This last week, I had the opportunity to attend M25 – a Nazarene conference held every four years focused on evangelism. I’d estimate there were about 3500 Nazarene pastors, leaders, and laity from across the USA/Canada region in attendance. It was a powerful time of reconnecting with God and ministry refocus for me. I was blessed by the twice daily full conference worship services that included preaching by General Superintendent Carla Sunberg, USA/Canada Regional Director Stan Reeder and best-selling author John C. Maxwell, among others.
One class I attended hit home in my life. When I go to Kenya, I preach about the Good News of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I love to share the Good News with people. People that are struggling. People that feel defeated because of their sin. People that desire something new and different in their lives. Jesus is their Good News. If we choose to invite Jesus into our lives, He forgives our sin if we confess and repent. This is good news, but can I tell you that there is more. Jesus also has Great News for us today.
The book of Exodus opens with the plight of the Israelites struggling in the bondages of slavery (Exodus 1:11). God raises up Moses and works through him to save the Israelites from Pharoah’s bondage. The Israelites turned their backs on Pharoah and chose to follow God – this is like our own salvation – we choose to turn our backs on our sinful ways and follow Jesus. Jesus is the final sacrifice for our sins, our salvation.
But God didn’t stop there. He didn’t march the people of Israel out the gates of Pharoah’s kingdom to scatter throughout the land. He continued His relationship with them, guiding them on a path that brought them closer to Him. The story of Exodus gets a bit crazy as God’s people make some poor choices, even thoughts of returning to Pharoah’s bondage, but God doesn’t give up on them. As they learn more about their Savior, the Israelites become more like Him. Every day of their journey they committed to following God because each day was a new opportunity for God to show them something else they needed to surrender to Him. They opened their lives to God, were set free from what had bound them in the past and entered a new life – this is sanctification – when we surrender every aspect of our lives to God, draw close to Him daily and our desire to sin fades.
God’s promise to the Israelites in Exodus 6:6-8 – “Therefore tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and free you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who delivered you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am Yahweh.”
God’s promise to us today – “Therefore tell my people: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the bondage of sin and free you from the power it has on your life. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who delivered you from the bondage of sin. I will bring you into a new life, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am Yahweh.”
God doesn’t only offer salvation; He offers us sanctification. Not only can our sins be forgiven, but we can also be set free from the desire to sin as we walk closer and closer with God. This is GREAT NEWS!!
Praying we are all experiencing the Great News that Jesus has to offer.
Blessings,
Pastor Vic
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