00:00:00.000 - 00:00:18.400

[ Pause ] >> Creator of us all, the one who loves us above all, we come to you this morning, Lord. We come praising you and lifting up your name because you are

00:00:18.400 - 00:00:34.620

so worthy to be praised. Lord, we just wanted to stop just for a second and just say thank you. Thank you for everything that you've done from last Sunday to this appointed time.

00:00:34.620 - 00:00:51.620

Thank you for health, strength, the ability to come and go, to take care of ourselves, to take care of others, to just Lord, just to know that we can just call on your name at any time, day or night, and you'll answer. Lord, that's good news.

00:00:51.620 - 00:01:10.340

And we come this morning saying thank you, Lord. Lord, we thank you for this fellowship, this worship here in the Ebenezer Baptist Church. We thank you for all churches this morning that are opened in your name. We pray, oh God, that they are lifting up your name in praises and in thanksgiving.

00:01:10.340 - 00:01:26.260

Lord, we thank you for those names that have been lifted up. Lord, some bereaved, some dealing with illnesses, some dealing with sadness, some just dealing, Lord, with life itself. We pray, Lord, that you would answer prayer.

00:01:26.260 - 00:01:38.060

Lord, we thank you for those who have called their names. And we ask God that this is not the only time that we'll remember to lift up their name in prayer. Lord, as we stand around this altar,

00:01:38.060 - 00:01:52.140

we stand around this altar believing, Lord, that when we come, we come believing that you are, and you alone, are able to answer the prayers of those that we voice verbally

00:01:52.140 - 00:02:00.420

and those that we keep in our hearts. Lord, we thank you for doctors. We thank you for nurses. We thank you for the healthcare workers.

00:02:00.420 - 00:02:08.660

We thank you for the nursing home. We thank you for the family members. We thank you for the church members who render service to those who need us in time,

00:02:08.660 - 00:02:18.140

who need us. And Lord, help us not to forget what it's like to be sick. Help us not to forget what it's like to have lost a loved one.

00:02:18.140 - 00:02:30.780

Help us not to forget, Lord, what it's like to call on your name. Lord, help us to remember that at one time in our lives, or if we haven't been there, we're on our way there.

00:02:30.780 - 00:02:40.580

Help us, Lord, just not to forget. - Oh, yes. - And Lord, above all, help us not to forget who you are and what you've done for us through Jesus the Christ.

00:02:40.580 - 00:02:50.180

Master, as we come this morning, we come to sing praises to your name and we come to hear the preached word. Lord, we ask that you would give our pastor

00:02:50.180 - 00:02:59.900

power from on high. We pray, oh God, that you will cut his tongue loose in a way that has never been before. We ask, oh God, that you would give him standing power

00:02:59.900 - 00:03:11.980

and the wisdom that only can come from thee. And then, Lord, we thank you for everyone around this altar. We thank you, Lord, for our choir and our choir directors.

00:03:11.980 - 00:03:20.640

We pray, oh God, for those who are suffering in Washington, D.C. Lord, we pray for this world. We pray for the world's leaders.

00:03:20.640 - 00:03:31.580

We pray, oh God, that you will touch their heart. We pray, oh God, that you will continue to work with them until they hear from on high. Master, hold this world continuously.

00:03:31.580 - 00:03:40.940

In your hand is our prayer. In Jesus' name, amen. - Amen. (gentle music)

00:03:40.940 - 00:04:26.520

(gentle music) [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [ Music ]

00:04:26.520 - 00:04:55.000

I love the Lord. He heard my cry, and in His head regrows.

00:04:55.000 - 00:05:26.000

Long as I live, And troubles rise, I'll make time to do ♪ His cross ♪

00:05:26.000 - 00:05:53.000

♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ He heard my cry ♪ ♪ And pitied every groan ♪ ♪ Very grown ♪

00:05:53.000 - 00:06:21.180

♪ Long past I live ♪ ♪ And troubles rise ♪ ♪ I'll haste unto ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

00:06:21.180 - 00:06:43.140

♪ My God's throne ♪ ♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ Because he bowed, he bowed his ear ♪ ♪ Yes, he did ♪

00:06:43.140 - 00:07:11.740

He chased, chased all, all of my grief, all of my grief away. Yes, he did. Oh, let my heart, no more, no more despair.

00:07:11.740 - 00:07:26.740

[Music] While I have breath to pray [Music] I love him

00:07:26.740 - 00:07:42.740

[Music] I love him [Music] ♪ I carry every one of my friends ♪

00:07:42.740 - 00:08:08.240

♪ I'm here to stay ♪ ♪ Forever in your arms ♪ ♪ Long as I live ♪ ♪ I'm gonna run ♪

00:08:08.240 - 00:08:25.240

♪ I'm gonna get in a hurry ♪ ♪ And go on ♪ ♪ Get strong ♪ ♪ I'll make amazing grace ♪

00:08:25.240 - 00:08:43.240

♪ And I'll make a man of God ♪ [music] ♪ How sweet the sound ♪ [music]

00:08:43.240 - 00:09:02.240

♪ Because it saved, saved a wretch ♪ ♪ Saved a wretch just like me ♪ ♪ You know what I was once was lost ♪ [music]

00:09:02.240 - 00:09:17.240

But right now, right now I'm found, and I'm glad about it. [music] I was blind, but thank God. [music]

00:09:17.240 - 00:09:26.240

I'm happy. [music] Because I can see. [music]

00:09:26.240 - 00:09:46.240

I love, love the North, and I get hum about it. [HUMMING] [LAUGHTER] [HUMMING]

00:09:46.240 - 00:10:30.000

Ain't no haunt, haunt sometimes. [Music] I've got to run on, I've got to run on to my God's throne. Oh yes I, and I'll haste, I'll haste.

00:10:30.000 - 00:10:46.160

I'll haste unto His throne. I'll haste. I'll haste unto His throne. I'll haste.

00:10:46.160 - 00:11:32.720

I'll haste unto His throne. I'll haste unto His throne. Amen. [music]

00:11:32.720 - 00:11:42.720

Well, now it's amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides. It's just amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides.

00:11:42.720 - 00:11:51.720

Now it's amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides. It's just amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides.

00:11:51.720 - 00:12:00.720

Now he hears me. He hears me every time I call. He holds my hand. Holds my hand where he sees me fall.

00:12:00.720 - 00:12:09.720

It's just amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides. And he's always by my side. Well, now it's amazing.

00:12:09.720 - 00:12:18.720

It's amazing how the Lord provides. It's just amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides. Now it's amazing.

00:12:18.720 - 00:12:26.720

It's amazing how the Lord provides. It's just amazing. It's amazing how the Lord provides. Now he hears me.

00:12:26.720 - 00:12:33.200

He hears me every time I call. ♪ I call ♪ ♪ Here, hold my hand ♪ ♪ Hold my hand ♪

00:12:33.200 - 00:12:39.000

♪ When you search me, call me ♪ ♪ You're just amazing ♪ ♪ You're just amazing ♪ ♪ I'm the Lord of your eyes ♪

00:12:39.000 - 00:12:47.040

♪ And He's always got my side ♪ ♪ Well, now if you're thirsty ♪ ♪ If I'm thirsty ♪ ♪ He gives me water ♪

00:12:47.040 - 00:12:52.520

♪ I've tried Him ♪ ♪ I've tried Him ♪ ♪ He walked in and died ♪ ♪ And you can call Him ♪

00:12:52.520 - 00:12:57.920

♪ You can call Him ♪ ♪ Whenever you need ♪ ♪ Now if you're hungry ♪ ♪ If you're hungry ♪

00:12:57.920 - 00:13:14.480

♪ I know you need ♪ And he's always, he'll wipe the tears from my weeping eyes. It's just amazing how the Lord provides, and it's always on my side.

00:13:14.480 - 00:13:35.480

Well, now through danger, I know he's near. And he's waiting, my prayer to cheer. He's a consolator and a company keeper. Now he's a friend.

00:13:35.480 - 00:13:48.480

He's with me. It's just amazing how the Lord provides. And he's always by my side. One more time.

00:13:48.480 - 00:13:55.320

♪ Through danger ♪ ♪ I know he's there ♪ ♪ He's waiting ♪ ♪ He's waiting ♪

00:13:55.320 - 00:14:00.820

♪ Right there to cheer me ♪ ♪ He's a consolator ♪ ♪ Consolator ♪ ♪ Whenever I'm worried ♪

00:14:00.820 - 00:14:06.200

♪ And a company keeper ♪ ♪ Company keeper ♪ ♪ Whenever I'm worried ♪ ♪ He's a friend ♪

00:14:06.200 - 00:14:11.600

♪ He's a friend ♪ ♪ Whenever I'm friend ♪ ♪ He's with me ♪ ♪ He's with me ♪

00:14:11.600 - 00:14:21.180

♪ Through the very end ♪ ♪ It's just amazing ♪ ♪ It's amazing how the Lord provides ♪ ♪ And He's always by my side ♪

00:14:21.180 - 00:14:29.220

♪ Now it's amazing ♪ ♪ It's amazing how the Lord provides ♪ ♪ It's just amazing ♪ ♪ It's amazing how the Lord provides ♪

00:14:29.220 - 00:14:37.560

♪ It's just amazing ♪ ♪ It's amazing how the Lord provides ♪ ♪ It's just amazing ♪ ♪ It's amazing how the Lord provides ♪

00:14:37.560 - 00:14:45.440

♪ He hears me ♪ ♪ He hears me every time I call ♪ ♪ He'll hold my hand ♪ ♪ Hold my hand when I'm in need or call ♪

00:14:45.440 - 00:15:04.000

♪ It's just amazing ♪ ♪ He's the vision of the Lord to provide ♪ ♪ And he's always by my side ♪ - Amen.

00:15:04.000 - 00:15:53.000

- The book of Exodus, the 18th chapter. solidarity provides strength for moving one forward, taking away, overcoming the obstacles and fighting successfully battles that are related to the freedom struggle. We need to remember that freedom is not free. There is a need for

00:15:53.000 - 00:16:23.400

a united fight for the right. At the beginning of the story of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage, a baby is born, hidden among the bulrushes on the mile. Pharaoh has a daughter who visits that place.

00:16:23.400 - 00:16:58.660

In the meantime, he has issued a decree that all Hebrew male babies would be killed at the time of their birth. This babe is under the watchful eye of his sister. And Pharaoh's daughter comes to the Nile and bathes and discovers that there is a babe

00:16:58.660 - 00:17:32.760

there in this basket, so to speak. She is so attracted by the babe that she wants to make it her own. And this sister, Miriam, who is there watching, volunteers to secure a nurse, and it so happens that the one she secures is the mother of the child.

00:17:32.760 - 00:17:55.120

God works in mysterious ways. So the family was involved in the salvation of Moses. I suppose all the members of the family were doing something, contributing to that baby being preserved.

00:17:55.120 - 00:18:36.880

Third, reports that have been given to the media this past week that third graders in many of our communities are not likely to pass the requirements that are set up by our state Department of Education.

00:18:36.880 - 00:19:02.640

in reading that is true in Dallas and is said to be true in our city here in Austin. Now, usually we try to place the blame somewhere when we have those situations.

00:19:02.640 - 00:19:18.720

And there seems to be a growing tendency and the part of the family to seek to rid itself of responsibility. We call it en loco parentes.

00:19:18.720 - 00:19:38.200

The teacher is given the responsibility of serving in the place of the parents. And I just want to say a word about that in connection with this family.

00:19:38.200 - 00:19:59.360

This family was involved. All of them were involved in some way in the struggle of liberation. So there can not be a successful liberation struggle

00:19:59.360 - 00:20:19.680

if we pass that responsibility on to someone else. Even though my parents had not finished high school, they wanted to be sure that I finished and that I did the work that was supposed to have been done.

00:20:19.680 - 00:20:32.920

And your parents were like that. Do you have any homework? What's your homework? It seems to me you should be busy with your homework.

00:20:32.920 - 00:20:54.000

Those were questions that were asked. So even in the midst of oppression, this family maintains family solidarity in the midst of oppression.

00:20:54.000 - 00:21:11.800

They work together. They pray together. They oppressed, as the spiritual puts it, oppressed so hard they could not stand.

00:21:11.800 - 00:21:35.720

And yet, in the midst of oppression, they engaged in programs and policies that were designed to develop the family in a meaningful and wholesome way.

00:21:35.720 - 00:22:04.080

Now, the family is the primary social unit. As goes the family, so goes the world. So the family is the foundation of our society. And the problem we encounter is that we have lost the family.

00:22:04.080 - 00:22:25.720

And there needs to be, and there must be, for the salvation of our nation, a recovery of the family. So in the course of time, Moses becomes a fugitive. He runs away from Pharaoh's house

00:22:25.720 - 00:22:45.240

and comes to Midian, where he starts his own family. He marries. He becomes a husband and a father. And children that are born to this family

00:22:45.240 - 00:23:06.400

are also part of a larger family. And it's a wonderful thing when you have family involving husband and wife, and children and grandparents all in the same family,

00:23:06.400 - 00:23:27.280

and sharing gifts that enrich each other. So there are many, many roles that we must play in the family, many roles. And I noticed, and I'm sure you do too,

00:23:27.280 - 00:23:50.160

that many of these roles are changing. There was a time when we thought of the husband going to work and bringing home the bacon, so to speak. And the husband was expecting the wife to meet him at the door and those in the picture we have

00:23:50.160 - 00:24:23.460

painted and bring it have his meal prepared and and have his house shoes ready for him to sit down and read the paper. But now those roles are changing. I read the other day where the husband is staying at home cooking the meals and the wife is going out bringing home the bacon. So they're changing roles. But in this particular

00:24:23.460 - 00:25:00.140

family, Moses becomes a part of this family when he runs away from Egypt and The writer here says that he comes back, he comes back and he at this particular time is on the journey through the wilderness and he, there is sort of a family reunion because he has, in the meantime, he has married Zipporah and

00:25:00.140 - 00:25:25.020

And having married her, he also faces the great challenges that come with marriage. And the scripture set there says that she comes back after Moses had sent her away.

00:25:25.020 - 00:25:39.580

And our various interpreters of the scripture make a great deal of that. We don't know what happened. Say, after Moses sent her away.

00:25:39.580 - 00:25:57.700

Sometimes a wife gets married to a man that she is in love with, and he decides to preach. And she said, I don't want no preacher. That could have been a zipperous situation, you know, that could have been.

00:25:57.700 - 00:26:38.600

That she is there, and it could have been that there was some period of separation, because when Moses goes and joins in the, or initiates the struggle for freedom, deliverance from the oppression of Pharaoh. When Moses does that, he finds that there is a great struggle and a great danger. And so he is so moved that he sends Zipporah back

00:26:38.600 - 00:26:54.800

to be with her family and escape the danger that may be involved in the struggle in Egypt. But here they are coming together again. Zipporah, now they have two sons,

00:26:54.800 - 00:27:28.840

and Moses, who's been away a great deal in the freedom movement and they come together in the wilderness and they rejoice because of the great things that God has done. I don't know, but it's a wonderful privilege that the family has together, together, and rejoice, father, mother, husband, wife, children, grandparents, all

00:27:28.840 - 00:28:09.480

together rejoicing over the goodness of the Lord. Can you imagine what kind of family gathering that must have been? Miriam is telling Moses how she went to the Nile and how she watched as Pharaoh's soldiers were moving about looking for male children to kill. How she went day after day and how Pharaoh's daughter, how she told that story over and over again to rejoice in the goodness of God.

00:28:09.480 - 00:28:55.360

he had delivered them. Now, they had their family problems, you know. We have a tradition about mothers and in-laws and father and in-in-in fact we have a tradition about in-laws. Tradition about in-laws. So we have all of these in-laws together, all involved in the struggle, and Miriam does not care very much for Moses' wife. In fact,

00:28:55.360 - 00:29:23.560

Scripture says that she didn't like it that he had married this Ethiopian woman. Why did you have to go out and marry this woman? Don't we have enough women within our own tribes to satisfy you? Why must you go out there? Well, Moses could have told her where the cow ate the cabbage.

00:29:23.560 - 00:29:47.560

But he didn't do that. In fact, if you read a little further down there, it says, in that particular chapter where that account is given, it says that Moses was the meekest, the meekest person on earth. That's saying a lot. But he was a man who was meek, who was gentle.

00:29:47.560 - 00:30:07.960

And so judging from that, I would imagine that Moses just looked, he didn't say a word. You know sometimes family division, family squabbles, family feuds can be avoided if we have patience. If we have the patience.

00:30:07.960 - 00:30:22.980

If we have the gentleness. If we have the kindness. If we have the meekness. But here they are, a wonderful thing is that they get together in the Lord, celebrating

00:30:22.980 - 00:30:44.400

the goodness of God. There was a time when Jethro had some questions about whether it was safe for his daughter to be out there with Moses, but now they are all together, they find one thing in common that they can agree on that they can celebrate the goodness of God

00:30:44.400 - 00:31:03.000

that's a wonderful thing for the family today to celebrate the goodness of God so the scripture says that they celebrated his goodness

00:31:03.000 - 00:31:26.000

his goodness in every condition and circumstance to celebrate the goodness of God as they rehearse it among themselves. And the family today ought to have some quality time in which we celebrate the goodness of God.

00:31:26.000 - 00:31:41.480

Where those who are older pass on to those who are younger the wonderful experiences of how God has worked in this family. We don't tell them who we are. Celebrate the goodness of God.

00:31:41.480 - 00:31:59.560

So to say that God has done great things for us and we're glad he has saved us from the jaws of death. He has snatched us from the waters of destruction. God did it for Moses

00:31:59.560 - 00:32:13.080

and he will do it for generations to come. To God be the glory. great things he has done. So they celebrated the goodness of God.

00:32:13.080 - 00:32:32.320

Israel had gained the victory over Pharaoh. Ten plagues! And victory is given to Israel over each one of them. In the midst of the Egyptians with all of their oppression,

00:32:32.320 - 00:32:50.480

But God's people emerge victorious. So God takes care of his people in alien territory. Even among strangers, he takes care of his people. So they meet.

00:32:50.480 - 00:33:09.520

There's a meeting here, a family meeting. And in the meeting, they tell the story of God's acting for the redemption of his people. And Moses tells Jethro, and Jethro tells others

00:33:09.520 - 00:33:28.480

the hardships that we experienced, how wonderful God has acted in the deliverance of his people. And we can tell a great deal about a family, about how well the in-laws get along.

00:33:28.480 - 00:33:40.240

We can sort of tell something about a family, about how well they get along. So God works in this situation. He works in it.

00:33:40.240 - 00:33:55.080

In the case of Miriam, when Miriam expresses her displeasure, God works. He punishes Miriam, Miriam repents, and the family stays together.

00:33:55.080 - 00:34:10.780

With notes of discord sounded here and there, the family stays together, and they celebrate the goodness of God. That's the lesson for all of us, to stay together

00:34:10.780 - 00:34:36.620

and to celebrate the goodness of God. So Zipporah and Aaron and Moses, they all their varying points of view, but they together celebrate the goodness of God as they march toward Canaan. So my brothers and sisters, we're on our way.

00:34:36.620 - 00:35:05.020

We're on our way to Canaan land. We're not yet where we're going. We're on our way. Step by step we are brought closer to that day when we shall enjoy life and freedom in its fullness, but we are on our way. In spite of Pharaoh, in spite of the oppression of the Egyptians, we are on our way.

00:35:05.020 - 00:35:32.060

And so that is what the family can celebrate, that God is leading step by step. And how he leads, how he preserves Moses down there at the banks of the Nile, how he cares for him in Pharaoh's court, how God sends the plagues to defend his people, how all of that happens is a mystery.

00:35:32.060 - 00:35:57.420

Oh, we can look back today and we can recall certain mysteries in our family life. And yet, somehow, in the midst of it all, we celebrated the goodness of God, how God works. I can remember when I was just a boy about nine years of age, and my mother went to the

00:35:57.420 - 00:36:16.140

doctor and came back and said that she had cancer, breast cancer. As a little boy, we had heard the word that that was a deadly disease in our community. No one was living that had cancer. They all died.

00:36:16.140 - 00:37:02.020

And I can remember how, as a little boy, I was praying when she went to the hospital that she would come back. And how, when she was able to have a doctor who was unusual for those days, and she came back and was cured of it and how we celebrate it. The goodness of God. And the same God is alive today who deals with not only sickness and disappointment and disease, God deals with everything. That's the mystery of history. How God works. How he works with us in the midst of our struggles. That's the mystery of our history.

00:37:02.020 - 00:37:53.460

It's all around us. It's all around us. A fire mist and a planet, a crystal and a cell, a jellyfish and a sarin, and caves where cavemen dwell, then a sense of law and beauty, and And a face staring toward the cloud, some call it evolution, and others call it God. Like tides on a crescent sea beach, when the moon is new and thin, it's our hearts' high

00:37:53.460 - 00:38:12.260

High yearnings that come welling and surging in. They come from the mystic ocean whose realm no foot has trod. Some call it longing, others call it God.

00:38:12.260 - 00:38:30.320

A bucket falls along duty, a mother stalls for her brood, Socrates drinking the hemlock and Jesus on the road. And millions homeless and nameless,

00:38:30.320 - 00:38:41.980

the straight hard pathway plowed. Some call it consecration. And others call it God. This God.

00:38:41.980 - 00:38:59.320

This God, the God of Moses, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This God is our God. And He walks with us and He talks with us in the midst of our struggles in Egypt.

00:38:59.320 - 00:39:14.720

He's with us as we make the journey forward. And let us be faithful to Him all along life's way. For the Lord is good. Mercy everlasting.

00:39:14.720 - 00:39:24.000

Truth endured to all generations. So let us celebrate the goodness of God. Not just on Sunday. - No, no.

00:39:24.000 - 00:39:30.040

(audience laughing) - But let's celebrate it on Monday. Let's celebrate it every day of the week. - Yes, sir.

00:39:30.040 - 00:39:36.040

- But not just when things are going well. - No, no. - But when things are going against us. - Yes.

00:39:36.040 - 00:39:44.280

- Let's celebrate the goodness of God in the midst of the human struggle. (laughing) As we sing the hymn of invitation.

00:39:44.280 - 00:40:22.480

- Yes, Lord. - We extend the privilege of the church. [MUSIC] [ Music ]

00:40:22.480 - 00:41:02.880

♪ He not dismayed ♪ ♪ Whatever be thy ♪ ♪ God will take care of you ♪ ♪ Beneath his wings of love abide ♪

00:41:02.880 - 00:41:50.140

♪ God will take care of you ♪ God will take care of you. Through every day, he'll go all the way. And He will take care of you.

00:41:50.140 - 00:42:33.620

My God will take care of you. ♪ No matter what may be ♪ ♪ Be the best ♪ ♪ My God will take care of you ♪

00:42:33.620 - 00:43:19.580

[Music] Lean weary one upon his breast. God will, God will take care, he'll take care of you. God will take care of you

00:43:19.580 - 00:43:59.060

Through every day He'll walk the way He will take care of you. My God will take care of you.

00:43:59.060 - 00:44:12.700

[Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]