The Citizen, 2008-03-13, Page 15THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008. PAGE 15.By Pastor John KuperusBlyth Christian ReformedChurchOne of my favourite movies is
Fiddler on the Roof. A little man in a
long green coat and a cocked hat is
standing with one leg on the steep
roof playing the fiddle. He is like all
of us trying to make meaningful
music out of our lives while not
being able to find a level place.
How do we keep our balance
without falling down? How do we
play a little tune without falling and
breaking our neck?
One of the winds that threatens to
make us lose our balance is
compromise. Moses was faced with
the wind of compromise in his day
and we face the same wind in our
time.
Moses is called by God at the
burning bush to return to Egypt to
lead the people of Israel out of
Egypt. The Israelites are in slavery
to the Egyptians at the time and this
will mean they will need to be
released from their slave masters.
Exodus 5:1-3 tells us of Moses and
his brother Aaron’s first meeting
with Pharaoh. “Afterward Moses and
Aaron went to Pharaoh and said,
“This is what the God of Israel, says:
‘Let my people go, so that they may
hold a festival to me in the desert.’”
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,
that I should obey him and let Israel
go? I do not know the Lord and I
will not let Israel go.”
Then they said, “The God of the
Hebrews has met with us. Now let us
take a three-day journey into the
desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord
our God, or he may strike us with
plagues or with the sword.”
Pharaoh has no intension of letting
his cheap labour force go. “Who is
the Lord, that I should obey him and
let Israel go?” he asks. The battle
lines are pitched with God verses
Pharaoh.
This cosmic battle continues in
our day. When a person gives their
life to Jesus Christ, Jesus forgives
their sins and they receive a new
eternal address from hell to heaven.
This does not sit well in hell. The
devil is never happy about losing one
of his slaves. He will do whatever he
can to win the slave back or to make
them ineffective in their allegiance
to Jesus Christ. One of the tools he
uses is compromise. He tries to take
you down one little bite at a time.
As we pursue God’s will for our
lives, this does not mean life will
always have green lights and a blue
sky. Even though God gives us a
specific mission, the devil will
oppose you. In fact for the Israelites
things got worse. Now the
Egyptians will no longer provide the
straw and they are required to meet
the same brick quota. As you follow
God’s will for your life, don’t think
it is going to be a rose garden.
In Moses’ story there are 10plagues that follow because Pharaohwill not let the people go. The first iswhen the water in the Nile changes
to blood. The second is frogs all over
the land and in their homes.The third
is known as the gnats. The fourth
was the flies.
After this plague, we are told in
Exodus 8: 25-28 “Pharaoh
summoned Moses and Aaron and
said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here
in the land.”
But Moses said, “That would not
be right. The sacrifices we offer the
Lord our God would be detestable to
the Egyptians. And if we offer
sacrifices that are detestable in their
eyes, will they not stone us? We
must take a three-day journey into
the desert to offer sacrifices to the
Lord our God, as he commands us.”
Moses is allowed to offer
sacrifices but stay in the land.
Notice the compromise, Pharaoh is
asking them to give up their three-
day journey as the Lord required of
them. He does not want to lose
control.
Then in verse 28 Pharaoh said, “I
will let you go to offer sacrifices to
the Lord your God in the desert but
you must not go very far. Now pray
for me.”
What are some of the concessions
that the devil uses on us? You don’t
have to be a holy roller. You can have
a little fun. Just do it once.
Sometimes the compromises are
words that we speak to ourselves
when we say, “I will go so far and
then stop. I promise.” Or “I am onlyborrowing it and will return it.”How many people have ended uppregnant or addicted to drugs or in
jail because of statements like that?
Moses does not give in to the
compromise. If we want to stay on
the roof playing our tune and live life
to its fullest potential, then making
compromises with the devil is
something we want to avoid with all
cost.
Moses is given a second
opportunity to make a compromise.
After the seventh plague of hail,
Pharaoh is willing to make a
concession. Then Moses and Aaron
were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go,
worship the Lord you God,” he said.
“But just who will be going?”
Moses answered, “We will go with
our young and old, with our sons and
daughters, and with our flocks and
herds, because we are to celebrate a
festival to the Lord.”
Pharaoh said, “The Lord be with
you — if I let you go, along with
your women and children. Clearly
you are bent on evil. No! Have only
the men go; and worship the Lord,
since that’s what you have been
asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron
were driven out of Pharaoh’s
presence.” (Exodus 10:8-11).
Moses says we are all going with
everyone, even the flocks and herds.
Pharaoh is willing to let them go, but
wants to keep strings attached. He
wants the women and children to be
left behind.
Friends, the devil wants to get our
children. He wants to distract us andneglect our children. How many children are notneglected today because the parents
are pursuing success? I know we
have to work and many homes are
double income to survive. Yet, the
danger is that we neglect our
children for our own selfish goals
and I want to speak words of caution
here. Our children are important and
they grow up so fast. They are a very
important investment and not to be
neglected.
Another way I hear parents
neglecting their children is when
they say they want their children to
make up their own mind as to what
they believe when they are old
enough. Don’t try to influence them.
Don’t force your beliefs on them.
This is crazy!
We have a responsibility to raise
our children in the ways of the Lordand we are not to neglect thatresponsibility. Eternity is on thescales and parents need to be
actively involved in the development
of their children’s beliefs. Please
don’t compromise your job as a
parent. The devil wants to divide and
conquer you. Parents don’t let the
devil have your kids. Draw the line.
You say to the enemy, “They belong
to the Lord, and you can’t have
them.”
Moses makes it clear that the
women and children will not be
compromised. Everyone is going.
Neither ought we to compromise our
children or our spouse.
Moses is given a third opportunity
to make a compromise. This is after
the ninth plague of darkness.
Pharaoh summons Moses and said,
From the Minister’s StudyMaking meaningful music out of life
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
PALM SUNDAY, MARCH 16
Rev. Thelma Kudelka at Trinity, Blyth and St. John’s, Brussels
MAUNDAY THURSDAY, MARCH 20
4-congregational service at St. Peter’s, Lucknow at 7 pm
GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 21
4-congregational service at Trinity, Blyth at 10 am
EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 23
Rev. Phil Gangnon at Trinity, Blyth and St. John’s, Brussels
All are welcome.
119 John St., Auburn
Pastor Dave Wood
519-526-1131
Sunday, March 16th ~ 10:30 am
CANADA’S NATIONAL TEAM CHALLENGE CHOIR
As part of their 2008 Freedom Tour
Sunday School & Sunday Small Groups at 9:30 am
Sunday Evening Service 7:30 pm
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, MARCH 16
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Sunday, March 16
All Welcome
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11 a.m.
Palm/Passion Sunday
Guest Speaker: Sandy Morris
TOBOGANNING PARTY
Saturday, March 15
7:00 pm
Meet at the church
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, March 16
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
1st & 3rd Wednesdays - Women at the Well
Youth: Mondays - Senior 6:30 pm
- Fridays - Junior 7:30 pm
Sun., Mar. 16: 1 Peter 1:13-21
The
Crown of
Thorns
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Good Friday
Chili Supper
5:30 pm
at Blyth Memorial Hall
- FREE
Evangelical Missionary Church
Continued on page 17