A God of Miracles

Well, thank you very much, choir. Good afternoon, everyone. I trust you all have full bellies, and you are... I don't think anyone went hungry over there. I got a look at the share table afterwards. There's plenty of food still on that. So hopefully you all had a wonderful, wonderful lunch, and I hope you've all had a fantastic day's of unleavened bread. I'd like to begin today with a quick show of hands. Quick show of hands. Would you please raise your hand if you have... Thank you. Mr. Penrod's already anticipating the question.

I certainly appreciate that. There's always one in the crowd. Always, inevitably. It's usually Mr. Penrod. So... How many of you have seen Cecil B. DeMille's Ten Commandments?

Okay. Like I kind of anticipated the Basman, don't put your hands down yet. This is part of my strategy. Go ahead and keep them up, if you've seen the movie. And then we're just going to leave them up. And the reason is because it's so much harder to fall asleep if your hand's in the air. Because what you do is you look around and when you see somebody start going like this, you smack them, right? And you wake them back. No, I'm kidding. Go ahead and put your hands down. I probably shouldn't admit this, especially in front of this audience, because this may be an egregious sin. But up until this year, I'd never seen the movie. I was 36 years old. I had never seen the Ten Commandments. It wasn't intentional.

It's not like I didn't care for it or something, and I decided that I just wasn't going to watch it. I'd never had the opportunity, I guess. I never had the chance to sit down and to watch it. But this year, the Consellas graciously loaned our family their copy. And we sat down during the Days of Unleavened Bread and watched the 220-minute epic. 220 minutes long. Did you know that? That's almost four hours.

But it was wonderful. It was fantastic to watch it, despite the...there was a little bit of chronology stuff here and there and a couple things that was some license taken. But one of the things that I enjoyed the most about it, for those that have seen it, you've probably enjoyed it as well, it really helped to visualize the miracles that God wrought during the Exodus account. It really kind of...you know, there's just...you can read about it. You can look at it in print. But seeing it visually, there's just something more to it in that way.

It included...it had a mall. It had the burning bush. You know, it had the ten plagues, the pillar of fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the crashing and destruction of those waters, and the destruction of Pharaoh's armies as those walls came back together again. Now, the special effects are showing their age, of course. My children, who have grown up in an era of special effects, at one point, you know, the pillar of fire goes between the Israelites and the Egyptians.

My son goes, is that cartoon fire? Because they've drawn the little swirls over the top of the sky. You're like, yes, son, it is. It is. And that's pretty good for 1956. Let me tell you what. But it really helps you to understand and to really get a feel for what those things must have been like for those who directly experienced them. Could you imagine, for a moment, being an Egyptian, as the waters in your country turn to blood, as the frogs and the lice and the flies just pour out upon your land?

Or watch as your livestock die of some unknown disease, and while the Israelites' livestock is perfectly fine, watch the boils, the hail, the locust gobbling up whatever the hail left. Can you imagine the light suddenly going out? And then three days later, coming right back on, when Moses said they were going to, loss of your firstborn child, and the cries that would have gone up throughout the land as people discovered their dead children in their homes.

You know, these signs and these wonders made an impression on the Egyptians, such that a number of them left with the Israelites. A number of them left with the Israelites. You know, we refer to these events as plagues upon Egypt, which they most certainly were. But more importantly than plagues, they were miracles. They were miracles.

They were signs and they were wonders that God sent to His people and to the Egyptians to show them the incredible deliverance that He had planned for His people. You know, these signs, these wonders, were in effect a gauntlet thrown down before every Egyptian God in the pantheon to show who was more powerful and who was really in control. Exodus 7, if you'd go ahead and turn over there to begin, God starts to lay this plan out for Moses, really outlining what would occur as Moses went to Pharaoh to demand the release of his people.

Exodus 7 and verse 1, we see the Lord who declares the end from the beginning. We see this pattern throughout Scripture many times. You were just talking about this at lunch today. You know, when you went to the land and you forsake me because you're going to, you know, God declares the end from the beginning. He sees these things coming. Exodus 7 and verse 1 reads as follows. Exodus 7 verse 1, So the Lord said to Moses, See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. Demand them to, as Charles and Heston so famously said in the movie, Let my people go. Right? And I will harden Pharaoh's heart. I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. Verse 4, But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay my hand on Egypt, and bring my armies and my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. Verse 5, In the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and I bring out the children of Israel from among them.

How did the Lord stretch forth his hand upon Egypt? He did it through signs and wonders. He multiplied them among the people of Egypt. The word translated wonder is actually kind of interesting. It's pronounced mofeth, I'm sure, but the enunciation thing says mofaith, mofaith in Hebrew, which I love.

I think that's great. But it's mofeth, and it's translated as miracle in the conspicuous sense, something that was intended for people to marvel at, something that was intended to be symbolic, to be a token, to be a sign. In other words, it was meant to be seen. It was meant to be seen. This wasn't a quiet thing. This wasn't something that was done hush-hush behind closed doors. This was magnificent, and it was to be seen by all. The miracles that God provided to his people were meant to be visible.

They were meant to be marvelous and awe inspiring. They were meant to turn the people to him and to illustrate his power and his providence. The God whom we serve is a God of miracles. He's a God of miracles, and that's the title of the second split sermon this afternoon, A God of Miracles.

Traditionally, there are two incredible miracles that are attributed to this last day of Unleavened Bread in the history of God's people. The first of them is found in Exodus 14, so let's go ahead and turn just a few passages forward. We'll read the first of these miracles that is traditionally attributed to today.

After the events of the Passover, after what we commemorate in the night to be much observed in the initial leaving of Egypt, seven days later we see the following occur. Exodus 14 and verse 1, says, Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and they camp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Beel Ziphon, Yoschir, camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are bewildered by the land, and the wilderness has closed them in. Now why did he think that? Because they turned back to come to this spot. They had turned back to come to this location.

This was kind of like they'd gone by it and then came right back to here.

And so it's one of those situations where looking at this, they're hemmed in. I mean, they're confused. Verse 4, Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them, and I will gain honor over Pharaoh, and over all of his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord, and they did so. So again, what's about to happen here is meant as a sign. It's meant as a wonder. It's meant as a miracle that is not just a quiet hush-hush thing, but something that is magnificent and awe-inspiring. Now I was told the king of Egypt, verse 5, that the people had fled, and the heart of the Pharaoh and his servants were turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? You know, perhaps they had a moment where they went, you know, we're going to have to make our own breaks. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! We're going to have to build our own cities. Wait a minute here. What have we done? We've let our labor force go. You know, maybe that ran through their head. It's hard to know for sure. So he made ready his chariot, and he took his people with him. Also, he took 600 choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. Verse 8, And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel, and the children of Israel went out with boldness. He says that the Egyptians pursued them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea besides Piharitharoth. I have no idea if I'm pronouncing that correctly before Baal'siphon.

And when Pharaoh drew near, as you might imagine, the children of Israel look up, they see the dust cloud may be coming off in the distance, and they look up and behold, here's the Egyptians.

They've decided to come after us after all. When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Verse 11, Then they said to Moses, as Mr. Hanson talked about here, you know, trying not to be complainy, and tried, they turned to Moses and said, because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die out here in the wilderness? You know, we couldn't be buried back home where everything was, we had to come out here to die. That's a good spot, I suppose, as any. Why have you dealt with us? So to bring us up out of Egypt, is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians, and that we should die in the wilderness. Sometimes when you look at the Israelites in the accounts that we see, especially in this section, they seem to have kind of some short-term memory loss, at the very least, where they kind of don't quite remember how bad they really had it. But, you know, I guess if you're, you know, facing your death, perhaps serving somebody in servitude maybe doesn't look so bad. But, verse 13, Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, that army that's coming down this way, kicking up that dust cloud on those chariots, you will see them again no more forever. You know, Moses lets them know, hey, God's going to take care of you. He's brought you this far. He's going to finish the job.

The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.

Lord said to Moses, why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.

And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them. I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, the chariots and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for myself over Pharaoh, over his chariots and over his horsemen.

Verse 19, the angel of God who went before the camp of Israel moved and went behind them, and I made a little flanking maneuver there and stood between them and the Egyptians, and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. God set a boundary in place, kept them separated at that night. The Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. You know, after just having left Egypt, having just all the joy... I mean, imagine the emotional roller coaster, all the joy, and we are finally free, slaves for 400-plus years, and we're finally free. We've spoiled the Egyptians, we're leaving... I mean, imagine the joy, just the sheer joy in getting out, and then now, seven days later, in their eyes, it's all coming to an end. God put his people in an impossible position, literally stuck between a rock and an army of Egyptians, or at least a sea in an army of Egyptians. They weren't strong enough to turn and fight. They were no match for chariots. In fact, you know, when they... originally the reason they took the route that they did in the first place was because they didn't know war. God was concerned that they'd become faint of heart if they saw war.

In their estimation, this was it. This was the place where they were going to die.

Moses tells him, stand still and see your salvation. He raises his arms, extends his hand, or staff over the sea, and the wind starts to pick up.

The waters begin to recede. They start to pile up on both sides, getting larger and larger, and this little narrow strip of dirt in the middle gets wider and wider, and it gets drier, and the stories of water just stack up on either side. Put yourself in that place for a moment. Imagine what that must have looked like at that time. There is no natural occurrence that could have done this. I've heard people argue tsunamis. Come on, give me a break. Give me a break. No man could have done this. The only possible explanation was that the Lord had done this. There could have been no question in the minds of anyone present as they hurried across that strip of land that God provided them as he held Pharaoh and his armies at bay until morning. Verse 30 to 31 of Exodus 14, verse 30 and 31, says, So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt, so the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses.

God had provided Israel with an incredible miracle. He had delivered them from Egypt. He redeemed his people, destroying the armies of Pharaoh in the process. You know, this is a hallmark miracle. And I don't mean the channel that Mr. Hanson was talking about. It's not a hallmark channel miracle. This is a hallmark miracle. This is one of those miracles that would follow Israel everywhere they went after this. When God provided them with the law at Sinai, he began with, I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt. Don't forget, I brought you out of Egypt. And remember how I did it, he tells them, out of the land of slavery. This is one of those miracles that Israel was not to forget. In fact, when Israel entered the Promised Land, the stories of how God had delivered them from Egypt preceded them as they came into Canaan, striking fear in the inhabitants of that nation. Rahab tells the two spies that entered Jericho. Let's go to Joshua 2.

Joshua 2 verses 9 through 11 as we kind of set the stage here today. Joshua 2 verses 9 through 11. Rahab tells the two spies that showed up something kind of interesting. Joshua 2 and verse 9.

Pardon me. So Joshua 2 and verse 9, Rahab said to the men, I know that the Lord has given you the land. Rahab knew. I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us. Says the people behind a giant walled city.

The fear had fallen on them. Rahab knew that the land was theirs. They're all faint-hearted because of you. And why? Verse 10. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt. That big miracle that God did, that sign, that wonder, we heard about it. And it scares us to death that a God with that kind of power is coming with you. We also heard what you did to the kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihan and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted. Neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you.

For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

Now, this miracle was not just a testament to the Israelites and their descendants, but it was a testament to the people of Canaan and to the power and the majesty of God. He was known to them also as a God of miracles. He was known by the miracles that He had done in the presence of the Israelites. He enforces this reputation, God does, with the second miracle that's attributed on the last day of Unleavened Bread, the fall of Jericho, found in Joshua 6. Let's turn forward just a couple pages. The fall of Jericho is another of these miracles that is attributed to today, the last day of Unleavened Bread. And we have that based on Josephus's writings. Joshua 6 and verse 1, and we'll just kind of quickly go through the account here, Joshua 6 and verse 1, says, Now Jericho was securely shot up because of the children of Israel. None went out and none came in. Mr. Sephora talked about this in the message earlier this morning. Babylon was in much the same way. They could withstand a siege for a very long period of time. They had fortified walls, had water source, until Cyrus took care of that. But Jericho was in much the same way. They had the ability to withstand a siege for some time. So they just closed the door and hoped that people will go away, get bored of running stuff against the walls, and then maybe they'll go home. Joshua 6 verse 1, again, they were securely closed up because the children of Israel, none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, See, I have given Jericho into your hand.

It's king and the mighty men of Valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war. You shall go around the city once. This you shall do for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram horns before the ark. But on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. They shall come to pass when they make a long blast with the ram's horn. And when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and then the walls of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him. So you can imagine for a moment, put yourself in the place of those in Jericho, got this massive army out there who you've heard all these horrible stories about. They've destroyed these guys as they've come across. Their god has separated the sea for them, and now they're just walking around your city once a day. Does that not unnerve you just a little bit? You're kind of going, oh, what are they getting at here? Like, I don't quite know what they're doing. They haven't attacked us yet. Okay, it's day two. They're going again. Day three, here they are again. Okay, I really don't know what to think about here.

It's got to be a little bit unnerving, honestly. Joshua 6, verse 6, Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the Lord. And he said to the people, proceed, march around the city, and let he who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord. And so it was when Joshua had spoken to the people that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams horns before the Lord advanced blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. Our men went before the priests who blew the trumpets. And the rear guard came up after the ark while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. Joshua commanded the people saying, You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall the word proceed out of your mouth until the day I say to you, shout. There was a plan in place. It had to be done right. Then you shall shout. So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city going around at once. They came into camp and they watched him camp. He said, just out, we're just laying the land. We're just checking out the lay of the land here. We're going to go around your city one time. We'll come back. We'll go back to camp. We'll have some food. Next morning, we'll do the same thing. Again and again and again, exactly as God commanded them. The second day, they marched around the city once and returned to camp. So they did then for six days. But it came to pass on the seventh day, traditionally again, according to Josephus's writings today, the last day of Unleavened Bread. Let me see. I'm sorry. I lost my place. Came back to pass on the seventh day that they rose early about the dawning of the day and they marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only, they marched around the city seven times. And the seventh time it happened when the priest blew the trumpets. Joshua said to the people, shout for the Lord has given you the city. Israel stormed through the rubble as the walls came down. Imagine the track of stone breaking as these walls didn't just fall straight down. Archaeological evidence shows they fell flat outward. There's nothing that could explain how walls would all fall flat outward from that location. Israel came in, they took the city, and God had once again miraculously delivered his people against insurmountable odds. They should never have been able to take Jericho on their own. This wasn't something that could be attributed to man. Not only had he delivered them from Egypt, he'd also conquered their very first foe in the promised land. This miracle was also one that was to be seen. This is something to be seen and heard and spread. And you can imagine the fear of those who also were in Canaan as they heard that Israel was coming in their direction too. Jericho was an ancient city, and it was a city that was very, very fortified. And God had now delivered that city into their hands. At that point, you start to ask yourself, if you're a Canaanite, who can stand before this great God? Who can stand before this God of miracles?

You know, when I read through the book of Acts, I read about all these miracles that were wrought by the power of God through his apostles at that time. And it is so easy to long for those days, to look back and to see a time in the church where the Spirit was so clearly moving among God's people that it was tangible. It was tangible. Such incredible miracles were happening regularly to where it felt that the church was just on fire. It's so easy to think, if only, if only.

Just think of all the people who would believe. Just think of the growth that we could experience in the body of Christ. Wouldn't it just be incredible? I don't know if you've read through the book of Acts and thought the same thing, but it's some incredibly amazing things that God was doing in the early church. But we also know all too well, unfortunately, seeing isn't always believing. The Israelites were present for a vast number of miracles, including the parting of the Red Sea. They still rebelled against God in the wilderness. There is Israelites that were present at the conquering of Jericho. Them and their descendants struggled to remain faithful to God after Joshua's death. The people who witnessed Christ's miraculous healings still accused him and put him to death. Not all the individuals who witnessed the miracles of the apostles remained faithful. As time went on, heresies crept into the church. Christianity became practically unrecognizable. The reality is, even incredible miracles wouldn't necessarily make a difference in belief. Yet it is still easy to long for those days, in some ways even just to be able to have the opportunity to seek God's power on display. Brethren, we are gathered here today on this last day of Unleavened Bread, a day in which God traditionally has performed incredible miracles of deliverance for his people. On this day, we are gathered here as witnesses to one of the most incredible miracles that God has ever wrought on this earth. It's a miracle that wasn't available to those who crossed the Red Sea and conquered Jericho. This miracle is also a sign and a wonder. It is a testament to the power of God, and it's on display each and every day. Brethren, that miracle is you and the work that God is doing in your life, the process of conversion that God is working in your life, taking and moving you from a carnal human being whose mind is enmity towards God through the power of his Holy Spirit in your life to become a child of God and an heir to his kingdom. Let's go over to Romans 8 to begin with. Let's go over to Romans 8. Romans 8 will see the Apostle Paul expounding on this concept, on this conversion that takes place in our lives through the power of God's Holy Spirit, the miracle that he is working in us. Romans 8, we'll go ahead and pick it up in verse 1 of Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak to the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin, and he condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

This is where we found ourselves before God called us, before he gave us this opportunity. He extended to us an opportunity to be a part of his family. Before we were not necessarily subject to the law of God, at least not in our own minds, we didn't realize it. And our carnal mind then could not be subject to the law of God, because that carnal mind is death, and living in the flesh we can't please God. He goes on in verse 9, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you, now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him, in this case referencing the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your immortal bodies through the Spirit which dwells in you. Now Paul makes the point that if the Spirit of God dwells in us, then we're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, that Christ lives in us and that the Spirit of God gives us life. You know, this Spirit enables us to put to death the deeds of the body. He goes on in verse 12, therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, and this entire time of the Days of Unleavened bread is talking about rooting out those little bits of sin and leaven in our lives and getting rid of them, and putting newness of life in its place, putting the unleavened in its place. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, verse 14, these are sons of God, for you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, enjoin heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. If we allow ourselves to be led by His Spirit in our lives, if we follow that lead, if we repent of, and we put to death the deeds of the body, then we are children of God. We are joint heirs with Christ. And this is not something that's happening everywhere. This is not something that's happening everywhere. This isn't something that's available at this time to all in the world around us. This is a calling. This is something special, a deliverance for a chosen group of people at this time. This conversion process that occurs in those whom God has called, this is one of the greatest miracles that God has performed in the history of mankind. It is the core of His plan of salvation. And you're front and center in the whole thing. You're front and center. It was the reason that His Son was slain from the foundation of the earth. Your conversion and the resulting change of behavior is an incredible miracle. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus about this incredible change that comes from the Spirit of God working in someone's life. Let's turn over to Ephesians 2, Ephesians 2, and we'll go ahead and pick up the account in verse 1 of Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2 and verse 1 says, And you he made alive, it says in the old King James, has quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which he once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. We used to be disobedient. We used to be listening to those stations, so to speak, that Satan broadcasts on in our lives. We hear the things. We're tempted. We act. We sin. Verse 3, Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature, by our very nature, children of wrath, just as the others. Verse 4, kind of getting now to the point of the change, but God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace, you have been saved. And we were dead in our trespasses and our sins. We had earned the death penalty for our transgression. Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, his shed blood, has enabled us to be forgiven and to be reconciled to God. God is merciful. He loves us exceedingly. So much so, Romans 5 talks about this, we won't turn there, but that while we were still enemies, Christ died for us. While we were still enemies, Christ died for us. In 1 Corinthians 6, go ahead and keep your place in Ephesians. We're not going to turn to 1 Corinthians 6. If you're really fast at turning there, you might be able to get there. Just saying. But I would leave a bookmark here because we're coming back to Ephesians. 1 Corinthians 6, Paul kind of writes of a similar concept to those in Corinth, reminding them of the transformation that had occurred in their lives. The change that the Spirit of God working in them had caused as they've gone forward. 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 9. 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 9.

All right, I'm turning there. Everybody else is too. Why not?

1 Corinthians 6 and verse 9 starts out saying, Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, thieves, covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 11. And such were some of you, as such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Some of those in Corinth were fornicators and idolaters and adulterers. They were feminine. They were abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, or vilers. All of these things, actions and works, which would not have allowed them to inherit the kingdom of God. And as Paul told them, as such were some of you. That implies change.

That implies them moving forward. They had been washed. They had been sanctified. They'd been justified in the name of Jesus Christ and with the Spirit of God. They had changed. Now, were they perfect? No. No. But they were making progress. You know, as Mr. Sephora mentioned this morning, you know, the present imperfect put to death is not a final thing. It is a continuing thing. It's something that is going on all the time continuously, putting to death those aspects of our life that simply don't work. He goes on in Ephesians 2. Now you have to flip back to Ephesians 2 because you went over there anyway. Ephesians 2. We'll pick it up in verse 6. But this miraculous change that had occurred in the brethren and chorins is like night and day, just like many of you might be able to look back. Those of you that, you know, are first generation Christians might be able to look back and think about your life before you were called. You might not even recognize that person anymore. You know, that there has been enough change in your life as you have progressed in this way of life going forward. Ephesians 2 and verse 6 says, we'll pick it up in verse 5 just to catch the context. Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved. And 6, and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Notice, not of our works, not just like when he put them in an impossible place in front of the Red Sea. There was no way anybody in front of that Red Sea said, oh, that was obviously Moses that did that. Clearly, Moses's, that staff of Moses, has got some incredible power. No way! They knew exactly where it came from. And it's like this situation as well, that we can't boast of somehow having earned this gift through our works. It's a gift from God to give to whom he chooses. Reality of it is we don't deserve anything except death. And we don't deserve anything but death. This is a gift of God in salvation through faith. He goes on in verse 10, it says, for we are His workmanship. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. God has begun an incredible work in our lives. He's creating in us a product, so to speak. We are His workmanship, a widget, if you will, but maybe not in such a negative connotation of the concept of widget, but He's creating a product in us. This word workmanship here is the Greek word poema, which implies a product that is made, very specifically fabric, but figuratively anything that's made. God, through His Spirit in our lives, is working to help us to put away the old man, and to put on the new man, changing our actions and our behaviors, our habits, and our thoughts to become more in line with the example provided for us by Jesus Christ, making us all into the product that is creating according to the blueprint that He has provided for us. That is what these days of Unleavened Bread are all about. They are changing who we are at our core by removing the leaven, removing the sin from our lives, working to get the sin out and replacing it with the unleavened of sincerity and truth, with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of God's Holy Spirit.

Sometimes it might feel like it's a lost cause. Sometimes as we struggle, as we battle the sin which so easily ensnares us, maybe sometimes we can get a little bit depressed, we can get a little frustrated that we might be dealing with the same sin year after year after year. You recognize and say, I threw you out last year. I remember vacuuming that leaven up last year. What are you doing back here? You know, there's a really incredibly encouraging passage that's recorded in Philippians 1, verse 6. Philippians 1 and verse 6. We have to always keep in mind that God is working to produce a product, and we are His workmanship. We're His workmanship. He's the craftsman. He's the craftsman. So Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians in Philippians 1, 6. Philippians 1 and verse 6, being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. He is going to complete the work that He has started. However, we have our part to play. We have to continually yield ourselves to His spirit. We have to actively work to live as we have been called. And if that's what we do, the miracle of conversion will be done in our lives. So what does the end result look like?

What does the end result look like? Mr. Hansen discussed the characteristics in Psalm 15. If you'd like to jot that down, please. Psalm 15. Mr. Sephora also covered Colossians 3. Let's go to Ephesians 4. The good news is there's plenty of them in here that describe what the finished products would look like. Ephesians 4. We'll pick it up in verse 17. Ephesians 4 and verse 17. Under a heading that says, The New Man. Ephesians 4 and verse 17. This is what the end result should begin to look like. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned, Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed, as was mentioned earlier today, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and in holiness.

That's what we're actively working to put on in our lives. We're getting rid of the old man, we're putting on the new. Verse 25 continues, verse 25 continues, therefore, here's some of the the tangible actions of the new man, therefore putting away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Verse 26, be angry and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stoles steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Verse 31, let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. This is what the end result of this process starts to look like. We become a new man, created in righteousness and in holiness, speaking the truth, letting go of anger and sin. Letting go of anger and sin.

We don't allow corrupt communication to proceed from our mouths. We speak only that which edifies.

We speak only that which builds others up. We do not speak what will tear others down.

We build up with our speech. We listen and we yield to the prompting of the Spirit of God, not grieving it as it leads us in our life, not ignoring it. We put away all bitterness, all wrath, all anger, and all evil speaking, being kind to one another, being tender-hearted, and being forgiving. The end result looks like a life that mirrors that of Jesus Christ.

Putting away the lust of the flesh, bearing the fruits of the Spirit.

That change in our life is a miraculous change. It is a miraculous change, and it's a sign and a wonder that is to be seen by others as well as by ourselves. Whether God was pouring out plagues on Egypt, whether he was parting the Red Sea, conquering the city of Jericho, or healing the sick, his signs and his wonders had a singular primary purpose. Let's go over to Deuteronomy 4.

Whatever the miracle was, it had a primary purpose. Deuteronomy 4 verses 32 through 35. Deuteronomy 4 verse 32 says, The answer at that point was well known. Did God ever try to go and take for himself a nation by the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Have you ever heard of this before? God going in and redeeming a people out of the hands of another with such incredible miracles. Verse 35, To you it was shown. In other words, Israel, you saw this, and here's why. So that you might know that the Lord himself is God, and that there is no other besides him. All of these miracles were performed so that the people of Israel would know that the Lord is God, that they might believe and faithfully obey their Creator. But it had a really great secondary purpose as well. Other nations who saw and heard believed that the Lord was God also.

Just as the Red Sea and the conquest of Jericho could only have been supernatural events made possible by the power and the providence of God, so too is the change which occurs in our lives through conversion. It's only made possible by the power of God through his Spirit working in our lives, convicting us of our sin, and leading us to righteousness. As we witness and as we see the change in other people before our very eyes, you know, we're all sitting in a room with people that we have known for how long. I hope that some of you can look at me and see a change based on what you've known from the past years. And likewise, you know, I see changes in many of you as well.

This could only be because of the power of God. It's not anything that any of us have done.

God working in our life enables this conversion. But as we witness and we experience the change in others around us before our very eyes, the power in the might of God is testified to us.

We see his power. We see his might. And as we change and as we become more like Christ, that change is seen by others around us as well. People at work, people out in society, people in this very congregation. And that is a very powerful testimony and witness to the power and the might of God to them as well. You know, there's a little colloquialism that often says, you may be the only Bible that another person reads. That's very true. You may be the only person that anybody ever interacts with that teaches them what the way of God should look like.

It's a lot of responsibility. But it's a good responsibility. On this last day of Unleavened Bread, as the Israelites stepped onto the other side of the Red Sea, finally leaving the land of Egypt behind, and those walls of water slammed closed, burying Pharaoh's armies behind them, they faced a very uncertain future. They had to trust God. They had to follow Him wherever He would lead. They followed the God of Miracles through the wilderness, that same God of miracles that we follow today. Brethren, let us go forward from these days of Unleavened Bread with renewed spirit, in unity with one another, following God's lead, together, continuously putting out the old leaven, putting on the unleavened of sincerity and truth, the life and the teachings of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ.