{"id":8658,"date":"2015-10-03T13:08:18","date_gmt":"2015-10-03T17:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=8658"},"modified":"2015-10-31T12:17:25","modified_gmt":"2015-10-31T16:17:25","slug":"are-you-following-the-cloud-or-the-crowd-92015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=8658","title":{"rendered":"Are You Following the Cloud or the Crowd? (9\/20\/15)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our sermon on September 20, 2015 was given by Lay Servant Steve Crispin.\u00a0 His text was Exodus chapter 40 which describes how God led the Israelites with a cloud and pillar of fire.\u00a0 Are we following that cloud?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Click the below “Play” button to start the recording and then scroll down to follow along…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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The scripture was Exodus 40:34-38.\u00a0 Click the drop down box to read…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Exodus 40<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Exodus\u00a0 40:34-38<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.\u00a0 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.<\/p>\n

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;\u00a0 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out \u2014 until the day it lifted.<\/p>\n

So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. NIV<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Parallel Journeys<\/span><\/h3>\n

We’re all\u00a0 probably familiar with the story of Moses and how God brought him in front of a burning bush and commanded him to go to Egypt and demand that Pharoah “Let my people go.”\u00a0 The image of Charlton Heston and “The Ten Commandments” movie is burned into our memories. But this story is not just a fictional story… it really happened.\u00a0 And, it’s in the Bible so that we can learn something from this history.\u00a0 There are many parallels between this journey of the Isrealites and our personal experience.<\/p>\n

Put yourself into the shoes (sandals?) of one of those Hebrews, exiled in Egypt… and you might see yourself…<\/p>\n

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1: Born into Slavery<\/span><\/h4>\n

Just as in the movie “400 Years a Slave”… and just like real\u00a0 life in 19th century America- people were born into slavery.\u00a0 You had no choice; you were a slave by heredity.\u00a0 And there was nothing you could do about it.\u00a0 You couldn’t earn your way out or somehow buy your freedom back.\u00a0 You were somebody else’s property, tied to slavery.<\/p>\n

In the same way, all of us are slaves to sin.\u00a0 We constantly find ways to fall short of the life God is calling us to.\u00a0 We can’t escape our tenancy to look first to ourselves instead of looking for ways to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.”\u00a0 We don’t naturally “love our neighbors as ourselves.”<\/p>\n

We are “slaves” to sin.\u00a0 here’s how Jesus put it….<\/p>\n

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

John 8:34<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And this is what Paul said…<\/p>\n

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, <\/span><\/em><\/strong>
\nno one who seeks God. <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

All have turned away, they have together become worthless;<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
\nthere is no one who does good, not even one.”<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Romans 3:10-12<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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We can live life by attending church and trying to do a lot of good things, but that alone won’t free us from our separation from God.\u00a0 There’s nothing we can do on our own that will save us.<\/p>\n

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Henry Blackaby<\/a><\/span>, author of the “Experiencing God” book and study series, gave the following advice:<\/span><\/p>\n