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As the lectionary continues to explore the experience of Israel with God in the Book of Exodus, the passage we hear today is building to climax in Moses’ confrontation with Pharaoh in Egypt. The Lord has called Moses to return to Egypt from his refuge in the Wilderness, “to set his people free.”

Moses has endured much drama -- fierce conversations with Pharaoh, successive plagues, each more objectionable than the last. Pharaoh remains obstinate in his refusal to respond to God’s purpose. The Divine Patience has reached its limit, Divine Resolve takes over.

The first born of Egypt will die. The people of Israel will be spared only if they demonstrate responsiveness to God’s Word. Will they obey the Lord? Those among Israel who obey the Lord will live. Those who do not, will die with the Egyptians.

It is just that simple. No argument. No discussion. No amount of sentiment can avoid inescapable power of God’s purpose.

Human beings try to make God conform to our expectations, desires, or convenience. But when God has a purpose and a plan, we do best to seek partnership with him, rather than expect God to conform to us.

The past year has been full of drama for our parish. It has been a tough nine month journey -- on top of a rector transition.

Two and a half years ago the Vestry called a new Rector. The parish lacked the financial resources to manage the Rector transition. Volunteer support in the parish office needed to be supplemented with regular staff to give the new Rector time to assess the depth of commitment in the congregation and to test the quality of leadership that is here.

The Vestry subsidized the parish pledge base with a $300,000 internal loan. This year that loan runs out, as well as volunteer support in the parish office. In January the Rector charged the Vestry to address the challenge of resourcing ministry. The Vestry led a series of Workshops, called Truth or Consequences, to educate the parish on what it costs to be a parish. They hosted convocation with parishioners to discuss what kind of parish they wanted to be.

The Vestry published a list of recommendations, deliberated some more, listening to the feedback of parishioners, and then, in June, passed a resolution to Provide for a Hopeful Future for our parish.

Today we celebrate our parishioner’s response to the Vestry challenge – what we believe to be the Holy Spirit’s direction for our parish at this time. Parishioners have contributed over $350,000 to pay down one of our three mortgages, and they have committed to volunteer time in the support of parish ministry.

The story in today’s lesson from the Book of Exodus relates the night the Egyptians died for their injustice, but the Angel of Death passed over the faithful among the Israelites who responded to the Word of the Lord.

This did not end the drama unfolding in the life of Israel. But it marked a dramatic beginning. They still had a Red Sea to cross, a wilderness to navigate, a covenant to make, commandments to learn and faithfulness to be tested.

All of that is to come. But today an important lesson has been learned. The Lord always honors commitment to the divine purpose. That is and always will be the way that leads to eternal life.