EBCC New Year’s Message

The Importance of a new beginning

Exodus 12:1ff

I.        Egypt’s Pharaohs enforced bondage upon the descendents of Joseph.  (Ex 1:1ff)

a.      Joseph, Egypt’s deliverer from the famine, has been dead for over 400 years.  (Genesis 41:1ff)

b.      The 70 relatives of Joseph had grown to a nation of over 600,000 men.

c.       The Egyptians were afraid of this “nation within a nation”, and subjugated Jacob’s family. (1:11-14)

·        Forced labor as stone cutters

·        Field hands

·        Killing of the male children

d.      Romans 6:6 states that we were slaves to sin

                                                              i.      A slave has no free will

                                                            ii.      A slave answers to his master

                                                          iii.      Progressive dehumanization or loss of the image of God

                                                          iv.      Stripped of basics of life

II.     Passover was God’s provision of a blood sacrifice, which freed the slaves.

                                                              i.      10 plagues (judgments) from God were designed to demonstrate the judgment of God and the impotence of Egypt’s gods.

                                                            ii.      The last plague, the killing of the first-born, was design to attack Egypt’s worship of the Pharaoh.

                                                          iii.      God designed a means by which any faithful/obedient family could be delivered as the “death-angel” would Passover.

1.      Preparation of the Lamb

2.      The Meal (a reminder and provision) (The Lord’s Supper)

3.      The dress of pilgrims

4.      The application of the blood to the doorposts—and the trip to freedom

APPLICATION:

1)      The faith and the obedience of the midwives brought them the reward of families.

2)      The Law of pressure and multiplication.

3)      Knowledge vs. Action (Religion vs. Reality)