Pastor Matt's Podcasts Matt Bower

When the children of Israel left Egypt, they left with a mixed multitude.  That means that the there were Hebrews, Egyptians, and other slaves that came with them.  God gave specific instructions regarding these "foreigners".  In order to partake of the Passover, they had become circumcised, that is, the cutting away of the flesh.
Churches today also have mixed multitudes in their congregations.  The foreigners in the body, those not part of the covenant, must have a circumcision of the heart before being able to partake of communion.  Unfortunately, churches today are not making any requirements on the people in the church to become partakers of that covenant community.  We need to rediscover God's requirements.  

In this sermon, we examine the nature of the final judgement on the Egyptians, the death of the firstborn.  Scripture only gives us two verses describing this judgment when it happened.  Most of the time is spent on describing the purpose of the Passover Meal.  We study how the Hebrews had to be ready for this judgement, because everything in the Egyptian society would change.  
     In our society today, we know that God has been judging the United States for years.  How are Christians to prepare for God's judgments?  This sermon is especially relevant today.  

Bringing up children to become Christ-like in their character is challenging.  However, God gave us a pattern to follow in order that we may teach and train our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  This lesson in the child training series is a great resource for new parents, old parents and even grandparents.  Christian maturation is lacking in the culture today, this will be an excellent tool to bringing faith back into the family.  

God instituded the Psssover before the Hebrews left Egypt.  This was to be done by faith in victory, deliverance and judgment even before these took place.  We are to do the same today, although we don't seem to have the victory, we are to take Communion in victory, grateful for deliverance, and judgment on God's enemies.  

While still in Egypt, the Israelites were commanded to observe the Passover.  This marks their covenant with God and their deliverance from Egypt before they left Egypt.  They were under Egyptian rule and law, their religious order, but God would give them His law when they left Egypt.  There is no neutrality, either the Hebrews were under Egypt or God, the transition had to take place before they left Egypt.  

As Moses gets the final instructions about the last of the plagues, this one hits the people of Egypt in a powerful way.  It is the killing of the firstborn.  As Egypt kept the children of Israel (God's firstborn) as slaves, aways from the life of worshiping God, so would God kill the firstborn of Egypt.  
    The same holds true today.  As God's people, the church are inundated with foreign gods to be worshiped, imposed upon by the power of the State, God will not tolerate the enslavement of His firstborn, the church.