“Exodus Overview: Delivered to Dwell” — Pastor Dave Zuleger
Sermon Outline
Exodus Overview: Delivered to Dwell
Introduction: And...God Has a People
Delivered by God's Holy Power
To Dwell in God's Holy Presence
To Declare God's Holy Praise
South Cities Kids
Have you ever read a really good story that goes through multiple books? Maybe Narnia? Maybe the Wingfeather saga? Each of the books is different—but it's all telling the same story, right?
That's how we are supposed to think of Genesis–Deuteronomy. It's called the Pentateuch (you could have them practice saying this a few times for fun). We are supposed to read all of these books together and together they are the story of God creating a people that will be in his place to enjoy his presence.
In other words, as we read Exodus we remember all that God has already done. He created Adam and Eve in the Garden. He promised he would have one offspring that would deliver all the peoples of the earth through their children. Then he protected all of those children in the book of Genesis. He made promises to Noah and kept them. He made promises to Abraham and kept them. He kept his promise to Isaac, Jacob, and all the way to Jacob's 12 sons. And now this is the next part.One of the promises he made was that he would make them a great people. When we get to Exodus—Israel is a great people! There are so many of them. It started with just one family and now it has expanded to be a great people! God keeps his promises.
God's people are in trouble. They are slaves in Egypt. Israel was tempted to think God had forgotten about them—but he heard them and never left them.
Are there ever hard things that make you wonder if God is real or remembers you or your family? Exodus teaches us he never forgets us and he's very real.God rescues his people to show his power and that he cares for his people. After that rescue, God's people celebrated it by always having a feast called Passover.
In the New Testament, Jesus says to celebrate something called communion instead. What rescue do we celebrate when we take communion each week?
(the rescue from our sins by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus).
If you've never trusted in Jesus to forgive your sins, you could do that right now and he would rescue you and bring you to himself.After they were rescued God's people sometimes trusted him and sometimes didn't. But, God was always with them—to love them, care for them, and discipline them to remind them of who he is. Do you struggle to keep trusting him even if you've believed in him? Exodus helps us remember he's with us when we struggle and he will care for us and correct us because he loves us.
