Master Reset, Pt. 3
Tim Ross | November 15, 2020
“God isn’t saying to forget what He’s done for you. What God is saying is, ‘I’m going to take the thing you’ve always talked about and replace it with something better.”
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Transcription
Hey, Embassy City family, I am so excited that we have the opportunity to be with each other today. Wherever you are, whether you are near or far, I am so grateful that you chose today to be a part of worshiping and opening up the word with us. We are in a series called Master reset and I've already given you one. I've already given you two, and now we are back with part three. If you have your Bibles, I want you to open them up to Isaiah 43.
We're understanding what God is doing with us individually and corporately before we come back into his house as a family, January 3rd. I want to show you something in Isaiah 43 that blessed me so much, and it actually blew my mind. I hope it blows your mind too because when you see the context of it, I think you understand what I'm talking about. Isaiah 43:14. Here is what it says, and this is the Lord speaking, all right? I want you to have context for that. "This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. For your sakes, I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of."
Can I just stop right there? I love when God speaks with the sovereignty that he has. He said, "Listen, I'm going to do something to these Babylons, and I'm going to make them run away in those ships that they're so proud of." They think they're strong because they have this great Navy but compared to me, it's nothing. Then he says, "I am the Lord your Holy One, Israel's creator and King. I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick." That's good stuff right there. All right.
Now, I want you to think about this. The Lord is reminding them of the miraculous event that took place when they came out of bondage in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, were sustained through the wilderness before going to the promised land. This is Israel's entire testimony origin story. It's like if you were watching a Marvel movie, you know how Spiderman became Spiderman. You know how Ironman became Ironman. This is the rehearsal of the origin story of what makes the children of Israel boast in the miraculous God of their salvation. He's reminding them of this miraculous event and after he reminds them, these next four words blew me away. "But forget all that."
What? "But forget all that. It is nothing compared to what I am going to do." [laughs] Talk about a master reset. Forget all that, let's erase those settings because it's nothing compared to what I am going to do. That's so good. If you're taking notes on this message, please write this down, forget all that. This is title of this message this weekend, forget all that. I think you all need to say that with me because I think you all need to really get-- You all need to metabolize this, this weekend, okay. You all ready? With me.
Forget all that.
Now this time when you say it, I want you to hold that, all, and shake your head a little bit with a little attitude. Like you're shaking it out of your head, right? Like you've got a little pool of water in your ear and you just need to get all that out. You all with me on this?
Yes.
All right, second time, a little bit louder but then put your head with it, okay? All right?
Forget all that.
All that. I feel good. One more time. I think this might be the whole message. I might just say this about 14 times and then we just go home. That might be it. Okay, one more time real, real loud. You all ready?
Forget all that.
She was still holding all. Forget all that. Forget it all. Bow your head, let's pray. Holy Spirit give us amnesia. Amen. You all weren't ready for that word. I just want you to think about how powerful this particular statement is. I want you to think about it against the backdrop of your own life. I want you to think about all the things God has brought you through up until this point. If you could go back through the recesses of your mind and begin to conjure up all the many things he has done for you along the way.
No matter what decade you happen to be living your life in at this time. It could be your teens, your 20s, your 30s, your 40s, your 50s, your 60s, your 70s, your 80s. I want you to think- your 90s, because I think I got some people that are in their 90s that are still a part of this, embajada. That's Spanish for embassy. I just want you to think about all the things God has done up until this point. All the way He's delivered you, all the way that he has healed you, all the ways that he has come through for you.
All the ways that he has saved you, all the ways that he has comforted you. I want you to imagine, after thinking about all of those things, Holy Spirit sitting right next to you, going, "Well, you forgot this one, remember when I did that too. You remember back in 1996, you thought you were going to die in that traffic accident but I brought you out of that situation. Remember when the recession hit in 2008, you didn't know what you and your family was going to do but I made a way out of no way. I let you know that I was El Shaddai. I am the God that was more than enough not your bank account." He starts reminding you of all the things that you might have left out when you go back to the corridors of your mind and your memory to see what God has done for you and at the end of everything that you have thought, at the end of everything that you have processed, the Holy Spirit says to you, "Yes, forget all that. I know you just brought up some miraculous things that I've done in your life but I want you to forget all that. The reason why I want you to forget it is because it's nothing compared to what I'm going to do."
I'm stunned by this. This is something that I'm still trying to process because when I think about what God has done, I could linger on what He's done for the rest of my life, if He never does anything else.
Dayenu right? You all remember what we talked about last week. If he never does anything else, Dayenu! If you have the context of Dayenu, you know that if He never does anything else, it's enough but yet and still God says, "There's still more. There is still more."
In that framework, in this context, I only have two points. I tried my best to get three points. I studied and I tried to squeeze something out of there, and I realized there's only two points to this message. If I put a third one, it would be a violation. I have two points for you and I want you to write this first point down. Point number one, don't forget what God has done. Don't forget what God has done. "Tim, I thought you just said forget all that."
The Lord just said, "Forget all that." I want to make sure you have the context right. God is not saying, "I want you to forget the things that I've done for you and never think about them again." What God is saying is, "What I'm about to do is going to replace the thing you've been talking about the most." That last thing that I did for you, that you've been saying for the last five years? Yes, I'm going to replace that one. That big deal that you've made about the way that I rescued you at this season of your life? I completely understand it and it was awesome, but I'm going to replace that with something else more extraordinary than the thing that you last remembered me doing. Don't forget what I've done. I just want to give you, I don't know, 17 verses. One, two, yes, about 17 verses. This is just me walking through the Old Testament, it's not me doing a deep dive. If I do a deep dive we will be here for the rest of the day. I want to give you some verses about about how much God is into you remembering what he has done for you.
Here's what it says in Exodus 12:14. This is a day to remember. This is the day that the Passover happened. The day the Passover happened, here is what God said to the children of Israel. It's a new year for you. The deliverance that I'm just doing for you right now you're in the middle of it and I'm telling you, this is a new day for you. It's a new year for you. Each year from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. For those of you that might not know, anytime you see a celebration in Jewish culture, there is no celebration that is found in Jewish culture that is not a reminder of something God did for them.
They don't have a party that doesn't include a reminder of what God did for them. As a matter of fact, all the festivals are the festivals God told them to do to remember. He says, "This is a day to remember, each year from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time." The next verse says this, "So Moses and the people," This is Exodus 13:3. "So Moses said to the people, this is a day to remember forever. The day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today, the Lord has brought you out by the power of His mighty hand," and then parathentically, "Remember, eat no food containing yeast." This was all about the Passover celebration.
Exodus 22:21 says this, "You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt." He says I don't care how much freedom you've enjoyed now, let's not forget that you used to be in bondage as well. Next verse says this, Leviticus 19:33. Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Verse number 34. Treat them like native born Israelites and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt, I am the Lord your God.
Reminder after reminder after reminder. Leviticus 26:45 says this, "For their sakes I will remember my ancient covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of all the nations that I might be their God. I am the Lord." Deuteronomy 4:20. Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today. Reminder after reminder after reminder. Deuteronomy 5:15. Remember-- Do you see? This could go on forever. I just went with pentateuch, okay? I just did the first five books of the Bible and I just pulled out 17, I could have pulled out 45.
Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God who brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm- but the Lord your God brought you out with a strong hand and his powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 7:18. "Do not be afraid of them, just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt." He keeps pointing them back to one reminder. Remember the big day of your salvation and what I brought you from. Don't forget it.
Deuteronomy 7:19. Remember the great terrors the Lord your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes, and remember the miraculous signs and wonders and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people who fear you.
Can I just pause right here before I read the next one? How many people in here besides myself have a testimony that you have so close to your heart that no matter what shows up in your life, you're like, compared to that? Anybody besides me? You're just like, "Hey listen, there's nothing you can throw at me. I've already seen God do something amazing in my life. There is nothing that you can bring toward me that will make me dishonor this relationship that I have with God at this point."
Deuteronomy 8:2 says this, remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these 40 years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character and to find out whether or not you would obey his commandments. Remember that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. This is why I'm giving you this command. Deuteronomy 15:14 and 15. Here's what it says in chapter number 16 verse number 12. "Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt." How many times are you going to remind us Lord? I mean, man, I get it already.
I once was bound, now I'm free. I once was lost, now I'm found. I used to be blind, now I see. I once was in bondage, now I've been delivered. I'm not going to forget it. He's like, "Good, because I'm going to remind you." Just in case you have a day. Remember that you were one slaves in Egypt so be careful to obey all these decrees. Deuteronomy 24:18, "Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that the Lord your God redeemed you from your slavery. That is why I have given you this commandment." He does not let it go. Deuteronomy 24:22, "Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt." Oh, my gosh. "That is why I'm giving you this command." He keeps coming with scripture after scripture and I'm still not done. 17 didn't seem this long, did it?
Deuteronomy 29:16. "You remember how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we traveled through the lands of enemy nations as we left. Remember the days of long ago. Think about the generations past," and I love this, "Ask your father and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders and they will tell you." That's Deuteronomy 32:7. I love that. Ask your father and he will inform you.
If you don't know what God has done, here's what the Bible is saying, "You better ask somebody." If you have no clue that God is faithful and that he can bring us through whatever season or situation that we are going through. If you have happened to live more than two weeks and cannot find out that God is a deliverer, that he's a healer, that he's a way maker, then go ask somebody older than you. If you think he's given up on you, go ask your daddy, go ask your mama, go ask your grandparents. Find somebody, and I'm going to use the King James word, with a hoary head. H-O-A-R-Y.
The gray haired ones. The ones that, no shade on millennials, which means I'm about to shade you a little bit. We act like those that are older than us have nothing to teach us. Like they weren't us at one point. My sons Nathan and Noah, they're growing and so they're trying to figure some stuff out. What we realize is that sometimes they do some stuff that makes Juliet and I perplexed. I think every parent has gone through this. They do something that's so ridiculous and just so random, that you just, you're not mad and you're not angry, you're kind of here with it. You're just like, "I don't even- that don't even make no- like that don't- I have no category for what you've done. It just doesn't make any sense." Then I realize what every parent- this dawns on every parent at some point, and it dawned on me now because my boys are 10 and 12. When it dawned on me and we talked about this, is that, I don't think you think we were your age. I don't think you think that I was ever 12. I don't think you think I ever lied. Which is why I know when you lying, because you look just like me. I remember how it looked when I lied and you look just like my twin lying to me. Sometimes you forget that those that are older than you have some wisdom. That we should be attracted to those that have lived and experienced enough life, to give us some context for our own.
I remember, I'll never forget this. I was saved under 90 days. I just want to put that out there. I was saved under 90 days. I was on fire for the Lord and that's code for being zealous. I was the type of eager and anybody beside me ever been on fire for the Lord and you had to cool off? Because that's a strange fire. That fire don't work. Your friends looking at you crazy and you bible thumping and everybody going to hell and you was on fire for the Lord. You thought you were God's police force. You had to correct everybody for doing everything that didn't line up with what you thought the bible, you know, the four verses that you've read. Four chapters, four books, whatever.
I remember coming into the house one day. I remember telling my mom and my dad. They were both sitting there. I think my dad was reading newspaper and my mom was doing something, I forgot. I came in and I said, "I'm just so on fire for the Lord and I can't wait to go through my first test." Now you know this is immaturity 101. Who says this? I cannot wait to go through my first test. I think my mom was the one that was reading the paper because I will never forget. She never dropped the paper. She didn't even look over it. While still fanned out with the newspaper in front of her, she said, "Baby, just keep living."
That came from somebody that had experience. That came from somebody that knew, you don't have to ask the Lord for a test, baby. All you have to do is breathe. Just get up today. Go outside, you'll probably find one today. But we need to ask if we don't know. We need to be encouraged by people that God has brought through some things and can give us context to some seasons of life that we're going through now. Do not forget what God has done. Even though God is the one that's saying, "Hey, Israelites, listen, I'm going to make light work of these Babylonians in the same way I did Pharaoh and his army."
Forget all that. Forget all about what you used to talk about the most because I'm ready to do something new, which brings me to point number two. I told you I only had two points because I couldn't get three. Point number one, what was it?
Don't forget what God has done.The reason why you need to have that as number one, so that you can really, really get with number two. You all ready? Point number two, please write this down. Don't forget that God ain't done. You see my head bopping on that one too. I'm feeling this whole message. Don't forget that God ain't done and it's not good English.
If you don't know how to spell ain't, it's A-I-N-'-T. Put that apostrophe on it. It's like paint but it ain't. All right? Don't forget that God ain't done. This is the context for forget all that. Forget all that. The context is, I'm not done. Whatever you think I've done, I haven't done everything I'm going to do for you. Forget all that. I know what I did in 2020 but I got some stuff I'm going to do in 2021. Thank you Holy Spirit. This is not going to be the year you remember for the next decade. I needed to tell that to somebody right there. This will not be the year that you remember for the next decade. It's been a tumultuous year. It's been a painful year.
It's been a history marking year, but I guarantee you, God's going to do something in your life that's going to give you amnesia to 2020, because he ain't done. As if the God of the universe is fresh out of miracles. As is the God of the universe is fresh out of healing. "I just can't find another. I didn't know you was going to get sick. I mean, Corona? I didn't know. Trying to see if I can- do I have anything? I had something for the flu. I didn't know Corona was coming." As if God is fresh out of deliverance. As if He's fresh out of comfort and peace, mercy and grace, truth, justice. He says, forget all that. It is nothing compared to what I'm going to do. Whatever you think I've done, I'm not done.
I found this verse. I found these two verses in Jeremiah 16. Listen. I have read the Bible a lot. Me and my twin brother, Preston, made a vow in 2008 that we read the Bible more than we read any other book, so we have read through the Bible a lot. Anybody have read through the Bible and you've marked it up and you go back to it and you see a mark and you're like, "I don't even remember marking this." Well, I passed something in Jeremiah, it ain't even marked. It has never jumped out to me the way it jumped out to me this time. I was blown away.
Again, this is the Lord talking. Are you all ready for this? I could not believe this was in here. I love you, Jeremiah. Jeremiah 16:14-15. Here's what it says, "But the time is coming." Who's saying this? The Lord is saying this. "But the time is coming, says the Lord, when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, as surely as the Lord lives who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt." Can I pause? I want to go slow on this. The Lord said, hey, there's a time coming, where people will swear by what I did. The Exodus has been the only thing ringing true and loud for hundreds of years for my people. He said, but there's a time coming where they're going to stop using that narrative. There's a time coming where this is not going to be what they remember me by. There is a time coming that I'm going to give them something new to talk about. It doesn't mean that what I've done has gone away. It just means that this new thing is so good, I can't even get back that far. God help me on this one right here. There are some things that God's going to do for you, you're not going to even be able to get back to your original story of the things that God did for you. Well, tell me what happened in 1996 when you gave your life to the Lord.
You're like, child, please. I'll get to that some other time. What I want to tell you now, though, is what he did in 2018. That thing is ringing my bell still. "But the time is coming," and I want to give it to you again in context. "But the time is coming, says the Lord, when people who are taking an oath will no longer say as surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt. Instead, they will say, as surely as the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the North, and from all the countries to which he had exiled them. For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors."
What is better than being delivered from bondage? Being able to come back home. What's better than a testimony that I was a slave to sin but now I'm free? What's better than that testimony? I was away from God and now I'm home. I was out of God's presence now I'm in God's presence. I was out of His will, but now I'm in His will. The question I have for you today is, what do you need to forget? What do you need to forget? "Well, I don't want to forget any of the blessings that the Lord has done for me. I don't want to--" No, no, no. I'm not saying you're going to forget them. I'm just saying, what might you need to put in the rear view mirror that is not applicable to this season of your life? I remember when I first gave my life to Christ. The only thing I talked about was him delivering me from low self-esteem and from addiction and from the abuse that I experienced as a child.
If you called me to preach anywhere, that's what you were going to hear from me. That was my testimony. I preached my testimony and it was great for that season. But 24 years in, I don't have nothing else to say? I don't have anything else to talk to Him about or to talk to you all about? I don't have any new chapters that He has written? It's not that I forgot, it's just that it's not the freshest thing on my mind because he's still doing things for me. He never stopped doing stuff for me from 1996 to 2020. He has never stopped blessing me. He has never stopped providing for me. He has never stopped freeing me. He has never stopped comforting me. He has never stopped bringing me joy.
He has never stopped giving me revelation. He has never stopped providing for me. It's not that I forgot about it, it's just that he's been so good. It's not the freshest thing on my mind. I'm talking about the stuff that's current right now. The way he's brought me through miraculously 2020, all glory to God. The way he's brought Embassy City through 2020. Do you all not know we ain't had a service in eight months? Do you all not know by the time we get back together, it would have been nine almost 10 months? Let me put it to you another way. Do you all know that we have only met in person two and a half months for the whole year and you all never stopped tithing?
You all never stopped giving. You all never stopped tuning in. You never stopped listening. You never stopped upsetting the world, because it was never about us being in this room. It was about him being in ours. He's with you right now and I know we've gone from a church that was more locally emphasized to now, let's face it, globally emphasized. We still have our local presence and that's not going to change, but we picked up family members all over the world in England, in the Caribbean, in Canada, in Australia, in Asia, in Africa. Our family got bigger and what he's doing here, he's going to do there. God's not done blessing you. God's not done healing you. God's not done freeing you.
God's not done providing for you. Forget all that. All that stuff that was happening back in time, forget all that. I know what he did, but he's not done. I know what happened, but something is happening. I know what has been, but I'm telling you, something is about to be, because God ain't done. What do you need to forget? What needs to go so far into your rear view that you have to squint to see it? The fact that God would say, hey, that whole Egyptian thing? Yes, it was cool. It was awesome, and I'm the one that reminded you all the time not to forget it. But now I'm telling you, forget all that. I know you're never going to forget it, but I'm just telling you to put it in the back.
Thank you Holy Spirit. Make some room. Make some room for a new-- I'm trying to let it go. Make some room for a new narrative, because I'm not done. I know God comforted you through a bad season, but I'm here to tell you, don't rest on that testimony, because if your whole testimony is what was bad, then when I do something good, will anybody want to listen to it or would they only know you by what I did in this season and not what I am doing in this one? God is so good. I'm trying to stop. This thing lit me up so much because when I think back over the 24 years that I've been walking with him and can we just be honest? Sometimes He was just carrying us.
I've been walking with the Lord a long time. Sometimes He was dragging me. Both of my feet was like this, I didn't even want to go. You know when your foot is- that's when you get dragged, okay? You realize that no matter how far He has brought you, he's not done in you, and if you could get that on the inside of your heart, your mind, and your soul, then there is no situation that you are in right now that will make you doubt what God is going to do next. Forget about it. That's what I originally wanted to title this sermon. I wanted to take something from my Italianos. Forget about it. Let it go. "Not the blessings of the Lord, not the testimony of the Lord." Put it in the back. Make some room because He's about to say something and do something
that's going to give you amnesia to everything that's been done so far.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message? I want to jump through the screen on you all right now. I'm just so excited for you to get this word on the inside of you. I need you to carry this thing in a deep place in your heart. God is not done with you. I don't care what lies of the enemy that he has been trying to invade your thoughts with. God hasn't given up on you. There's more in store. There's more he's going to do. There's more blessings coming to you. You are not at the final stage of your life.
God is going to do something and it's going to be exceedingly, abundantly, above anything that you can ask or think. Holy Spirit, thank you so much for giving us this time, this week to be reminded, I mean reminded, reminded, reminded of what you have done and the fact that you ain't done at all. What you do next is for your glory. None of our credit in Jesus' name. Amen. I love you guys so much. I'll see you next week. Peace.
