God, our fathers, I ask you to send your good spirit to open our hearts to your word, that it may continue to be a creative influence in our lives, freeing us, you free from nothingness, Israel and Egypt, I would like to proceed this morning, then, to move into the material more direct in immediate way, our first meeting of the project was all the difficult things like .

[01:06]

First of all, I'm not sure who was supposed to be there. I'm still not sure that everybody . But even more so, there's always a certain amount of signing up to the first conflict throwaway. You know, and I don't think it makes much difference what is said, really. So it's like, you know, what's going to happen, what are we in for, you know? And, uh, it's kind of our best practice on the Korean make judgments, which I probably will look at either before or again. Um, I have long since given up many illusions about the possibility of being, you know, completely understood. So I brought a lot of chicken feed here. You know, you can test that.

[02:08]

If you'd like a piece of corn, take it. If you're not, it'll be a bit. I recall something that happened last June. I gave a retreat at Holy Cross, Edward, Colorado. And after I got into my material, I halfway through the retreat, established my feelings and all that. I finished the afternoon conference and went to the recreation room. And I kind of sat down on this couch and got the paper on. And then I heard one of the older colleagues after the hallway meeting one of this conference. He said, sir, I didn't see you at the conference afternoon. Of course, I didn't know I was there. I was behind the paper. And he said, no, I couldn't make it. He said, what are you talking about? Well, I couldn't escape. He said, well, he said something about hope. Something about hope.

[03:11]

The other fellow said, well, that's what he talked about this morning. This fellow said, no, no, he developed a whole new theme, a whole new dimension of hope. It was the same subject, but a whole different thing. You know, the guy said, yeah, I guess you might. Well, he had the topic right. He wants to come home. But it's amazing sometimes how restrictions are over the law and everything. And so I let that little drop. Take what you find useful, the rest in order to germinate with some other time. Now, at the end of the conference, I mentioned that I think both the exodus of Israel from Egypt and the culminating and definitive exodus, which in fact defined the full meaning of the exodus from Egypt, namely the exodus of Jesus,

[04:28]

from our human condition filled with death and finality to an open-ended experience which we cannot even imagine, that this is liberation in the most absolute possible sense. And that is what salvation means in the beginning to end, liberation. And we can speculate upon why we have been afraid to identify salvation as memory. Of course, freedom is a very dangerous thing. It can be abused. These people are not able to handle freedom. It's very hard to address freedom to someone. One is afraid to address freedom to himself. Now I've got to find myself all kinds of scriptures And God knows what I'll do if I discover that I'm free.

[05:30]

But I really can make decisions and influence and change things. So there's a great temptation to get ourselves into a definition of salvation which is made up of a checklist, made up of a pattern, a model. Well, I think we have to begin with. But I mean, most unfortunately, when we had a childhood period, everybody's right, an adolescent period. Sometimes the Lord starts with four, fifth, and it's all there. And you have to go through the road. But all of this is a preliminary to dealing with freedom, the possibility of making meaningful decisions. responsible decisions. And we must never cease reminding ourselves that the whole biblical message, and therefore I think Revelation, is summed up in those words of God spoken to Pharaoh through Moses, let my people go.

[06:52]

So much so that In any form of judgment, final or other lines, the question I think will be, did you let my people go? The first question will not be, did you follow certain procedures? Did you keep your hands under your scat? Did you, you know, the first question, maybe the last one as far as that's concerned, because after we finish the answer, we get the rest of it. Did you let my people go? Were you an influence for liberating people from their fears, their anxieties, their hang-ups, their guilt? Did you forgive my people? Did you release them? Was that the overall influence you had upon your fellow man? Or did you bind them by reminding them of their weaknesses?

[07:56]

reminding them of their sin in all kinds of subtle ways. Did you find them, did you play the Pharaoh's role? Did you find them by fighting them up in a uterine way, in a calculating way? We shall let some of the implications of this The moral covenant imposed on Israel or offered to Israel was gratefully or freely accepted. But first of all, I think we must note what is equally important with the identification of salvation with liberation, namely what brings this back. What was the real cause of the exits?

[08:59]

What was the power that liberated Israel from Egypt? Now, a cursory reading of the text would seem to indicate that God brought more power into Egypt than the Pharaoh had. For you have the example of Moses, contesting with the magicians of the Pharaoh. Throw the stamp down, it comes with snake. I can pop that vigorously, you know. It just turns out a moral game going on there, you know. So tonight, you know, God is contesting with the Pharaoh. But muscle game, strength game, well, that's only a preliminary. That's only to get your touch. Now, the real power which liberated Israel from Egypt, it was what the Bible calls in his chesed, loving concern, loving care.

[10:13]

Well, it was not translated, but not just love, but well, especially not all the implications of love have, romantic and kind of crushing sense. So loving care, loving concern, solicitude. And when you analyze it, the reason is simple. It could not have been this coercive power. Because if that is all that God brought into Egypt, That the result would not be the creation of a new people free from bondage. No, the example would have been a change of political regime in Egypt. Then it's fair. God would be the fairer. A new and stronger fairer, which is not salvation. power, that kind of power, even if it destroys the Pharaoh, simply replaces it with a new Pharaoh.

[11:28]

Power enslaves that kind of coercive muscle power. It always enslaves. Now, this is, God has this power, but everything that the Bible indicates, he does not cherish it. He displays it every once in a while, but then throws it away. Jesus coming in radical weakness with God, showing us what he thinks about his power. That kind of power which can make things happen. That kind of power which always enslaves is the property of Pharaoh. very, very dangerous things, so much so that the New Testament almost suggests, pray every day that you do not have power. God can destroy. Blessed are the poor, blessed are the meat, blessed are the people who don't have power.

[12:35]

But then they don't have the risk of being destroyed by the use of this power in an abusive way. But it must be constantly dominated and controlled by Heser, by loving him, sir. The thing that gave Israel her identity and her freedom and enabled her to walk away from this situation of bondage, that you have hope to find a name and a destiny. was this look of God, which was not cold and calculating, but warm and personal and creative, that saw in Israel the possibility of freedom, that did not say, well, I cannot trust freedom to you because I know, I know, you're only a child, you'll abuse it.

[13:41]

cannot be covered with freedom. There, I told you, see, you abused it, by the way. Well, you know, one of the surest ways to guarantee somebody will abuse freedom is to give it to them, distrust them. Here it is, take it, I know what you're gonna do with it. There, see, it's true. People almost necessarily respond to expectations. I expect someone to abuse his freedom becomes almost impossible to do otherwise. God gave Israel freedom in a way that said, I know you'll have trouble with it. I am sure that you will be able to handle it. It will eventually make the most of it. It's a very difficult and deeply kind thing to do. Loving kindness loving concerning always gives freedom.

[14:49]

And it's the only thing that gives freedom. The only thing that produces self. There are places for threatening and fulminating and promising all kinds of dire consequences, but ultimately people are not saved by that. They are saved by discovering that someone believes that they can be better than they are. Someone tells them something that they themselves have ceased to believe. Maybe that they can overcome their shortcomings, rise above their fears, leave that place of bondage, that place of guilt. And so, Where there is this kind of loving care and where it is allowed to produce the freedom it always produces, there will be a healthy kind of order, an order based upon the needs of people and not upon the need to schedule, an order that will be a little afraid at the edges, not quite neat.

[16:13]

But nonetheless, a true and authentic order. And most of all, there will be a good, beneficent, supportive atmosphere. Because those who are cherished and valued and discover personal freedom and identity through this, are then able and invited and even commanded to do the same to us. There's all kind of virtuous circle in this battle. The saving process is initiated. This is really what the exodus was supposed to do. In the Passover meal every year, was to relive the Exodus and to remind Israel of her possibilities to continue what God had begun.

[17:21]

That brings us then to the covenant. First of all, the covenant, as it is recorded in the Bible, and especially in the Ten Commandments, which code of the covenant, part of it. It's not something imposed on Israel as a burden. Not ten hoops that she has to lead through, fiery hoops, in order to earn heaven. No, we've made a great mistake, I think, in not reading the context of the tension map. I recall in a very old day when I was a child, all the responsibility that Christians would reduce the moral aspect of the penchantment. We've got everything in there. Well, that's a convenient way to do it, although you know many of those things that don't relation to penchantment.

[18:25]

Of course, we actually took the members of the church to a collection of things here. But I've forgotten the system members of the church. Not that I could bring up if I had to. But the Ten Commandments, you know, we forgot the context. We forgot that the Ten Commandments are introduced by God reminding Israel as he does in chapter 19 of Exodus and the Ten Commandments following in chapter 20. It says, I have lifted you up on eagle wings and brought you to myself. He even saw the Justin Crowder all those years ago. He said, this is the focal point of the whole whole history. Oh, sure, fellas. He said, this is the central text. I've lifted you up on eagle wings and brought you to myself. Therefore, because I have freed you, because I have cared for you, because I have made you fly, when you thought you'd never fly again,

[19:36]

Therefore, you shall keep my covenant, and you shall be to me a priestly people. Can you tell me what that means? First of all, thou shalt have no other god before me. Secondly, and so forth. And if these ten are over, and we fulfill them coming around, there'll be subdivisions. Any other opportunity to channel this. And Israel, the whole context indicates Israel, you know, understood this. So let's know that I want to paraphrase this whole situation by Israel saying, oh, this is not what Israel did. She didn't say, well, I'm liberated from Egypt, but there's got to be a catch somewhere, you know. That's 22. What is it? I knew. Same old stuff again, you know. Still not free. No. Israel said, We are free.

[20:38]

Thank God Almighty. Free Atlantis. That's why people go. Now, I saw the 1.35 at the beginning around here somewhere used to be when the Vespers, you know, I believe, anyway, around with the Vespers song, it talks about how Israel felt about the Exodus. And it says, ye mountains, why do you skip like land? Remember that? Ye hills like spring land. So we, no answer's given. It said, you know, ponderous mountains are so overjoyed So enthused by this experience of exodus that even the mountains can't maintain their dignity.

[21:42]

The impression given that mountains were supposed to be rather swollen. You know they're cavorting like spring land. Even mountains may often be quite difficult. And so No answer is given because no answer is possible. It's obvious why the mountains must go work like lambs because we are free. We're free. Someone cares for us. We never thought it was possible. Here we are up in the desert. No longer looking forward to a moment to be filled. And they say in effect to God, the Lord, Continue to show your kindness to us by telling us, please, how to use this freedom, how to channel it, how to be your people.

[22:47]

We don't know how to be your people. We don't know what to do with this freedom that you have given us. By the way, that's another reason why it's so important to see salvation as freedom. If salvation is cleanliness, then it's clear what you do. Stay at battle if you can afford it. and stay away from dirty places. No, do nothing if possible. I mean, I'm not overspending it, but you see the implications. Friendliness means stay away from dirty places, sin and sinners, if possible, and even with some heretical versions of the narcissism that go down this path. No. It's certainly a clean place. Smell the ether, almost. Well, those are the places where you get the scaffold caucus, in fact. No, no, no, no. First of all.

[23:48]

Anyway, I sometimes think the Pharisees re-took me. I'm freaking out there. I'm not on the machine. I'm not on the other account of me. I'll be back up. I'm convinced the Israelites reeked of sheep. And as any cattleman knows, you know, shepherds, that's the thing I dislike about them most of all. They smell of sheep. It says in Exodus, Egypt who could not tolerate the Israelites because they smell of sheep. You know, you get that only religion, you never give out. We say, you know. I'm sorry. But you see, when you're clean, or when salvation is ordered, and only that, then the moral question, the question of responsibility cannot be properly asked.

[24:54]

Clean to stay clean. Order to keep order. No, but when you are free, then the question is, what do I do with my freedom? And that emphasis is on doom. Freedom is for action. Freedom is for creation. And what did one do with freedom? Well, clear as crystal in the Bible. You shall do with your freedom what you saw God doing with you. You shall bring loving concern into all the places of life. You shall continue the exodus. You shall make the divine influence and presence effective in your world. That is the great responsibility, covenant responsibility laid upon Israel.

[26:03]

And it is not something that God fought up. It is inevitable and necessary in the very experience of being liberate. It is simply a discovery of what liberation means. As soon as one analyzes why one is free, it becomes clear that one is free because God was free and chose to care for me. God chose his people. How awesome in the Old Testament talks about, you know, how, why did God choose Israel? So when one of us often said, how oughta God to choose the Jews? It wasn't his great saying to find out of those people, how oughta God to choose the Jews?

[27:06]

Israel, what a part of that. In itself, not that attractive. But he chose them. And the experience of being freed by loving care is an experience of being chosen. You know, when you stop looking behind you to see what somebody else is not looking at you, it will let you know that you're beginning to be freed. And so, Israel's responsibility is confused with her freedom. As much as she has, no more, no less, but all the freedom that she has received to do what God did, to make the exodus occur over and over again in all the situation with life.

[28:07]

This is brought out from chapter 24 of Deuteronomy, with many, many other places, but this is perhaps one of the third places. Deuteronomy is not where you might look for a great theological text, but where it is. It says, when you go into this land which I shall give to you, you shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner, to the fatherless, But think a widow's garment in pledge. Now that requires a little translation. It lists three classic examples of vulnerable and defenseless people. The wayfarer, the way from home, the way from his relatives. Those days have been exposed because there's no local police. The only defense you have is your weak brother. Wayfarer is exposed, defenseless, weak, vulnerable. And then, of course, the winner and the winner.

[29:08]

Three examples, but not finally mean the only possible example. You shall not take advantage of weaker people. You shall not take advantage of those who are in greater bondage than yourself. You shall not find this being with one-offmanship. Why should you not do that? It's so tempting. You shall remember If you were a slave in Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you from that place, therefore I command you to do this. It just occurred over and over again. Israel, to the degree that she understands what happened to her in Exodus, to the degree that she understands the moral imperative involving freedom, would use that freedom, that power now that she has, not to take advantage of those who are weaker, but to free them.

[30:20]

You shall take the fatherless and the orphans and the wayfairies, give them a feast and cherish them and make them free. Why? Because that's what I did for you. I did not take advantage of you. I did not say, look at Israel, how funny they are making those tricks. Well, that's what they deserve. God knows they're sinful people. No, I did not hold your sin against you. I did not make fun of your weakness. I cherished you, forgave you. A bunch of money that gave you freedom. The ramifications of this, I can assure you, are far-reaching. The great temptation is to see religion and salvation in terms of keeping rules and regulations neatly conforming to certain patterns.

[31:34]

There's no place for that, but the Great moral imperative is, have I used my freedom to give freedom to others who love them into freedom to do the divine thing?

[31:58]

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