NOTES: Living Your Exodus, Part 2

Sermon: Living Your Exodus: Week 2: Grace in the Wilderness

Date: Sunday, January 19, 2025

Text: Deuteronomy 8:1–3

““The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Let’s Connect:

Your night-time cravings: “what I most wanted had opposing consequences.”

Text Explained:

The grumbling of Israel:

Egypt—tyranny of sin—death

Wilderness is our life journey

Exodus 16:2-3 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

One of the major things that will happen in Israel’s wilderness is the reordering of their disordered desires.

Lament is grieving our losses in the presence of God, and with others.

Grumbling is blaming God for the loss and directs attention to me.

Psalm 78:18-19 (ESV) 18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. 19 They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

Deut. 8:3: 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Jesus in the Wilderness- Matthew 4:3–4 , “3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

“He has loved us—even in the wilderness…

He has been in the wilderness with us.

He has been in the wilderness for us.

He has been acquainted with our grief.

And rise we shall, out of the wilderness, even as out of the wilderness

Christ rose before us.”

—Frederick Buechner

John 8:31–32, “31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Keeping God’s Word alive in your life:

God will use the wilderness (life-journey) to purify and heal —

and gives us a greater Source of delight—Himself

Psalm 40:8, “8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

Psalm 37:4, “4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Isaiah 35:1-4 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;

the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;

2 it shall blossom abundantly

and rejoice with joy and singing…..

They shall see the glory of the Lord,

the majesty of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,

“Be strong; fear not!

Behold, your God….

He will come and save you.”

The Take Out:

This is how we order our disordered desires— Delight in Him!

Winston at the Super bloom! Your super-bloom is waiting for you:

John 15:9-11, “9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Our Challenge:

Take a long look at His delight towards you—and do it every day.

Prayer:

Ask God—“would You grant me a heart to delight in You”