Concluding Thoughts

I have been lax in posting over the last few weeks.  However, I would like to offer a few thoughts as I conclude this sermon series:

• The book ends not with the Israelites receiving what was promised, but with them wandering off into the desert.  Last Sunday I discussed this in relation to Hebrews 11.  People who have faith in God often have no earthly home.  They wander about on earth, frequently facing suffering.  This is to be expected, since Christ calls us to take up our crosses, deny ourselves, and follow Him.  But: is this what we expect out of life?  What do we consider "normal": blessing, or hardship?  If we are in the desert, as the Israelites were, do we expect that something has gone wrong, or that God has let us down?  Or do we accept it, looking instead for the heavenly city?  Exodus can teach us a lot about the life of faith.
• Where is Jesus in this book?  Paul taught that Jesus died and rose "according to the Scriptures"--and he means the Old Testament, the only Scriptures available to Christians at the time (1 Cor. 15:3).  Jesus Himself revealed to the apostles that He was the true fulfillment of the Old Testament (Luke 24:45-49).  The apostles then used this as the interpretive key for all proclamation of the Gospel.  Read the book of Acts to see how all of their testimony about Jesus was founded on the Old Testament.  Do we seriously expect to find Jesus when we read a book like Exodus?  Is the Old Testament truly "Good News", or is it merely a long, boring prologue to the real story?  If we have treated it as the latter, how can we read differently?
• Speaking of Acts, to conclude this series, I am preaching on the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 6:8-7:60).  Notice how much of Stephen's speech is built upon Exodus.  Both Stephen and his opponents receive Exodus as God's Word.  However, it has a far different effect upon the lives of each.  Stephen is a witness to the truth who remains faithful even at the cost of his life.  His opponents fly into a rage and actually take his life.  This echoes the story of Exodus itself: all have the Law and the Covenant, but only some are faithful.  Some, even while claiming to serve God, reject God through disobedience, and thus face punishment.  This theme is a continual warning to us.  The people who receive God's blessings are not simply those who have the Scriptures, participate in worship, etc.: it is those who take a stand of faithfulness, against opposition.  Will we stand?