WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.339 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:10.519 ! Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us. 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:12.400 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:38.679 God died in Egypt, right? That's where God's people were, but Joseph trusted God's promise 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:47.019 to bring his descendants up from that land to the land that he'd promised. Through the miraculous 00:00:47.019 --> 00:00:57.980 plagues, through the Passover night, God brings his people out of bondage in Egypt into relationship 00:00:57.979 --> 00:01:06.599 with himself, into true freedom. Notice in Exodus, that's how God describes what he's doing with the 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:14.920 Israelites as he brings them out of Egypt. Chapter 19, verse 4, you yourselves have seen what I did 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:25.599 to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you where? To myself. I brought you to 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:34.479 myself. God rescuing from bondage to himself. That is still our story, isn't it? That's the story we've 00:01:34.479 --> 00:01:40.379 been celebrating this morning. It's the reason we confess our sin and we celebrate God's forgiveness 00:01:40.379 --> 00:01:48.280 and that we live in relationship with him because that's how God works. This relationship as his 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:57.260 special people is what God is rescuing and restoring them for. So this deliverance, this redemption, 00:01:57.960 --> 00:02:06.840 this exodus becomes the prime example in the Old Testament of God's power to save. 00:02:08.259 --> 00:02:15.240 It's used dozens of times, over and over. It's what they told each successive generation about 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:22.600 Yahweh. Who is he? What do they need to know? With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, he brought us 00:02:22.600 --> 00:02:29.980 out of bondage in Egypt. That's who he is. That's the kind of God we serve. Psalms praise God for this 00:02:29.980 --> 00:02:37.660 rescue. And then over and over in the New Testament, it's referenced as a picture of how God through Jesus 00:02:37.659 --> 00:02:49.620 powerfully rescues his people from bondage to sin, from certain death and brings them into freedom and certain life 00:02:49.620 --> 00:02:58.379 with him. That's what it's a picture of. That is the point of this whole story from the plagues in the early 00:02:58.379 --> 00:03:08.819 chapters of Exodus to the Passover. That's Exodus 12. That God is powerful to rescue and to restore. 00:03:09.799 --> 00:03:18.819 As God reiterates time and time again, it's about his power to save. Nowhere is that more evident 00:03:18.819 --> 00:03:29.299 than in the pinnacle of this story at the Red Sea. In case you're not familiar with it, what has happened 00:03:29.299 --> 00:03:38.599 is that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, has finally let God's people go, but then he changes his mind again 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:47.319 and he chases after them with a great army. Let's pick up the story in chapter 14 of Exodus. 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:56.379 I'm going to read a few parts now and come back to others, but let's start at verse 9, reading God's 00:03:56.379 --> 00:04:06.240 inerrant, infallible, inspired words so that we learn who he is and how we relate to him. That's why he's 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:15.019 given it to us. Exodus 14 at verse 9, the Egyptians pursued them, the Israelites, all Pharaoh's horses and 00:04:15.020 --> 00:04:22.540 chariots and his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them and camped at the sea. Now we're going 00:04:22.540 --> 00:04:26.300 to skip down partially to avoid words that are really hard for me to pronounce. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:36.379 And then we see how the Israelites respond and how God works and skip down to verse 19. 00:04:36.379 --> 00:04:43.719 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:51.480 and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:56.920 and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness, and it lit up the night without 00:04:56.920 --> 00:05:03.620 one coming near the other all night. God's people and the Egyptians kept apart. 00:05:03.620 --> 00:05:12.780 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind 00:05:12.780 --> 00:05:21.560 all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:27.899 midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 00:05:27.899 --> 00:05:35.319 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, 00:05:35.379 --> 00:05:41.899 and his horsemen. Down to verse 26, what happens? Then the Lord said to Moses, stretch out your hand 00:05:41.899 --> 00:05:47.039 over the sea that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their 00:05:47.039 --> 00:05:52.399 horsemen. So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:57.699 when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:03.919 midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen. Of all the host of 00:06:03.919 --> 00:06:09.879 Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained, but the people of Israel walked 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:16.819 on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right and on their left. 00:06:16.819 --> 00:06:25.259 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:33.279 seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:41.639 and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. This is God's word. Let's pray and ask for his help. 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:53.339 Father, show us your great power afresh this morning, and we might delight in you and in your salvation, 00:06:53.879 --> 00:07:02.839 that Jesus might be more beautiful and needful and glorious to us than ever. We ask it in his name. Amen. 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:02.979 Amen. 00:07:06.179 --> 00:07:15.959 My hope this morning is for each of us personally to feel the power of God's rescue of us. 00:07:17.179 --> 00:07:23.559 That means in this Red Sea story, if you're actually going to feel it personally, you need to feel the dirt 00:07:23.559 --> 00:07:31.579 and the mud in your toes walking through where that sea was to safety. 00:07:31.579 --> 00:07:40.300 Kids, I didn't have you come up on the steps this morning, but you listen to God's word even when you 00:07:40.300 --> 00:07:47.099 sit out there, right? Like the part of it that I just read about this story of the Israelites and the 00:07:47.099 --> 00:07:53.959 Exodus, the Red Sea. I want all of us to imagine, okay, I need you to go there with me. Imagine that 00:07:53.959 --> 00:08:01.560 you're actually experiencing this miraculous rescue. So I want us to try to do that through the eyes of 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:09.060 two made up kids. I made them up. Okay? You with me? I'm going to tell you different parts of their 00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:17.920 stories that I made up a few times this morning. Kids, I want you to think of yourself as Jeremiah or 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:25.060 Anna, all right? Boy, Jeremiah and his sister, Anna. I'm going to read you some of their story that I wrote. 00:08:25.060 --> 00:08:35.480 Jeremiah and Anna could hardly walk another step. They'd been walking for days in the hot desert since 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:44.059 they left Egypt. As exciting as it was at first, they got tired fast, especially seven-year-old Anna, 00:08:44.620 --> 00:08:53.279 whose left leg didn't work quite right. She'd always had a limp. Her older brother, 12-year-old 00:08:53.279 --> 00:09:00.179 Jeremiah, could run faster than any other boy in their whole tribe, but he was getting tired too. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:07.100 They were relieved to stop and set up camp, even with the water of the Red Sea so close by. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:14.439 Jeremiah and Anna were just finishing putting the pegs in the tent when they noticed all the adults 00:09:14.439 --> 00:09:21.799 rushing to talk to Moses. It wasn't long before Jeremiah ran back to Anna with news that he'd overheard. 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:30.019 The people in the back had seen the Egyptians coming after them. They had thought they were free. 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:36.179 Jeremiah held his sister close as he could see the fear in her eyes. 00:09:38.099 --> 00:09:45.379 I'm really scared, Anna admitted. Those men say we're all going to die out here. 00:09:45.379 --> 00:09:54.759 Jeremiah knew the feeling. Just a few nights ago, he had been so scared about the angel of death. 00:09:55.659 --> 00:10:01.860 After all, he was the firstborn son. He'd heard rumors from his friends. He'd overheard his parents 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:08.439 whispering, and he felt real fear as they held on to him tightly that night. It was like he was 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:15.700 leaving for college the next day or something. But just like his dad had said, the next morning, 00:10:16.900 --> 00:10:23.220 he was fine, alive. Yahweh really must have meant what he said about the blood of the Lamb. 00:10:23.660 --> 00:10:31.420 And now, Jeremiah felt invincible. Later that night, beside the sea, he wasn't surprised at all 00:10:31.419 --> 00:10:39.459 when the winds started blowing. Wow, you could hear the howl coming through. 00:10:40.099 --> 00:10:47.199 And you could feel the rush as the waters of the sea moved back like giant walls of water in an 00:10:47.199 --> 00:10:55.139 aquarium held back by some invisible force. What was going on? They'd heard about the plagues. 00:10:55.139 --> 00:11:02.179 They'd even seen some of them, but they'd never seen anything like this. The Israelites started 00:11:02.179 --> 00:11:09.980 walking across on dry ground, ground they couldn't even see a few minutes before. All of a sudden, 00:11:10.059 --> 00:11:18.279 they were walking right across the dry ground. Jeremiah ran confidently up ahead, right all the 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:27.559 way up behind Moses. Anna, on the other hand, limped behind, fearfully at the back of the crowd. 00:11:28.459 --> 00:11:34.319 Most of the way across, she rode on her daddy's shoulders, but even then, she was scared the whole 00:11:34.319 --> 00:11:42.919 time of getting crushed by these waters. She knew water meant chaos and death. She didn't even know how to 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:54.159 swim. As scared as she was, as little as she understood of what was going on, and as long as it took her to 00:11:54.159 --> 00:12:04.559 make it across, sure enough, there she was back beside Jeremiah the next morning. The fast brother 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:14.979 and the fearful sister had both made it across safely. It's interesting to consider, isn't it? How 00:12:14.979 --> 00:12:22.679 might you have felt? Apparently, quite a lot of Israelites thought this was the end of the road 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:32.019 for them. They knew the cruelty of these Egyptians all too well. Alas, their freedom, oh, it was short-lived. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:42.240 Their deliverance, it was as fake as they feared. Verse 10 of chapter 14. When Pharaoh drew near, 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:48.799 remember he's got a big army with him, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes and behold, 00:12:48.799 --> 00:13:01.319 the Egyptians were marching after them and they feared greatly. They feared greatly. And yet, 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:16.700 every single one of them was spared. Those full of faith and those full of fear, just like with the 00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:27.580 blood of the lamb at Passover. Do you ever feel like you have weak faith? Like maybe you have more 00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:37.800 doubts about God than most of your friends? Like you're someone who gets fearful easily when threats are on 00:13:37.800 --> 00:13:50.320 the horizon? Then you're just the kind of person that God loves to rescue. Because see, when we are weak, 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:59.900 then he is strong. When we are sure sin will master us again, when we believe Satan's accusations that God 00:13:59.900 --> 00:14:07.879 could never love someone like us, certainly not. When we fear failing yet again and disappointing 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:18.580 even ourselves, God delights to deliver. He rescues and restores us to relationship with himself just as 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:26.720 he promised. So friends, never forget that it is the object of your faith, not the size of your faith 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:34.899 that saves you. Amen? It's the one in whom you put your faith. Jesus brings the most faithful and the most 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:47.399 fearful of his followers all the way home. He does. Perhaps even more remarkable is how the Israelites respond 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:55.279 to their fears in this passage. I mean, just remember, days and weeks removed from seeing Yahweh 00:14:55.279 --> 00:15:01.939 demonstrate repeatedly and conclusively his power greater than any of the gods of Egypt 00:15:01.940 --> 00:15:12.800 in the plagues. They assume that this time the Egyptians will be too strong. They will surely kill 00:15:12.800 --> 00:15:21.960 them. They complain, don't they, against both God and his representative Moses. The end of verse 10, 00:15:23.160 --> 00:15:28.360 the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They're angry, by the way, in case you can't tell how they're 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:35.399 crying. They said to Moses, is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you've taken us away to die 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:41.440 in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:49.200 to you in Egypt? Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us 00:15:49.200 --> 00:16:00.040 to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. As I read this this week, I thought, does any of us 00:16:00.040 --> 00:16:12.600 have anywhere near God's patience? Can you believe this? What would we say, right? Fine, go back to Egypt. 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:16.680 You're so ungrateful. You're so ungrateful. So entitled. 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:27.379 Not our God. No. What does he do? He finds these ungrateful, entitled people and he says, 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:36.100 I'm going to rescue you anyway. I'm bringing you across. He rescues even these ungrateful people 00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:46.480 who think that life in bondage in Egypt might actually be better than life with God. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.860 You'd never say it that way, would you? 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:02.600 But isn't that what we say when we go back to the same sin again? Anyone ever committed the same sin 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:09.380 more than once? I need to see a few more hands before we keep going, okay? Making sure you're 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:18.920 with me here. You've committed the same sin again. Getting angry and bitter, you're saying, 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:29.279 must be better than forgiving. You're saying, living my own way with my body must be better 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:38.819 than God's design for my sexuality. You're saying, disobeying my parents must be better than obeying 00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:46.259 them when they don't really know what they're talking about. Or maybe it's that we've just, 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:54.039 in general, given up on living in the power of Jesus' spirit and we've let sin be our master again, 00:17:54.039 --> 00:18:02.799 which I just can't help it. God will never help me be free of this struggle. I know because it's been a week 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:12.259 and sin is tempting me again. I give up. I may as well just live with it. I'm always going to be this way. 00:18:14.659 --> 00:18:21.559 And somehow we sometimes think that that's actually the better way, that life will be better 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:31.379 that way. The fleeting pleasures of sin, right? Our wealth, our comfort, our pleasures, our power. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:37.960 Yeah, it might not be perfect, but it'll be better. I'll take those instead of the goodness, 00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:45.179 the promises, the forgiveness, the deliverance, the presence of God. 00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:57.840 God? Does God leave His people like us to fight the Egyptians on their own this time? 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:10.680 Just that's one too many people. Is that what He does? No way. He shows His power by rescuing and 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:18.380 restoring to Himself yet again a stubborn people who forget how good they have it with Yahweh. 00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:25.019 Here is God delivering His people from a tight spot, right? A difficult situation for sure. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:32.960 In particular, the Scriptures tell us this is a picture of our deliverance from our ultimate tight spot. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:39.720 God's bondage to sin, keeping us captive to a sinful nature and a fear of death. 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:47.480 But God has set us free, free to live with Him, not to live in sin. 00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:54.720 So even though sin will keep pursuing you and keep tempting you and keep pretending to be stronger, 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:59.160 don't you believe it? It is not your master anymore. 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:08.540 Sin cannot have you back because God has moved between you and your sin. 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:10.779 Isn't that a great picture? Don't you love that picture? 00:20:11.340 --> 00:20:19.160 God has moved between His people and the Egyptians chasing after them to have them back in bondage. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:22.300 God has moved between you. You are in Christ. 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:27.800 You are protected in Him. God has moved between you and your sin. 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:32.680 So even though your faith gets weak, even though you fall again, even though you start to believe, 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:38.419 it would be better and easier just to live the way you used to as sons of disobedience. 00:20:39.779 --> 00:20:42.240 God says, no, I will protect you. 00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:47.919 I will rescue you. I will bring you across safely home. 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:55.360 Jeremiah felt invincible. 00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:58.220 But he wasn't taking any chances. 00:20:59.340 --> 00:21:02.220 He believed God was rescuing them from the Egyptians. 00:21:02.580 --> 00:21:07.200 Well, at least he was rescuing some of them, the best of them, of course. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:11.960 While his parents gathered up the tent and helped Anna to her feet, 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:17.840 Jeremiah zipped off to the front where Moses had just lifted up his staff. 00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:24.100 The winds had just started to howl and the water had just made a wall on either side of the dry ground. 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.440 Picture it up there, okay? 00:21:27.600 --> 00:21:31.120 He cut in and out of Israelite traffic to get to the front. 00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:33.740 And this is so me, by the way. 00:21:34.420 --> 00:21:38.759 Even in my car, he was going to get across first. 00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:46.859 After running a long time, he looked back and he didn't like what he saw. 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:54.259 The Israelites were coming across, but not fast enough because so were the Egyptians. 00:21:55.339 --> 00:22:01.019 Now, Jeremiah was a fast runner, but he knew enough to know he couldn't outrun those chariots. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:02.359 Man, they were fast. 00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:04.599 Fear started to grip his heart. 00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:08.879 He couldn't even call out to warn his family way behind him. 00:22:10.399 --> 00:22:12.859 That reminded him of what Moses had said. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:14.879 Fear not. 00:22:15.179 --> 00:22:18.059 Stand firm and see the salvation of Yahweh. 00:22:18.639 --> 00:22:23.259 Yahweh will fight for you and you have only to be silent. 00:22:25.659 --> 00:22:31.619 Well, good, Jeremiah thought, because now that's all I can do. 00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:42.759 Perhaps the culmination of all of these types of people that God rescues and restores. 00:22:43.739 --> 00:22:49.159 Certainly the most important reality here in this text is that God is so powerful. 00:22:49.719 --> 00:22:53.379 He saves people who can't save themselves. 00:22:54.859 --> 00:23:00.159 This is the point, actually, that God has set up this whole situation to show his people, isn't it? 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:06.560 God has actually brought them through a winding road to this place where they are stuck. 00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:08.960 This text is very clear. 00:23:09.040 --> 00:23:11.400 It's no accident that they're stuck here. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:16.640 Death on one side from the Egyptian warriors coming after them. 00:23:17.840 --> 00:23:22.200 Death on the other side from raging waters in the sea. 00:23:22.660 --> 00:23:25.640 Life nowhere to be found. 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:28.240 No matter how fast you can run. 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:32.340 Then what does Moses say to them? 00:23:32.520 --> 00:23:35.980 When they're right there in that spot, God's got you right where he wants you. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:38.780 You sure? 00:23:40.100 --> 00:23:41.140 Verse 13. 00:23:41.140 --> 00:24:05.060 We're scared, Moses. 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:05.259 Jesus. 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:08.179 Paraphrasing. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:10.220 Fear not. 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:12.460 Stand firm. 00:24:13.399 --> 00:24:14.559 Watch God. 00:24:15.659 --> 00:24:16.740 And shut up. 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:19.980 Fear not. 00:24:20.339 --> 00:24:20.940 Stand firm. 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:21.919 Watch God. 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:22.859 Shut up. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:25.519 That last word. 00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:27.899 Be silent. 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:30.399 Or be still. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:33.600 It means trust God's power. 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:36.040 Not your own. 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:41.960 Perhaps here with a hint of don't cry out against his saving work. 00:24:42.080 --> 00:24:42.940 He's doing something. 00:24:43.040 --> 00:24:43.980 He's got this. 00:24:44.360 --> 00:24:46.380 Quit trying to fix it yourself. 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:49.700 Quit arguing about a better way to handle it. 00:24:49.840 --> 00:24:51.120 And trust him. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.860 You can't miss the grace of God here, can you? 00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:56.940 In his almighty power. 00:24:57.140 --> 00:24:58.100 What's God doing? 00:24:58.099 --> 00:25:04.119 He's showing us that you will be saved completely by the grace of God. 00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:10.019 Not because you're faster, smarter, or better than anyone else. 00:25:11.399 --> 00:25:12.740 By grace. 00:25:14.179 --> 00:25:20.779 This, friends, is what sets biblical Christianity apart from every other religion in the world. 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:32.440 Every other religion has you build some bridge in some way across the raging waters to get to God, to life, and to freedom. 00:25:34.399 --> 00:25:39.279 Yahweh, the one true living God, says, 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:47.579 Let me part the waters, defeat your enemies, and bring you across. 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:51.279 You stand still and trust me. 00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:57.319 It's the beauty of being in relationship with him. 00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:57.899 Right? 00:25:58.379 --> 00:25:59.259 You know this. 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.759 Many of you have experienced this. 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:02.079 He blesses you. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:04.119 He loves you. 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:06.480 He comes to you. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:12.539 Before you do anything to deserve it. 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:16.759 Exodus highlights this reality. 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:23.039 God rescues his people from bondage into relationship with himself. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:27.980 And then he tells them how to live in this relationship. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:30.960 Gives them ten commandments, right? 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.420 That's famous in Exodus. 00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.740 You know the ten commandments. 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:38.039 Those are in Exodus chapter 20. 00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:44.180 Here in Exodus 14, he brings them through the sea. 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:47.640 In Exodus 19, he says, 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:49.799 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. 00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:53.140 How I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 00:26:53.620 --> 00:26:54.860 You're mine. 00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:57.220 My treasured possession. 00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.240 Already done. 00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:02.859 Now, don't have any other gods before me. 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:04.259 Keep the Sabbath. 00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.279 Don't murder. 00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.839 And so on. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:07.079 Right? 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:11.859 Relationship before requirements. 00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:15.319 The order is crucial. 00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:18.980 Otherwise, get it backwards. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:24.359 And you're stuck in moralism with little Jeremiah. 00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:29.659 You know which people at church will really be saved? 00:27:30.919 --> 00:27:33.139 The ones who run fastest. 00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:35.379 Pray the longest. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:37.199 Serve the most. 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:39.639 The rest of them, questionable. 00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:41.359 I don't know. 00:27:42.099 --> 00:27:43.319 Maybe they'll make it. 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:52.159 Y'all, that is humanistic moralism that shows up in a lot of Christian churches. 00:27:53.159 --> 00:27:56.220 That is God helps those who help themselves. 00:27:56.599 --> 00:28:00.339 And in case that confuses you, that is not Christianity. 00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:06.379 Christianity is God rescues those who cannot help themselves. 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:11.619 Listen, not a single Israelite could save himself here. 00:28:11.939 --> 00:28:16.759 And every single Israelite makes it across safe. 00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:21.000 Because God is strong, not because they are. 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:23.140 That's how it works. 00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:26.599 Fleet-footed Jeremiah. 00:28:27.099 --> 00:28:28.019 He's there. 00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:29.839 Limp-legged Anna. 00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:32.379 She's there too. 00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:40.820 The Bible says once that starts to come home in your heart, it does something. 00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.920 It does several things. 00:28:42.280 --> 00:28:45.780 Your pride starts to die. 00:28:46.820 --> 00:28:48.640 It's not about how great you are. 00:28:49.840 --> 00:28:53.060 Your love for God begins to come to life. 00:28:53.140 --> 00:28:54.440 How great he is. 00:28:54.540 --> 00:28:57.140 How generous and gracious he's been to me. 00:28:57.140 --> 00:29:02.540 And your love for everyone else lagging way behind you in so many ways. 00:29:02.820 --> 00:29:04.720 Your love for them begins to grow. 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:09.080 And you run back to check on your sister. 00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:16.200 Is there someone you've given up on? 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:21.860 Someone who's too fearful? 00:29:23.040 --> 00:29:27.120 Someone who's fallen back into the same sin pattern again? 00:29:27.280 --> 00:29:28.520 They always do that. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:35.360 Someone who's clearly not coming to church enough, acting the right way, saying the right things. 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:40.500 Maybe it's yourself. 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:44.680 You know yourself so well. 00:29:46.100 --> 00:29:48.080 A pastor friend said to me this week, 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:53.759 Will, I just can't shake that feeling that I should be better by now. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:30:00.819 I've been a Christian a long time and I'm still struggling with some of the same sins I did in college. 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:03.740 I feel like a fraud sometimes. 00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:09.099 If that's you, if you could have written that, 00:30:09.099 --> 00:30:17.639 Remember with me that God has come in power to send a wind to blow back the waters, 00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:21.419 to defeat your enemies once and for all, 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:25.399 and to bring you home to himself because he made you. 00:30:25.399 --> 00:30:27.959 He made you for relationship with himself. 00:30:28.199 --> 00:30:31.299 He made a covenant to bless you forever. 00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:33.559 It's okay if you can't handle it. 00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:35.639 He can and he will. 00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:42.759 It may be a child or parent or another family member. 00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:46.960 It may be a friend or a neighbor that you think is too far gone. 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:49.299 You've given up on him. 00:30:51.140 --> 00:30:55.360 Would you start praying again 00:30:55.360 --> 00:31:05.299 to a God whose mighty hand and outstretched arm are not too short to save? 00:31:06.340 --> 00:31:08.799 Fear not, dear ones. 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:12.480 Stand firm in Christ. 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:18.380 Watch God as he delivers in ways that you could never predict. 00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:21.319 Shut up and marvel 00:31:21.319 --> 00:31:27.960 as God saves by his wonderful, powerful, amazing grace. 00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:31.480 People just like you who could never save themselves. 00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:32.940 You're not any better. 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:34.860 You're not any faster. 00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:39.559 You're not any more capable of making it across on your own than anyone else. 00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:45.980 One last thing that we can't miss in this story. 00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:50.680 Not only who are the kinds of people God rescues and restores is beautiful. 00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:54.660 Also, how does God rescue and restore? 00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.700 This part's shorter. 00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:01.140 It's through a representative, 00:32:02.339 --> 00:32:05.960 a mediator, a go-between, if you will. 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:10.620 We've seen already in our stories God rescuing through a substitute. 00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:14.519 Here it's through a representative, Moses. 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:17.720 Moses, we'll see throughout the story, 00:32:17.860 --> 00:32:21.819 represents God to Israel and Israel to God, doesn't he? 00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:23.360 Both directions. 00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:26.960 When the people cry out against God, 00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:30.779 God tells Moses to stop. 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:32.980 Verse 15. 00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:37.139 Then when God wants to bring his power to bear, 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:38.639 to rescue his people, 00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:41.980 he tells Moses to hold out his staff. 00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:43.220 Verse 21. 00:32:43.899 --> 00:32:46.240 And part the waters. 00:32:47.139 --> 00:32:47.660 Amazing. 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:49.059 It's not Moses' power. 00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:51.240 Again, verse 27. 00:32:51.379 --> 00:32:52.940 Moses stretches out his hand 00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:56.059 and the waters crash back on the Egyptians. 00:32:58.059 --> 00:32:59.599 So, verse 30. 00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:03.719 Thus, the Lord saved Israel that day 00:33:03.719 --> 00:33:05.919 from the hand of the Egyptians. 00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:10.519 The people feared the Lord. 00:33:11.379 --> 00:33:13.099 They believed in the Lord 00:33:13.099 --> 00:33:16.359 and in his servant, Moses. 00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:19.459 Yahweh demonstrates his power 00:33:19.459 --> 00:33:21.599 and his representative, Moses, 00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:23.279 is vindicated at the same time, 00:33:23.419 --> 00:33:26.699 hours after hearing all the clamoring complaints 00:33:26.699 --> 00:33:27.759 against him. 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:32.859 Consider it through the eyes of our friends. 00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:36.539 Jeremiah and Anna held each other tight 00:33:36.539 --> 00:33:38.359 as they stood behind Moses, 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:40.959 some of the last few Israelites across. 00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:43.659 And they watched the Red Sea 00:33:43.659 --> 00:33:45.579 crash back in over the Egyptians. 00:33:47.079 --> 00:33:48.599 Well, they were safe now 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:51.619 and Moses was really worth trusting. 00:33:51.619 --> 00:33:55.619 A lot of their friends had rushed off to sing, 00:33:55.879 --> 00:33:57.139 but they hung around. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:59.279 Hey, thanks, Moses, 00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:00.759 Jeremiah said. 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:02.379 You're really powerful. 00:34:03.099 --> 00:34:05.119 You think you could impress this girl 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:06.519 I like for me sometime? 00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:10.980 Thank you for your kind words, son. 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:13.960 It's been a long night and I'm tired. 00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:18.659 Save your thanks and praise for Yahweh. 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:21.219 I'm not even sure I'll make it 00:34:21.219 --> 00:34:22.880 to the promised land myself, 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:25.780 but he will bring his people there. 00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.619 Trust him 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:29.280 and you'll have everything you need. 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:33.380 Jeremiah and Anna were tired, 00:34:33.560 --> 00:34:35.440 but there was new life in their legs 00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:36.740 and joy in their hearts. 00:34:37.340 --> 00:34:39.500 Wow, Anna said to her big brother, 00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:42.320 Yahweh is even stronger than you. 00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:44.960 Hand in hand, 00:34:45.040 --> 00:34:47.400 they hobbled over to join their parents 00:34:47.400 --> 00:34:48.640 and friends singing, 00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:51.120 the Lord has triumphed gloriously. 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:52.859 The right hand of the Lord 00:34:52.859 --> 00:34:54.319 has done valiantly. 00:34:54.739 --> 00:34:56.039 Give thanks to the Lord, 00:34:56.259 --> 00:34:57.239 for he is good. 00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:01.039 His steadfast love endures forever. 00:35:03.880 --> 00:35:06.460 Moses was God's representative 00:35:06.460 --> 00:35:09.239 in this rescue, right? 00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:12.199 But we have a better one, 00:35:12.920 --> 00:35:13.359 don't we? 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:15.119 We do. 00:35:15.359 --> 00:35:16.719 We have a better representative. 00:35:17.099 --> 00:35:18.500 It's possible even that 00:35:18.500 --> 00:35:20.500 the pre-incarnate son of God 00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:22.039 is in this story 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:24.260 as the angel of God 00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:25.480 moving from, 00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:26.300 remember this, 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:29.000 when God comes from in front to behind 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:30.579 to separate the people 00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:31.460 from the Egyptians 00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:32.639 to protect them. 00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:34.780 I join John Calvin 00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:35.780 and many others 00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:36.800 in that opinion. 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:39.400 Not everybody shares it 00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:40.920 regardless. 00:35:42.199 --> 00:35:44.260 This story is pointing us 00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:47.360 to our true and perfect representative, 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:49.739 the prophet like Moses 00:35:49.739 --> 00:35:52.339 who is yet greater than Moses, 00:35:52.659 --> 00:35:54.019 the great mediator 00:35:54.019 --> 00:35:55.959 between us and God, 00:35:56.279 --> 00:35:57.739 representing fallen humanity 00:35:58.279 --> 00:35:59.439 to God 00:35:59.439 --> 00:36:01.599 and gracious God 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:03.159 to us. 00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:05.399 The one who meets us 00:36:05.399 --> 00:36:06.139 in our land 00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:07.059 far from home 00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:08.319 where we are in bondage 00:36:08.319 --> 00:36:09.739 and facing death. 00:36:09.879 --> 00:36:11.899 The one who shelters our lives 00:36:11.899 --> 00:36:13.259 under the blood of the Lamb 00:36:13.259 --> 00:36:14.159 so that we live. 00:36:14.579 --> 00:36:15.779 The one who has led us 00:36:15.779 --> 00:36:16.719 out of bondage 00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:18.459 to death with Him 00:36:18.459 --> 00:36:20.579 so that we are on our way 00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:21.819 to the promised land 00:36:21.819 --> 00:36:23.799 even though we are not there yet. 00:36:24.959 --> 00:36:26.519 The one who's with us 00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:28.119 so that we have forgiveness 00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:30.619 all along the way. 00:36:30.859 --> 00:36:31.939 That we have power 00:36:31.939 --> 00:36:33.459 to live by God's Word 00:36:33.459 --> 00:36:34.519 and His presence 00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:36.199 to bring us home forever. 00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:36.739 See, 00:36:36.879 --> 00:36:38.879 Jesus is in the flesh 00:36:38.879 --> 00:36:40.119 the embodiment 00:36:40.119 --> 00:36:41.079 of the God 00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:41.719 who's powerful 00:36:42.259 --> 00:36:43.799 to rescue and restore 00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:45.039 even people 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:46.120 who can't do it 00:36:46.120 --> 00:36:47.400 and don't deserve it. 00:36:48.120 --> 00:36:49.600 Jesus shows us that God, 00:36:49.660 --> 00:36:50.019 doesn't He? 00:36:50.720 --> 00:36:51.680 He stands 00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:53.820 with His arms outstretched 00:36:53.820 --> 00:36:55.260 on the cross 00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:56.560 so that the waters 00:36:56.560 --> 00:36:57.700 of God's judgment 00:36:57.700 --> 00:36:59.080 crush Him 00:36:59.080 --> 00:37:00.220 and you and I 00:37:00.220 --> 00:37:01.120 come across 00:37:01.120 --> 00:37:02.260 to life 00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:03.360 and freedom 00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:04.620 and relationship 00:37:04.620 --> 00:37:05.760 with our God. 00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:08.120 Do you see Him there? 00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:12.920 See Him, friend, 00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:14.380 because, look, 00:37:14.500 --> 00:37:16.300 there is no other spot 00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:18.659 where you can cross over. 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:19.720 Don't walk up 00:37:19.720 --> 00:37:20.619 and down the shore 00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:21.300 thinking, 00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:22.480 maybe there's a place 00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:22.940 over here 00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.400 I can get across myself. 00:37:24.720 --> 00:37:26.280 Maybe if I just look down here 00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:27.460 I'll find a way over. 00:37:27.639 --> 00:37:28.840 When Jesus stands 00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:30.079 and says there's a way 00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:31.260 to cross 00:37:31.260 --> 00:37:32.599 on dry ground, 00:37:33.180 --> 00:37:34.460 He stands in heaven 00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:35.760 saying I've come here 00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:37.180 and I'm bringing you home 00:37:37.180 --> 00:37:38.820 and you get there with me. 00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:40.780 There's one spot. 00:37:40.780 --> 00:37:43.200 Don't look anywhere else. 00:37:43.620 --> 00:37:44.700 He's given Himself 00:37:44.700 --> 00:37:45.900 so that you 00:37:45.900 --> 00:37:47.180 can come home. 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:49.440 Even sinners like us 00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:51.240 can just walk through 00:37:51.240 --> 00:37:52.560 on dry ground. 00:37:53.040 --> 00:37:53.920 You don't have to find 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:54.540 your own way. 00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.940 Come to Jesus. 00:37:57.640 --> 00:37:59.080 Experience the power 00:37:59.080 --> 00:38:00.100 of God, 00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:01.540 the good news of Jesus, 00:38:01.680 --> 00:38:02.860 the power of God 00:38:02.860 --> 00:38:04.120 for the salvation 00:38:04.120 --> 00:38:06.160 of all who believe. 00:38:07.060 --> 00:38:07.780 May we believe 00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:09.220 in Him today. 00:38:09.219 --> 00:38:09.879 Let's pray. 00:38:13.879 --> 00:38:14.399 Jesus, 00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:15.199 You indeed are 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:17.059 mighty and strong 00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:19.819 and powerful to save. 00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:21.899 Oh, 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.279 help our unbelief. 00:38:24.379 --> 00:38:24.639 Forgive 00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:26.719 our weak faith. 00:38:29.919 --> 00:38:30.519 Resume 00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:31.359 Your place 00:38:31.359 --> 00:38:32.079 in the throne 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:33.199 of our hearts 00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:34.939 and direct our lives 00:38:34.940 --> 00:38:36.760 so that we 00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:38.700 live confidently 00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:40.559 not in our own strength 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:42.200 but confidently 00:38:42.200 --> 00:38:43.119 before the throne 00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:43.900 of grace 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:44.780 where mercy 00:38:44.780 --> 00:38:45.599 is poured out 00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:46.159 to us. 00:38:47.460 --> 00:38:48.059 Thank You 00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:48.740 for Your rescue. 00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:49.940 Thank You 00:38:49.940 --> 00:38:50.740 for Your presence 00:38:50.740 --> 00:38:51.220 with us. 00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:51.599 Thank You 00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:52.340 for the hope 00:38:52.340 --> 00:38:52.880 of eternity 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:53.460 with You. 00:38:55.260 --> 00:38:55.900 We give You 00:38:55.900 --> 00:38:56.740 thanks in Your name. 00:38:57.480 --> 00:38:57.780 Amen. 00:38:57.780 --> 00:38:57.920 Amen. 00:38:59.220 --> 00:39:00.400 For more information, 00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.659 visit us online 00:39:01.659 --> 00:39:02.720 at southwood.org. 00:39:02.719 --> 00:39:03.539 www.alOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOU