Not Now But Right Now Sermon

“This month.” With those two words from Exodus 12:2, a line is drawn between what was and what can be. God reframes time for a people who have known nothing but burden, telling them that the story starts over—not later, but now. The narrative moves from Israel’s 430 years of oppression to a decisive night marked by a lamb, blood on doorposts, and the dawn of a redeemed calendar. The Passover is not nostalgia; it is a re-creation event where God says, “Begin again.” That is the pattern of grace: God doesn’t just relieve pressure; he resets the page.

This reset meets real life. Financial strain, broken relationships, disrupted jobs, mental anguish—these are named without flinching. Yet none of them get to set the calendar; God does. He calls a hesitant shepherd on holy ground, sends him back to face Pharaoh, and turns resistance into a stage for his mighty hand. The unleavened bread underscores the point: leaven spreads like sin; newness requires removal, decisiveness, and haste. Deliverance isn’t a drift—it’s a decisive night with a marked door and a ready people.

All of this points beyond itself. There is “another Deliverer” whose rescue has no expiration date: Jesus, the ultimate Passover. His blood doesn’t just avert a plague; it brings the dead to life and makes fellowship with the living God possible. Because of him, a new beginning is not a date on a calendar; it’s an open door at any moment. Not now—but right now.

Looking toward 2026, there is no promise of an easy path. There will be ups and downs. But God’s word still stands: permission to start over, a covenant to walk with his people, a call to press toward the mark. The invitation is clear and concrete—receive salvation, return from the sidelines, rejoin the community of faith, and step into the start-over grace God is ready to give. Homes, churches, entrepreneurs, and entire communities can receive a fresh vision. The same God who broke Egypt’s grip still breaks cycles, resets time, and leads people out—today.

Key Takeaways

• 1. New beginnings happen right now [28:54] Grace is not seasonal; it’s immediate. When God speaks “begin,” delay is disobedience dressed as caution. Faith acts while the blood is still wet on the doorposts. The window is open now, not after life arranges itself more neatly. [28:54]
• 2. God resets time for freedom [00:55] “This month” means the calendar bends to redemption, not to bondage. God makes liberation the reference point for every other date on the page. When freedom becomes the clock, identity changes, practices change, and future hope becomes plausible again. [00:55]
• 3. Suffering cannot set the schedule [04:00] Betrayal, layoffs, and anxiety are real—but they are not lord. God refuses to let pain dictate the pace of his purposes. Faith learns to name wounds honestly while refusing to let them be the planner for tomorrow. [04:00]
• 4. Jesus is the greater Passover Lamb [25:32] The first Passover spared firstborns for a night; Christ’s Passover saves sinners forever. His blood doesn’t just protect from judgment; it ushers into communion with the living God. In him, deliverance is not episodic—it’s decisive and complete. [25:32]
• 5. Start over by pressing forward [34:23] New beginnings aren’t passive; they require motion. Pressing is how grace gets traction in daily life—one obedient step, then another. The Spirit shapes perseverance into a pathway where hope matures and character holds. [34:23]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:25] - Brand-new start promise
• [01:49] - Theme: Not now, right now
• [04:00] - Naming real-life burdens
• [06:19] - Israel’s 430 years oppressed
• [07:59] - Holy ground: Moses commissioned
• [12:04] - Passover lamb instructions
• [15:23] - A deliverer without expiration
• [20:08] - Unleavened and the problem of sin
• [23:42] - New beginnings anytime, not yearly
• [25:32] - Christ, the ultimate Passover
• [28:54] - Right-now grace for 2026
• [34:23] - Keep pressing toward the mark
• [36:18] - Invitation: start over in Christ
• [43:12] - Closing song and installations

1. In Exodus 12:2, who is speaking, and what, specifically, is being reset by the words “This month”?
2. What actions were Israel told to take on that decisive night (lamb chosen, blood on doorposts, unleavened bread), and why was haste emphasized? [12:04]
3. What present-day burdens were named that many are carrying (finances, relationships, work, mental health)? List at least three. [04:00]
4. What clear invitations were extended for a fresh start (salvation, church membership, rededication)? [41:49]

1. What does God’s command “This month shall be for you the beginning” (Exodus 12:2) reveal about God’s heart toward people who have suffered long? How does that reshape how a person marks time after loss or failure?
2. If leaven spreads like sin, why would God command removal and haste? What might “decisive repentance” look like in ordinary habits and routines? [20:08]
3. If suffering is real but not lord, what would it mean for God—not wounds, anxiety, or layoffs—to set the pace for tomorrow? [04:00]
4. If Jesus is the greater Passover Lamb whose rescue has no expiration, how is that different from just getting through a rough season or waiting for the next calendar year? [25:32]

1. Where is there a “not now” in your life that needs to become “right now” under God’s word? What first step will you take in the next 24 hours? [01:49]
2. What pain, bill, relationship, or worry has been setting your schedule? Name one practical way you will let God reset your time this week (for example, a daily Scripture-and-prayer appointment that interrupts panic). [04:00]
3. What “leaven” has been slowly spreading in you—an attitude, habit, feed, or secret? What will you remove in haste, and what will you replace it with? Be concrete. [20:08]
4. What does “marking your door” look like for you—public identification with Jesus through baptism, Communion preparation, joining a church family, or a clear confession at work or home? What will you do next? [36:18]
5. Looking toward 2026 with its ups and downs, what rhythms will keep hope alive when the path is not easy (for example, weekly community, Sabbath, financial plan, counseling)? Choose one to practice this month. [29:57]
6. Where do you need to “press toward the mark”? Name one measurable step (a call, a meeting, a budget change, a boundary) and one person who can check in with you this week. [34:23]
7. Where do you need a fresh vision—as a parent, spouse, entrepreneur, student, or ministry servant? What bold ask will you bring to God, and what small action will you take in the next seven days? [35:36]