How God Uses Detours to Protect You | Jonathan Evans How long it's going to be before we hear the voice of Tony Evans on this stage again? ((applause)) Wait a minute. And what really has me frustrated is that he preaching everywhere else. He had one church, this church, that church. Why is it >> that he's preaching everywhere else, but his home church is still waiting? And all I know is maybe God has a special time of development for Oakliff Bible Fellowship where he's trying to get us ready and take us the long way. I know you want to go to the plains and I know you see the ocean and I know you see the beach and I know you see all that. But I'm going to take you the long way and I need you to trust me. I need you I don't need you to understand. You can ask questions. You can feel what you want to feel in your heart. You can think the the way that you want to think. But evidently, we're having to wait the longest for something that belongs to us. >> He's worthy of the praise for all the things that he has done. I don't know about you, but I'm learning to give thanks in everything. >> Even if you can't give thanks for everything. You can give thanks in everything because God is good >> and he has carried us through so much. ((music playing)) Thank you Lord for your goodness. Thank you Lord for how you have blessed each and every individual in this room and online. first and foremost with your life, death, and resurrection that gives us victory over sin and death. But then also, Lord, as you're going to teach us today, you lead us through. >> Even when we feel alone, your word says we are not alone. >> That you are with us. You'll never leave us or >> forsake us. ((music playing)) >> And so, God, we're not here just because it's Sunday because you are who you are for us every single day. >> We're just coming together today as the body of Christ to say thank you Lord. >> And help us to be careful to continue to give you the glory in Jesus name. >> In Jesus name. >> Amen. Amen. >> I'll give him a hand clap of praise one more time because he's worthy to be praised. I'm going to have you stand to your feet. Stand to your feet as we prepare to read the word. One announcement. You know, we we come here to get fueled in the word of God. And we know there are many things that happen in life that begin to burn that fuel. Reason why I'm saying that is because I got to make an announcement for somebody in this room. Practically speaking, your fuel is burning currently. ((music playing)) Because in parking lot D there's a black Audi and the car is still running. So if you own a black Audi with the TMBB on it, we don't want you to leave the church full of spiritual fuel and get to your car and be empty of practical fuel. So, I want to make that announcement before I read the scriptures to get fueled up. We're going to turn to Exodus for everybody here online. Thank you for joining us this morning. Let's get into God's word and see what he wants to teach us teach us today. Exodus 13 verse 17 through 222. Exodus 13:17-22. When you get there, say amen. >> Amen. Now, when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near. For God said the people might change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. Hence God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea. And the sons of Israel went up in marshall array from the land of Egypt. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. For he made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you." Then they set out to suck and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. Watch. The Lord was going before them, in a pillar of a cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and night. And he did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Today I want to talk to you from the title The Long Way Home. The Long Way Home. You may be seated in the house. Last week we got saved. >> This week we start the journey. Last week you got your salvation with the Passover. This week you start sanctification as the passage to the promise. >> All right. >> We need to understand and you will understand that God a lot of times will take you the long way. But before we get to that, I want to show you something that I can't skip. It really wasn't a part of my sermon today, but the spirit was like, "You can't skip this." So, I've got to go up two verses from verse 17 to verse 15 to show you something that Moses said. It came about when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males and the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem." They just completed the Passover. And Moses reflects on the Passover and he says, "When we had the Passover, the Lord came in and killed every firstborn of man and beast that belonged to Pharaoh." He said, "So therefore, I am going to sacrifice the first of every womb myself except for my sons. We're going to redeem those." Okay, let me say it a different way. Y'all don't get it. God asked for us to slaughter the firstborn, put the blood on the doorpost. Those who didn't give God what's first, God just came in and took it. >> Therefore, I >> I'm going to sacrifice it myself. Yes, sir. every first from every womb. I'm going to do that because it seems as if I don't give it, >> God will just take it. >> Many of you have heard about tithing from gratitude, >> but have you heard about a tithe of God's wrath? He took 10% from the land in Pharaoh when they weren't willing to give it by his request. The sad reality today is a lot of Christians are tithing from judgment instead of tithing from joy. >> That's good. >> Proverbs 13:15, it tells us that good judgment wins favor. But unfaithfulness actually leads to destruction. >> Do you know that you can either make a contribution or pay a cost? >> Moses recognized it's better for me to make a contribution than it is to be like Pharaoh and pay a cost. Many of us are withholding forgiveness and wondering why we're paying a tithe of emotional instability. Many people are withholding the first of their time and wondering why they feel like all of their time is running out. Or maybe you're withholding your money and wondering why the locusts are eating up every check. >> Because God required for the Passover, slaughter the lamb. the first. I want what's first. God ultimately gave us what's first. Christ is known as the firstborn of many brethren. He's the firstborn. Colossians 1 of all creation. This doesn't mean he was created. When it says firstborn of all creation, it's talking about the fact that he is supremacy and rank like a firstborn son. But Christ, God gave us Christ who is his first. That was the sacrificial lamb that was slaughtered by which you were saved. And then we leave Egypt and give God what's second. >> Moses knew better. He said, "I I'm just going to sacrifice what's first myself so that I can pay a tithe of gratitude versus a tithe of grief." >> We've got to get to the place where we recognize like Moses, you don't have to ask me, "I'm saved." You You don't have to ask me, beg me, twist my arm, >> make it to where the preacher says something to manipulate me >> to try to get me to give you the first of my time, talent, and treasure. When God gave me his firstborn, >> Jesus Christ, who shed his blood, was on the doorpost in order for me to exit >> the bondage of sin. And we have to be begged to give what's first. Whatever is a sacrifice to you pales in comparison to the sacrifice Christ made. ((applause)) So Moses came to that conclusion. He said, "From here on out, we're going to give God what's first." How many of us can be honest, even myself in my own life, God is second. He's second in my time. He's second in my treasures. I just come to church on Sunday. If we were honest with ourselves, we haven't yet concluded like Moses. But Moses was reminiscing on the Passover and as he was talking about giving God what's first. Then the next word in verse 17 says, "Now, now that you've reflected on your salvation and how God should be first because of that, let's start the journey." Okay, here it is. It says in verse 17 that the journey starts this way. Now when Pharaoh finally had let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near. For God said the people might change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. >> Okay, I want you to notice something. Pharaoh is likened to Satan in the Bible. He is the antagonist in the story. Egypt is likened to the bondage of sin in the New Testament. God's people were held hostage by Pharaoh, who's the ruler, and they're held hostage in an environment called Egypt. People today are held hostage by the enemy and they're bound by sin. This is the Old and New Testament correlation when you think about Pharaoh in Egypt and the enemy and sin. When they put the blood on the doorpost, the lamb Jesus Christ. Now the people who were under the reign of Pharaoh and in the bondage of Egypt have now been saved from that completely. I want to show you in Exodus 11:1. Exodus 11:1 says, "Now the Lord said to Moses, one more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that he will let you go from here. And when he lets you go, he shall surely drive you out completely. We have Jesus Christ who has died on the cross just like the sacrificial lamb. Those who have put the blood on the doorpost have been saved from the enemy and the bondage of sin completely. The devil has to let you go. That's what victory is through the sacrificial lamb. The devil no longer has any reign over your life. Which is why Romans 6 talks about walk in the newness of life. Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lust. Because you're no longer in death. You're in life. You have been let go by Pharaoh and from the bondage of sin. That's what happens when you are saved. >> Okay. So the question is, if I am now being led by God now that I'm saved and no longer the enemy now that I'm saved, why is it that it looks like so many Christians are still being led by the devil? If you are saved, that means you have the spirit of God. Ephesians 1:13 says, "Those who believe are sealed by the spirit." >> The spirit of God has fruit. >> Okay? So, if it looks like you're claiming Christianity, but you're simultaneously being led by the devil, and you're still under the reign of Pharaoh sitting in Egypt, but you have this claim of freedom, there may be a problem here somewhere. >> Since you have the spirit as someone who's saved, and the spirit has fruit, but your life ain't got no fruit. So, let's talk about this for a second. >> How are you saved completely? It shows us in verse 17 that Pharaoh let the people go and now God is determining where how they're going. There is a transition of ownership, but a lot of Christians still live like they're with Pharaoh. I'm not God. I don't justify anyone. But I'd like to suggest um if you can live any old kind of way. God is not chasening you. The Bible says God chasens those whom he loves. >> There's no conviction. then you may be claiming something you're not. Because in Christianom, people claim Christianity as some sort of rhetoric and nomenclature, but live under the rule of Pharaoh with no conscience and no fruit. I just don't understand how you can be saved completely. God now is leading. You have the spirit of God. The spirit of God is has fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. It's the fruits of the spirit. And you ain't got no fruit, but you're claiming Christianity. All I'm saying is you might need to check your saved card >> because you may be able to fool me. You may be able to fool people on social media, but there's one person you can't play. People tried to play God in the New Testament in Matthew 7. They said, "We did miracles in your name. We cast out demons. We did all this stuff in your name." And Jesus was like, "You know my name, but I don't know your name." Which means it's quite possible to know his name and him be like, "Who you is?" I know that's not proper subjectverb agreements, but my wife is cringing. and she like, "Uh, have you ever been around somebody you've been like they've been around you for some time, so you should know their name, but you don't?" And then that dreadful moment comes where they walk up to you and you can feel it coming and you trying to try to avoid Pastor Jay, what's my name? I forgot. Can you tell me again? I was praying for you last week. How dreadful of a moment to stand before God and tell him you knew him. and him to tell you but I don't know you >> cuz you can't play me >> when salvation comes you're Pharaoh let you go completely you are now under the toutelage of God himself and he is the one now calling the shots and deciding how you go when you go for what purpose you go he's the determiner now and he leads you and guide you in truth by the spirit which is the job of the spirit to convict you and say no this way and now the people the Hebrew people are now going to learn this and we are going to learn this because now you're going to see how God leads God said watch verse 17 I'm leading them but I'm not going to lead them by way of the Philistines. Watch. Even though it's near. Why? Because I know that they may see some things and come into contact with some things where they going to be like, "Mm, it's better for us to go back." >> In other words, sometimes God won't take you near because he knows that takes you far. >> Okay, let me show you how this looks. I want I want to just put up the map for a second. Let's put up a map so that you can see the journey of the people, the Hebrew people. The first dot to my left and your left is where they started. If you look on the coastline, you'll see the plane of Philistia. He said, I did not take them by way of the plane of Philistia or the Philistines. If you look at the plane of Felistia, then look up to Canaan. The direct route to get to Canaan is through Felistia. Look at the route God took him on. Come on, Jesus. Do you know how long it would have taken if he would have just took them through the plane of Felistia right up to Canaan? Less than a month. It would have been less than a month's journey to get to Canaan. And God is like, "No, we're not going to do that. >> We're going to go south instead of north. >> I'm going to take you low instead of take you high. I'm going to make it hard instead of make it easy." Because if he took them through the plains of Felistia, that is called the walk of the coastline. >> Okay, let's think about this in modern day. Now everybody wants to take that route because on that route you got water. On that route you can hear the waves. On that route you have the scenic view across the side of the Mediterranean. On that route you got sand going between your toes. You on the beach if you take the coastal route. And he said no no no. We're not going to take a vacation before you get to the milk and honey. There is going to be a process of development >> before destiny. And I know in Christianity we get saved and we have this false expectation that the abundance is right away and there's no cross to carry. >> I know we have this thought that when I get Jesus, everything will be wonderful and there will be no wilderness. >> No. God said, "I'm going to take you and I'm going to take you south instead of north." Why? Here it is. Because if I take you the short way, you going to run into some Philistines. Not only are Philistines in the plains of Philistia, Philistines means um Philistine or Philistia means small aggressive country. them dudes aggressive up there. That's basically what he's saying. They not practicing with pitchforks. Not only are the Philistines there, but there is an Egyptian caravan there. The Egyptians would use this route because it was a common route to take between Egypt and Israel. So you have Philistines and Egyptians in the short route, which means if God were to take them the short way or the near way, they would have ran into future wars and past traumas. >> And you wonder why God is allowing you to be single in this season longer than you want. >> You feel lonely. you got out of your relationship and he's saying, "No, mm- we're not going to do this right away." Because if he does it right away, you're going to run into future wars and past traumas. Then you're going to be looking at so and so like they look good again and they really don't. You're trying to get back to Egypt because you move too fast. Some of you want the fast promotion and God's like, "Mm, because you're not as ready as you think you are. And when you get that promotion, you gonna enter the land of the Philistines and you get your head knocked off and you're gonna be looking at your desk like it looks good again. There's a whole lot of things we want to get out of emotional trauma quick and easy, but he makes you take the long route because he knows the long route produces long-term stability emotionally. God will make you take the long way because he knows what you don't see about what you would prefer. The people, the Hebrew people weren't dumb. They knew the water right there. Where we It's like you walking like this. Jesus, where we know to go this way, but that way them dudes got swords and they work on it all the time. That way you got past trauma that would try to grab you and send you back. >> And they don't know. Here it is. Following God is not about you knowing. >> It's about you believing. >> Because his track record in scripture is the long way. David was anointed at 15. He wasn't appointed until 15 years later when he was 30 over all of e Israel. Abraham got the promise at 75 years old. He didn't receive Isaac till he was 100. >> Paul Damascus rode. It was 3 years in obscurity after he saw Jesus for himself before his ministry ever took off. Joseph had a dream when he was 17, but he had to be lied on. He had to be thrown into a pit. He had to be forgotten in jail, put in jail. All of that had to happen before he was second in command at 30. Noah was called to build a boat. It took him 120 years to see the fulfillment of his calling. Esther was called to be queen, but she had to go through danger and a process and believing Mori while seeing Hmon. All of that had to happen before she saw the salvation of the Jews. Ruth had to go through a dead husband. Had to negotiate between her homeland and the old land and which way should I go? Then she follows Naomi. Then she by herself. Then she destitute. Now she's gleaming before Boaz and she enters into the lineage of Jesus Christ. All these characters in the Bible had to go the long way and had to trust God the long way in order to experience the height of their calling. >> In other words, sometimes a shortcut will cut you short and he knows it. >> He knew that if I take you the short way, the scenic route, it's going to turn into a crime scene. Yeah. >> And you just don't know it. So you have to trust me just like Jesus did who had the ultimate calling of salvation. But if you don't remember first he had to be born, chased, continued, attempted assassinations, criticized, rejected, betrayed, mocked, tempted, whipped, crucified. All of that had to take place over 33 years before he's highly exalted and lifted up. This is not God is not asking us to do anything that he has not already done himself. It's going to be the long way home. >> Okay. >> Um let me say something real. Some of you, a lot of you, maybe most of you, maybe it's all of you. are asking the question in your head or to your friends. How long is going to be before we hear the voice of Tony Evans on this stage again? ((applause)) Wait a minute. And what really has me frustrated is that he preaching everywhere else. He had one church, this church, that church. Why is it ((applause)) that he's preaching everywhere else, but his home church is still waiting? Amen. >> And all I know is maybe God has a special time of development for Oakliff Bible Fellowship where he's trying to get us ready and take us the long way. I know you want to go to the plains and I know you see the ocean and I know you see the beach and I know you see all that. But I'm going to take you the long way and I need you to trust me. I need you I don't need you to understand. You can ask questions. You can feel what you want to feel in your heart. You can think the the way that you want to think. But evidently, we're having to wait the longest for something that belongs to us. So in God's sovereignty, he's saying, "Obf I'm choosing to take you the long way. I know what you don't know. There's some Philistines up there you don't see. I can see around corners you don't know about. I got eyes you ain't got. I have discernment you don't yet have. But if you trust me, >> when your season of development comes and concludes, there will be milk and honey, and you'll be ready for every war, every battle, everything that comes, everything that didn't come. >> We don't get to have all the answers. You can be uncomfortable. You can ask questions. All I know is God is sovereign and he has decided to take this church the long way. You don't think I wish it was different? I'm his son. I always had a dream of walking through the plains of Felistia. I had a dream that I would start preaching slowly and he would do one and I would do one, then he would do three and then I would do two and then I would do two and he would do one and we would transition slowly >> and do it the way that is seemingly the shortest, quickest, easiest route. Why didn't God give me that? Well, Jonathan, I've got to take you and because you don't know exactly where you going. I got to take you the long way and I want to put you up now and I've got to do something different than you expected. But just know we going somewhere. You don't get to have all the answers. You get to know God is good all the time. And all the time God is good. That's what you get. Everything else we leave to him. I know we have the questions, but here is the answer. God led the people. >> And if we trust in his sovereignty, we have to do it practically as a church. So do I. >> I had something totally different in my hand. And God said, "Boop." ((applause)) We're not doing that. Even though you can see what you think is a clear route, >> I've decided to take you the long way. South, not north, low, not high, hard, not easy. >> That's what I've decided to do. I've decided to put you in a position where you have to decide whether to have faith or not. And >> this is the part of our Christianity where we have to hunker down, >> where you make the decision practically, I'm still going to have faith in God even though I have no idea what's going on. God said, "So, we're going to do we're not going we going that way." It says, "Hence," verse 18, "hince God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea." Let me say it again. God led the people. God led the people. God led the people to the wilderness. >> Okay. So, okay, here we go. So, when you feel like God is leading you and you transition jobs and you go over to this job because the Lord spoke to me and then you get there and ain't nothing like you thought it was going to be. ((applause)) Your co-workers get on your nerve. The boss in the interview acted nice, but now they're an authoritarian demonstrative. And you find yourself in this place, what most Christians do is say, "Oh yeah, this cannot be from God. ((applause)) God called me to this person. We married. This is my calling. ((applause)) This is God's will for my life. Came up to the altar and just said every I mean for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and until death. ((applause)) What if what if the entire time the marriage was about your holiness and not your happiness? ((applause)) What if he sharpens people through fire? >> What if God led you to the wilderness to that job that you like? But we say, "Oh, no. It wasn't God. Sorry." >> We get up out of there quick. as if if if it feels good, then it's God. >> If it doesn't feel good, then it's not God. ((applause)) >> And God >> led the people around by way of the wilderness towards the Red Sea. Not the Mediterranean where they could have walked on the beach and asked for a virgin pina colada. ((applause)) >> No. God said no. We're going to go south. This is the expectation of your Christianity. Before you go north, God takes you south. That's the expectation that God is requiring development and holiness. That I'm not so quickly to turn my back when it doesn't feel good. But I start asking the questions, God, how are you growing me and using me in this season >> so that I could be prepared for what you have? starting to ask those hard questions because you know that God can do it. And when he does it, he has purpose in it. And it says quickly that Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. I love this because he's carrying the legacy of yesterday to tomorrow. It is a constant reminder that Joseph took the long way and he became second in command. He had a dream and his dream was accomplished. I know that God will finish the work that he started in me and I'm gonna carry the bones as a testimony. When we're doing what I'm doing, we're carrying the bones as a testimony at this church. There are those that have come before that took the long way. >> They didn't have computers. They used typewriters. >> And we got to teach these kids that you can press a button on technology, but you can't press a button on spiritual triumph. We've got to learn to carry the bones of yesterday. >> If you live in a house that has good bones, you may be doing a renovation, but you know what's behind the wall. >> And anything that lasts, there are good bones to it. >> Moses said, "Let's carry the theology of the long way with us because God will keep his promises." And now I want to help you with this concept. in the most practical way I can. As he concludes in verse 21, he says, "The Lord was going before them in a pillar of a cloud by day and led them on the way in a pillar of fire by night and gave them light that they might travel by day and night." Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, that when you take us the long way. >> That's right. You will never leave us nor forsake us. >> People of God online, you're going to go the long way. >> It's not going to come easy. It's not going to come fast. >> It's going to come in ways you don't expect. Things that will frustrate you and make you ask a whole bunch of questions. But you need to know and rest assure >> that God's presence was with them by day. >> God lit it up when it was night. God was with the people. Did not leave them nor forsake them along the journey headed south. Okay, here's the perspective. I took the long way. I was sitting talking to Kenneka years ago and I was reminiscing on the past and I said man home for me my destiny I wanted to play football but I got you know I got cut and then I went to NFL Europe then I got hurt then I went to Alabama to rehab then I got picked up by this team and then I got hurt again got carted off the field and then I went to another team they cut me then I went to this team and they they cut Man was crazy then I tried to go back to the NFL and then I I I tore my Achilles tendon and then I had to get up and went to seminary. ((applause)) That was six years. I was just getting hurt, cut, traded in the dark. And then I hurt my leg and I limp into seminary reluctantly cuz I wasn't trying to go to school. And I was just like, man, that that was crazy. That was hard. And I looked at Kenneka and she looked at me. She said, "I know. I was there the whole time. At that moment, I realized, oh, I actually missed home. Home was not the NFL. Home was not getting hurt, going here and going there. I was at home the whole time because my wife was with me the entire time. She said, "Who you think was wrapping your foot? Who you think picked your heavy self up off that field and walked you to the doctor? Who you think set your appointments? Who do you think got the ice bag and put it on your leg? Who do you think was there to rub your shoulders, make sure you had something to eat from a rough day on the job? Who do you think was there to talk to you, wipe your tears from your eyes, and to make sure that you was okay? The whole time it felt like the journey was long because I did not find my home in her presence. Home was not the place. Home was the presence. And when you recognize your home is the presence of God, it doesn't matter how long it takes to get to the place of God because I'm already at home in his presence. Who do you think's going to wipe your tears? Who do you think's going to pick you up when you're down? Who do you think's going to stand you up when you don't can't stand on your own two feet? Who do you think's going to be there for you when everybody else leaves? Who do you think is going to be it's going to be me. So find your home in me >> and you'll be at home in my presence while you continuously wait on my place. >> You're now in the development season. >> But we have to find our home in the presence of God. >> Stand to your feet. Let's praise his name. We're starting in the wilderness and there will be many lessons that we continuously learn because we have to have our expectations right that God is going to take us the long way. But he'll be with us the whole way. >> If you want to be a member of Oakliff Bible Fellowship, we'd love to have you. You with us, us with you. Just go to ocbfchurch.org/membership. Some of y'all been dating us for a while. It's time to commit. We want you to be a part of our family and we want to thank you for coming today and you can do that again. ocbfchurch.org/membership. Remember to be faithful in giving for two reason. Number one, because God tells you to. A tithe of gratitude. But number two, because we're going somewhere and you'll find out more about that on October the 12th. That's vision Sunday. Vision Sunday. Well, the sermon will simply be giving the vision of where God is taking us in this season. It will be a family worship Sunday because I believe it's important when you're giving a vision for the whole family to be a part of that vision. And so we're excited about that on October the 12th. Short prayer and then I'm going to let you go. Heavenly Father, we love you and honor you. We give you the praise and glory for who you are. Thank you, Lord, for being with us even though you got to take us the long way to develop us for the seasons to come. and we'll be careful to praise you, give you the glory, and ask that you continue to help us be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. In Jesus' name, all God's people said, >> "Amen." >> Amen. Thank you for joining.