Live a Full and Abundant Life-Exodus 1-40

Exodus, Old Testament, Sermons

What are you “building” with your one life? Before I became a Christian, my life felt empty and meaningless. But through Bible study with Dr. John Lee in Chicago UBF in 1980, I became a Christian: I discovered who I am–a sinner condemned unclean, yet so loved by God that He gave His One and Only Son to die for me. Then I found the purpose and direction for my life. I have a God given mission to live out the gospel and raise disciples, which God has enabled me to do for the last 42 years to this day. This is nothing but the undeserved grace of God to me.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full [abundantly]’ (Jn 10:10). To live a full abundant life you must know who you are, and what you must do with your life. Exodus tells us through Moses and the Israelites what we need to live a full life. In outline and broad strokes, the story of Exodus can be divided into 3 parts: Deliverance (ch. 1-19), Covenant (ch. 20-24), Tabernacle (ch. 25-40).

  1. Deliverance/freedom (Exodus 1-19). We want to be free as a bird. But like the Israelites enslaved by Pharaoh, we too are enslaved by someone or something. Jean-Jacques Rousseau understood this and said, “Man is born free but everywhere is in chains.” How? Jesus said, “everyone who sins is a slave of sin” (Jn 8:34). Like the Israelites who needed deliverance from slavery to Pharaoh, we need deliverance from sin to be free so that we can live a full life. Only God can truly set us free. Only God can deliver us.
  2. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exo 20:2).
  3. “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exo 19:4).
  4. Covenant/relationship (Exodus 20-24). We humans created in God’s image (Gen 1:27) are relational beings, as God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are relational. No one will live a full and abundant life without a meaningful relationship (covenant) with God and others. How? We need “rules” to obey. An employee must be punctual and productive to keep their job. To have good friendships Paul says, “honor one another above yourselves” (Rom 12:10), and to “each esteem others better than himself” (Phil 2:3). A married couple must be faithful to each other by not committing adultery (Exo 20:14). Likewise to live a full life we need to obey God who delivered us out of his mercy and grace. We do not obey God to be saved. But because we are saved, we obey God.
  5. “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exo 19:5-6).
  6. Tabernacle/build (Exodus 25-40). To live a full life we need to build something meaningful, worthwhile and long lasting in the presence of God. Noah built an ark (Gen 6:14, 22). Moses and the Israelites built the tabernacle (Exo 40:33). God created/”built” the world (Gen 1:1). Jesus builds the/His church (Mt 16:18) to “build” the kingdom of God (Mk 1:15), by teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick (Mt 4:23), and ultimately gave his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:45). Paul “built” the church by considering his life worth nothing if he did not preach the gospel of the grace of God (Ac 20:24).
  7. “Then have them make a sanctuary [holy place] for me, and I will dwell with them” (Exo 25:8).
  8. “They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God” (Exo 29:46).
  9. “The word became flesh and made his dwelling [tabernacled] among us…” (Jn 1:14).

Trinitarian blessing. Paul’s benediction to the Corinthian church teaches us what we need to live a full life: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:14). Practically, how does the Trinity apply to Christians?

  • Because of the grace of Jesus, we live with gratitude; we give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Th 5:18).
  • Because of the love of God, we obey his commands (Jn 14:15).
  • Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, we live a life of mission, a life of being sent by Christ (Jn 20:21).
  • We “make disciples” (Mt 28:19).
  • We “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient” (2 Tim 4:2).
  • We care for the poor (James 1:27).
  • We act justly, we love mercy and we walk humbly with our God (Mic 6:8).

In summary, living a full [happy] life requires that you know who you are and what you must do with your one life.

  • Do you know the grace of God that delivered you from slavery? Are you overflowing with thankfulness?
  • Do you obey the Law–the 10 Commandments?
  • Do you know your God given mission? Are you building something that lasts–the church/the kingdom of God?

Reference:

  1. Douglas K. Stuart. Exodus. The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. 2006.
  2. Eugene Carpenter. Exodus 19-40. Evangelical Exegetical Commentary. 2016.
  3. Philip Graham Ryken. Exodus. Saved for God’s Glory. Preaching the Word. 2015.
  4. Leon R. Kass. Founding God’s Nation. Reading Exodus. 2021.
  5. James K. Bruckner. Exodus. New International Bible Commentary. 2008.
  6. John Goldingay. Exodus & Leviticus for Everyone. 2010.
  7. Robert Alter. The Hebrew Bible. A translation with commentary. The Five Books of Moses. 2019.
  8. Dennis Prager. Exodus. God, Slavery, and Freedom. The Rational Bible. 2018.
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