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Sermon
of 03-16-02
Sleeping Another Night With the Frogs"
by Dr. David A. Farmer, pastor
Turn with me to Exodus 8:1-6 as the Word of God is once more read from. "And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
V:2 And if thou refuse to let [them] go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: V:3
And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: V:4
And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. V:5
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. V:6
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt."
I have a question. Have you ever wrestled with one of those problems that stubbornly refuse to vanish? No matter what you try to do it just doesn't seem to go away? The entire problem appears to be immune to every solution and answer you come up with. And instead of it ever being eliminated it only seems to multiply. It intensifies until it's completely out of control.
Our story in Exodus 8 shows this is exactly what happened to the Egyptian Pharaoh. The Pharaoh had been is a very heated debate with the God of Heaven and earth over the future and welfare of the Children of Israel. And because of this debate, the Pharaoh woke up one morning sharing his bed with frogs. Not only in his bed, but frogs were also in his food. In fact, the Bible reports there were these smelly, slimy, hopping all over the place frogs everywhere. Even in places we don't want to discuss this morning! It was a disgusting sight to behold! Frogs! Thousands and thousands of them far and wide.
So what was the Pharaoh to do? It was a serious problem that needed attention immediately. The Pharaoh's people were demanding something be done. I mean, after all ladies, how would you feel if you woke up one morning in a situation like that? You'll probably order your husband to call "Frogs Away Are Us" pest control the first thing before he left for work. You would want something done right away wouldn't you? I'm pretty confident the ladies in our story were no different. And the only one who could do anything about it was the Pharaoh. And the only way he could get rid of the frogs was to allow the Israelites to leave and serve God.
The story goes in verse 8 that the Pharaoh sends for Moses and Aaron to request that God take away the frogs. But listen to the question Moses ask the Pharaoh in verse 9 of Exodus 8; "And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?"
In other words; Pharaoh, when do you want me to ask God to get rid of the frogs? A simple question. And to me the answer should be obvious. I mean what would your answer been? Now! Today! This second!!! But listen to Pharaoh's answer found in verse 10; "And he said, Tomorrow."
What? Tomorrow? What happen to right now? This instant? The sooner the better? No. His answer was tomorrow.
Now listen to Moses reply to Pharaoh's answer continuing in verse 10: "And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God." Exodus 8:10.
Pharaoh's answer is where I derived my title from this morning; "Sleeping Another Night With the Frogs." Pharaoh's answer meant he was going to have to spend the entire day and night with the frogs again.
I've often wondered how the people of his kingdom must have felt with his answer? His answer probably did not help him receive any votes for the "Pharaoh of the Year Award." You know, if I had been there and had the courage to stand up to the Pharaoh, I would have told the Pharaoh that was the most dimwitted, foolish and stupidest answer I had ever heard! But I wasn't there. Nor were you.
But friends, over the years, I have come to the conclusion that we give God the same dimwitted, foolish and stupid answer today when we ask Him of something. Have you ever noticed that many times when we ask God for something we add; "But not today - tomorrow." Let me explain what I mean.
It's often said; "I'm starting my diet tomorrow. But today I want to eat as I please." "Tomorrow I'm going to stop smoking and drinking." "Tomorrow I'm going to get that prostate check up." "Tomorrow I'm going to get a mammogram." Over and over it's tomorrow - tomorrow - tomorrow.
To me one of the saddest statements that is often said is; "Tomorrow I will step forward to be saved. But today, I want to live life to its fullest and do as I please." But probably the one that is more often repeated than any other is; "Tomorrow I'm asking God to heal me."
Why? Why tomorrow? Why not invite and expect God to heal and save you today? In other words when you think or say tomorrow you are actually saying you want to sleep one more night with your frogs like the Pharaoh did. Friends, God wants to save and heal us today - not tomorrow!
And according to verse 13, God honored Pharaoh's request. Listen; "And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields." It wasn't until the next day before the frogs died.
Now I want you to notice something here at this point. In Exodus 8:10, the Pharaoh set the time when something would happen, in this case, the frogs would leave. But turn over to chapter 9 of Exodus verse 5. Here God sets the time when something was to happen;
"And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land."
Friends, the Bible also says that God sat an appointed time for Christ to come the first time. Listen to Galatians 4:4;
"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son..." Now listen to Daniel 8:19;
"And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be."
God set the time for Christ First Coming and He has an appointed time for His Second Coming too! Only a few people were watching for His First Coming. How many will be watching and ready for His Second Coming? I hope you will be one of those that are ready and watching.
Now folks I'm about to show you something that when I discovered it changed my life forever. I hope it will yours too. And that is this; God has left the right, the power and the privilege to decide our destiny, in our hands.
The Bible says God has given us the power to decide where we want to spend our eternity. Heaven with Him for eternity, or total complete death and separation for the Father for eternity. The decision is ours to make and God will back that decision up 100%. God will do everything but decide.
Let me try to explain what I mean and then lets together try to think this through.
First let me ask, how many people did Christ die to save? Everyone right? Listen to John 12:47;
"And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
But will everyone be saved? No. Listen to what 2 Corinthians 4:3 says; "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." Many will be lost. The only ones that are saved will be those who choose to be saved. Every one of us sometime in our lifetime will have to choose to receive or reject Christ.
Some here this morning have already made that choice. Some here may make that choice before they leave this morning. Some here this morning, believe it or not, may never make the choice to follow Christ even though they attend church, pay their tithes, and keep the Sabbath. The do the right things - but for all the wrong reasons.
In Luke 13:23-24,it says; "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
V:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Some never choose to be like Christ. But the bottom line is this; whatever you choice is, for or against Jesus, Christ will back your decision 100%.
Some of you here need more proof. OK, turn with me to Mark 5 starting with verse 21. Here we find the Jesus in a boat. After He got out people from everywhere started pressing up against Him. Then in verse 22 it says a man by the name by the name of Jairus pushed his way through. He fell at the feet of Jesus, he looked up and said in verse 23:
"My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live."
Now there are a few things you need to know about this man at this point. This man wasn't your everyday common person. No, he had the same power and authority as our modern day mayor. Most of the people there knew this man. But it didn't matter to Jairus what they thought of him. He was determined to meet Jesus at any cost to his reputation. He also knew that all the Master had to do is lay His hands on his daughter and she would be healed.
Now notice something the Bible doesn't say Jairus said. It doesn't say he said she might be healed. No! He says, "she may be healed." That is faith! Now please take note, Jesus doesn't say anything in verse 24, He just goes with him and many people followed them. In a huge crowd of people, the faith of one man directed the action of Jesus.
Then something happens as they were walking toward Jairus home where his dying daughter laid. Right in middle of this multitude of people a woman appears. A woman like Jairus, who had made a decision. A decision to touch the hem of Jesus' clothes.
Listen to how the Bible describes this woman starting in verse 25 - 29: "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, V:26
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
V:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
V:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. V:29
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."
Here is a woman that has faith. She has spent all her money on doctors and is still sick. Her hope is lost, her expectation in life is over. Except for her faith in a Man she heard could heal her. Now notice verse 29 says "straightway", in other words, immediately, she was healed. Her decision was not have to sleep another night with the frogs in her life. Her nights with the frogs, which was her blood disease, she decided had come to an end. This story by the way is my favorite in the entire Bible. Why? Because of her faith in Jesus. I pray daily to have that same faith. Do you?
Now listen to what Jesus does and says staring in verse 30 - 34: "And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
V:31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
V:32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. V:33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
V:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."
Jesus knew someone with faith had touched Him. And in verse 34 Jesus makes it pretty clear that He wanted her to know it was her faith in Him, not her touch that healed her. Notice also in verse 33 it says that she pleads guilty and tells Jesus the whole truth.
Friends in all my studies, this is the only place I have ever found where Jesus calls a particular woman "daughter". Here are two people, a man with authority, and a very sick frail woman, that changed whatever course Jesus had planned for that day.
Now another factor to consider this morning is that not only had they made a decision for Jesus to heal them, they also selected the ministering instrument to be used and when. Verse
23; "I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her."
Jairus says when You lay Your hands on her, so what does Jesus use to administer healing? Verse 41 says He took her hand in his hand and she was healed.
In Verse 28 the woman says; "If I may touch but his clothes." So how and when is healing dispensed? Verse 29 says when she touched His hem.
And friends it was those same hands that were nailed to the cross for our sins. Now I don't know for sure, but I wonder if it was the same garment that the guards cast lots for that she touched. I don't know, maybe, it's possible.
Friends, it wasn't Jesus that decided how and when Jairus daughter and this woman were to be healed. They both chose. So what does all this mean? It means if you are waiting for Jesus to get rid of the frogs in your life, you may be waiting a long time. You see that is not Christ choice, it's ours.
Also does it shock you to know that Christ gives us the choice of rather we want to be saved or not? The Bible says in Revelation 3:20:
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
He knocks and it is up to us to answer the door. Friends, please don't put off tomorrow what Christ wants to do today. He knocking today to enter your heart to heal and save you. What is your decision?
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