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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - AWOL or on Duty (Part 1)

June 17, 2026 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - AWOL or on Duty (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Culture #Faith #KingdomofGod #SeekGod #Obedience #SpiritualWarfare #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - AWOL or on Duty (Part 1) | June 17, 2026
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: hey, i've encouraged you for a long time
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  • To lead with your faith.
  • 00:00:03.285 --> 00:00:03.685
  • Take your faith outside the church building into all the
  • 00:00:04.853 --> 00:00:07.423
  • Places that your life takes you, where you have influence, where
  • 00:00:07.423 --> 00:00:09.958
  • You have a voice.
  • 00:00:09.958 --> 00:00:11.326
  • We've created some pieces to help you do that, a tote bag,
  • 00:00:11.326 --> 00:00:14.096
  • A blanket.
  • 00:00:14.096 --> 00:00:15.431
  • Maybe you're going to a ball game or the park or the beach,
  • 00:00:15.431 --> 00:00:17.566
  • Wherever that may be, you take these along.
  • 00:00:17.566 --> 00:00:19.768
  • They are a celebration of our nation's 250th anniversary.
  • 00:00:19.768 --> 00:00:24.473
  • Somebody will wanna know where you got it, what it's about, it
  • 00:00:24.473 --> 00:00:27.042
  • Gives you an opportunity to share your faith.
  • 00:00:27.042 --> 00:00:29.678
  • You know, i've had the privilege of living in some places outside
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  • The united states.
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  • Things like a grocery store or fast food or food delivery,
  • 00:00:33.882 --> 00:00:38.821
  • Those things weren't possible in the places i lived.
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  • When i come home, just walking through a grocery store reminds
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  • Me of the goodness and the faithfulness of god, his
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  • Blessings on our nation.
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  • Use your voice to say god has blessed america.
  • 00:00:48.063 --> 00:00:51.900
  • Something as simple as a tote bag can open a door for your
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  • God story.
  • 00:00:54.736 --> 00:00:56.071
  • Together we're gonna lift up the name of jesus in this generation
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  • And see god bless america again.
  • 00:00:59.174 --> 00:01:05.380
  • Allen: the title for the weekend is "enlisted," and then really a
  • 00:01:09.618 --> 00:01:12.754
  • Question for every one of us, are you awol?
  • 00:01:12.754 --> 00:01:15.924
  • Are you--are you on duty?
  • 00:01:15.924 --> 00:01:18.093
  • That's about the limit of my knowledge of military acronyms.
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  • Are you absent without leave?
  • 00:01:22.664 --> 00:01:24.166
  • Memorial day weekend, it seemed appropriate.
  • 00:01:24.166 --> 00:01:25.934
  • I really want to link it to our bible reading.
  • 00:01:25.934 --> 00:01:28.070
  • How many of you do the daily bible reading with us?
  • 00:01:28.070 --> 00:01:31.640
  • Okay, well, i want to invite everybody to do that.
  • 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:33.775
  • We're really just beginning the portion that started in the
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  • Old testament.
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  • We've done the book of genesis and we're in the book of exodus.
  • 00:01:37.179 --> 00:01:39.047
  • Exodus is pretty high drama, it'll hold your attention.
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  • You need the momentum of genesis and exodus when you get
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  • To leviticus.
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  • You need that momentum to help you through.
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  • But i want to take a moment and see if i can put it into context
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  • Those first five books of the bible or the books of moses,
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  • Attributed to moses.
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  • Not that we think he sat down under a tree one day and filled
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  • Several legal pads with the text.
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  • But they are written from the perspective of moses, from the
  • 00:02:03.238 --> 00:02:06.408
  • Scope of moses's life and leadership, what god delivered
  • 00:02:06.408 --> 00:02:09.845
  • To the former slaves of egypt through his life.
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  • And they certainly are an irreplaceable part of the story
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  • Of scripture.
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  • Genesis is the book of beginnings, and it's where we're
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  • Introduced to god as creator.
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  • But in genesis chapter 12, the narrative takes a very sharp
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  • Turn and god begins the formation of a people.
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  • He calls abram, and he said, "from you, i'm gonna make a
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  • People that are as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand
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  • On the seashore."
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  • And we understand by the time we get to genesis 12 that the
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  • Intent of scripture is that god wants a people for himself, and
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  • We're still living in the unfolding of that narrative.
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  • And there's still hatred in the earth for that.
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  • The book of exodus opens by saying that there's a pharaoh
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  • Arose that didn't know who joseph was.
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  • And if you didn't read genesis, you don't know either.
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  • The last fourth of the book of genesis deals with a character
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  • By the name of joseph.
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  • He was the son of the last of the patriarchs, and he found his
  • 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:08.170
  • Way to egypt under some very unfortunate circumstances.
  • 00:03:08.170 --> 00:03:10.806
  • But god blessed him and he became the prime minister of
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  • The land.
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  • And because of his--the way his life flourished, his whole
  • 00:03:14.343 --> 00:03:16.945
  • Family moves to egypt, and the book of genesis closes there.
  • 00:03:16.945 --> 00:03:21.083
  • But that family flourished so much that ultimately the
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  • Egyptians enslaved them.
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  • And for 400 years, joseph's extended family were slaves
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  • In egypt.
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  • And when the book of exodus opened, god says, "i'm gonna
  • 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:34.396
  • Deliver those people from egyptian slavery and take them
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  • To a land that flows with milk and honey."
  • 00:03:38.166 --> 00:03:41.303
  • And that is really the heart of the narrative of those first
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  • Five books, because that people now for 400 years--you need to
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  • Just pause for a moment.
  • 00:03:48.477 --> 00:03:49.845
  • Our nation, we're celebrating a 250th anniversary.
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  • Imagine if for 250 years plus another 150, we've been slaves.
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  • No freedom, no liberty, no autonomy, no self-government.
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  • No choosing of leaders, no independence, none of those
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  • Things, 400 years.
  • 00:04:04.893 --> 00:04:07.029
  • Generation after generation after generation
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  • After generation.
  • 00:04:09.197 --> 00:04:10.565
  • They have no imagination, no memory.
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  • They've never been a nation.
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  • They've never been an independent people.
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  • They were a family.
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  • And because they flourished so much, they became a threat in a
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  • Foreign nation and they were enslaved and they remained that
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  • Way until moses steps onto the scene and says, "let my
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  • People go."
  • 00:04:27.416 --> 00:04:29.785
  • And god begins one of the most remarkable undertakings in all
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  • Of human history.
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  • He's going to build a nation of people, a holy nation out of a
  • 00:04:34.489 --> 00:04:38.460
  • Group of people who have been slaves for hundreds of years.
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  • Exodus is the story, is how they got out of egypt and how god
  • 00:04:41.563 --> 00:04:45.467
  • Provided for them.
  • 00:04:45.467 --> 00:04:47.869
  • Scholars argue a little bit about how many people were
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  • A part of the exodus, but we can take a good round number, kind
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  • Of on the conservative.
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  • Let's say there was a million people.
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  • God fed them, cared for them, says there was no sick people
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  • Amongst them.
  • 00:04:58.313 --> 00:04:59.881
  • But now the heavy lifting isn't getting them out of egyptian
  • 00:04:59.881 --> 00:05:03.251
  • Control, it's how do you fashion them into a holy people?
  • 00:05:03.251 --> 00:05:07.856
  • And so god shows moses, gives him a vision of a tabernacle, a
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  • Place to worship, of a priesthood, a group of people
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  • Who will represent the people before god.
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  • That's the role of a priest.
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  • The sacrifices that will be made, how they should live, what
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  • It means to be holy, what's unholy, what does it mean to
  • 00:05:22.604 --> 00:05:25.374
  • Honor god, to yield to god, to be obedient to god, those are
  • 00:05:25.374 --> 00:05:28.810
  • Not intuitive positions for the human being.
  • 00:05:28.810 --> 00:05:31.046
  • And that's the story of these books you're reading, genesis,
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  • Exodus, leviticus.
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  • The tribe of levi, the--there were 12 tribes of israel.
  • 00:05:36.084 --> 00:05:40.889
  • The levitical tribe, the tribe of levi, were the priests.
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  • They're given the assignments of how to build the tabernacle, how
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  • To establish it.
  • 00:05:47.396 --> 00:05:48.764
  • It's a portable thing.
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  • They're a people on the move, they don't have a homeland yet.
  • 00:05:50.098 --> 00:05:52.100
  • So their place of worship is in a rather elaborate tent, and all
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  • The furnishings that go with it and all the procedures for
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  • Making it holy and sacred and sanctified, set apart to god.
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  • It's the book of leviticus.
  • 00:06:02.244 --> 00:06:03.578
  • Then you get to numbers and deuteronomy and you start to get
  • 00:06:03.578 --> 00:06:05.881
  • The rules for community living.
  • 00:06:05.881 --> 00:06:07.215
  • How do we live together?
  • 00:06:07.215 --> 00:06:08.583
  • What do we do?
  • 00:06:08.583 --> 00:06:09.918
  • What's it mean to be a holy people?
  • 00:06:09.918 --> 00:06:11.286
  • We've almost lost that notion ourselves.
  • 00:06:11.286 --> 00:06:14.156
  • We've had a gospel so intently focused on salvation and
  • 00:06:14.156 --> 00:06:16.825
  • Conversion that we've lost the conversations, to a great
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  • Extent, about what it means to be a holy people.
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  • We'll talk more about grace and mercy.
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  • So as you're reading through these books, i know some of the
  • 00:06:24.666 --> 00:06:26.935
  • Portions lack a bit of drama, some don't.
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  • Hello, the earth swallows people!
  • 00:06:29.671 --> 00:06:33.074
  • There was a group of people complaining and the earth opened
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  • Up and swallowed them.
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  • And the next morning there were people in the complaint line.
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  • No, i mean, it's in the book!
  • 00:06:41.383 --> 00:06:43.718
  • It's like god recruited from the slow group.
  • 00:06:43.718 --> 00:06:49.191
  • So i really wanted--the purpose of the messages this weekend
  • 00:06:49.191 --> 00:06:52.160
  • Were to invite you into that narrative and hopefully to
  • 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:54.429
  • Encourage you to read your bible.
  • 00:06:54.429 --> 00:06:56.965
  • I don't know how you will sustain your spiritual momentum
  • 00:06:56.965 --> 00:07:00.802
  • In the season ahead of us, when deception is increasing, if
  • 00:07:00.802 --> 00:07:03.972
  • You're not in the habit of routinely reading your bible.
  • 00:07:03.972 --> 00:07:07.876
  • You won't understand every verse you read, i don't, but you'll
  • 00:07:07.876 --> 00:07:11.446
  • Understand enough.
  • 00:07:11.446 --> 00:07:12.781
  • So the books of moses, what you should know about moses is he's
  • 00:07:12.781 --> 00:07:14.983
  • The g.o.a.t, the greatest of all time, and certainly the greatest
  • 00:07:14.983 --> 00:07:18.887
  • Of his time.
  • 00:07:18.887 --> 00:07:20.355
  • Until you get to jesus, there's nobody in all the bible that can
  • 00:07:20.355 --> 00:07:23.825
  • Match moses for his leadership, the role that god gave him, for
  • 00:07:23.825 --> 00:07:26.495
  • His faithfulness in that.
  • 00:07:26.495 --> 00:07:27.863
  • In the book of hebrews in the new testament, it says that
  • 00:07:27.863 --> 00:07:29.831
  • Moses was faithful in all of god's house.
  • 00:07:29.831 --> 00:07:32.133
  • What a remarkable statement!
  • 00:07:32.133 --> 00:07:33.502
  • Wouldn't you--don't--wouldn't it be nice if that were said of you
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  • Or me?
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  • Remarkable man.
  • 00:07:37.038 --> 00:07:38.373
  • And the characteristics that were given about moses that made
  • 00:07:38.373 --> 00:07:41.142
  • Him uniquely equipped for god's purposes wasn't crazy physical
  • 00:07:41.142 --> 00:07:45.046
  • Gifts or tremendous charisma or any of those things.
  • 00:07:45.046 --> 00:07:48.717
  • We're told that moses was the most humble man on the face of
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  • The earth.
  • 00:07:51.586 --> 00:07:53.054
  • Some translations say the meekest man.
  • 00:07:53.054 --> 00:07:55.423
  • Meekness is not weakness, folks.
  • 00:07:55.423 --> 00:07:56.925
  • Meekness is a calm assurance of god's unlimited power.
  • 00:07:56.925 --> 00:08:01.530
  • Moses had a humility that enabled god to lead him.
  • 00:08:01.530 --> 00:08:05.066
  • That's not a reticence, that's not a shrinking back.
  • 00:08:05.066 --> 00:08:07.903
  • That's not being overly timid and quiet.
  • 00:08:07.903 --> 00:08:10.005
  • You can be all of those things and be filled with pride.
  • 00:08:10.005 --> 00:08:13.909
  • Meekness, humility recognizes your limits.
  • 00:08:13.909 --> 00:08:17.345
  • Moses had the courage to stand in front of a million people and
  • 00:08:17.345 --> 00:08:19.781
  • Say, "follow me, we're leaving town."
  • 00:08:19.781 --> 00:08:23.118
  • "what are we gonna do?"
  • 00:08:23.118 --> 00:08:24.486
  • "i don't know, god will take care of us."
  • 00:08:24.486 --> 00:08:25.820
  • "what are we gonna eat?"
  • 00:08:25.820 --> 00:08:27.188
  • "god will take care of us."
  • 00:08:27.188 --> 00:08:29.190
  • That will help you recalibrate humility.
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  • Humility is the single most significant factor i know in
  • 00:08:31.626 --> 00:08:35.797
  • God's blessings coming to your life.
  • 00:08:35.797 --> 00:08:37.432
  • My bible says that god will exalt the humble and he will
  • 00:08:37.432 --> 00:08:41.236
  • Resist the proud.
  • 00:08:41.236 --> 00:08:42.571
  • You can choose one of two doorways.
  • 00:08:42.571 --> 00:08:44.039
  • You can choose your own pride, and god himself will oppose you.
  • 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:48.243
  • Or you can cultivate humility and god will bring promotion to
  • 00:08:48.243 --> 00:08:50.979
  • Your life.
  • 00:08:50.979 --> 00:08:54.683
  • It's an interesting--this notion of the formation of people
  • 00:08:54.683 --> 00:08:57.786
  • Called out of egypt, instructions in holiness,
  • 00:08:57.786 --> 00:08:59.921
  • Honoring god.
  • 00:08:59.921 --> 00:09:01.923
  • The responsibilities they're given.
  • 00:09:01.923 --> 00:09:04.259
  • The people are given responsibilities and
  • 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:06.027
  • Instructions, it's not simply a blessing train.
  • 00:09:06.027 --> 00:09:09.364
  • Again, it's a notion that's gotten lost in much of
  • 00:09:09.364 --> 00:09:11.266
  • Contemporary american christianity.
  • 00:09:11.266 --> 00:09:15.203
  • I want to focus on this notion that encountering god is really
  • 00:09:15.203 --> 00:09:17.839
  • Expressed in service, in service.
  • 00:09:17.839 --> 00:09:22.277
  • In exodus chapter 3, when moses has this encounter at the
  • 00:09:22.277 --> 00:09:25.280
  • Burning bush, most of you are familiar with that story.
  • 00:09:25.280 --> 00:09:27.415
  • Hollywood's picked it up if you haven't even found it in
  • 00:09:27.415 --> 00:09:29.317
  • Your bible.
  • 00:09:29.317 --> 00:09:31.252
  • Moses has an encounter with a bush that's on fire, and god
  • 00:09:31.252 --> 00:09:33.688
  • Speaks to him from the bush.
  • 00:09:33.688 --> 00:09:35.023
  • He knows his name, requires of him to change his behavior.
  • 00:09:35.023 --> 00:09:37.492
  • He said, "take your shoes off, you're standing on holy ground."
  • 00:09:37.492 --> 00:09:39.694
  • He said, "i've heard the cries of my people.
  • 00:09:39.694 --> 00:09:41.529
  • They've been suffering greatly.
  • 00:09:41.529 --> 00:09:43.064
  • I'm aware of their suffering at the hands of the egyptians."
  • 00:09:43.064 --> 00:09:46.267
  • And you can see moses nodding, "yeah, i know about all
  • 00:09:46.267 --> 00:09:48.236
  • Of that."
  • 00:09:48.236 --> 00:09:50.138
  • But then god kind of flips the script and he said, "now, go.
  • 00:09:50.138 --> 00:09:52.674
  • I'm sending you."
  • 00:09:52.674 --> 00:09:55.477
  • Hello, you've got the verse, "i'm sending you to lead my
  • 00:09:55.477 --> 00:09:58.113
  • People out of egypt."
  • 00:09:58.113 --> 00:10:00.215
  • And at this point, moses balks mightily.
  • 00:10:00.215 --> 00:10:03.752
  • We explored that in some detail in the previous session.
  • 00:10:03.752 --> 00:10:07.322
  • What i wanna submit to you is that when you and i have an
  • 00:10:07.322 --> 00:10:09.190
  • Encounter with jesus, our lives are not intended to remain
  • 00:10:09.190 --> 00:10:11.993
  • The same.
  • 00:10:11.993 --> 00:10:14.796
  • You know, in the--when we think of evangelism, we think of an
  • 00:10:14.796 --> 00:10:17.298
  • Invitation to an altar and to acknowledge jesus, to say the
  • 00:10:17.298 --> 00:10:19.901
  • Sinner's prayer.
  • 00:10:19.901 --> 00:10:21.236
  • And those are all good things, i believe in conversion and the
  • 00:10:21.236 --> 00:10:23.004
  • New birth.
  • 00:10:23.004 --> 00:10:24.439
  • But the point of an encounter with jesus is to enable us to
  • 00:10:24.439 --> 00:10:28.176
  • Serve the lord.
  • 00:10:28.176 --> 00:10:30.679
  • I'm not suggesting we earn our way to heaven.
  • 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:32.447
  • I'm not suggesting that at all.
  • 00:10:32.447 --> 00:10:34.082
  • I'm suggesting that true conversion, a true
  • 00:10:34.082 --> 00:10:36.317
  • Transformation of your life, means that you then yield your
  • 00:10:36.317 --> 00:10:39.287
  • Life in service of the king.
  • 00:10:39.287 --> 00:10:42.057
  • And absent the service, we have reason to question the
  • 00:10:42.057 --> 00:10:45.393
  • Authenticity of the transformation.
  • 00:10:45.393 --> 00:10:48.963
  • We don't just recite verses and sit in a building, we're
  • 00:10:48.963 --> 00:10:52.567
  • Changed people.
  • 00:10:52.567 --> 00:10:55.236
  • Moses left that encounter with god at the burning bush
  • 00:10:55.236 --> 00:10:58.339
  • A different person.
  • 00:10:58.339 --> 00:10:59.741
  • You know this with the verses, whether you can quote their
  • 00:10:59.741 --> 00:11:03.378
  • References or not, the bible has these crazy things.
  • 00:11:03.378 --> 00:11:05.680
  • It says like, "train up a child in the way they should go."
  • 00:11:05.680 --> 00:11:09.384
  • If you're a person of faith, how you train your children
  • 00:11:09.384 --> 00:11:12.287
  • Is reflected.
  • 00:11:12.287 --> 00:11:15.190
  • Because of your connection to god.
  • 00:11:15.190 --> 00:11:18.159
  • The nature of your home, the relationships in your home,
  • 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:21.129
  • "husbands, love your wives."
  • 00:11:21.129 --> 00:11:24.232
  • "wives, honor your husbands."
  • 00:11:24.232 --> 00:11:28.436
  • "practice hospitality," the scripture says.
  • 00:11:28.436 --> 00:11:31.539
  • "well, i don't want to."
  • 00:11:31.539 --> 00:11:32.907
  • You mean you wanna be disobedient?
  • 00:11:32.907 --> 00:11:35.744
  • "well, i just thought it was a suggestion," oh.
  • 00:11:35.744 --> 00:11:40.115
  • "encourage one another daily."
  • 00:11:40.115 --> 00:11:43.818
  • "i'd rather gossip."
  • 00:11:43.818 --> 00:11:48.089
  • "go into all the world and make disciples of all nations."
  • 00:11:48.089 --> 00:11:51.192
  • "be prepared to give an answer for your faith to anyone who
  • 00:11:51.192 --> 00:11:53.995
  • Would ask."
  • 00:11:53.995 --> 00:11:55.997
  • Passage after passage, chapter after chapter, page after page,
  • 00:11:55.997 --> 00:12:01.336
  • We are called to respond to god with our lives.
  • 00:12:01.336 --> 00:12:10.779
  • "well, pastor, i said the sinner's prayer, i've
  • 00:12:10.779 --> 00:12:12.781
  • Been baptized.
  • 00:12:12.781 --> 00:12:14.682
  • I came to church on a holiday weekend, what do you want?"
  • 00:12:14.682 --> 00:12:21.956
  • Well, i will applaud all of those things.
  • 00:12:21.956 --> 00:12:23.892
  • Me too, i did all of those myself.
  • 00:12:23.892 --> 00:12:28.730
  • But the fruit of conversion, a new birth, is not simply
  • 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:31.266
  • A ticket to heaven.
  • 00:12:31.266 --> 00:12:33.668
  • It's not just like internal fire assurance.
  • 00:12:33.668 --> 00:12:37.505
  • The fruit of conversion is a life of service to the
  • 00:12:37.505 --> 00:12:39.841
  • King, amen?
  • 00:12:39.841 --> 00:12:43.444
  • Now, where i think the challenge comes in, that is we think,
  • 00:12:43.444 --> 00:12:48.082
  • Well, okay, it ought to be fun.
  • 00:12:48.082 --> 00:12:51.820
  • It should be like easy.
  • 00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:54.556
  • It's like a birthday party or celebration or are there
  • 00:12:54.556 --> 00:12:57.992
  • Gifts involved?
  • 00:12:57.992 --> 00:13:00.328
  • And i--i'm very comfortable talking about the blessings of
  • 00:13:00.328 --> 00:13:03.498
  • God and the grace of god and the mercy of god and god's desire
  • 00:13:03.498 --> 00:13:06.734
  • For good things for our lives because i believe all of those
  • 00:13:06.734 --> 00:13:08.870
  • Things are true.
  • 00:13:08.870 --> 00:13:10.805
  • When god delivered the former slaves of egypt out of egyptian
  • 00:13:10.805 --> 00:13:13.408
  • Bondage after hundreds of years, they plundered the nation
  • 00:13:13.408 --> 00:13:16.144
  • Of egypt.
  • 00:13:16.144 --> 00:13:17.512
  • They came with the gold and silver of the egyptians.
  • 00:13:17.512 --> 00:13:19.113
  • It said there were no sick people amongst them.
  • 00:13:19.113 --> 00:13:22.083
  • That god promised them at one of their first stops for water, he
  • 00:13:22.083 --> 00:13:25.553
  • Said, "i'll be your physician."
  • 00:13:25.553 --> 00:13:26.921
  • It's the modern israeli word--israel--for doctor.
  • 00:13:26.921 --> 00:13:31.092
  • He said, "i will literally be the lord your doctor if you will
  • 00:13:31.092 --> 00:13:33.795
  • Honor me."
  • 00:13:33.795 --> 00:13:35.763
  • So i'm all in with all the good things that god wants, but i
  • 00:13:35.763 --> 00:13:39.033
  • Also know it was a challenge, that there were problems.
  • 00:13:39.033 --> 00:13:42.871
  • And we seem unprepared for that, ill-prepared for that, almost
  • 00:13:42.871 --> 00:13:46.808
  • Unwilling to deal with that.
  • 00:13:46.808 --> 00:13:49.043
  • So we gotta go covert with our christianity.
  • 00:13:49.043 --> 00:13:51.579
  • We--we've come up with these elaborate systems where we
  • 00:13:51.579 --> 00:13:53.815
  • Gather in church and we'll worship the lord and we'll
  • 00:13:53.815 --> 00:13:55.950
  • Encourage one another with our faith, but when we leave the
  • 00:13:55.950 --> 00:13:57.952
  • Building, we wanna pretend as if we can leave our faith in the
  • 00:13:57.952 --> 00:14:00.421
  • Building or on the church campus.
  • 00:14:00.421 --> 00:14:02.757
  • And then if we gather with other christians, we'll talk about
  • 00:14:02.757 --> 00:14:04.759
  • Our christianity.
  • 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:06.094
  • But if we're in a broader company or more polite company
  • 00:14:06.094 --> 00:14:08.496
  • Or some other company, we don't talk about faith or politics.
  • 00:14:08.496 --> 00:14:14.302
  • I think that's an ungodly idea.
  • 00:14:14.302 --> 00:14:18.373
  • I'm not particularly interested in politics.
  • 00:14:18.373 --> 00:14:20.008
  • I'm very interested in culture because i believe if our faith
  • 00:14:20.008 --> 00:14:23.678
  • Doesn't impact the culture in which we live, we fail as salt
  • 00:14:23.678 --> 00:14:26.214
  • And light. [congregation applauding]
  • 00:14:26.214 --> 00:14:33.087
  • So if you'll allow it as you read the bible, it's gonna shape
  • 00:14:33.087 --> 00:14:35.623
  • Your expectations for how we engage in the world.
  • 00:14:35.623 --> 00:14:41.596
  • When god delivered those people from egyptian slavery, he
  • 00:14:41.596 --> 00:14:44.532
  • Delivered them for the purpose of bringing them into a land
  • 00:14:44.532 --> 00:14:46.467
  • That flows with milk and honey.
  • 00:14:46.467 --> 00:14:48.403
  • But between those two experiences, there's a whole set
  • 00:14:48.403 --> 00:14:51.205
  • Of things that are happening, a transformation of their lives.
  • 00:14:51.205 --> 00:14:54.342
  • And god is still transforming people for his purposes in
  • 00:14:54.342 --> 00:14:58.046
  • The earth.
  • 00:14:58.046 --> 00:14:59.414
  • Fact the bible says, "the eyes of god search the whole earth,
  • 00:14:59.414 --> 00:15:01.883
  • Looking for men and women who are willing to honor him with
  • 00:15:01.883 --> 00:15:04.852
  • Their lives."
  • 00:15:04.852 --> 00:15:06.187
  • I wanna be one of those people.
  • 00:15:06.187 --> 00:15:08.723
  • I don't--i couldn't care less about being churched.
  • 00:15:08.723 --> 00:15:12.460
  • But i have a passion to be included with the people of god.
  • 00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:18.366
  • Allen: hey, we're celebrating this year the 250th anniversary
  • 00:15:22.570 --> 00:15:25.940
  • Of the signing of the declaration of independence.
  • 00:15:25.940 --> 00:15:28.643
  • What a wonderful privilege we have.
  • 00:15:28.643 --> 00:15:31.112
  • You know, god has blessed our nation, so many good things.
  • 00:15:31.112 --> 00:15:34.048
  • People say to me, "well, our whole history is not good."
  • 00:15:34.048 --> 00:15:36.517
  • Well, folks, you know, my history is not great, your
  • 00:15:36.517 --> 00:15:38.953
  • Family history is not perfect, but you love your family, you
  • 00:15:38.953 --> 00:15:41.856
  • Love your children.
  • 00:15:41.856 --> 00:15:43.291
  • In spite of our weaknesses, well, our nation hadn't been
  • 00:15:43.291 --> 00:15:46.094
  • Perfect, but through that whole story, the goodness of god
  • 00:15:46.094 --> 00:15:49.263
  • Is evident.
  • 00:15:49.263 --> 00:15:50.598
  • It still is.
  • 00:15:50.598 --> 00:15:51.966
  • Let's ask god to bless america again.
  • 00:15:51.966 --> 00:15:54.569
  • I believe he will.
  • 00:15:54.569 --> 00:15:55.903
  • Female announcer: as we celebrate 250 years of god's
  • 00:15:55.903 --> 00:15:58.740
  • Faithfulness to our nation, we want to help you carry that
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  • Message along with you.
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  • This commemorative tote bag and blanket are simple reminders of
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  • His goodness and a way to spark meaningful conversations
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  • Wherever you go.
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  • Request your limited edition tote bag and blanket today while
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  • Supplies last, with your gift of
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  • $100 or more at allenjackson.com or call...
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  • Announcer: we are committed to helping you grow in your faith
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  • And have tools for your journey no matter your schedule.
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  • Get daily encouragement and insight with pastor allen's
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  • Just sign up on the website.
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  • Allen on social media to stay up
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  • To date with everything
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  • Happening here with allen
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  • Jackson ministries.
  • 00:16:51.225 --> 00:16:53.594
  • Allen: now jesus gave us some insight into what we
  • 00:16:55.229 --> 00:16:57.565
  • Should expect.
  • 00:16:57.565 --> 00:16:58.900
  • We're gonna go back to the life of moses in a minute.
  • 00:16:58.900 --> 00:17:00.568
  • We looked at moses in a lot of detail in the earlier session.
  • 00:17:00.568 --> 00:17:02.437
  • Moses was a reluctant recruit.
  • 00:17:02.437 --> 00:17:04.405
  • He said, "i don't wanna do this.
  • 00:17:04.405 --> 00:17:06.741
  • I'm not gifted enough.
  • 00:17:06.741 --> 00:17:08.076
  • I don't talk well.
  • 00:17:08.076 --> 00:17:09.444
  • I don't have enough support.
  • 00:17:09.444 --> 00:17:10.778
  • I don't have enough affirmation.
  • 00:17:10.778 --> 00:17:12.113
  • I don't have enough resource."
  • 00:17:12.113 --> 00:17:13.481
  • He had a whole list of reasons and god said, "yes, yes,
  • 00:17:13.481 --> 00:17:15.149
  • Shut up and go."
  • 00:17:15.149 --> 00:17:18.519
  • And i think we do that with the lord.
  • 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:19.854
  • We're too busy to be involved with the things of god.
  • 00:17:19.854 --> 00:17:22.890
  • We don't wanna occupy a space in a community and have to hold up
  • 00:17:22.890 --> 00:17:26.294
  • A biblical worldview because we understand that's intrusive, and
  • 00:17:26.294 --> 00:17:29.931
  • This is my life and my season and my calendar and my agenda
  • 00:17:29.931 --> 00:17:32.834
  • And i don't wanna do that.
  • 00:17:32.834 --> 00:17:36.771
  • Are you awol?
  • 00:17:36.771 --> 00:17:39.674
  • Are you on duty?
  • 00:17:39.674 --> 00:17:42.043
  • Are you holding up some baptism certificate
  • 00:17:42.043 --> 00:17:44.045
  • Saying that's--please.
  • 00:17:44.045 --> 00:17:48.316
  • Matthew 24, jesus gives us--you know, of all the hebrew
  • 00:17:48.316 --> 00:17:51.919
  • Prophets, jesus is the greatest.
  • 00:17:51.919 --> 00:17:54.122
  • And matthew 24 is his most lengthy prophetic discourse, and
  • 00:17:54.122 --> 00:17:57.458
  • He gives us a little window about the season i happen to
  • 00:17:57.458 --> 00:18:00.061
  • Think we're living in.
  • 00:18:00.061 --> 00:18:02.130
  • He said, "you'll be handed over to be persecuted and put to
  • 00:18:02.130 --> 00:18:04.565
  • Death, you'll be hated by all nations because of me.
  • 00:18:04.565 --> 00:18:07.969
  • And at that time many will turn away from the faith and will
  • 00:18:07.969 --> 00:18:10.204
  • Betray and hate each other, many false prophets will appear and
  • 00:18:10.204 --> 00:18:14.642
  • Deceive many people.
  • 00:18:14.642 --> 00:18:16.944
  • Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most
  • 00:18:16.944 --> 00:18:19.013
  • Will grow cold, and he who stands firm to the end will
  • 00:18:19.013 --> 00:18:21.215
  • Be saved.
  • 00:18:21.215 --> 00:18:22.583
  • And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole
  • 00:18:22.583 --> 00:18:24.652
  • World as a testimony to all nations, and then the end
  • 00:18:24.652 --> 00:18:27.021
  • Will come."
  • 00:18:27.021 --> 00:18:28.422
  • How many of you'd like to sign up for seeing the gospel
  • 00:18:28.422 --> 00:18:30.224
  • Preached in the whole world?
  • 00:18:30.224 --> 00:18:31.993
  • That's the penultimate sign before jesus returns.
  • 00:18:31.993 --> 00:18:34.495
  • The quicker we get that done, the quicker the king comes back.
  • 00:18:34.495 --> 00:18:37.999
  • Most of us, i think, could find a way to say, "yeah, i--i'm up
  • 00:18:37.999 --> 00:18:40.801
  • For that.
  • 00:18:40.801 --> 00:18:42.136
  • I would like to see that happen.
  • 00:18:42.136 --> 00:18:43.504
  • Let's get the gospel preached in the whole world."
  • 00:18:43.504 --> 00:18:45.973
  • We've got tools and technology to do that in a way today that
  • 00:18:45.973 --> 00:18:48.676
  • Were completely unimaginable just a few short years ago.
  • 00:18:48.676 --> 00:18:52.213
  • We can turn on church service in murfreesboro, tennessee, and
  • 00:18:52.213 --> 00:18:54.849
  • Have friends watch it all over the globe, it's crazy.
  • 00:18:54.849 --> 00:18:59.453
  • We have to help them with some of our southern expressions, but
  • 00:18:59.453 --> 00:19:01.489
  • They get the word of god pretty clearly.
  • 00:19:01.489 --> 00:19:04.692
  • But jesus gave us this whole host of descriptors about
  • 00:19:04.692 --> 00:19:07.695
  • That season.
  • 00:19:07.695 --> 00:19:09.597
  • And he's talking about great threats, persecution,
  • 00:19:09.597 --> 00:19:12.567
  • Executions, martyrs, hatred.
  • 00:19:12.567 --> 00:19:15.703
  • Many turning away from the faith because of the pressure.
  • 00:19:15.703 --> 00:19:22.210
  • Many false prophets, false truth tellers, deceiving many people,
  • 00:19:22.210 --> 00:19:27.215
  • A great increase in wickedness, all of these things jesus said.
  • 00:19:27.215 --> 00:19:33.254
  • Well, we're realistic enough to understand that under that kind
  • 00:19:33.254 --> 00:19:35.356
  • Of pressure, there's a great temptation to be more timid, to
  • 00:19:35.356 --> 00:19:40.127
  • Turn down the volume a little bit.
  • 00:19:40.127 --> 00:19:44.932
  • Well, i wanna use the book of exodus since you're reading your
  • 00:19:44.932 --> 00:19:47.068
  • Way through it right now.
  • 00:19:47.068 --> 00:19:49.403
  • We're about halfway through the book if you're following with
  • 00:19:49.403 --> 00:19:51.305
  • Us, so some of this will be a review.
  • 00:19:51.305 --> 00:19:53.374
  • But i wanna give you a bit of moses's experience with serving
  • 00:19:53.374 --> 00:19:55.910
  • The lord.
  • 00:19:55.910 --> 00:19:57.245
  • Remember, god recruited moses.
  • 00:19:57.245 --> 00:19:58.613
  • "moses, you're my man.
  • 00:19:58.613 --> 00:19:59.947
  • Handpicked, you're the one i want."
  • 00:19:59.947 --> 00:20:02.950
  • And moses was, "not really, couldn't somebody else do this?"
  • 00:20:02.950 --> 00:20:06.587
  • And god said, "no, son, we're gonna do this."
  • 00:20:06.587 --> 00:20:10.691
  • Well, i want you to watch the story unfold.
  • 00:20:10.691 --> 00:20:12.693
  • Exodus chapter 5 and verse 21, "they said," this is the people,
  • 00:20:12.693 --> 00:20:16.631
  • "may the lord look upon you and judge you!"
  • 00:20:16.631 --> 00:20:19.066
  • They're speaking to moses.
  • 00:20:19.066 --> 00:20:20.434
  • These are the slaves, speaking to moses.
  • 00:20:20.434 --> 00:20:22.036
  • "may the lord look upon and judge you!
  • 00:20:22.036 --> 00:20:23.437
  • You've made us a stench to pharaoh and to his officials and
  • 00:20:23.437 --> 00:20:27.808
  • They've put a sword in their hand to kill us."
  • 00:20:27.808 --> 00:20:30.978
  • What a beautiful expression of gratitude for moses's
  • 00:20:30.978 --> 00:20:33.281
  • Leadership, "you have made us a stench."
  • 00:20:33.281 --> 00:20:40.187
  • "we were better before you got here, big boy.
  • 00:20:40.187 --> 00:20:43.858
  • We don't like you."
  • 00:20:43.858 --> 00:20:45.693
  • I can hear moses talking to the lord, "i told you so!
  • 00:20:45.693 --> 00:20:50.865
  • This was not a good idea.
  • 00:20:50.865 --> 00:20:52.466
  • I've been here.
  • 00:20:52.466 --> 00:20:53.834
  • It didn't work out well.
  • 00:20:53.834 --> 00:20:55.169
  • I had a good goat business going on the backside of the desert."
  • 00:20:55.169 --> 00:20:59.307
  • Exodus 14, "they said to moses, 'was it because there were no
  • 00:20:59.307 --> 00:21:02.376
  • Graves in egypt that you brought us out to the desert to die?
  • 00:21:02.376 --> 00:21:07.081
  • What have you done to us by bringing us out of egypt?
  • 00:21:07.081 --> 00:21:09.517
  • Didn't we say to you in egypt, 'leave us alone, leave us; let
  • 00:21:09.517 --> 00:21:12.620
  • Us serve the egyptians'?
  • 00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:15.056
  • It would have been better for us to serve the egyptians than to
  • 00:21:15.056 --> 00:21:17.692
  • Die in the desert!'"
  • 00:21:17.692 --> 00:21:19.026
  • What a happy group of people.
  • 00:21:19.026 --> 00:21:22.897
  • I'm not sure moses had an easy week after that burning
  • 00:21:22.897 --> 00:21:25.900
  • Bush event.
  • 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:28.569
  • I mean, he saw the power of god and the demonstrations of the
  • 00:21:28.569 --> 00:21:32.840
  • Amazing glory of god, spoke to god.
  • 00:21:32.840 --> 00:21:37.545
  • But it doesn't mean it was simple.
  • 00:21:37.545 --> 00:21:40.648
  • There's one encouraging point in exodus 14.
  • 00:21:40.648 --> 00:21:42.883
  • After the red sea's parted and the egyptian armies drowned and
  • 00:21:42.883 --> 00:21:46.454
  • The slaves escape in the moment, there's a tremendous
  • 00:21:46.454 --> 00:21:49.490
  • Celebration, as you can imagine.
  • 00:21:49.490 --> 00:21:50.891
  • And there is this one verse of affirmation, "when the
  • 00:21:50.891 --> 00:21:52.927
  • Israelites saw the great power the lord displayed against the
  • 00:21:52.927 --> 00:21:55.996
  • Egyptians, the people feared the lord and they put their trust in
  • 00:21:55.996 --> 00:21:58.933
  • God and in moses his servant."
  • 00:21:58.933 --> 00:22:02.503
  • I'm pretty sure moses had that verse embroidered on a pillow in
  • 00:22:02.503 --> 00:22:04.905
  • His tent, because that was kind of the highlight of this
  • 00:22:04.905 --> 00:22:08.809
  • Experience for him.
  • 00:22:08.809 --> 00:22:11.345
  • In the celebration that the people came after that, there's
  • 00:22:11.345 --> 00:22:13.881
  • A statement made about god that i think we should take note of
  • 00:22:13.881 --> 00:22:16.717
  • And remember for our own generation.
  • 00:22:16.717 --> 00:22:18.219
  • It's exodus 15:3, says, "the lord is a warrior; the lord is
  • 00:22:18.219 --> 00:22:22.957
  • His name."
  • 00:22:22.957 --> 00:22:25.226
  • This notion of the people of god and conflict, they're not
  • 00:22:25.226 --> 00:22:28.129
  • Separate, folks.
  • 00:22:28.129 --> 00:22:30.164
  • We've peeled some individual verses out of the bible and
  • 00:22:30.164 --> 00:22:33.567
  • Tried to imagine that god's a pacifist.
  • 00:22:33.567 --> 00:22:36.670
  • Heard somebody trying to argue the other day that god was
  • 00:22:36.670 --> 00:22:38.773
  • A socialist.
  • 00:22:38.773 --> 00:22:41.942
  • I mean, you can find a verse, but you can find a verse
  • 00:22:41.942 --> 00:22:43.744
  • To prove anything.
  • 00:22:43.744 --> 00:22:45.079
  • Do you understand that?
  • 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:46.414
  • If you could pull a verse out of context, you can prove anything
  • 00:22:46.414 --> 00:22:48.749
  • You want to with your bible.
  • 00:22:48.749 --> 00:22:50.117
  • One of my favorite stories is about a man that was saying,
  • 00:22:50.117 --> 00:22:51.886
  • "god, i desperately need direction.
  • 00:22:51.886 --> 00:22:54.388
  • Lord, won't you show me what to do?"
  • 00:22:54.388 --> 00:22:55.756
  • He said, "i'm gonna open my bible and trust you
  • 00:22:55.756 --> 00:22:58.025
  • For direction."
  • 00:22:58.025 --> 00:23:00.494
  • And he looked down and it said, "judas went and hanged himself."
  • 00:23:00.494 --> 00:23:06.333
  • He said, "oh god, i know that couldn't be you.
  • 00:23:06.333 --> 00:23:09.837
  • I know that's not your direction.
  • 00:23:09.837 --> 00:23:11.338
  • Lord, i--i'm sure i was just anxious, but i need to hear
  • 00:23:11.338 --> 00:23:13.941
  • From you."
  • 00:23:13.941 --> 00:23:15.276
  • And he looked down and it said, "go thou and do likewise."
  • 00:23:15.276 --> 00:23:18.612
  • Folks, pulling verses out of context, you can prove anything
  • 00:23:18.612 --> 00:23:21.382
  • You want to prove.
  • 00:23:21.382 --> 00:23:24.318
  • Reading your bible in an intentional way, even through
  • 00:23:24.318 --> 00:23:28.589
  • The parts that aren't exciting, is a very important part of
  • 00:23:28.589 --> 00:23:31.125
  • Getting to know the character of god.
  • 00:23:31.125 --> 00:23:34.061
  • God is a warrior, because he understands there's a conflict
  • 00:23:34.061 --> 00:23:37.465
  • In the earth.
  • 00:23:37.465 --> 00:23:38.999
  • Not principally between nation states or empires, or even
  • 00:23:38.999 --> 00:23:42.536
  • Ideologies, the root of the conflict in the earth
  • 00:23:42.536 --> 00:23:45.105
  • Is spiritual.
  • 00:23:45.105 --> 00:23:48.442
  • Satan and his kingdom of darkness are alive and well on
  • 00:23:48.442 --> 00:23:52.046
  • Planet earth.
  • 00:23:52.046 --> 00:23:53.414
  • And satan opposes the purposes of god.
  • 00:23:53.414 --> 00:23:57.051
  • And the only way he has of really striking out at god,
  • 00:23:57.051 --> 00:24:00.154
  • Having forfeited his place in heaven, is to destroy the apple
  • 00:24:00.154 --> 00:24:04.258
  • Of god's eye, the pinnacle of creation, humanity.
  • 00:24:04.258 --> 00:24:08.162
  • And so satan's greatest way to strike back at god is to destroy
  • 00:24:08.162 --> 00:24:12.566
  • Human beings.
  • 00:24:12.566 --> 00:24:15.302
  • He's very effective at that.
  • 00:24:15.302 --> 00:24:17.004
  • He does it with temptation, inviting us into ungodly things,
  • 00:24:17.004 --> 00:24:19.773
  • Ungodly attitudes, ungodly behaviors.
  • 00:24:19.773 --> 00:24:23.577
  • God hates sin because it destroys people.
  • 00:24:23.577 --> 00:24:27.982
  • And you and i need to be aware that god is a warrior.
  • 00:24:27.982 --> 00:24:31.285
  • That even though god recruited moses and gave him a god
  • 00:24:31.285 --> 00:24:33.554
  • Assignment, a god-sized assignment, and that the power
  • 00:24:33.554 --> 00:24:35.923
  • Of god was present in the most remarkable ways, unprecedented
  • 00:24:35.923 --> 00:24:39.393
  • Ways in all of human history to deliver these former slaves of
  • 00:24:39.393 --> 00:24:42.396
  • Egypt, there was a steady string of criticism directed at moses.
  • 00:24:42.396 --> 00:24:49.203
  • Look at exodus 15, "when they came to marah," marah is just
  • 00:24:49.203 --> 00:24:52.072
  • A transliteration of a hebrew word.
  • 00:24:52.072 --> 00:24:53.607
  • It means they take the letters of a hebrew word and they put
  • 00:24:53.607 --> 00:24:56.043
  • Them into english.
  • 00:24:56.043 --> 00:24:57.778
  • The word "marah" means bitter.
  • 00:24:57.778 --> 00:25:00.714
  • So when you read marah, just say bitter, "they came to bitter."
  • 00:25:00.714 --> 00:25:06.453
  • What do you think they're going to find at bitter?
  • 00:25:06.453 --> 00:25:08.122
  • "they couldn't drink the water because it was bitter."
  • 00:25:08.122 --> 00:25:12.059
  • You're scholars!
  • 00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:15.062
  • And they put in parenthesis just in case you didn't have any
  • 00:25:15.062 --> 00:25:18.065
  • Help, "(that's why the place is called bitter.)
  • 00:25:18.065 --> 00:25:23.237
  • So the people grumbled against moses and said, 'what are we
  • 00:25:23.237 --> 00:25:26.073
  • To drink?'"
  • 00:25:26.073 --> 00:25:28.175
  • What you should remember is that god led them to marah.
  • 00:25:28.175 --> 00:25:33.347
  • God led them to a bitter place.
  • 00:25:33.347 --> 00:25:36.250
  • They're following a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of
  • 00:25:36.250 --> 00:25:39.353
  • Fire by night.
  • 00:25:39.353 --> 00:25:40.721
  • It's not just moses with his personal gps.
  • 00:25:40.721 --> 00:25:44.692
  • God led them to a place where the water was undrinkable, in
  • 00:25:44.692 --> 00:25:49.296
  • The desert.
  • 00:25:49.296 --> 00:25:50.898
  • And the whole nation complained and moses cried out to god, and
  • 00:25:50.898 --> 00:25:54.835
  • God showed moses a solution and the water was made sweet.
  • 00:25:54.835 --> 00:25:59.840
  • Do you have an imagination that god could lead you or me through
  • 00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:05.012
  • Bitter places?
  • 00:26:05.012 --> 00:26:07.014
  • It's where we learn about his ability, his character.
  • 00:26:07.014 --> 00:26:10.484
  • It's where we learn to overcome our selfishness.
  • 00:26:10.484 --> 00:26:12.653
  • Folks, i don't ever want difficult.
  • 00:26:12.653 --> 00:26:16.023
  • Allen: you know, around the world people are searching for
  • 00:26:20.227 --> 00:26:22.396
  • Truth and together we're doing our very best to help them
  • 00:26:22.396 --> 00:26:25.466
  • Find it.
  • 00:26:25.466 --> 00:26:26.834
  • When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
  • 00:26:26.834 --> 00:26:28.769
  • Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
  • 00:26:28.769 --> 00:26:32.039
  • Who are committed to strengthening the church and
  • 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:34.675
  • Sharing god's word through every available channel: television,
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  • Radio, podcast, books, bible studies, digital
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  • Resources, conferences.
  • 00:26:42.082 --> 00:26:44.184
  • Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers, to reach new
  • 00:26:44.184 --> 00:26:47.521
  • Audiences, to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
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  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
  • 00:26:51.392 --> 00:26:53.560
  • Together, we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
  • 00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:57.431
  • Known right here at home and around the earth wherever god
  • 00:26:57.431 --> 00:27:00.668
  • Opens the door.
  • 00:27:00.668 --> 00:27:02.036
  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
  • 00:27:02.036 --> 00:27:05.172
  • The day our king returns.
  • 00:27:05.172 --> 00:27:07.474
  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner at
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  • Allenjackson.com/partner.
  • 00:27:10.878 --> 00:27:17.084
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:20.421 --> 00:27:27.294