.
It comes
from John's
Gospel,
chapter 8.
He says,
I tell you
the truth,
everyone who
sins is a
slave to
sin.
Now a
slave has
no permanent
place in the
family,
but a son
belongs to
it forever.
forever.
So if the
son,
that's
Jesus,
sets you
free,
you will
be free
indeed.
Do you
see?
Jesus is
our true
and ultimate
exodus.
He is the
one who
brings us
out.
He is the
one who
sets us
free from
our bondage
to Satan
and our
slavery to
sin,
freeing us
from the
oppressor
Satan,
crushing him
through his
death and
resurrection,
so that we
can be free
people and
live in a
relationship
with God.
So he
sets us
free from
our slavery
to sin.
Second,
he sets us
free from
the judgment
we deserve.
You see,
to bring about
Israel's
freedom,
God promises
to bring
his judgment.
And what
follows through
Exodus in
the next
section is
a series of
ten plagues.
We've probably
heard about it,
we may have
even seen it
on a film
on television.
Each plague
that God
sends is a
response to
Pharaoh's
stubborn refusal
to let the
people go.
So have a
look at
chapter 7,
verse 14.
Then the
Lord said
to Moses,
Pharaoh's
heart is
unyielding.
He refuses
to let the
people go.
So go to
Pharaoh in
the morning
as he goes
out to the
water.
Verse 16.
Then say
to him,
The Lord,
the God of
the Hebrews,
has sent me
to say to
you,
Let my
people go
so that
they may
worship me
in the
desert.
But until
now you
have not
listened.
This is
what the
Lord says,
By this
you will
know that
I am
the Lord.
With the
staff that
is in
my hand,
I will
strike the
water of
the Nile,
and it
will be
changed
into
blood.
The fish
in the
Nile will
die,
and the
river will
stink.
The Egyptians
will not be
able to
drink its
water.
And that's
what happens.
But even
though that
happens,
Pharaoh refuses
still to let
the people
go.
So in
response to
that,
the plagues
intensify,
one after
another,
and with
that the
severity of
judgment
increases with
each plague.
each one
is carefully
delivered to
provoke a
response so
that the
people would
wake up to
the situation
they are in
and turn
back to
God.
And we
see this
most clearly
with the
plague of
hail.
Have a
look at
chapter 9,
verse 13.
Then the
Lord said
to Moses,
Get up
early in
the morning,
confront
Pharaoh and
say to
him,
this is
what the
Lord,
the God
of the
Hebrew
says,
Let my
people go
so that
they may
worship me.
For this
time I will
send the
full force
of my
plagues
against you
and against
your officials
and your
people,
so you
may know
that there
is no one
like me
in all the
earth.
Down to
verse 19.
give an
order now
to bring
your
livestock and
everything you
have in the
field to a
place of
shelter,
because the
hail will
fall on
every man
and animal
that has
not been
brought in
and is still
out in the
field and
they will
die.
Now get
this,
verse 20,
those
officials of
Pharaoh who
feared the
word of
the Lord
hurried to
bring their
slaves and
their livestock
inside.
But those
who ignored
the word of
the Lord
left their
slaves and
livestock in
the field
and they
died.
Verse 27,
Then Pharaoh
summoned Moses
and Aaron,
This time I
have sinned,
he said to
them.
The Lord
is in the
right and
I and my
people are
in the wrong.
Pray to the
Lord, for we
have had enough
thunder and
hail.
I will let
you go.
You don't
have to stay
any longer.
Verse 34,
When Pharaoh
saw that the
rain and
hail and
thunder had
stopped,
he sinned
again.
He and his
officials hardened
their hearts.
So Pharaoh's
heart was
hard and he
would not let
the Israelites
go, just as
the Lord had
said, through
Moses.
Do you
see this
defiance
that continues
against God
and God
true to his
word delivered
the tenth
and last
plague.
Now all
these plagues
that we see
recorded here
is God's
just and
fair response
to those who
continually
rebel against
him.
And in case
we think God
is a bit too
quick and a bit
too harsh to
judge, remember
Egypt also
has had 400
years to
turn back to
God.
400 years
God has been
patient.
You see we
can't continue
to reject
God and
expect to
get away with
it.
This is God's
world.
He made us,
we belong to
him.
It's not our
life to do
whatever we
like.
Now the
problem with
this last
plague is
the tenth
plague is
going to
pass over
the whole
nation
of Egypt.
You see
Israel may
know of
God's promise
to save
but they
are no
less guilty
than the
Egyptians.
Christians.
And the
last plague
is most
serious
because
look at
chapter 11
verse 4.
Chapter 11
verse 4.
Moses said
this is what
the Lord
says.
About
midnight
I will
go
throughout
Egypt.
Every
firstborn
son in
Egypt will
die.
From the
firstborn
son of
Pharaoh sits
on the
throne to
the
firstborn
son of
the
slave
girl who
is at
her
hand
mill and
all the
firstborn of
the cattle
as well.
There will
be loud
wailing
throughout
Egypt worse
than there
has ever
been or
ever will
be again.
But among
the Israelites
not a dog
will bark
or any
man or
animal.
Then you
will know
that the
Lord makes
a distinction
between
Egypt and
Israel.
God will
keep his
promise to
save not
because Israel
deserve it
but because
of God's
intervening
grace.
Now to
experience
this
salvation
they must
do something
that seems
very strange
to us.
each family
or home
must go
and take
a lamb.
Look at
chapter 12
verse 5.
the animals
you choose
must be
year old
males
without
defect
and you
may take
them from
the sheep
or the
goats.
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.
then they
are to
take some
of the
blood
and put
it on
the sides
and tops
of the
door frames
of the
houses
where they
eat the
lambs.
Now that's
really messy
isn't it?
Could you
imagine
getting a
bowl of
blood and
painting it
all round
the door
of your
house?
What would
your neighbours
think?
Why would
God tell
them to do
such a thing
like that?
Well look
at verse
12.
On that
same night
I will
pass through
Egypt
and strike
down every
firstborn
both man
and animals
and I
will bring
judgment
on all
the gods
of Egypt.
I am
the Lord.
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
and no
destructive
plague
will touch
you
when I
strike
Egypt.
God
graciously
provides a
means and a
way for the
people to
know salvation.
You see
God is
teaching them
and he's
teaching us
a really
important
lesson.
someone
something
must die
for all
this rebellion
and this
ongoing
defiance.
Remember
what God
had said
to Adam
and Eve
right at
the beginning
of the
story
when they
turned
against
God
if you
rebel
against
me
you
will
die.
You
die.
So
when they
took this
lamb
and they
slaughtered
this lamb
they're in
effect saying
this lamb
dies
instead of
me.
When they
got that
paint and
they put
that blood
on the
door
they're
thinking
this
is what
should
happen
to me.
This
should be
my blood.
of course
no lamb
could ever
deal with
the world's
sin
and God's
judgment
as the
sins
mountain
as the
rebellion
continued
God's
judgment
was still
there
but God's
plan of
salvation
continues
down through
the generations
and God
did something
that he said
he would do
and promise
he sent
his son
Jesus
our ultimate
Passover lamb.
Listen to
what the
apostle Peter
says
For you
know
that it
was not
with perishable
things such
as silver
and gold
that you
were redeemed
from your
empty way
of life
handed down
to you
by your
forefathers
but with
the precious
blood of
Christ
a lamb
without
blemish
or defect
Jesus
Christ
the
sinless
one
comes
and dies
instead
of you
and for
me
just as
Israel
stood
under the
blood
under the
door frames
and were
in their
houses
so we
come now
and we
stand under
that blood
spattered
cross
because at
the cross
the judgment
of God
passes
over
us
and instead
falls on
the lamb
Jesus
his son
he takes
the blame
for the guilt
of all
of our sin
freeing us
from the
judgment
that we
deserve
so he
frees us
from our
slavery
to sin
he frees
us
from the
judgment
we
deserve
and he
frees us
to live
in his
gracious
provision
you see
God would
set his
people free
from an
evil oppressor
but he
would do
more than
that
he would
graciously
provide for
them all
that they
needed for
their new
life
look what
happens in
chapter 12
verse 31
so the
Passover
has come
the last
plague has
fallen
judgment
has come
and we
read in
chapter 12
verse 31
during the
night
Pharaoh
summoned
Moses and
Aaron and
said up
leave my
people
you and
the Israelites
go worship
the Lord
as you have
requested
take your
flocks and
your herds
as you have
said and
go and
also bless
me
verse 35
the Israelites
did as
Moses had
instructed
and asked
the Egyptians
for articles
of silver
and gold
and for
clothing
and the
Lord had
made the
Egyptians
favorably
disposed
towards the
people
and they
gave them
what they
asked for
so they
plundered
the Egyptians
you see
not only
are the
people
redeemed
set free
from their
oppressor
not only
have they
been rescued
set free
from God's
just judgment
they are
now blessed
they've been
given all
that they
need for
their new
life
gold
silver
clothing
everything
they've
taken for
the Egyptians
and they've
carried it
with them
as they
go out
to start
their new
life
they're
free
people
and God
has given
them every
resource
as they
journey
with him
to go
and worship
him
now what
was material
blessing
for Israel
our same
great God
has supplied
us with
every spiritual
blessing
as we
continue to
journey
with him
again
listen
to the
apostle
Peter
his
divine
power
has
given
us
everything
we
need
for life
and
godliness
through
our
knowledge
of him
who
has
called
us
by his
own
glory
and
goodness
so
that
we
may
participate
in the
divine
nature
and escape
the corruption
in the
world
caused
by its
evil
desires
do you
see
that
god
has
given
us
all
that
we
need
as we
follow
him
we
no
longer
have
to
turn
back
to
sin
for
its
momentary
pleasures
we
no
longer
have
to
listen
to
satan
and
his
lies
and
live
under
his
oppression
we
no
longer
have
to
live
under
the
fear
of
god's
judgment
why
because
we've
been
set
free
and
in
our
freedom
we
now
run
to
christ
so
that
we
can
participate
in
his
divine
nature
and
know
the
power
of
his
holy
spirit
in
our
lives
working
within
us
and
through
us
so
that
people
like
you
and
me
can
escape
the
corruption
in
the
world
caused
by
its
evil
desires
he
has
supplied
us
with
everything
to
live
life
his
way
so
how
does
all
of
this
become
a
reality
for
us
how
can
we
know
god's
full
and
free
salvation
and
experience
it
on a
daily
basis
well
I
want
you
to
imagine
for a
minute
imagine
your
family
home
on
the
night
of
that
last
plague
there
you
are
in
your
house
you
watch
your
children
playing
on
the
floor
and
then
your
eldest
son
walks
in
he
knows
something's
not
right
but
he
doesn't
quite
understand
all
that's
going
on
he
can
feel
the
tension
and
you
look
at
your
wife
standing
motionless
the
blood
drained
from
her
face
in
worry
and
anxiousness
what
are we
going
to
do
and
then
you
remember
what
god
had
said
read
chapter
12
verse
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
door
frame
not
one
of
you
shall
go
out
of
the
door
of
this
house
until
morning
when
the
lord
goes
through
the
land
to
strike
down
the
Egyptians
he
will
see
the
blood
on
the
tops
and
the
sides
of
the
door
frame
and
will
pass
over
that
doorway
and
he
will
not
permit
the
destroyer
to
enter
your
houses
and
strike
you
down
you
go
outside
and
then
you
take
one
of
those
lamps
it
might
seem
harsh
but
you
cut
its
throat
and
your
son
is
there
looking
at
you
what
are
you
doing
dad
well
son
it's
like
this
it's
me
who
deserves
to
die
we
all
deserve
to
die
but
the
death
of
this
lamb
means
it
dies
instead
of
you
and
then
you
begin
to
paint
and
put
that
blood
on
the
door
frames
and
when
you
finish
you
gather
all
your
children
and
all
your
family
and
you
come
inside
the
house
and
you
close
the
door
and
then
you
wait
you
see
it's
all
an
act
of
faith
they
are
simply
trusting
in
what
God
said
he
would
do
they
are
putting
God's
word
into
practice
and
doing
what
God
said
and
trusting
him
to
do
what
he
says
he
will
do
that
no
one
will
come
to
any
harm
and
this
wasn't
just
for
Israel
have
a
look
at
verse
38
as
they
all
make
their
way
out
of
slavery
look
what
we
read
in
verse
38
you
could
easily
miss
this
many
other
people
what
many
other
people
not
just
the
Israelites
but
other
people
Egyptians
those
who
perhaps
had
heard
about
it
who
the
Israelites
had
told
their
neighbours
or
their
friends
they
also
did
the
same
or
came
in
under
the
house
of
an
Israelite
and
they
were
saved
you
see
faith
is
trusting
not
in
what
you
can
do
or
who
we
are
or
our
privileges
or
our
backgrounds
but
it's
simply
coming
in
complete
and
utter
dependence
and
resting
in
all
that
God
has
done
for
us
so
we
are
a
people
who
live
by
faith
yes
like
Israel
we
continue
to
rebel
yes
we
fall
and
we
fail
but
in
faith
we
are
a
people
who
continue
to
look
to
Jesus
who
provides
us
with
all
that
we
need
to
live
life
his
way
who
gives
us
the
resources
to
say
no
to
sin
and
yes
to
his
way
of
living
Jesus
is
the
doorway
to
our
salvation
not
just
for us
but
for
the
world
and
like
Israel
we
should
be
gathering
others
into
the
homes
in
under
Jesus
Christ
who
gives
us
salvation
that
is
full
and
free
let's
pray
together
our
father
god
we
stand
back
amazed
at just
how
great
your
salvation
plan
is
that
you
would
persist
and
pursue
us
as
you
have
done
setting
us
free
from
our
slavery
and
oppression
setting
us
free
from
the
guilt
the
judgment
we
deserve
setting
us
free
to
live
life
your
way
providing
us
with
every
resource
in
Christ
so
that
we
might
walk
with
you
and
worship
you
as
we
should
we
thank
you
that
under
Jesus
we
have
all
that
we
need
and
we
pray
that
you
would
help
us
and
encourage
us
that
we
may
be
people
who
also
invite
others
and
bring
in
others
under
the
cross
of
Jesus
so
that
they
too
may
experience
this
salvation
that
comes
from
you
father
help
us
and
we
ask
this
in
Jesus
name
amen
we
we're
going
to
go
straight
into
sharing
a
meal
together
we're
going
to
sing
a
song
that
helps
us
to
reflect
what
we're
going
to
take
part
in
and
as
we've
just
said
God's
salvation
is
immense
it's
great
and if
we know
the story
of the
exodus
God said
to the
people
you are
to remember
God's
salvation
with a
meal
the
Passover
meal
it was a
way to
recall
everything
that God
had done
his
liberation
his
freedom
his
redemption
for this
people
and that
meal
that they
celebrate
now finds
its
fulfillment
in
Jesus
and so
we
gather
today
as a
people
who
have
come
under
Christ
and we
have
this
simple
meal
that
Jesus
has
given
to us
to share
the bread
representative
of his
body
the juice
representative
of his
blood
shed
for us
he is
the
ultimate
lamb
who
was
sacrificed
for us
and we
come to
him
to know
that
freedom
and to
know
that
forgiveness
so we're
going to
sing a
couple of
verses
we can
stand as
we sing
this
behold
the lamb
who bears
our sins
away
slain for
us
and we
remember
let's
stand as
we sing
words
we
and we
we