Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church today. Notice if you would, verse 20 as we'll pick up today and then pray, look at verse 20. And I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt, notice this, with all my wonders, which I will do. God said, I will do wonders in the midst thereof. And after that, He will let you go.

Number four, His power. For you is not by faith, you need to know something. God is going to provide you something special.

His power. Let's pray. Lord, I love you. Lord, I've seen you do many wonders in my life. Over my years, dear Lord, as maybe unexperienced as I might be in some areas, I sure have seen you do the miraculous. And Lord, I don't know what all you might be asking of each person here today.

I just believe that you're asking something from each one of them. Lord, you have not saved any of us to sit. You've not saved any of us to stay exactly like we are. You've saved us to serve you and glorify you and represent you and to do something for you. Lord, I know from your words and promises that you have given to those that are willing to step out and do what you've asked them to do. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

His power. God said, now listen, I'm going to protect you. I'm going to smite Egypt. But let me tell you how I'm going to do that.

I am going to display some wonders. And God said, that's what I'm going to do in the midst thereof. Now notice verse 20, He says, that I will do in the midst thereof. What does He mean in the midst thereof? Where is He talking about?

He's talking about Egypt. He said, Moses, this is what I'm asking you to do. And this is what I want you to be willing to step out by faith to do. And I'm going to protect you. I'm going to smite Egypt.

But let me tell you this. I'm going to give you my power. I am going to do some wonders there that you have never seen. His power. Have you ever seen the power of God?

Have you ever felt or experienced or saw what the power of God did? Now what was God talking about here? Well, let me say this first that we have to understand what this word wonders means. Now we always just think, well, okay, He does something wonderful.

And God certainly does that. But let me give you this illustration, or this definition, excuse me. It says to separate, to distinguish something great, something difficult, something wonderful. Something that's hidden. Something that's hard. Something that's too high to understand. Something that's marvelous. Something hidden.

Something that's too high to understand. God said, Moses, if you will just step out, be faithful, obey, just do what I've asked you to do. That I will do things that you've never seen. I will do what I've asked you to do. I will do things that you can't explain. I will do things that you never noticed. I will do things that cannot be described. If you do what I've asked you to do, then I'll make sure whatever needs to happen for you to do it, I'll do it. I will do wonders. Well, you say, preacher, what all was God referring to there?

Well, I'm glad you asked. Little did Moses know as he stood there at the base of that mountain that as he would step out by faith and he would eventually end up there in Egypt and he would literally tell the children of Israel that God has provided a promised land and God has asked us to step out and literally as Moses ended up in the presence of Pharaoh himself. And Moses looked to Pharaoh and said that God has sent me to tell you to let God's people go.

To let us get out of this bondage, out of this slavery. Little did Moses know what would take place. Now Pharaoh, the Bible said, his heart was hardened. And Pharaoh obviously said, no, I'll tell you why, because he had thousands upon thousands of people that he was getting free labor out of. They were in slavery, they were in bondage and they were doing all the work and they were the ones sweating and they were the ones making nothing and they were the ones barely getting along and Pharaoh enjoyed that.

And who wouldn't enjoy that, I guess? And here Moses shows up. So here's what God did.

Let me tell you a few of the wonders. If you haven't studied this lately, and I know you've seen the movie, as I bring up every week, God decided that if Pharaoh won't listen to me, that I'm going to do some wonders in the midst thereof. This is what he told Moses.

He said, and after that, he will let you go. So he decided to send some plagues. Now they had never seen any of these things and by the way, God is great.

He's great at doing some things you've never seen. So the first plague, God decided since Pharaoh's heart was hardened, God sent the first plague, which was turning the water of the Nile River to blood. Now just imagine, out of the Nile River is where they got their food. That's where all the fish were that they caught. Out of the Nile River is where they bathed. Out of the Nile River is where literally they got their drinking supply. That's where they got their water. God said to Pharaoh, you need to let my people go and let them loose and Pharaoh said I would not.

And God literally turned the entire Nile River to blood. Could you imagine as they got out and time to take a bath? Nope. Time to get a drink.

Nope. No food. And you can make it a while with no food, but you try to make it very long with no water. God did something nobody had ever seen. Who would have thought, you know what I think I'm going to do?

I'm going to turn all the water to blood. What? What in the world was God doing? God was doing what he does. He does wonders. So Pharaoh, what did he say? Alright God, I'll let him go. So then God took the plague away and of course Pharaoh immediately changed his mind.

So God said I'm going to do another wonder and what did he do? He sent a plague of frogs. Some of you are like, oh frogs are cute.

Fully rely on God. Which is true by the way and a good thing. This weren't those type of frogs. The Bible says that literally out of the Nile River God brought so many frogs that you almost could not even see the ground anywhere you looked. Frogs were everywhere. The Bible says that the frogs came into their houses. The frogs came into their bedrooms. The Bible then says that the frogs came into their beds.

Of course that's convenient. Your wife says what was that? Well it was a frog. What was that noise? It was a frog.

That's what my uncle always said, but anyway. Bible says that the frogs literally showed up in their ovens. Frogs showed up in their dishes. Frogs showed up in their bowls. Literally where they prepared the food the Bible said. Frogs everywhere. By the way even God's people were affected by these plagues. Nile River is one that sourced everybody. Frogs ended up with everybody and what did Pharaoh do?

I've never seen anything like this. How could God with a snap of a finger? How could anybody with a snap of a finger all of a sudden frogs are everywhere? So Pharaoh said I'll let him go and of course God took away the plague and Pharaoh's heart changed again. So third God sent another plague. Lice.

Yeah some of you had it hadn't you? Now I've never had lice. Whatever you got to do. This is plastic. I can't knock on wood.

Where's wood? I'm not going to knock on the harp. Thanks be to God, but some of you have had lice and some of you have had to scrub your head 20 or 30 or 40 times. Some of you have had your children that just had a case of lice and some of you have gotten it and some of you know exactly what it's like and some of you know how miserable it can be and the Bible says that God sent lice, that every person had lice, every animal had lice, every cat, every dog, every cow, every camel, everybody.

That was a horrible situation. The Bible says all of a sudden Pharaoh just said alright we'll let the people go and God took away that plague and of course he changed his mind again. You've got to give it to Pharaoh.

He's pretty stubborn. You know people can be stubborn, but God promised Moses that he would not only do wonders, but that after that he would let them go. So God decided to send plague number four, but this time he decided he was going to exclude the children of Israel just to get the message through to Pharaoh that now whatever God was going to do was not going to affect the children of Israel anymore. So plague number four God sent flies. Now it's bad enough in the summertime at a park. Isn't it amazing that you know during the fall and the spring the comfortable time of year we don't ever have you know hot dog cookouts and hamburgers and burger cookouts and we don't sit out in the lawn and you know decide to play cornhole and horseshoes at a decent weather and decent time of the year. What we do as Americans we wait until it's 110 outside and now we're going to cook hot dogs. Now we're all going to get together so we can all sweat and look at each other dripping because we're having fun. And that's when we're going to put the food out when it's hot and flies get warm on it.

Flies get on my nerves. My wife and I found this thing. I don't know who told me about it. But you plug it into your house at some outlet. Just plug it in. It's got this blue light on it in the background. Plug it in. It's got two plugs in it so it doesn't block the whole plugs.

You can plug it back in and it keeps flies out of your house. And it works. Can you believe it?

Let me tell you what else somebody told us about. This thing you plug in and it's called, what is it? Where's my wife? What is it called? Scent crusher. I have three sons.

You plug this into your lighter and it cancels all odor in the car. You say why'd you bring that up? I just wanted to.

Alright. And it works too. So my wife and I plug this thing in our house and it keeps out the flies. And we're just talking a few. Listen God sent a plague. We're flies.

We're everywhere. What did Pharaoh do? Alright God I see what you can do and I've seen your wonders and they can go. And God took away the plague and Pharaoh's heart was changed again. You can give Pharaoh this.

He was a stubborn individual. You can see the fact that every bit of livestock became diseased. And the Bible says that literally the cattle, the camels, the horses, the donkeys, the oxen, the sheep all became diseased all except for the horses, the camels, the sheep, the cows, the livestock of the children of Israel. There stayed fine and all of Pharaoh's and the Egyptians livestock were diseased immediately. What happens when livestock gets diseased?

They what? They die. And when thousands of livestock get diseased and die how do things smell? And because they're diseased you can't eat them. God sent this plague. God's taken away their water. Now God sent a plague that took away every bit of their food. Pharaoh said well let them go and God said okay he took away the plague and we know what happened.

Pharaoh changed his mind. So God got a little more personal. This has kind of been things outside of the body so God sent in plague number six the plague of boils. The Bible says that God created a dust that literally began to hit Egypt and it inflicted every man and every beast. Any beast that had survived the plague. All of the disease now became covered with boils. Now it isn't bad enough we have lice everywhere and frogs everywhere and all these things and lice and all this stuff if this wasn't bad enough now God is getting where it's painful. He put boils on everybody. All except the children of Israel.

Talk about amazing. Now how could Pharaoh at this point even think I'm gonna continue to take God on? But you know what I know a lot of people that still try to take God on. And you know the people that normally try to take God on it's the people sitting in church. Most people outside of church at least have enough common sense not to take God on. They at least know to admit I'm wrong and I'm sinful.

But it's sometimes church people. Through their pride and through our arrogance we can get to the point that we think that we can do what we want to do and God still has to bless us. Do you and I really think we can take on God? God is all powerful. God said I will do wonders. So Pharaoh comes and says listen I'll let him go.

Well we know what happened. So plague number seven God decides to send another wonder. He sends literally hail and fire. And all of a sudden literally a storm came up across all of Egypt that hail began to fall at an alarming rate. Not only that not only was hail falling but literally hell was falling. He sent fire. Now can I ask you something what is hail? And what is fire? How can something that needs to be frozen come out of the same place as fire? I mean literally you think they haven't learned anything yet now they're looking from the same heaven frozen hail is beating upon their bodies and fire is coming down consuming them.

Wow. So Pharaoh said hey okay Moses I'll let him go. God stops the plague. Sure enough so God sends plague number eight which is locusts. Locusts are grasshoppers and the Bible says that literally they're like grasshoppers in a sense. The Bible says literally that the locusts that God sent they literally covered the face of the earth.

Now this time the Bible says you could not see one inch of the earth. That means literally it's like God carpeted the entire country with locusts. Locusts came in they ate. Listen you say well what did locusts do? Well they consumed things. Let me tell you what the locusts ate. Any livestock any animal that had survived the disease and had survived the boils the locusts the Bible says came and ate anything that was left. Now God had literally taken everything there was.

You talk about a wonder. Pharaoh says alright I'll let him go and of course he changed his mind so then God decided alright let me show you another wonder I can do and he sent the plague of darkness for three days. The Bible says this listen to me not only was there complete darkness but the Bible says that they could literally feel the darkness. That's as dark as you've ever been.

The darkness was so dark that they could feel it. Moses well you can't do anything in dark. Moses said alright I'll let him go and of course he changed his mind so God decided to bring one last plague. God said alright I've been patient I've given you chance after chance after chance. So now God says I'm going to send my spirit and the firstborn of every house will be killed. Now comes in the story as Moses being through the children of Israel comes to them this is the Passover story and they took the blood of that lamb and they instructed every one of the children of Israel as they put that lamb on the doorpost when they put that blood of that lamb and you think of the doorpost on the side the side the top in the shape of a cross you put that on the house the Bible says when I come through there if I see that blood I will pass over you. This is what else the Bible says that God said there will be a weeping and a wailing like you've never heard. Sure enough Pharaoh wouldn't let him go. Moses got everyone ready. God gave some other instructions that I won't go through all the different things.

A wailing and a wailing like they had never heard. The Bible says that Pharaoh called for Moses and Pharaoh looked at Moses and he didn't say I will let you go. He said leave.

Get out. Why did Pharaoh do it because Pharaoh knew next God's going to kill me. God said Moses I'm asking you to step out and do something by faith and I know you don't understand it and I know you think you're going to get there and I'm going to tell you right now and remember as we talked last week God told him Pharaoh's heart is going to be too hard. He's not going to let you go.

I'm telling you right now. But I will do wonders. And I'm here to tell you when you step out by faith and do something that God's asked you to do there's going to be some things that are going to come against you and there's going to be some difficulties that will arise. But God has promised his power and he will do wonders in your minds. I'll do wonders. I've met people that kind of loosely without saying it would say this well I haven't seen any wonders in my life.

Well you haven't stepped out by faith. The wonders are associated with obedience. You want to see God do something great for you. Then you step out by faith and do something great for God. I will do wonders.

Number five God promised him something here very unique. Look at verse 21. And I will give this people God's people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.

Look at me. This is all the way we're all the way back now at the base of this mountain as that bush that's on fire not being consumed and God himself begins to speak to Moses. This is what God told Moses.

Let me tell you something Moses. I want you to step out. This is what I want you to do. I'll do wonders. And after I do wonders he will let you go.

Then God says this. Let me tell you what else I'm going to do. I'm going to give my people who you're going to go and lead I'm going to give them favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Now I want you to hold your place. Let me go ahead and give you the beginning and the end of this and let me give you a point where we're going to go on to something else. But hold your place if you're willing to turn this morning and I want you to look at Exodus chapter 11.

Just a couple chapters away. Let me show you what God meant by this. Because this is important. Because if you're going to step out by faith and do something for God you need to know this. Exodus chapter 11 look at verse 1. Just a couple of verse I want to read it. And the Lord said unto Moses. Now this is all the way now Moses has gone and obeyed and now here he is in Egypt and now the plagues are beginning and all this stuff. Look at verse 1.

And the Lord said unto Moses yet I will bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterwards he will let you go hence. That's exactly what God said way back in chapter 3. When he shall let you go he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

In other words he's not just going to let you go he's going to make you go. Now notice look at verse 2. Speak now in the ears of the people let every man borrow of his neighbor. That word borrow is an interesting word.

It means take. Let every man borrow of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor jewels of silver and jewels of gold. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. Moses came down against Pharaoh and against Egypt and guess what? In the middle of all that happened God not only did wonders he changed the hearts of Pharaoh's own servants. And of the people there in Egypt. Get this. They changed their tune and started having respect for Moses. Get this.

This is the whole picture. God's saying Moses when he tells you to get out you're going to have to get out quick. And you're not going to have a whole lot of stuff. How could they have anything? They've been in bondage for 400 years.

They're slaves. They didn't have money. They didn't have silver. They didn't have jewels. They didn't have anything to take. I mean what were they going to have when they do leave and how were they going to survive when they do leave? And God says listen you tell them that I am literally going to give those people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. It meant that literally they went to their neighbors and the Egyptians began giving them things.

Began giving them their jewels and their silver and their gold. Take this with you. You need this. You deserve this.

Did you hear that? Now look at me I want you to get this. Most of the time in my life what I'm dealing with and what God's trying to do God has to change me. But on some occasions when it is needed God can change those around you. I'm in control of this I am. You just obey me. When it comes down to it I'm going to turn the hearts of those people in your favor. I'm going to take people that hated you.

Where you were wanted for murder. And they're going to love you. And they're going to respect you.

In fact so much that they're going to start giving you things. And everything that you think you need for this journey I'm going to use them to give it to you. It's impossible that you could ever expect. God brings things from the most unlikely places and people. Why?

Because God can change their heart. Now do you mind if I give you about just 80 seconds of personal testimony? When I first came here as pastor. Oh Lord six, seven years ago now.

Something like that. Of course I first came and took two years. I asked Brother Joe to stay longer than he originally intended. I wanted him to make it to 50 years.

And I had no desire to push anything out. I wanted him here. I still want him here.

I hate because of health issues that they can't be here more than they are. He's my friend. He's my close friend. He's my mentor. Brother Joe is my pastor. So I understand that.

But when I first came here as pastor who knows how that's going to go. And say things a lot kind of a thing or whatever. Man I'm picking and all that stuff. But you know what? Sometimes I know things or whatever. And you know what?

I had a pastor friend one time kind of give me some advice and I started taking it about the time I first came here. I know some of you sitting here didn't like me. I know some of you sitting here might still not like me. I'm just glad you're still here. But I know and I knew and I could see it.

Probably on sometimes I can still maybe see it. I don't know. But here's what I began to pray. God I don't deserve to be here.

And neither do they. This is your house. None of us are deserving of this honor. But I say God if this is where you want me and this is what you want me to do. God please would you turn the hearts of those who don't like me and at least turn their hearts where they were and at least let me be their pastor.

Now I'm gonna tell you something. All you can do is be yourself. And sometimes there's people that are just not gonna like you. I don't care what you do. But I have watched the power of God turn hearts. Now there's not been a lot because this church has just been wonderful. But I wouldn't embarrass individuals here in this room by giving you the illustrations of things. But I mean I'm telling you I mean to the point didn't like anything whatever the case might be and over time God has just turned them into the point that they seem to me as their pastor and they love me and they follow me and all those things. You know I don't care what you do. God bless you. Thank you.