REMOVING OFFENSE, RECAPTURING PASSION
Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all
discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and
without offense till the day of Christ,
I Discernment about our future - “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24
1. Moses Encounters God in the Wilderness / Prophetic Promise
- Exodus 3:7-12 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and
have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them
out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing
with milk and honey … 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people,
the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
2. God predicts conflict
- Exodus 3:19-20 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.
20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that
he will let you go.
- Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders
before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people
go.
3. Moses proclaims the word and the people believe!
- Exodus 4:30-31 And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs
- in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the
- children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
4. Conflict in Egypt / Delay and Conflict
- Exodus 5:21-23 And they said to them, “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have
- made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their
- hand to kill us.”
- 10 plagues
- Moses was thinking short term – God took 10 times as long as Moses anticipated and it was 10 times
- Exodus 5:22-23 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on
- this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name,
- he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”
5. Death of a vision / The Wilderness
- Moses never leads the people to the land & never sees it himself!
6. What is his perspective? - Exodus 33:14-16 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it
be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your
people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
II. Discernment about our past - He who’s forgiven much loves much… Luke 7:47
1. Our goal – to be lovers of God / Intimacy / 1st commandment
- It’s critical we see the distance between our fallen state and our redemption.
2. God has revealed Himself to every human in two ways.
- He’s written His law on every heart –
- Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
- Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you
judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
- Creation reveals His invisible attributes
- Romans 1:20 Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are
without excuse,
3. Every human suppresses the truth, rejects God and turns away.
- Romans 1:18 Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Romans 1:28 And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are
not fitting;,
- Romans 3:10-18 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
- Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful,
but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
- Our ingratitude produces ignorance rather than being caused by ignorance.
- We’re not damned for ignorance but for the sinister pride in every human heart to cheapen God’s
glory into the image of man.
- All have sinned & fallen short (lack the reflection) of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), & the wages of sin is death
(Romans 6:23).
- Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells
4. This puts every human in a position of being an enemy of God under His wrath
- Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He
- All human beings are born into sin and alienated from God and are God’s enemies because of evil (futile)
thinking (gross ingratitude – Romans 1:21) and evil behavior
- John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for
God’s wrath remains on him.” - wrath, anger, the feeling and expression of strong displeasure and hostility.
- James 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT
GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Opposed - to range in battle against, to set oneself against:
- For those who reject the Son of God – (the very essence of pride), God’s hostility, anger, wrath, and
vengeance is aimed against them in battle.
5. What does it look like to be an enemy of God?
- Psalms 21:8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger; The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them. 10 Their offspring You will destroy from the earth, And their descendants from
among the sons of men. 11 Though they intended evil against You [And] devised a plot, They will not
succeed. 12 For You will make them turn their back; You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.
6. Hell is just and right
- To show ingratitude to an infinitely glorious God is an infinite crime worthy of an infinite punishment!