The Ashland St. Pulpit

Introduction: Digging in the Wrong Place

We are stepping into the story of the plagues of Egypt, focusing on how Pharaoh and his people sought solutions in the wrong places.

Key Points:

1. The Miracle with the Rod (8-10)

• God demonstrates His power through Moses’ rod.
• A supernatural sign to Pharaoh.

2. The Magicians and Their Ruin (11-13)

• Pharaoh’s magicians attempt to replicate God’s miracles.

3. The Mighty River (15-22)

• The Nile, Egypt’s life source, is turned to blood.

Pharaoh’s Tricksters and Their Failure

• Power without restoration is worthless.

It Was a Dedicated Dig

"All the Egyptians digged" (Exodus 7:24).

• The Nile was Egypt’s source of:
  • Favor: Egypt’s prosperity depended on the Nile.
  • Food: The river sustained life and agriculture.
  • Familiarity: It was the constant, the known.

1 Corinthians 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Meanwhile in Goshen

• Egypt was desperately digging, but Israel had clean water.
• The Israelites didn’t have to dig—God provided.
• Where was Israel?
  • Drinking from a source that never runs dry.
  • A preview of the living water God would provide later.

It Was a Desiring Dig

"For water to drink"

• The Egyptians were:
  • Searching
  • Seeking
  • Spending hours, with no sign of hope.

It Was a Desolate Dig

• Success was never possible.
• Egypt kept digging, but what they needed was not found in the ground.

Closing Thoughts

• God has already provided a source of living water.

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‘’The Future of Easter ‘’

Text: John 14:1-4

Intro:

The Disciples have been through an emotional roller coaster in the previous days. They herd the People welcome Jesus through is glorious entrance and only here Jesus say is death is imminent:

> John 12:24 (KJV) says:

Now here in John 14 , the last supper is finished and Judas as left to carry out his betrayal.

Jesus has only a few more hours with his disciples before he is arrested.

The Lord sees that their hearts are troubled and begins to tell them why this is come to pass, why these events must happen, he begins to tell them about the future of Easter.

1. The Sacred City (1-2)

The Bible says about Abraham in…

>Hebrews 11:10

For he looked for a city which hath foundations,

whose builder and maker is God.

Then Saints just like Abrahm ...

>Hebrews 11:16

• Permanent Place

• A Peaceful Place
• The Saving Character - (3)

• His Person

• His Path

• His Power

1. The Securing Comforter - (25-27)

• Ephesians 4:30-32

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‘’The Fear of the Lord’’

Introduction:

• Theme Verse: Proverbs 1:7; 8:13
• Key Idea: Living without the fear of the Lord results in sinful behavior (Romans 3:18).
  • Consequences for actions
  • Accountability to God
  • Christ as the ultimate authority

Main Points:

1. Fearing the Lord Means Hating Sin
   • Verse Reference: Proverbs 8:13
   • Sins to Avoid:
     • Pride
     • Arrogance
     • Evil ways
     • Froward (perverse) mouth
   • Supporting Text: Proverbs 6:16-19 (List of abominations)
2. Fearing the Lord Means Honoring His Standards
   • Verse Reference: Proverbs 15:33
   • Ways to Honor God:
     • Instruction: Psalms 86:11 – Learning and walking in God’s truth
     • Integration: 1 Samuel 12:14 – Obeying God’s commandments
     • Integrity: Psalms 19:9 – Living righteously and enduring
3. Fearing the Lord Leads to Hope in the Savior
   • Verse Reference: Proverbs 19:23
   • Outcomes:
     • Satisfaction and protection from evil
     • Prolonged life and blessings (Proverbs 10:27, 22:4)
     • Deliverance from enemies (2 Kings 17:39)

Conclusion:

• Final Exhortation: 1 Samuel 12:24 – Fear and serve the Lord with all your heart, remembering His great deeds.

The Faith of Easter

Text: Luke 19:28

Introduction: A Grand Entrance

• Palm Sunday – The Triumphal Entry of Jesus
  • This is a story of Faith – the foundation of salvation.

Main Message: It’s Faith that Saves Us

• Galatians 3:26 – “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
• Romans 5:1 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
• Faith Defined: Forsaking All I Trust Him

Our Church Needs Faith

• More than funds, more than fellowship – we need Faith!
• Romans 1:17 – “The just shall live by faith.”

Faith in Action – Lessons from Luke 19

1. Faith to Obey – The Disciples (Verses 28-30)

• The disciples obeyed Jesus, even without understanding fully.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
• Illustration: James Calvert, missionary to Fiji, told, “You will lose your life,” replied: “We died before we got on the boat.”
• Example: Hebrews 11:27 – “By faith he forsook Egypt… seeing him who is invisible.”

2. Faith to Offer – The Owners of the Donkey (Verses 33-35)

• They gave what they had because “The Lord hath need of him.”
• Jesus Values Faith:
  • Mark 11:22 – “Have faith in God.”
  • Mark 4:40 – “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”
• Faith Pleases God:
  • Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please him.”

3. Faith to Occupy – The Multitude (Verses 41-44)

• Luke 19:13 – “Occupy till I come.”
• 1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith.”
• The Crowd’s Failure:
  • They praised Jesus on Sunday but shouted “Crucify Him” later that week.
  • “This thy day” – the prophesied moment (Daniel 9:25, Zechariah 9:9) was missed.

Faith is Essential to Jesus

• Mark 4:40 – “Where is your faith?”
• Faith Is Not Based on Feelings: It’s about trusting God no matter what.

Closing Challenge: What Kind of Christian Are You?

• Easter Christians: Part-time believers who show up only on holidays.
• Fans or Fanatics: Are you fully committed to living by faith?
• Final Prayer: Ask God to increase our faith and help us live by faith every day.

In this episode, we wrap up our study of Judges with the the thought,

"" Why is this come to Pass in Israel''

I. The Root of Israel’s Chaos

• Judges 21:25 – No Leadership, No Direction, No Vision
  • Every man did what was right in his own eyes.

II. The Consequences of Their Choices

• Lacking Was Assured
  • Sin revealed, resistance slain (Jabesh-Gilead), stealing required (Shiloh).
• Loss of Accountability
  • Self-rule over God-rule.
• Lack of Authority
  • No King to lead; a Judge cleans up messes, but a King prevents them.
• Level of Adversity
  • Enemies from without (Philistines, Amorites), within (own hearts), and from wickedness.

III. The Hope Beyond the Chaos

• Ruth 4:22 – God’s Sovereign Plan
  • Setting up a King who loves the True King.
  • Fulfillment of Genesis prophecies through Christ.
  • Man’s failure won’t stop God’s success.

Final Thought:

Israel needed more than a Judge—they needed a King. In the same way, we need Christ as our King today.

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'' Turning Aside to See''

Introduction:

• Revival begins when we turn aside to see what God is doing.
• Hebrews 12:29 – “For our God is a consuming fire.”
• The burning bush was a divine encounter that called Moses into God’s plan.

Outline:

I. The Place to Turn Aside

1. A Place of Elevation
   • God called Moses to higher ground—separation unto Him.
2. A Place of Evaluation (Ex. 3:3)
   • Moses had to turn aside to see what God was doing.
   • Spiritual truth: If you’re not looking for God, you won’t see Him.
3. A Place of Excavation
   • Some things in our lives need to be dug up and removed.

II. The Purpose of Turning Aside

• Eliminates worldliness
• Exposes sin
• Empowers for service

III. The Preference for Turning Aside

1. Some Turn Aside to See
   • Many today ignore God’s presence and calling.
2. Some Resist the Fire
   • People want comfortable Christianity without conviction.

IV. The Purity Brought by Turning Aside

• Fire Purifies – Just as heat refines metal, God’s presence refines His people.
• Holiness is a requirement – “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)

V. The Power of Turning Aside

• God’s Word is a Fire – “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:29).
• Revival starts with exposure to the fire—the preaching of truth.
• Fire Eliminates, Exposes, and Empowers.

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Outline:

1. The Choice Was for Him (Mark 14:3)

• The woman’s act of love was:
  • Not about others – She wasn’t seeking approval.
  • Not about options – She made an intentional choice.
  • Not about opportunity – She didn’t do it for gain.
• It was all about and all for Him (Jesus).

2. The Cost Was Worth It (Mark 14:3 – “Very Precious”)

• Sacrificial Giving:
  • The perfume was expensive—possibly a life’s savings.
  • Mary gave her best, not leftovers. (Malachi 1:6-14)
• Selfless Worship:
  • Jesus said, “She hath done a good work for me” (Mark 14:6).
  • She served for Christ’s glory, not for human praise.
  • Like John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:36).
• Sincere Devotion:
  • Her passion was evident in how she sat at Jesus’ feet.

3. The Criticism (Mark 14:4-5)

• Jesus was giving,
• Mary was grateful,
• Judas was greedy.

4. The Cross (Mark 14:7-9)

• Jesus referenced His death, burial, and resurrection over 20 times.
• The disciples didn’t understand—but Mary did!

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In this episode , we get another installment in our Wednesday night message series through the book of Judges. In chapter twenty of this book we see a wise desction when the people of Israel go to see God. May there decision help us to go see God.

Key Themes & Sections

1. The Assembly (Judges 20:1-3)

• The Society Gathered: The tribes of Israel unite.
• Seeking the Guilty: A response to a grave injustice.

2. The Announcement (Judges 20:4-6)

• A Gruesome Story: The crime described.
• The Subtle Guilty: Truth distorted.
• The Lack of Justice:
  • No hung jury here—it was too obvious.
  • The guilty of Gibeah were beyond defense.

3. The Adversary & The Battle (Judges 20:18-23)

• The Soldiers Gathered for Battle
• Seeking Divine Advice:
  • "We better go see what God says."
• Lessons from Their Approach:
  • A Wise Decision: Even the best plans fail without God.
  • The Wrong Question: They asked about war first instead of worship.
  • True Worship Recognized: Seeking God's heart before seeking victory.

Closing Thoughts

• "The war was a victory, but a costly victory."
• Moral Reflection:
  • Can you believe there were those who wanted to help the guilty?
  • The importance of aligning justice with God's wisdom.

Is there a Hell?

Luke 16

1. The Reality of Death
2. The Revelation of Death
3. The Remembrance of the Divine

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"The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"

Text: Exodus 2:23-25

Introduction:

• Key Thought: “In the Process of Time”
• God is always right on time—even when it doesn’t seem like it.
• Foundational Truths About God:
  • He upholds all things.
  • He governs all events.
  • He directs everything to its appointed end.
  • He works in every circumstance.
  • He does it all for His glory.

Setting the Scene in Exodus

• Key Events in Exodus 1-2:
  1. An Enemy (Exodus 1:8) – A new Pharaoh who didn’t know Joseph.
  2. An Evil (Exodus 1:22) – The order to kill Hebrew male babies.
  3. The Experiment (Exodus 2:5-10) – Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses.
• They thought they were in control, but God had a plan!

Main Discussion: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Read: Exodus 2:24

• God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant.
• This same God still speaks to us today!

1. The God of Abraham – A God of Promise (Genesis 12)

• Promised a Land – The land of Canaan.
• Promised a Lad – A son despite Abraham’s old age.
• Promised Life – That through him, all nations would be blessed.
• Key Verse: Genesis 22:17-19 – “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

2. The God of Isaac – A God Who Provides (Genesis 22:1-14)

• Provision of a Son – Isaac was the child of promise.
• Provision of a Sacrifice – The ram caught in the thicket.
• Provision of Service – Isaac lived to continue God’s covenant plan.
• Lesson: God provides exactly what we need when we trust Him.

3. The God of Jacob – A God of Possession (Genesis 32:22-32)

• God didn’t just want Jacob to know about Him—He wanted Jacob to belong to Him.
• Jacob wrestled with God until he was changed.
• Lesson: We don’t just need knowledge of God, we need to fully surrender to Him.

Conclusion:

• God is the same today as He was for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• The question is not whether He is faithful—the question is whether we will trust Him.
• Final Challenge:
  • Do you believe in God’s promises like Abraham?
  • Do you trust in God’s provision like Isaac?
  • Will you surrender to God’s possession like Jacob?