1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,700 Well, hallelujah. 2 00:00:03,700 --> 00:00:08,400 The Lord is good, merciful, and mighty. 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,800 You have your Bibles turned with me to Exodus, chapter 5. 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:30,000 Happy Father's Day. 5 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:36,200 I know for many in here, today may not be a happy day. 6 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:43,400 May be a day filled with tears. 7 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,400 We honor you this morning. 8 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:52,400 You no longer have your Father with you. 9 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,400 He's deceased and already gone. 10 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,400 We pray with you, we pray for you, we ask the God of all comfort 11 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,400 to minister to your heart and life today. 12 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:10,600 I commend to each of you, I know, listen, I know that each day today is a hard day. 13 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:16,600 And for those of you who pushed on and came and are here with us this morning, 14 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:17,600 thank you for that. 15 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,600 And I'm just going to pray the Lord's going to encourage you and strengthen you 16 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,600 before you leave here today. 17 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,600 And with that void and that inking and that weight that you're feeling, 18 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,600 I pray and then going to pray that he lightens that in your heart this evening. 19 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,600 That his peace surpasses all understanding. 20 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,600 Amen. 21 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:48,600 Exodus chapter 5, verse 1, just going to read verse 1 and 2. 22 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:53,600 And afterwards Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, 23 00:01:53,600 --> 00:02:00,600 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, let my people go, 24 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,600 that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 25 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:14,600 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? 26 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:22,600 I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. 27 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:28,600 I'm going to preach on that simple thought, who is the Lord? 28 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,600 Who is the Lord? 29 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:36,600 Now, I've targeted a good 15 to 20 minutes. 30 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,600 Pastor Brian's got you set on that last week. 31 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,600 Every time these fellas do that, it makes it bad on me. 32 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:50,600 I have to come behind them and try to take an hour message and get it whittled down. 33 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,600 So I'm going to whittle her down. 34 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,600 Sister Ann's my 20-minute target. 35 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,600 She's supposed to stand and wave. 36 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,600 She said, Well, what happens if you don't stop? 37 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,600 Just sit on down. 38 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,600 Because it'll depend on, she said, Well, how will know? 39 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,600 I said, It'll depend on what's going on at the 20-minute mark. 40 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,600 Amen. 41 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,600 Who is the Lord? 42 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,600 I'll pray for you if you pray for me, and it may not be an hour. 43 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,600 Father, we love you. 44 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,600 We thank you. We praise you. We glorify you. 45 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,600 Who is that old mountain that stands before us? 46 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,600 Who is it? 47 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:40,600 But at that command, your command, that mountain shall become like a plane before us. 48 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:47,600 Because it's not by might nor by power, but by your Spirit declares you the Lord. 49 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,600 Speak to our hearts and mind this morning. 50 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,600 May we hear what the Spirit says to the church. 51 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:59,600 And may we leave encouraged today in Jesus' name. 52 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,600 Amen and amen. 53 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,600 Good to see Brother George back in the house of the Lord. 54 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:13,600 Amen. 55 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:23,600 In a day and time that identity seems to be lost, 56 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:31,600 many struggle to know and to discover who they are. 57 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:39,600 A clear and precise description can be very helpful. 58 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:45,600 It's like we spend a lot of our lives searching for our own identity. 59 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,600 But these days that we live in, it's just not the identity of your person. 60 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,600 I'll just keep on going. 61 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,600 People are searching. 62 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:05,600 A question has been presented in our text this morning that's, I think, worthy of our consideration today. 63 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,600 I think it's worthy of every man in the room. 64 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,600 Every father would be father. 65 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:16,600 One who stands in the place of father functions in the role of fathers. 66 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:26,600 I think it is a question that is worthy of our consideration. 67 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:36,600 It will do us well if we have a clear understanding and precise description of who is the Lord. 68 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:44,600 To be fair this morning, Pharaoh, the Pharaoh of our text, the king of Egypt that we've read about, 69 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:58,600 has had no formal introduction until the encounter that he's having with Moses and Aaron as to who the God of Israel really is. 70 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:03,600 You see, in Exodus 1, the scripture declares there arose up a new king over Egypt, 71 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,600 which knew not Joseph. 72 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:12,600 You see, Joseph was their connection to Jehovah. 73 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:17,600 How many remember the story of Joseph? 74 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:29,600 There arose a Pharaoh who had not known nor been told the history of the Hebrew people that were in the corner of his nation 75 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,600 and who was responsible for their being there. 76 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,600 He had no clue who Joseph was. 77 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:47,600 So by virtue of not knowing who Joseph was, he had not been introduced to the God of Israel. 78 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,600 In chapter 2, that king dies. 79 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:58,600 In the process of time, the scripture says near the end of the chapter, the king died. 80 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:09,600 So therefore now there is another king, another Pharaoh, who is further removed from the history of Jehovah. 81 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,600 Has no clue who God is. 82 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,600 Understands religion, understands worship. 83 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:21,600 Over 1400 recognized gods in the Egyptian religion. 84 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,600 He knew of Ra, Horus, and many of the others. 85 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:33,600 He knew that he had a religious structure, but he did not know the God of all ages. 86 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:40,600 And so now we come on the scene with this short passage of scripture. 87 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:45,600 Moses and Aaron have now come before Pharaoh. 88 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:50,600 In the short four chapters, there's a lot taking place. 89 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:58,600 Moses, who was raised in Pharaoh's palace by Pharaoh's daughter, become like his own. 90 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:09,600 Taken under his own efforts, if you will, to help his fellow Hebrews and killed an Egyptian. 91 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:16,600 Now who had had to run for his life because Pharaoh had put out a warrant for him. 92 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:21,600 Finds himself on the backside of a million desert. 93 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,600 And there he sees a bush burning. 94 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,600 He approaches this burning bush that is not consumed. 95 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,600 He hears the voice from heaven. 96 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,600 Speak to him, take his shoes off your own holy ground. 97 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:44,600 So he approaches and has a conversation and receives a call and a mandate from the God of his forefathers. 98 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:53,600 Through many excuses, he makes his way back with the directive to stand before Pharaoh. 99 00:08:53,600 --> 00:09:05,600 In Chapter five, we see him approaching and beginning to fulfill the mandate that the great I am had given to him. 100 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,600 So he stands and delivers the message. 101 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:18,600 And Pharaoh, after hearing the message, has a response. 102 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,600 This response is very complicated. 103 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,600 It just seems very nonchalant and blatant. 104 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:29,600 It seems inquisitory, but that's not how he made this statement. 105 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,600 He's making this statement in question form. 106 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,600 Who is the Lord? 107 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:43,600 It's not so much so that he didn't know who God was and he wasn't really concerned about finding out who God was. 108 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,600 It was in fact, it was in rejection of this Hebrew God. 109 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,600 Well, who is the Lord? 110 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:53,600 I don't know him. 111 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:59,600 And by virtue of not knowing him, I'm not going to let this people go. 112 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:05,600 It was an affront to his authority as king of Egypt. 113 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:06,600 It was affront to him. 114 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:12,600 Well, who is this God who thinks he can tell me, the king of Pharaoh, what to do? 115 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:20,600 Well, you take that question, who is the Lord, and you begin to examine that. 116 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:32,600 It's not in the fact that who has the audacity to tell me what to do, but it should have been in reference to inquiring as to, well, who is the Lord? 117 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:37,600 His inquisition should have been one more of humility. 118 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,600 It should have been more of a humble origin, but it wasn't. 119 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,600 It was derogatory. 120 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,600 It was antagonistic against God. 121 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:50,600 And God knew when he sent Moses what his response was going to be. 122 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:52,600 Understand that God knows it all. 123 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:53,600 Amen. 124 00:10:53,600 --> 00:11:05,600 He's not caught by surprise and he was neither intimidated by Pharaoh's interjection and his inquisitive nature and the result of his going against God. 125 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,600 It didn't bother him, none the least. 126 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,600 He knew what he was going to do. 127 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:17,600 But for you and I this morning, I think it is good that we get a clear understanding of who the Lord really is. 128 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:23,600 If we begin to just narrow it down, we could say that he's a friend of the friendless. Amen. 129 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,600 We could say that he is a lawyer in the courtroom on our behalf. 130 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,600 We could say he's the physician when we're sick and in need. 131 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,600 We know him and can describe him. 132 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,600 He's a heart fixer and a mind regulator. 133 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,600 He's the one that brings peace that passes all understanding. 134 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:46,600 When we understand who the Lord is, this descriptor moves into this point of view. 135 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:55,600 When I was in sin, dying and on my way to a devil's hell, it was he that gave his life that I may be redeemed. 136 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:07,600 That's the reason I kindly quench my encouragement and dial it back just a little bit because I think we ought to be more prompt with our best praise. 137 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:09,600 I think we should offer it first. 138 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:16,600 I don't think I should have to come back to you mildly and kindly and say, well, is that the very best you've got? 139 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:22,600 Well, it should be demanded of us unequivocally with the first invitation. 140 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:29,600 We should know and understand that he is the Lord of glory and he is the God of all ages. 141 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,600 I can understand Pharaoh. 142 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,600 Four centuries come and gone and nobody's told him who Jehovah God is. 143 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:47,600 He's clueless as to the fact, but when I come before the Hopewell Church of God, saint or sinner in this room, and I ask you who is the Lord, you ought to have a clue. 144 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:49,600 You ought to have an idea. 145 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:53,600 We should have some sense of an understanding of who is the Lord. 146 00:12:53,600 --> 00:13:02,600 And if by chance here this morning and by grace you have been redeemed, when the invitation for you to give the Lord the best praise you brought, 147 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:08,600 your hands should be red, our palms should sting, and our voices should be exulting. 148 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,600 He is the Lord of glory. 149 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,600 He is my God and my Redeemer. 150 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:22,600 So when I say who is the Lord, do you have a good understanding and a clear definition and declaration as to who he is? 151 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:34,600 Pharaoh may have had an excuse, but do we? 152 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:45,600 When we weren't fit to live and scared to die, no doubt in a room this size we have been pushed, some have been pushed to the point of the enemy 153 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:53,600 to consider, to consider with a fleeting thought of just ending it all. 154 00:13:53,600 --> 00:14:00,600 In a room this size, I know the devil has whispered into some's ears, you ought to just end it all. 155 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,600 But I'm here to tell you this morning he is a liar. 156 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:12,600 Amen. Because when the devil sees it as an end, God simply sees it as a beginning to the rest of your life. 157 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:20,600 Because when you turn away from the voices of darkness and your ear being tuned like the Israelites did after verse 2, 158 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:26,600 when we get into chapter 3 and you begin to understand that there's a king that arose up after the other, 159 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:35,600 the Bible says that the children of Israel begin to cry out by reason of their anguish and of their toil and their trial. 160 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,600 What are you saying? The Lord shows up when you're at the end of your rope. 161 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:45,600 That's what I'm saying. Who is the Lord? He's the light in the darkest hour of your life. 162 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,600 He's the hope and the voice that speaks life to you. 163 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:53,600 Because the devil never has nothing but your demise in his plan. 164 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:57,600 God has something good for you. It's the elevation of your life. 165 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:02,600 It's the lifting up of your head. It's the filling you with hope and joy and peace and passion. 166 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:14,600 All understanding, who is this Lord? 167 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:21,600 We would say in our day and time he's the banker when the bank says no. 168 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,600 Hey, has anybody ever been there and they say no. 169 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:31,600 He's the comforter in that midnight dark hour. 170 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,600 He's the only peace that can come when my life is a turmoil and turned upside down. 171 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,600 Who is the Lord? Listen to what David said. 172 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,600 He is my fortress and my strong tower, my shield and my buckler. 173 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,600 But that's not all that David declared of the Lord. 174 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:56,600 We can find a declaration even more clear than that in that 23rd Psalm that he put pen to. 175 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:02,600 When he began to declare the Lord is my shepherd. 176 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,600 And that wasn't the end of his declaration. Who is the Lord? 177 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:13,600 The Lord is my shepherd. Therefore, I shall not want. 178 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:19,600 I'm here to tell somebody this morning that the Lord is your shepherd. 179 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,600 And you can put the wants and desires of your heart upon the table of him. 180 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,600 Because he doesn't leave you in just your hoping and your wanting. 181 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,600 He'll lead you beside the still waters. Hallelujah. 182 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,600 He'll lead you into the green pastures. 183 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:39,600 He'll prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. 184 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:41,600 What does that mean? I don't have to fear. 185 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:47,600 I can sit right down and feast at the table where the manna of glory fills it every day. 186 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,600 And I have not to fear. I do not have to be afraid. 187 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:59,600 For yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 188 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:05,600 For thou art with me and thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 189 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:14,600 And surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 190 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,600 Who is the Lord? 191 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:34,600 You can begin to look at the statistics of fatherless homes. 192 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:44,600 Talking to a friend of mine the other day, as we were talking about preaching our Father's Day messages. 193 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:53,600 He began to read to me some of the horrible stats of teens and young people. 194 00:17:53,600 --> 00:18:03,600 How many of those who were in prison were from fatherless homes and absentee fathers. 195 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:07,600 And I told him, I said, let me just check you real quick right there. 196 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,600 He's like me, he can get a little hard if he ain't careful. 197 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:17,600 I said, we got to remember every man that's in our church is not one of those that are absent. 198 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,600 They're present this morning. 199 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,600 So I said, we might order to stop and congratulate every man that's in the house. 200 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:30,600 Can I say that to you brethren, thank you for being in the house of the Lord this morning. 201 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,600 You're not absent, you're here. Hallelujah. 202 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,600 You're in the house, you're hearing the word. It's being proclaimed over your life. 203 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:43,600 I'm not saying you're the best father. I don't lay a claim anywhere near being the best father. 204 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:50,600 Even though I got a big foam finger and I've got a cup and other picture frames that says I am the number one dad. 205 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:58,600 But down in the depths of my soul, I know that they're just being kind because I know the wretched man that I am. 206 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:05,600 But what I am is present. I am not absent. I am here. And so are you men. 207 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:09,600 You may not always done the right thing. You may not always said the right thing. 208 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:16,600 You may not always behaved in the right way. But men of God at the foot of the cross, there's cleansing. 209 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:21,600 Who is the Lord? He's the one who ratifies the wretchedness of our soul. 210 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:30,600 Thank you for being present this morning. 211 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:37,600 How much more time I got, Sister Ann? You ain't even keeping time, are you? 212 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:45,600 Somebody else have to be a timekeeper. Five minutes, I'm almost done with page one. 213 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:54,600 The Lord is my shepherd. Who is the Lord? He's the one that leads me beside the still waters. 214 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,600 He's the one that takes me in the green pastures. He prepares that table. 215 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:07,600 He's the one who anoints my head with oil. That oil is the representation of his healing touch. 216 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:11,600 My God, it is our head that needs it more often than our body. 217 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:17,600 If I can just get my mind wrapped around life, if I can just get a good clear picture, who is the Lord? 218 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,600 He's the one that clarifies my way and dictates my going. 219 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:29,600 For the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. 220 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:41,600 Solomon said he's the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley, the bright morning star. 221 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:52,600 Isaiah said he is wonderful, counselor, mighty God, prince of peace. 222 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:58,600 And the government, he bears upon his own shoulders. 223 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:07,600 But he's more than that. In the day of your darkest despair, he's high and lifted up. 224 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:13,600 Who is the Lord? He's high and lifted up. He's exalted over our situations. 225 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:20,600 He's exalted over my circumstances. I don't know about you, but when I find myself in turmoil and life's upside down 226 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:26,600 and I don't know which way to go, it does bring a sense of comfort to me to know that if I have the audacity 227 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:32,600 to lift my eyes above my situation, he's still seated on his throne. 228 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:38,600 He's not in a panic running around the palace of heaven. He's not running wild trying to ask an angel 229 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:43,600 what it is that he should do for old brother Cliff. He's not panicked in one iota. 230 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:51,600 But he sits there with his feet upon this earth, which is his footstool, my God, which is declared and full of all of his glory. 231 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:56,600 And he moves on my behalf because he is the lover of my soul. 232 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:03,600 Solomon declared the great lover of the soul of those in whom he shall redeem. 233 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,600 Who is the Lord? 234 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:16,600 Y'all see me preaching this at the nursing home? I did two weeks ago. 235 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:24,600 Didn't get hardly as wound as this, but got wound enough to scare somebody. 236 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:32,600 When I think about who is the Lord, Ezekiel said he's a wheel in the wheel. 237 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,600 He's the wheel in the middle of the wheel. 238 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:43,600 Old John, our good Baptist brother standing waist deep in Jordan, looked up to see the Lord Jesus coming down the hillsides, 239 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,600 moving toward the river in obedience of the scripture. 240 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:55,600 And he declared, behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world. 241 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,600 That's who he is. 242 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:02,600 Old Pharaoh had no clue who the declaration of Jehovah was. 243 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,600 And I love, I love it. 244 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:11,600 I love it on that backside of median when Moses is before that burning bush and it turns to leave and make his way. 245 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:17,600 But when I go back and tell the people who have sent me, you've got to give me something. You've got to give me a name. 246 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:23,600 You've got to give me some kind of identifier when they say, well, who is the Lord? 247 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,600 And you begin to tell them that I am that I am. 248 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:33,600 And that revelation of that I am came through the manifest presence of Jesus Christ upon this earth. 249 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:39,600 Who is the Lord? 250 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:47,600 Mr. Brown brought our attention last week to Peter's confession. 251 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:53,600 Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? 252 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:58,600 Some say Isaiah, Jeremiah, that's one of the other prophets. 253 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:04,600 Let me pose this question to you like it was to Peter and like it was to Pharaoh. 254 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:09,600 Who do you say that he is? 255 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,600 What is your clear declaration? 256 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:14,600 What is your clear understanding? 257 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,600 We live in a world that's lost its crazy identity. 258 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,600 We live in a world that's upside down. 259 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,600 It's topsy turvy. 260 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:31,600 I read an article this morning that almost made me mad enough to preach something else. 261 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:36,600 I'm interviewing people in a city in Virginia of all places. 262 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,600 Going around interviewing them. 263 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:45,600 Do you think we ought to cancel Mother's Day and Father's Day and call it Parent Day? 264 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,600 I tell you, I'd refuse. 265 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,600 I'm just telling you right now. 266 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,600 That's the shape and the condition and the identity of this world. 267 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,600 People have no clue. 268 00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:02,600 They're just spinning in space and time and trying to make their way through life with confusion and chaos all around them 269 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,600 until somebody might stand up and say, who is the Lord? 270 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:06,600 I'm telling you. 271 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:07,600 I'll give you some direction. 272 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:13,600 I'll give you some clarity about meaning in life, the meaning of the life of humanity, 273 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,600 as if they worship and bow down and glorify he who is the Lord. 274 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,600 Adonai, he who is high and exalted, he who is lifted up. 275 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:28,600 Elohim. 276 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:35,600 Peter said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. 277 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:36,600 Who is the Lord? 278 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:42,600 The living God. 279 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,600 Name above all. 280 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,600 Name at which every knee will bow. 281 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,600 That's who he is. 282 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,600 That's who this Lord is. 283 00:25:54,600 --> 00:26:00,600 His presence every tongue will confess that he is Lord. 284 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,600 That's who. 285 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,600 Who is the Lord? 286 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,600 Abraham called him Jehovah Jireh. 287 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:14,600 I can see Moses now if an identifier was presented. 288 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:19,600 If Pharaoh would have said to Moses, just give me one example. 289 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,600 Just give me one example of who is this Lord you're referring. 290 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,600 Could he not have went back to Abraham, oh, Father Abraham? 291 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,600 Could he not have went back and begin to tell and preach the story? 292 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:38,600 Could Moses not declare to Pharaoh he was called out of the land of the Chaldees and he came out 293 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:43,600 and he saw in the heavens and heard the voice of God tell him to count the stars. 294 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:48,600 He who was childless, he who had no heir, but he heard the voice of God say, 295 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,600 count the stars and look at the sand of the earth. 296 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:55,600 Your descendants will be as the stars of heaven or the sand of the earth. 297 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,600 That's how many you're going to be. 298 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,600 That's how many of you are going to come forth. 299 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:01,600 And he began to share. 300 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,600 He could tell him who Jehovah Jireh really was. 301 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,600 About finally as an old man, he has a son. 302 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:12,600 But finally as an old man with a teenage boy, he hears that voice again saying, 303 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,600 hey, I want you to take your son, your only son, 304 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:21,600 and I want you to go and I want you to sacrifice him and give him back to me. 305 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,600 I don't see where he argued. 306 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,600 I don't see where he put up a fuss. 307 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:30,600 All I see is where he has his servants get ready to go. 308 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,600 And they made their way toward the Mount of Moriah. 309 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:37,600 And it would be there on that hilltop of Horeb that he would stand, 310 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:45,600 build an altar and lay his son who said, Dad, I've got the wood and you've got the fire. 311 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,600 But where is our sacrifice? 312 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:50,600 Who is the Lord? 313 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,600 Who is the Lord? 314 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,600 It's the confession of Abram. 315 00:27:54,600 --> 00:28:06,600 He would declare to him, the Lord shall provide for himself. 316 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,600 He could take him to creation. 317 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:18,600 And declare to Pharaoh in the beginning, what's God? 318 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,600 He could tell him the whole thing. 319 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,600 He would pin it with his own hand. 320 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,600 Moses could tell him who the Lord was. 321 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,600 Who is he? 322 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:38,600 Some of the Old Testament ones called him Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord, our banner. 323 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,600 What did the psalmist say? 324 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:48,600 He took me to the banqueting table and his banner over me is love. 325 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:50,600 That's who he is. 326 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,600 He is love. 327 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:57,600 Some called him Jehovah-Sid-Kanu, the Lord, who is our righteousness. 328 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,600 For our righteousness is as filthy rags. 329 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:05,600 But he is the one who clothes us with himself and by his grace, 330 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,600 therefore bestows righteousness upon us. 331 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,600 Some would call him Jehovah-Salih, the Lord, my rock. 332 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,600 Others would call him Jehovah-Roth, the Lord, my healer. 333 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,600 Others would call him Jehovah-Rohi. 334 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:23,600 But I'm here to tell you, as Gideon would declare, he is my Jehovah-Shalom. 335 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,600 He's the peace that comes when I need him the most. 336 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:35,600 That's who he is. 337 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,600 So with that, I present again that question, do you know him? 338 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:46,600 My mind begins to echo and hear, oh, SM Lockridge, that's my king. 339 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:54,600 Do you know him? 340 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,600 Do you have a clear understanding? 341 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,600 Do you have a good focal point now of who he is and what he's declared of himself 342 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,600 through his word? 343 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,600 Do you really know the Lord God as your own personal Lord and Savior? 344 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,600 Do you love him with all your heart? 345 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,600 Do you have a relationship with him? 346 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:18,600 Do you want to obey him, a desire to obey him, or are you like Pharaoh 347 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:25,600 just following religion and going through routine, claiming that you're on your way, 348 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:33,600 but you've not even met the way? 349 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:34,600 I'm trying to quit. 350 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:39,600 You might all stay and it might take me a minute to close. 351 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,600 The Bible says in Hebrew, y'all not going to stay and I'm going to preach. 352 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,600 I mean, that was the invitation to get you out of here. 353 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,600 If you stay seated, I'm going for it. 354 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,600 I see about a half a dozen of you sprung. 355 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:57,600 Hebrew 3 and 8 through 12 says, harden not your hearts as in the provocation 356 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:00,600 in the day of temptation in the wilderness. 357 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,600 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief 358 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,600 and departing from the living God. 359 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:15,600 For you the half of years may we hear what the Spirit's saying to the church. 360 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:17,600 It's this morning. 361 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:21,600 This has been burning in my heart for a couple of weeks now. 362 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:29,600 If you're hearing the voice of the Lord, if he's speaking to you as to who he is for you, 363 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,600 I ask that you obey him. 364 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:39,600 Please don't declare as Pharaoh, who is the Lord that I should obey him? 365 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,600 Who is he? 366 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,600 I'm Pharaoh. 367 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:46,600 Why should I obey him? 368 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,600 Many do that. 369 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,600 Many are doing that today. 370 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,600 But our confession should be, here I am, Lord. 371 00:31:53,600 --> 00:32:00,600 It should be that of Isaiah 6 after he sees the Lord, high lifted up and exalted, 372 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,600 sees the glory of his train that filled the temple, 373 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:13,600 saw the doorposts move and quake at the utterance of his voice. 374 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:19,600 After being purged and cleansed from a live cold from the altar, 375 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,600 who shall go for us? 376 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,600 Be Isaiah's declaration. 377 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,600 Here I am. 378 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,600 Send me. 379 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:34,600 What about it, men of God? 380 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:38,600 Remains with Psalm 24, 7 through 10. 381 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:43,600 Lift up your head, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, 382 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:48,600 and the King of glory shall come in. 383 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:56,600 Not maybe, not possibly, but he shall come in. 384 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:03,600 The question is, who is this King of glory? 385 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:07,600 The Lord, strong and mighty. 386 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,600 The Lord, mighty in battle. 387 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:14,600 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, 388 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,600 and the King of glory shall come in. 389 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,600 Who is this King of glory? 390 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:21,600 The Lord of hosts. 391 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:26,600 He is the King of glory. 392 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:32,600 For Moses, he's the I Am. 393 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:38,600 To you and I today revealed as the I Am. 394 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:43,600 I am the light of the world. 395 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:50,600 Jesus declared of himself, I am the door. 396 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,600 There is no other way. 397 00:33:53,600 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaking of way, I am the way, the truth, the life, the bread, 398 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:12,600 the water, the vine. 399 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,600 I am. 400 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:21,600 I bless the Lord to you. 401 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:30,600 I get overwhelmed when I begin to, it's hard for me to contain myself, 402 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:36,600 when I think about who the Lord is. 403 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:48,600 John the Revelator, he self describes, I am Alpha and Omega 404 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:54,600 at the beginning and the end. 405 00:34:54,600 --> 00:35:01,600 The lion of the tribe of Judah. 406 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:13,600 And he who was, is, and is to come. 407 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:21,600 He's a lamb presented as though his vesture is dipped in blood. 408 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:31,600 A supreme sacrifice but supreme ruler. 409 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:40,600 Lord of lords and King of kings. 410 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:45,600 Rated race, King of kings. 411 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:49,600 Who is it to you? 412 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:51,600 He's my Redeemer. 413 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:53,600 Isn't that what Job called him? 414 00:35:53,600 --> 00:36:00,600 I know that my Redeemer lives. 415 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,600 I don't have to have anyone tell me what I was. 416 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:11,600 I'm very well aware of what I was. 417 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,600 You might not believe it, but standing before you today 418 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:23,600 is a different man than the Lord saved a long time ago. 419 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,600 So I know what he is to me. 420 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,600 I know what he is to our family. 421 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:32,600 I know what he means. 422 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:37,600 Who is the Lord? 423 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,600 You need prayer this morning, make your way to the front. 424 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,600 I want to pray for you. 425 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:46,600 I want to pray over every man in the house. 426 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:51,600 Ask the Lord to keep us, watch us, protect us. 427 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:57,600 Help us be the provider that he is for us as we provide for our families. 428 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,600 What say you men? 429 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,600 Come on down. 430 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,600 I want to pray over you. 431 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,600 Boys, you're going to be men. 432 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:11,600 Come here and stand in front of them. 433 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:16,600 Let them pray over the top of your heads. 434 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:24,600 There's some good examples in this room. 435 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:34,600 They're all ugly as mud, but there's some good examples. 436 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:40,600 I was just looking across and I thought, my, what an ugly bum. 437 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:46,600 There's no mirror pointing back up here. 438 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:53,600 But I look and I see men that are present today. 439 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:58,600 Some of them may be late getting in, but you're in. 440 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,600 You're here. 441 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:04,600 You're here whenever you get here, so long as you get here. 442 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,600 Get here. 443 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:10,600 There's some men of faith. 444 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:17,600 Young men, find some of these fellas. 445 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,600 You got a problem? 446 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:22,600 Talk to one of them. 447 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:24,600 They'll help you. 448 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:30,600 I know we're kind of thick-headed. 449 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:34,600 We don't think we have problems until it's scattered all at our feet 450 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:39,600 and we think, uh-oh. 451 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:47,600 There stands Jordan, little Leo, miracle. 452 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,600 Another one up top, I see him. 453 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:55,600 Miracles. 454 00:38:55,600 --> 00:39:00,600 One on the way, miracle. 455 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,600 Father, over the household of faith this morning, I stand. 456 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,600 Stretch your hand this way toward these men. 457 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:14,600 None of us stand here claiming to be perfect before you. 458 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:18,600 May not have the best examples, doing the best that we can 459 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:23,600 before we do and win, but here they are. 460 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:28,600 Lord, over these men this morning, I'm thankful they're here today. 461 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:30,600 They're present. 462 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:31,600 They're present. 463 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,600 They're here. 464 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:38,600 And I pray, Lord, your touch over their life. 465 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:44,600 There's fathers and will-be fathers in this crowd. 466 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,600 Their day is coming. 467 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:52,600 And Lord, when they enter this house, may they be able to look 468 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:57,600 around the room and see other men with their hands extended 469 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:03,600 in warm tears, going down their cheeks and flooding out of their eyes 470 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:12,600 to know that strong men weep in the presence of a mighty God. 471 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:20,600 Strong men weep in recognition that they are weak before him, 472 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,600 but stronger because of him. 473 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:25,600 Who is the Lord? 474 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:30,600 One day that your children or grandchildren or sons-in-laws 475 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:33,600 who may have not had the example they needed concerning the things 476 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:40,600 of the Lord, as a pharaoh who came to power and not knowing. 477 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:47,600 If they have not known, be ready to tell who the Lord is. 478 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,600 Watch over these men of God. 479 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:55,600 In our imperfections apply the precious blood and grace of Calvary 480 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:58,600 as we humbly repent before you, Lord. 481 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,600 Cleanse us our imperfections. 482 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:05,600 Strengthen our weakness according to your grace 483 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:16,600 that we be men of God, men of God, men of God. 484 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:20,600 In Jesus' name, amen, amen. 485 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:21,600 The Lord spoke to your heart today. 486 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:23,600 Give him a good praise offering, would you? 487 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:36,600 Amen.