19 Sep Sermon Recap | Exodus | A Hardened Heart
We often buy into the idea of our own personal sovereignty rather than acknowledging the only Sovereign. Our culture has created a narrative with us at the center of everything. Instead of trusting in a God whose character does not change, we attempt to trust in our wavering abilities and unstable emotions and character.
Scripture References
The Name of Jesus Christ | Grace Church Worship | iTunes
Philippians 2:6-11 • Isaiah 45:22-23
This We Know | Vertical Worship | iTunes
I Surrender | All Sons and Daughters | iTunes
Romans 12:1 • James 4:10
Only The Blood | The Village Church | iTunes
John 6:53-54 • Mark 14:24 • Ephesians 1:7 • 1 John 1:7
Christ Our Savior | Grace Church Worship
Fully Devoted | Life.Church Worship | iTunes
Romans 12:1 • 1 Corinthians 6:19 • Philippians 1:20 • Deuteronomy 6:5
GET TEACHING SLIDES HERE
1. Although Pharaoh chooses to believe that he is in control of everything, God hardens His heart, showing Pharaoh that he isn’t even in control of his own will. In what ways has God faithfully reminded you that you are not in control? Did you respond by resting in God’s sovereignty? If not, what was your response, and how did this impact your faith?
2. The idea of personal sovereignty and that we should always get to choose gives us an illusion of control. In what areas of your life are you trying to be sovereign and hang onto the comfort of a sense of control? In what ways has believing in your personal sovereignty created fear, anxiety, or insecurity for you? Are you delighting in the idea of your own sovereignty or in the sovereignty of Another?
3. We all have our own equation for what we think we need to be blessed. Fill in the blank: “In order for me to feel blessed by God, I have to have _______.” What does this answer reveal about your heart and how does it affect your relationship with God? What do you need to do to move away from this thinking and towards an exclusive relationship with God?
4. The Egyptians created a cultural narrative in which they believe they are blessed because of their own history, abilities, and achievements, rather than because of God’s goodness. How does our culture express the same entitlement? What blessings have you attributed to yourself or others rather than acknowledging God’s provision and favor?
Thoughts to Consider
– Through the ten plagues, the Egyptians are reminded that God is the sovereign ruler and that everything answers to Him.
– Peace, trust, and rest do not come from trying to control and manage everything in our lives. Peace, trust, and rest come from acknowledging the sovereignty of God.
– Faith is not just a matter of intellect. We can recognize that God can do what He wills and still respond with a hard heart.
– God’s sovereignty does not have to be understood, but acknowledged. He is not accountable to us. At the end of the day, we don’t understand the Sovereign, we just kneel before Him.
– We need not struggle to trust a sovereign God. He is trustworthy because in what Jesus did on the cross is the great fulfillment of the Exodus. All the plagues and wrath and suffering were placed on Jesus as He suffered for us, who were His enemies, so that we might be blessed.
