8/2/18 – Exodus 1, Exodus 2, Exodus 3 Matthew 26:1-30 Psalm 19:1-6
Ex 1:8
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
Sometimes you wonder how this is possible. 100s of years may have passed, but the impact of Joseph on Egypt was significant. How could a new king arise who doesn’t know this?
But just look at our nation. We have advantages – better record keeping, media, historians. Yet how quickly our nation has forgotten it’s Christian heritage. How quickly Christianity has moved from a source of good to an object of mistrust.
When a nation wants to forget, they are very much able to. Past moves of God and great strides in the faith get twisted into something negative. Revisionist History changes what was true into mistruth.
It’s happened here – It happened in Egypt. When people don’t want to remember – they are very good at forgetting. Instead of the saviour Jospeh was to that nation, it’s easy to believe that they started to see him and his people as a threat.
It doesn’t take long for a nation to turn it’s back. But it’s not too late. It takes people to stand up and proclaim truth – and a nation can be turned.
Ex 3:11-12
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Moses was uncertain. So He asked for a sign. He wanted to know God would be with him, so that he’d have the courage to go. I understand that impulse. Stepping out is scary – it’s good to know God is with you.
But I love God’s response – this shall be the sign… once you’ve succeeded you shall serve God on this mountain. YEs that’s right, the sign takes place AFTER the job is done. What kind of sign is that? You don’t know it’s true until afterwards!
But that’s just the right kind of sign. So often we are like Gideon with our fleeces – but actually, faith doesn’t do that. Moses had to move beyond reassurance and feeling into trust.
Move beyond the need for a sign before you step out. Faith doesn’t reply on feelings. It doesn’t rely on signs. It relies on knowing who God is and trusting Him.
Matt 26:6-7
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
This was an alabaster jar filled with Nard. A whole pint of it. Matthew says very expensive. Mark and John both say it was worth a years worth of wages.
Let’s put that into a little perspective.
What does it mean a years worth of wages? Well if it was an average wage in those days – the average wage in those days was around 1 dinar. So the cost you can put on that would be around 300 dinar – thats how much most people work out the price of this Spikenard to be worth.
When we talk about giving it to the poor – then you can work out that this was enough to give bread to 5,000 men and their families. That’s the good work that this money could do.
This was an extravagant offering – a huge sacrifice on her part.
Even if they were well off, this is not the amount of money that anyone can really afford to just pour away unless you are super rich.
A years worth of your income!! This was extravagant!
This was her rainy day fund. This was something that she had of worth that if she ever needed it was there for her one day.
This was the money you put aside in case you get sick, or the roof blows off the house. This is more money than I have ever been able to save up.
And she pours it all away! Why? Because she wants to do something for Jesus. He’s worth it. He’s worth our very best.
How can you worship Him more extravagantly?
