I. God saves us so we can serve Him, bringing us from Enslavement to Enrichment according to His Promise

3:17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites…a land flowing with milk and honey

16:3 And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.   29:46…

know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God

Q: Why are we frequently content to just get relief from our pain and fail to enter into the pleasures of a faithful relationship with God?

II. We’re Pawns to reveal God’s Power/Glory, Protected or Sacrificed at His Pleasure; Get Used to It.

3:19  7:4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies, My people, the children of Israel… 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt…9:16 But indeed for this I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.  14:4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so. 14:31  Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses. 15:11 Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in glory (NIV), doing wonders?

Q: How do your priorities and pursuit of power (security-significance)/pleasure/possessions reflect God’s purpose(s) for your life?

III. God presents Himself with Shock and Awe to overcome our addiction to trivial temporal things

19:16…there were thunderings and lightnings...sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

20:20 Moses said to the people: Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.

33:18 "Please, show me Your glory." 34:6…proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished…12  Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.    31:15 Whoever does work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Q: Ultimately why do people desire to be saved and obey? Can one love God without fearing and obeying Him? (Jehovah Jaws)

IV. Ten “Suggestions”: Submit to God, Serve your Neighbor in Love, Sanctify your Desires/Values

21:2  "If you buy a Hebrew servant…21:10  If he takes another wife…21 You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him

22:29  "You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

Q: What is the #1 American Idol? How does one dethrone desires for the temporal and yearn for the delights of God?

V. Worship is a Whole-Person, Specified, Loyal Response to Revelation that demonstrates God’s Worth

3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you. 34:8

19:5  therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then…6 you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation

Q: Why do you think God instituted regular reminders of what worship was about?  Why do we tend to ritualize worship? R U Loyal?

VI. Let’s Make a Deal: God is open to Reason, Relenting when we Repent, Repenting when we Request

4:23…let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse…I will kill your son, firstborn   32:14 34:9 go before

32:12  Why should the Egyptians say…He brought them out to harm them…Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people.

Q: Why does God emphasize the cause & effect mechanism of a relationship with Him? Do you cause your effects? Strawberries anyone?

VII. God’s Solution to Social Evil seems to be Elimination not Education

23:33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.  22:18,19

Q: Why should evil be eliminated? Do we have a higher tolerance for evil than God does? What happened to love and patience?

VIII. God trains us in dependence upon Him because Blessing/Cursing is a response to our obedience/disobedience

11:2…let every one ask from his/her neighbor…articles of silver and gold. 12:36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

12:19…whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, stranger or a native

15:26 If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.

24:3…And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has said we will do."  19:20-24

23:29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you.

32:1 when the people saw that Moses delayed…the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him Q: Why is independence the essence of sin? What are God’s correctives?  What shows that you are depending on God every day?

IX. Preparing for Glory: Templebuilding is a Team Sport, requiring planning, execution and accountability

40:16  Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did. 34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.\

Q: What can you do to help God’s glory dwell in our midst? How can the glory of the Lord lead and guide you this week?