WEBVTT

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 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christchurch.

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 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christchurch.

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 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at Christchurcheastbay.org.

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 If you could please remain standing for the reading of God's Word.

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 A reading from the book of Exodus, chapter 14, starting from verse 1 all the way to verse 31.

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 Then the Lord said to Moses,

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 Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi-Hahiroth between Migdal and the sea.

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 They are to encamp by the sea directly opposite Baal-Ziphon.

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 Pharaoh will think the Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion hemmed in by the desert.

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 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart and he will pursue them.

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 But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army.

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 And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.

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 So the Israelites did this.

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 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,

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 Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said,

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 What have we done?

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 We've let the Israelites go and have lost their services.

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 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.

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 He took 600 of the best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt.

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 With officers over all of them.

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 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

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 So that he pursued the Israelites who were marching out boldly.

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 The Egyptians, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops,

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 pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-Hahiroth opposite Baal-Ziphon.

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 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up.

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 And there were the Egyptians marching after them.

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 They said to Moses,

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 Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?

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 What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

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 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, leave us alone?

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 Let us serve the Egyptians.

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 It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.

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 Moses answered the people,

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 Do not be afraid.

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 Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.

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 The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.

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 The Lord will fight for you.

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 You need only to be still.

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 Then the Lord said to Moses,

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 Why are you crying out to me?

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 Tell the Israelites to move on.

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 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water

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 so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

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 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.

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 And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army through his chariots and his horsemen.

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 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.

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 Then the angel of God who had been traveling in front of Israel's army withdrew and went behind them.

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 The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,

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 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.

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 Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side,

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 so neither went near the other all night long.

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 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.

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 And all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.

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 The waters were divided,

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 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,

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 with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

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 The Egyptians pursued them,

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 and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

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 During the last watch of the night,

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 the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army

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 and threw it into confusion.

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 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving.

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 And the Egyptians said,

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 Let's get away from the Israelites.

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 The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.

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 Then the Lord said to Moses,

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 Stretch out your hand over the sea,

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 so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.

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 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,

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 and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.

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 The Egyptians were fleeing toward it,

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 and the Lord swept them into the sea.

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 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen.

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 The entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea,

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 not one of them survived.

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 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,

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 with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

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 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians,

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 and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore.

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 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians,

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 the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses, His servant.

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 The grass withers and the flowers fall,

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 but the word of our God stands forever.

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 Amen.

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 You can take your seats.

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 Let's pray.

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 Lord, we thank you that your hand is mightier than any Pharaoh's hand.

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 And we pray that having witnessed this,

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 in you showing up in history time and time again to redeem your people,

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 that you would give us that fear of the Lord,

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 give us that faith in who you are and what you're capable of.

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 God, show us your greatness, we pray,

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 in the preaching of your word.

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 In Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 All right.

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 So, if I could give myself a grade on parenting this past week,

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 at best, I'd give myself a C-.

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 All right.

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 C-.

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 It was a rough week.

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 Every morning, a battle.

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 Every morning, a rush.

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 Hurry filled our home.

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 Come on.

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 Let's go.

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 What are you doing?

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 Get moving.

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 Hurry up.

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 Obey.

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 Or else.

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 Right.

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 I was loud.

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 I was mean.

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 I was forceful.

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 I was domineering.

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 This week, I cracked the whip.

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 Like, more than I can ever recall.

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 At best, C-.

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 Parenting.

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 Now, what in the world does this have to do with Moses

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 and the crossing of the Red Sea?

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 I guess what I'm trying to say is that this week,

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 in the Ong household, I was Pharaoh.

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 I was Pharaoh.

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 Or at least, I caught myself living out the same imagination

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 that animated Pharaoh and his empire.

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 An imagination dominated by fear and insecurity.

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 And the sense that, man, if things don't go according to my agenda,

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 if I start losing the order and the security,

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 even just in my own household,

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 everything could just fall apart.

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 So I better control everyone and everything around me,

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 no matter the cost.

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 And if ever my control seems to be slipping out of my fingers,

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 more pressure, more force,

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 whatever it takes to get everyone, everything back in line.

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 That was Pharaoh's way in Egypt.

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 That was my way in our home this past week.

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 You know, I think that for a lot of us,

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 when we approach the scriptures,

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 we often only ever identify, though,

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 with the victims and the underdogs,

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 or maybe the heroes that we're trying to emulate and celebrate.

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 Like, we can open this book of Exodus,

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 and we think to ourselves,

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 okay, we need to have faith like Moses,

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 like the Israelites,

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 because look, God delivered the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt.

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 He defeated their oppressors,

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 and the power of God's mighty hand went on full display

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 when the people cried out to him in faith.

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 So praise God,

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 trust him in tough times,

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 and walk by faith,

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 because even when there seems no way,

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 God can make a way.

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 Sermon's over, right?

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 But what if there's something else going on in this story

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 that's just as important,

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 but way easier to miss?

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 What if this story invites us

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 not merely to identify with the Hebrew slaves

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 and with Moses,

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 but to recognize something of Pharaoh

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 and his ways in ourselves?

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 What if Exodus 14 is not just about

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 how God gets his people out of Egypt,

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 but also about how God gets Egypt out of his people?

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 Now, in case you're new,

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 last week, our lead pastor, Jonathan,

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 he opened up our series in the book of Exodus,

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 where we're gonna be giving special attention

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 to the Ten Commandments,

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 but before we get there,

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 we're spending a few weeks

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 on what happened before the giving of the law.

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 Because see, the Ten Commandments,

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 they don't start right there

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 on page one of the book of Exodus.

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 No, before God ever tells his people how to live,

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 and this is so key to understanding the Ten Commandments,

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 before God ever tells his people how to live,

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 he delivers them from slavery.

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 His main intention is not to restrict,

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 but to liberate and empower,

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 and that's what we saw last week

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 in the burning bush,

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 in the Passover story.

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 So coming into Exodus chapter 14 today,

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 the Hebrews, they're free now,

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 no longer slaves.

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 The incredible, the impossible,

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 has happened after 430 pilgrim years in Egypt,

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 and generations of slavery,

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 the journey out of Egypt has begun.

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 And they're being led by God himself

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 in a pillar of cloud by day

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 and fire by night.

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 And they're finally on their way.

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 But then here, in chapter 14,

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 in verse 2,

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 God directs them to do something quite strange.

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 Verse 2 says,

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 tell the Israelites to turn back

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 and encamp by the sea.

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 For some reason,

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 after leading them in one direction,

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 God's now telling them to turn around

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 and backtrack.

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 Far from the most efficient route

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 out of Egypt,

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 God directed them to take a route

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 that actually made them look silly

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 and foolish and vulnerable and confused.

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 And yet this is exactly his intention.

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 God says in verses 3 and 4,

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 I want you to look like you're wandering

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 and confused and trapped.

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 In fact, I'm planning for Pharaoh

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 to pursue you with everything he's got,

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 all his army, his horses, his chariots,

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 all the things that made him

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 a great and successful king over Egypt.

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 And it is precisely when Pharaoh comes at you

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 with the fullness of his power and his glory

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 that I will show the world

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 who all the power and all the glory

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 actually belong to.

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 See, the Exodus story isn't primarily

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 about Moses or the Israelites

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 and the miraculous things that happened to them.

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 No, it's a story about the glory of God

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 over all other powers.

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 He's in complete control of the story

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 and everything always plays out

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 exactly as he has intended.

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 So, just as God predicted,

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 in verse 5, Pharaoh is filled with regret.

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 Egypt's whole economic advantage,

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 their whole low-cost labor force,

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 the unjust engine of Pharaoh's empire,

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 the Hebrews were no longer their slaves.

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 And especially after 10 severe plagues

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 that Egypt just suffered,

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 Pharaoh's entire world is crumbling.

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 His agenda, his security, his empire,

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 his status, his legacy,

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 it's all at risk.

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 The control that the pharaohs of Egypt

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 had enjoyed for generations

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 was now slipping through his fingers.

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 So, his back's against the wall

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 and now what does he do?

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 Well, the only thing he knows to do, right?

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 The only thing he could ever imagine

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 or believe that would work,

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 he reaches for more power,

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 more force, more pressure.

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 The whole of his army, every horse,

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 all the chariots of Egypt, it says.

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 Because this is how you get control back.

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 This is how you secure

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 your own desired outcomes.

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 You crack the whip as hard as you need to

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 until everyone and everything

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 bends the knee to you.

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 So, even after, again,

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 suffering 10 terrible plagues

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 and being on the losing side

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 of this battle between

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 the God of the Hebrews

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 and all the Egyptians'

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 most powerful gods,

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 in Pharaoh's mind,

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 because of the success that he's seen,

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 the success that he's seen

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 in his chariots and his horsemen

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 and his army,

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 time and time again,

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 he believes that he still has a chance.

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 And because he's never known

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 a God like Yahweh,

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 he's never known a God

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 who is completely all-powerful,

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 he's never known a God

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 who is incapable of losing,

00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:20.559
 in Pharaoh's imagination,

00:12:20.939 --> 00:12:22.539
 he's still got a fighting chance

00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:24.699
 to regain control by force.

00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:26.840
 So, just as God designed,

00:12:27.020 --> 00:12:28.180
 Pharaoh gears up.

00:12:28.800 --> 00:12:30.200
 And with every military,

00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:31.700
 every technological advantage

00:12:32.400 --> 00:12:33.460
 at his disposal,

00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.600
 he goes to reacquire

00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.020
 his escaped assets,

00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:37.759
 the Hebrews.

00:12:38.660 --> 00:12:39.440
 And in no time,

00:12:39.560 --> 00:12:41.160
 the Egyptians are

00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:42.900
 on the Hebrews' heels.

00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:44.960
 And as they approach,

00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:45.940
 verse 10 says,

00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.480
 the Israelites looked up.

00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:48.680
 And they were terrified,

00:12:48.820 --> 00:12:49.780
 and they cried out to the Lord,

00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:50.220
 verse 11,

00:12:50.220 --> 00:12:51.300
 was it because there were

00:12:51.300 --> 00:12:52.279
 no graves in Egypt

00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:53.100
 that you brought us

00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:54.220
 to the desert to die?

00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:55.720
 What have you done to us

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:57.220
 by bringing us out of Egypt?

00:12:57.300 --> 00:12:58.180
 Didn't we say to you in Egypt,

00:12:58.320 --> 00:12:58.960
 leave us alone?

00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:00.660
 Let us serve the Egyptians.

00:13:00.899 --> 00:13:01.759
 It would have been better

00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:03.600
 for us to serve the Egyptians

00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.279
 than to die in the desert.

00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:06.000
 Did you hear that?

00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.139
 They are literally standing free

00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:10.660
 outside of Egypt.

00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:12.180
 And yet Egypt

00:13:12.180 --> 00:13:14.040
 is not yet outside of them.

00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:16.259
 It would have been better,

00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:16.720
 they said.

00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:17.720
 It would have been better

00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:18.720
 to live as slaves

00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:20.120
 of Pharaoh in Egypt

00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:21.320
 than to die as sons

00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:23.040
 of Yahweh in the desert.

00:13:23.920 --> 00:13:25.240
 Though no longer slaves

00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:25.620
 to Egypt,

00:13:25.740 --> 00:13:27.019
 they still were slaves

00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:27.600
 to the fear

00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.740
 and to the threat

00:13:28.740 --> 00:13:29.779
 of Egypt.

00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:31.800
 And although Pharaoh

00:13:31.800 --> 00:13:32.680
 no longer controlled

00:13:32.680 --> 00:13:33.399
 Hebrew bodies,

00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:34.700
 he still had a hold

00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:36.440
 on Hebrew hearts,

00:13:37.040 --> 00:13:37.720
 Hebrew minds,

00:13:38.160 --> 00:13:39.500
 Hebrew imaginations,

00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:41.139
 looking up at Pharaoh's army

00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:42.100
 in full force,

00:13:42.560 --> 00:13:43.899
 watching those unstoppable

00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:45.379
 chariots inch closer

00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:46.779
 and closer and closer,

00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:47.580
 hearing the crash

00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:48.360
 of the roaring waves

00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:48.779
 behind them,

00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:49.500
 feeling the mist

00:13:49.500 --> 00:13:50.360
 of the Red Sea

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:50.899
 on their backs,

00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:52.019
 Israel could only conceive

00:13:52.019 --> 00:13:54.379
 of two possible outcomes.

00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:55.379
 They could only imagine

00:13:55.379 --> 00:13:57.179
 two possible futures

00:13:57.179 --> 00:13:57.939
 for themselves.

00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.279
 In this moment

00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.080
 where they were trapped

00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:01.399
 between their former enslavers

00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:02.379
 and the raging sea

00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:02.919
 behind them,

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:04.379
 as far as they could see,

00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:05.980
 as far as Pharaoh could see,

00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:07.860
 as far as anyone could see,

00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:09.620
 either go back

00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:10.500
 and live as slaves

00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:12.600
 or go forward and die.

00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.059
 Slavery or the sea.

00:14:14.059 --> 00:14:16.379
 And what's so striking

00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:18.119
 is that Pharaoh and Israel,

00:14:18.439 --> 00:14:18.639
 you know,

00:14:18.699 --> 00:14:20.379
 they basically agree here

00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:21.779
 on all the possible options.

00:14:21.939 --> 00:14:22.459
 Pharaoh thinks,

00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:23.719
 I've got them.

00:14:23.979 --> 00:14:24.599
 They're trapped.

00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.399
 There's nowhere to escape.

00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:28.339
 And the Hebrews also think,

00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:29.179
 he's got us.

00:14:29.359 --> 00:14:29.899
 We're trapped.

00:14:30.199 --> 00:14:32.279
 And there's nowhere to escape.

00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:33.739
 The dominance,

00:14:33.939 --> 00:14:35.579
 even the apparent omnipotence

00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:37.259
 of Egypt continues to shape

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:38.059
 their imaginations,

00:14:38.899 --> 00:14:40.739
 their sense of what is possible.

00:14:41.219 --> 00:14:42.479
 Even after witnessing

00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:43.920
 the ten plagues that God used

00:14:43.920 --> 00:14:45.139
 to free them from Egypt,

00:14:45.259 --> 00:14:46.600
 their fears and complaints,

00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:47.860
 their imaginations reveal

00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:49.080
 who they really think

00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:50.879
 is the most powerful one

00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.460
 in control of this moment.

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.000
 Effectively,

00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:55.620
 Israel believes the same thing

00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:56.300
 about power

00:14:56.300 --> 00:14:57.539
 that Pharaoh does.

00:14:58.159 --> 00:14:58.879
 They're just on

00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.220
 the other end of it.

00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:00.980
 And therefore,

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:02.060
 they believe they're doomed.

00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:03.259
 They're hopeless.

00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:03.980
 They're trapped

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:04.800
 with no way out.

00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:06.320
 Riding his chariot,

00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:06.800
 Pharaoh says,

00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:07.600
 I have the power,

00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:08.500
 therefore I determine

00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:09.220
 the future.

00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:10.300
 And facing the chariots,

00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.320
 the Israelites agree.

00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:12.440
 Pharaoh has the power

00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:13.120
 and therefore,

00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:14.800
 he determines our future.

00:15:15.260 --> 00:15:16.220
 They'd gotten out of Egypt,

00:15:16.300 --> 00:15:17.379
 but Egypt hadn't gotten

00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:18.080
 out of them.

00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:20.100
 Both Pharaoh and Israel,

00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:20.860
 they were both living

00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:22.020
 out of the same understanding,

00:15:22.300 --> 00:15:23.180
 both ruled

00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:24.740
 by the same imagination.

00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.000
 The same imagination

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.280
 that ruled me this week.

00:15:28.940 --> 00:15:29.640
 When I was screaming

00:15:29.640 --> 00:15:30.220
 at my girls

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.240
 at the breakfast table,

00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:32.820
 higher volume,

00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:33.480
 more pressure,

00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:34.080
 more threats.

00:15:34.160 --> 00:15:34.420
 Why?

00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:36.280
 Because that's how

00:15:36.280 --> 00:15:37.660
 I implicitly believed

00:15:37.660 --> 00:15:38.780
 the world to work.

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:40.439
 That's what I believed

00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:40.959
 would secure

00:15:40.959 --> 00:15:42.480
 my desired outcomes.

00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:43.799
 Pressure,

00:15:44.199 --> 00:15:44.620
 tyranny,

00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:45.279
 aggression,

00:15:45.439 --> 00:15:46.240
 the ultimate tools

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.679
 for getting what we want.

00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:49.839
 In my imagination,

00:15:50.179 --> 00:15:51.339
 there was no other way.

00:15:51.419 --> 00:15:52.220
 This is the only way

00:15:52.220 --> 00:15:53.339
 to get stuff done, right?

00:15:54.439 --> 00:15:55.439
 And whether you're

00:15:55.439 --> 00:15:56.500
 on Pharaoh's side of it

00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:57.639
 or Israel's side of it,

00:15:57.720 --> 00:15:58.559
 this imagination

00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.899
 is just so prevalent

00:15:59.899 --> 00:16:00.819
 and influential

00:16:00.819 --> 00:16:01.799
 if you pay attention to it.

00:16:01.839 --> 00:16:02.319
 Whether it's,

00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:03.019
 I have to throw

00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:03.959
 everything I've got

00:16:03.959 --> 00:16:04.720
 at this thing

00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:05.620
 to secure my future,

00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:06.240
 to secure

00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.620
 my academic outcomes,

00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:08.960
 my relational outcomes,

00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:09.799
 my financial,

00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.279
 my career outcomes,

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.240
 my health outcomes,

00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.080
 more effort,

00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:13.980
 better technique,

00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:14.960
 higher investment

00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:16.000
 because if I don't

00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:17.220
 concentrate everything

00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:17.700
 I've got

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.740
 to make this happen,

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:19.399
 who will?

00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:21.799
 Whether you come at it

00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:22.320
 like Pharaoh

00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.139
 or whether you come at it

00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:24.639
 like Israel,

00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:24.919
 like,

00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:26.279
 I'm done for.

00:16:26.860 --> 00:16:27.480
 I'm stuck.

00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:28.539
 I'm trapped.

00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:29.799
 And there's no possible

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:30.560
 happy ending

00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:31.799
 because I have no power,

00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:32.620
 no resources,

00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:33.399
 no nothing,

00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:34.519
 no hope for salvation,

00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:35.580
 no hope for joy,

00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:36.780
 no hope for my marriage,

00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:37.420
 my children,

00:16:37.660 --> 00:16:38.620
 my broken relationships,

00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:39.340
 my health,

00:16:39.520 --> 00:16:40.400
 everything's already

00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:41.820
 been decided for my life

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:43.680
 and every possible scenario

00:16:43.680 --> 00:16:44.379
 stinks.

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:45.820
 See,

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.740
 whether we're desperately

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:47.800
 trying to control

00:16:47.800 --> 00:16:48.740
 our circumstances

00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:50.220
 or terrified

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:51.160
 because of how little

00:16:51.160 --> 00:16:52.280
 control we have

00:16:52.280 --> 00:16:53.740
 before the powers that be,

00:16:54.680 --> 00:16:56.180
 we're basically still living

00:16:56.180 --> 00:16:58.600
 inside a Pharaoh's imagination

00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:00.200
 under the shadow

00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:01.900
 of his oppressive empire

00:17:01.900 --> 00:17:03.800
 where the future belongs

00:17:03.800 --> 00:17:04.759
 to whoever can crack

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.379
 the whip

00:17:05.379 --> 00:17:06.259
 the hardest.

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:09.779
 But here in Exodus chapter 14,

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:12.019
 God invites his people

00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:13.359
 to expand

00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:16.200
 and to even re-imagine

00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:17.740
 our imaginations,

00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:20.279
 to inform our imaginations

00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:21.059
 by the goodness

00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:22.099
 and the glory

00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:25.220
 and the infinite omnipotence

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.460
 of our holy God.

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.140
 Precisely,

00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:31.420
 precisely when Pharaoh thinks

00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:32.140
 that he's got them

00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:33.140
 right where he wants them,

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:36.600
 and precisely when Israel thinks

00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.759
 that Pharaoh's got them

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.920
 right where he wants them,

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:41.800
 trapped with no possible salvation,

00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:43.240
 Moses,

00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.660
 the prophetic mediator,

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:46.820
 the mouthpiece of God,

00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:47.900
 he speaks to them.

00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:49.400
 Three commands

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:50.820
 and one big truth.

00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:52.080
 Verse 13,

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.000
 first command,

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.440
 fear not,

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:56.080
 do not be afraid.

00:17:56.820 --> 00:17:57.600
 Second command,

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:58.340
 stand firm,

00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:59.080
 or better yet,

00:17:59.300 --> 00:18:00.120
 stand still.

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:01.319
 you could translate this.

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:02.759
 And third command,

00:18:03.159 --> 00:18:03.379
 see.

00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:04.779
 Behold,

00:18:04.899 --> 00:18:05.739
 feast your eyes

00:18:05.739 --> 00:18:06.939
 upon the deliverance

00:18:06.939 --> 00:18:08.500
 the Lord will bring you

00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.139
 today.

00:18:09.399 --> 00:18:10.579
 The Egyptians you see today,

00:18:10.699 --> 00:18:11.859
 you will never see again.

00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.419
 And then this is probably

00:18:13.419 --> 00:18:14.719
 my favorite part of the whole passage

00:18:14.719 --> 00:18:15.419
 in verse 14.

00:18:15.500 --> 00:18:16.139
 One big truth

00:18:16.139 --> 00:18:17.079
 and one requirement.

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:19.059
 The Lord

00:18:19.059 --> 00:18:20.139
 will fight

00:18:20.139 --> 00:18:21.279
 for you.

00:18:22.139 --> 00:18:23.119
 You need only

00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:24.699
 to be still.

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:27.000
 The battle belongs

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.539
 to the Lord,

00:18:27.620 --> 00:18:28.019
 he's saying.

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.220
 You cannot fight

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:30.160
 your way free.

00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:30.920
 You cannot swim

00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:31.500
 your way free.

00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:32.220
 You cannot deliver

00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:33.259
 your own deliverance.

00:18:33.340 --> 00:18:34.420
 You must

00:18:34.420 --> 00:18:35.519
 allow Yahweh

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.600
 to do that for you.

00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:37.259
 You cannot do

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:38.559
 what only Yahweh can do.

00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:41.080
 You need not fight

00:18:41.080 --> 00:18:42.019
 or win your own battles.

00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:42.799
 You need only

00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:43.440
 be still

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.700
 and know

00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:45.539
 that God

00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.319
 is God.

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:47.759
 So,

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:49.180
 God invites his people

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:50.059
 to go from

00:18:50.059 --> 00:18:50.720
 bewildered

00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:51.660
 by the hand of Pharaoh

00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:53.000
 to beholding

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.740
 the mighty hand

00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:54.960
 and outstretched arm

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.720
 of God.

00:18:56.120 --> 00:18:56.880
 When in verse 10

00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:57.600
 it says the Israelites

00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:58.240
 looked up,

00:18:58.940 --> 00:18:59.540
 saw the Egyptians

00:18:59.540 --> 00:19:00.320
 and were terrified,

00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:01.500
 now here in verse 13

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.500
 their Lord invites them

00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.259
 to look again

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:04.800
 but now higher

00:19:04.800 --> 00:19:06.200
 toward him.

00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:08.000
 To see reality

00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:09.240
 for what it really is

00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:10.140
 at every point

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:11.380
 held and guided

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:12.640
 by the mighty hand

00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:13.400
 of Yahweh.

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:14.740
 He wants to fix their eyes

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:15.400
 on a power

00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:16.980
 and on possibilities

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.860
 far beyond those

00:19:18.860 --> 00:19:20.600
 of Pharaoh's imagination.

00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:22.180
 Because,

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.360
 as he said in verse 4,

00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:24.180
 he says it again

00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:25.320
 in verses 17 and 18,

00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:26.220
 he's on a mission

00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:27.960
 to manifest his glory,

00:19:28.080 --> 00:19:29.480
 to make himself known

00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:30.820
 to Israel,

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:31.900
 to the great

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:32.980
 and mighty empire

00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:33.440
 of Egypt

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.980
 and really to all

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:36.000
 the watching world

00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.080
 here between

00:19:37.080 --> 00:19:37.680
 the Egyptians

00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:38.580
 and the Red Sea

00:19:38.580 --> 00:19:39.759
 where the salvation

00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.300
 of his people

00:19:40.300 --> 00:19:41.460
 seems like an absolute

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.759
 impossibility.

00:19:43.840 --> 00:19:44.900
 Yahweh makes himself

00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.900
 known as the God

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:47.040
 who creates possibilities

00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:47.940
 that neither Pharaoh

00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:48.880
 nor Israel

00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:49.660
 nor anyone else

00:19:49.660 --> 00:19:50.320
 could have imagined.

00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.899
 And how?

00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:53.819
 By making a way

00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:54.819
 where there was no way,

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.700
 dry ground

00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.859
 through the middle

00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:57.799
 of the sea.

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.319
 It's incredible,

00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:00.279
 this crossing

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:00.980
 of the Red Sea.

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:03.240
 Now, if you are

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.159
 a modern Western

00:20:04.159 --> 00:20:05.159
 scientific person,

00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.799
 that should sound

00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:07.559
 pretty amazing to you,

00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:07.679
 right?

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.019
 That just,

00:20:08.220 --> 00:20:08.899
 that doesn't happen,

00:20:09.139 --> 00:20:09.379
 right?

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.139
 And as a side note,

00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:11.779
 if you're here

00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:12.720
 and you struggle

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:13.439
 with Christianity

00:20:13.439 --> 00:20:14.799
 because of stories

00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.720
 like this,

00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:16.500
 we're super glad

00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:16.839
 you're here.

00:20:16.919 --> 00:20:17.839
 We'd love to speak

00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.740
 to you about your

00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:20.220
 obstacles and objections

00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:21.639
 but what we also

00:20:21.639 --> 00:20:22.220
 want to communicate

00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:22.919
 to you is,

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:23.319
 hey,

00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:23.859
 at the heart

00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:24.939
 of the Christian faith

00:20:24.939 --> 00:20:27.119
 is a crucified Messiah

00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.439
 who was raised

00:20:28.439 --> 00:20:29.919
 on the third day.

00:20:30.679 --> 00:20:31.599
 And Christians,

00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:31.980
 you know,

00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:33.419
 we aren't a gullible people

00:20:33.419 --> 00:20:34.519
 but what I would say

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:36.179
 is we do have

00:20:36.179 --> 00:20:37.179
 a very expansive,

00:20:37.779 --> 00:20:38.099
 joyful,

00:20:38.379 --> 00:20:39.759
 and hopeful imagination

00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.220
 when it comes to

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:41.799
 what our God

00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:43.339
 can and cannot do.

00:20:44.059 --> 00:20:44.619
 And we'd love

00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:45.339
 to invite you

00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:46.659
 to try that on

00:20:46.659 --> 00:20:47.500
 and to imagine

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.899
 and dream with us.

00:20:49.579 --> 00:20:50.559
 But back to the story again,

00:20:50.659 --> 00:20:52.359
 for modern scientific people

00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:53.199
 like us,

00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:53.439
 right?

00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.740
 This Red Sea event,

00:20:54.899 --> 00:20:55.480
 it should sound

00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:56.419
 super amazing,

00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:57.139
 supernatural,

00:20:57.379 --> 00:20:57.500
 right?

00:20:57.579 --> 00:20:58.019
 Unnatural.

00:20:58.819 --> 00:20:59.199
 But man,

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:00.799
 if you were an Egyptian,

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:02.579
 if you were an Israelite,

00:21:02.639 --> 00:21:03.240
 if you were someone

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:05.159
 steeped in the mythological culture

00:21:05.159 --> 00:21:06.879
 of the ancient Near East,

00:21:07.419 --> 00:21:07.619
 man,

00:21:07.659 --> 00:21:08.259
 this wasn't just

00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:08.959
 some unnatural,

00:21:09.159 --> 00:21:10.339
 supernatural occurrence.

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:11.359
 This was so much

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.339
 more than that.

00:21:13.139 --> 00:21:14.159
 I want you to notice

00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:14.840
 what might seem like

00:21:14.840 --> 00:21:15.519
 a minor detail

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:16.620
 in verses 2 and 9.

00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:17.519
 Do you see where it indicates

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.840
 the location of this event?

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.700
 It says that they're

00:21:20.700 --> 00:21:22.580
 camped out opposite

00:21:22.580 --> 00:21:23.759
 of this place called

00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:25.360
 Baal Zephon.

00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:27.320
 If you know

00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:28.259
 some of the other parts

00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:28.759
 of your Bible,

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:30.320
 Baal was this God

00:21:30.320 --> 00:21:31.259
 that many people

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:32.480
 in the region

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:33.259
 worshipped.

00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:34.320
 That's because

00:21:34.320 --> 00:21:35.340
 this was an area

00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:36.180
 where the worship

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.259
 of Baal Zephon

00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:38.980
 was very dominant.

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.700
 He was known

00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:40.640
 as the storm God.

00:21:41.320 --> 00:21:41.740
 Baal Zephon

00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:42.380
 was associated

00:21:42.380 --> 00:21:43.860
 with the storm God Baal

00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:44.659
 known throughout

00:21:44.659 --> 00:21:45.079
 the region

00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:46.179
 for his hard-fought

00:21:46.179 --> 00:21:47.399
 victory over Yam,

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.639
 which means the sea.

00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:49.699
 Alright,

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.579
 so Baal Zephon,

00:21:50.659 --> 00:21:51.719
 he's known as the storm God

00:21:51.719 --> 00:21:52.299
 who's defeated

00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:53.439
 the great power

00:21:53.439 --> 00:21:53.979
 of the sea.

00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:54.899
 And in fact,

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:56.479
 in the world of Exodus,

00:21:56.679 --> 00:21:57.839
 across the ancient Near East,

00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.319
 in the stories people

00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:00.439
 told about their gods

00:22:00.439 --> 00:22:01.039
 and the ordering

00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.019
 of their universe,

00:22:02.679 --> 00:22:03.259
 the sea

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.339
 was often seen

00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:05.119
 as a threatening,

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:06.319
 ominous,

00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.599
 chaotic power

00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:08.459
 that the gods

00:22:08.459 --> 00:22:10.559
 waged violent war against,

00:22:10.879 --> 00:22:11.799
 triumphing only

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.680
 through fierce

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.319
 and dangerous struggle.

00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:15.879
 And they had to fight

00:22:15.879 --> 00:22:16.500
 in order

00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:17.639
 to establish

00:22:17.639 --> 00:22:18.399
 their supremacy

00:22:18.399 --> 00:22:19.859
 and their kingship.

00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.119
 So you think about

00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:22.099
 the Babylonian myth

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:23.180
 of Marduk

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:24.399
 defeating Tiamat,

00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:24.779
 right?

00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:25.579
 Or here,

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:26.519
 Baal defeating

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:26.879
 Yam,

00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:27.359
 the sea.

00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:28.519
 But,

00:22:29.159 --> 00:22:30.500
 in both these stories,

00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:32.200
 these are battles

00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:33.419
 where the gods

00:22:33.419 --> 00:22:34.700
 have worthy opponents.

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:35.539
 They have rivals

00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:37.000
 and so they need weapons.

00:22:37.139 --> 00:22:38.299
 Baal has to have

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:39.200
 another god

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.159
 make special weapons

00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.019
 so that he could defeat

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.400
 Yam,

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:41.880
 the sea.

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.480
 Marduk goes to war

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.080
 with a bow

00:22:44.080 --> 00:22:44.820
 and arrow,

00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:45.440
 with a club,

00:22:45.540 --> 00:22:45.860
 a net,

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.300
 lightning,

00:22:46.580 --> 00:22:47.279
 and wind.

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.420
 Because these gods

00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:49.000
 are going up

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:49.640
 against powers

00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:50.340
 that can actually

00:22:50.340 --> 00:22:51.040
 threaten them.

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.460
 In the ancient

00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:53.660
 Near Eastern imagination,

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.680
 the sea was a power

00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.080
 that threatened

00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:56.640
 both men

00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.880
 and even their gods.

00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:58.420
 And so,

00:22:58.560 --> 00:22:59.460
 in these stories,

00:22:59.580 --> 00:23:00.400
 there's always a struggle,

00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:01.360
 there's always danger,

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.220
 there's always risk

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:03.259
 and uncertainty

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:04.440
 about who's gonna

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.900
 come out on top.

00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:07.900
 But now let's come back

00:23:07.900 --> 00:23:08.800
 to Exodus 14

00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:10.379
 and watch Yahweh

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:11.519
 and the sea.

00:23:12.419 --> 00:23:13.359
 Is there a battle here?

00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:15.039
 Is there a struggle?

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:17.059
 Is there any uncertainty,

00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:17.899
 peril,

00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:18.839
 or risk?

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.279
 None.

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.440
 None,

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:22.099
 because the sea

00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:23.019
 isn't another god

00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.759
 vying for power

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.339
 against Yahweh.

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:24.519
 No,

00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:25.279
 the sea is powerful.

00:23:25.379 --> 00:23:25.539
 Yes,

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.659
 more powerful than Israel,

00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.139
 more powerful than Pharaoh,

00:23:28.419 --> 00:23:29.759
 more powerful than many

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.379
 of the ancient Near Eastern gods.

00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:32.279
 But to Yahweh,

00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:33.639
 the sea

00:23:33.639 --> 00:23:35.099
 is his creation.

00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:37.699
 And from the very beginning

00:23:37.699 --> 00:23:38.500
 of the creation

00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.219
 of the world,

00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:40.000
 he looked out

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.199
 upon the ominous,

00:23:41.439 --> 00:23:41.879
 threatening,

00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:42.379
 chaotic,

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:43.419
 disorderly deep,

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.599
 and he simply spoke it

00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:45.339
 into order.

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:47.039
 He spoke life

00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:47.919
 into the world

00:23:47.919 --> 00:23:49.019
 with the holy breath

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.519
 of his authoritative words.

00:23:50.939 --> 00:23:52.059
 And he does so here again.

00:23:52.159 --> 00:23:52.699
 Verse 21,

00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:54.000
 Yahweh sends the wind,

00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:55.019
 he sends his breath,

00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:56.659
 and the sea moves,

00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.799
 the waters divide,

00:23:58.039 --> 00:23:59.059
 dry ground appears.

00:24:00.359 --> 00:24:01.199
 And when he wants

00:24:01.199 --> 00:24:02.000
 the waters back

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:02.619
 where they were,

00:24:02.719 --> 00:24:03.539
 they go back.

00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:04.819
 And he even uses

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:06.180
 his human servant mediator,

00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:06.599
 Moses,

00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:07.720
 to accomplish this.

00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:08.559
 And Moses himself

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:09.480
 doesn't even struggle.

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.440
 So even as Yahweh

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.599
 fights for Israel,

00:24:13.639 --> 00:24:14.659
 he is at the same time

00:24:14.659 --> 00:24:15.980
 not fighting against

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.680
 the sea

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:17.680
 or any rival.

00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:18.659
 The sea isn't his rival,

00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.299
 it's his servant.

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.980
 And that is what Exodus

00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:23.059
 wants us to see

00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:24.460
 about Israel's God.

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.299
 Yahweh isn't just

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.500
 another ancient storm god

00:24:27.500 --> 00:24:28.720
 who happens to be stronger

00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:29.500
 than Baal

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:30.700
 and the gods of Egypt.

00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:31.779
 He's not Marduk

00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.700
 with a better arsenal

00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:33.379
 of weapons.

00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:35.539
 It's not like he's got

00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:36.519
 better tech and gear

00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.039
 than Pharaoh

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:39.099
 with his 600 best chariots.

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:40.920
 Yahweh is simply,

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:41.720
 he's not simply

00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:43.059
 the strongest god

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:44.619
 in the same category

00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:45.659
 as these other gods.

00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:46.680
 No, he's in a category

00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:48.099
 all of his own.

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:50.299
 Whereas Baal has to

00:24:50.299 --> 00:24:50.980
 defeat the sea

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:52.279
 to establish his kingship,

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:52.960
 whereas Marduk

00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:54.039
 has to conquer Tiamat

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:55.960
 to establish his supremacy,

00:24:56.339 --> 00:24:57.579
 Yahweh commands the sea

00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:59.279
 because he's already king.

00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:01.099
 He doesn't become sovereign

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:02.500
 by winning this battle.

00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:03.299
 The battle reveals

00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:04.880
 that he's always been sovereign.

00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:06.720
 Yahweh isn't merely

00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:07.539
 showing Israel

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.880
 that he's a better warrior

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.500
 than Pharaoh.

00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:10.259
 He's showing them

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:10.980
 that he,

00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:12.119
 and he alone,

00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:13.299
 is the creator.

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:15.299
 And when the creator

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.359
 is in the story,

00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:18.180
 Pharaoh doesn't get

00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:18.900
 to decide

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:19.980
 what is possible.

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.359
 The sea doesn't get

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:22.019
 to decide

00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:23.119
 what is possible.

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.359
 Even the apparent limits

00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:25.119
 of creation

00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:26.779
 don't get to decide

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:28.079
 and give the final word

00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:28.859
 because the creator

00:25:28.859 --> 00:25:29.720
 can make a way

00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:30.799
 where there is no way.

00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:32.579
 When Pharaoh thought

00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:33.000
 that the sea

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.759
 was his trap,

00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:35.140
 Yahweh turned

00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:35.779
 Pharaoh's trap

00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:36.900
 into Israel's highway.

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.759
 This treacherous,

00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:39.200
 threatening,

00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:40.680
 unwieldy body of death,

00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:41.600
 this raging sea,

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.660
 the thing everyone thought

00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:43.600
 marked the end of the road

00:25:43.600 --> 00:25:44.559
 for God's people,

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:45.980
 God made a way

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.880
 through it.

00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.660
 A way to salvation

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.539
 through the waters,

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.559
 a way to bring glory

00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.220
 to himself

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:52.360
 as the creator

00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:53.460
 and savior God

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:54.299
 who he is.

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:56.019
 You know,

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:57.559
 another way you could

00:25:57.559 --> 00:25:58.200
 tell the story

00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.259
 of the exodus

00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:00.240
 is as the story

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.059
 of the creator

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.599
 bringing about

00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:03.539
 a new creation

00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.440
 and particularly

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.759
 of subverting

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.740
 Pharaoh's

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:08.819
 anti-creation agenda,

00:26:08.919 --> 00:26:10.019
 his anti-creation

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:10.740
 dominion.

00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:12.440
 If you think about it,

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.639
 Pharaoh's really been

00:26:13.639 --> 00:26:15.079
 an anti-creator

00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:16.599
 figure from the beginning

00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.500
 of the story in Exodus.

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.200
 If you look back

00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:19.559
 in Exodus chapter 1

00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:20.099
 verse 7,

00:26:20.579 --> 00:26:21.279
 it says,

00:26:21.579 --> 00:26:22.019
 the Israelites

00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:23.500
 were exceedingly fruitful,

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.779
 they multiplied greatly,

00:26:25.140 --> 00:26:26.019
 increased in numbers,

00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:27.240
 and became so numerous

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.440
 that the land

00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:29.759
 was filled with them.

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.380
 Does that language

00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.319
 sound familiar to you?

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:34.859
 Sounds like Genesis 1, right?

00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:35.759
 The beginning of the Bible,

00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:36.799
 Genesis 1, 28,

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:37.880
 God creates human beings,

00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:38.880
 he blesses them,

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:39.579
 and he says,

00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:40.200
 be fruitful,

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.119
 multiply,

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.500
 and fill the earth.

00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:43.799
 And yet,

00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:44.920
 what does Pharaoh do

00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:45.880
 when he sees the Hebrews

00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:46.559
 being fruitful

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.500
 and multiplying

00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:49.299
 and filling his land?

00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:49.759
 He says,

00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:51.000
 this has got to stop.

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.700
 This is not good for me.

00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.700
 This is not good for the world,

00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:54.519
 for my empire.

00:26:55.380 --> 00:26:56.799
 So he enslaves them.

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.759
 He reduces image bearers

00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:00.740
 to units of production

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:02.080
 who make bricks

00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:03.319
 to build store cities

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:04.519
 so that he can,

00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:04.759
 you know,

00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:06.299
 accumulate and store

00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:07.539
 and accumulate and store

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.740
 and produce and consume

00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.840
 and produce and consume

00:27:09.840 --> 00:27:10.759
 without limit

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:11.920
 and at the expense

00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:14.080
 of his expendable slaves.

00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:15.559
 And yet,

00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:16.720
 when slavery doesn't stop

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.299
 their fruitfulness,

00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:18.799
 they continue to grow in number.

00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:19.380
 He commands

00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:20.559
 that their sons be killed.

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.819
 He cranks up the oppression.

00:27:22.619 --> 00:27:24.099
 Throw every Hebrew boy

00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:25.379
 into the Nile

00:27:25.379 --> 00:27:28.059
 by violently opposing

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:29.339
 the creator's blessing

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.179
 upon the world

00:27:30.179 --> 00:27:31.980
 that his people be fruitful,

00:27:32.159 --> 00:27:32.480
 multiply,

00:27:32.639 --> 00:27:33.500
 fill the earth with his image.

00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:33.960
 Pharaoh,

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.099
 as an anti-creator character,

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:37.299
 not only hurts the Hebrews,

00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.759
 but he even hurts

00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:39.799
 his own empire.

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.700
 Because what happens

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:42.159
 when God looks down

00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:43.139
 upon his people

00:27:43.139 --> 00:27:43.839
 crying out

00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:44.700
 under the thumb

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:46.519
 of this Egyptian anti-creator?

00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:48.440
 Well, creation itself

00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:49.319
 starts to come apart

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:50.680
 in Egypt through the plagues,

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:50.960
 right?

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:51.519
 The Nile,

00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:53.000
 the source of Egypt's life,

00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:53.740
 turns to blood.

00:27:54.099 --> 00:27:55.599
 Fish and livestock die.

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.819
 Crops are destroyed.

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:58.139
 The sun stops giving light.

00:27:58.299 --> 00:27:59.579
 Darkness covers the land.

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.759
 It's like they're going backwards

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:02.680
 from the creation story.

00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:04.440
 And death comes upon

00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.299
 every household

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:06.700
 that has not placed its faith

00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:08.740
 in the true creator God.

00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.920
 Under Pharaoh's reign,

00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:13.259
 within his imagination,

00:28:13.259 --> 00:28:13.420
 creation,

00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:15.680
 Egypt experiences

00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:16.900
 de-creation.

00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:18.819
 The national order

00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:19.720
 that Pharaoh was so

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:21.259
 desperate to control

00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:22.059
 comes apart

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:23.160
 in his bloody hands.

00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:24.619
 And all of his,

00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:25.759
 and all of this,

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:27.640
 it reaches its climax here

00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:28.859
 in Exodus 14

00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:29.640
 at the Red Sea,

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:31.160
 where just as Pharaoh

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:32.000
 had weaponized

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:33.119
 the waters of the Nile

00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:34.460
 against those Hebrew boys,

00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:35.920
 now the waters

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.599
 of the Red Sea

00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.299
 are about to fall

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:37.779
 in judgment

00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:39.160
 upon the warriors

00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:40.099
 of Egypt.

00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:41.619
 But you know

00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:42.200
 what's interesting

00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:44.039
 is that for God's people,

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.019
 those same waters

00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:46.880
 became the place

00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:47.700
 of new creation

00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:48.880
 and life

00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:49.920
 and salvation.

00:28:50.120 --> 00:28:51.380
 They're like baptismal waters

00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:51.920
 for them.

00:28:52.440 --> 00:28:53.380
 Just like in the beginning

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:54.120
 and just like when God

00:28:54.120 --> 00:28:55.000
 started over with Noah,

00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:55.740
 the wind blew,

00:28:56.080 --> 00:28:56.779
 the waters moved,

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.720
 the ground appeared,

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:59.059
 and God's people emerged

00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.220
 on the other side.

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:02.400
 But why only for Israel

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.940
 and not also for Egypt?

00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:06.680
 When Hebrews chapter 11,

00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:07.299
 verse 29,

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:09.160
 it says that by faith,

00:29:09.580 --> 00:29:10.740
 the people passed through

00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:11.579
 the Red Sea

00:29:11.579 --> 00:29:12.880
 as on dry land.

00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:14.059
 But when the Egyptians

00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:15.019
 tried to do so,

00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.079
 they were drowned.

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:17.120
 Did you hear the difference?

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:19.019
 It's by faith.

00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:20.940
 By faith in God's word.

00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:22.539
 When God told them

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.460
 in verse 15,

00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:24.380
 tell the Israelites

00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:25.140
 to move on,

00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:26.339
 they did.

00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:28.140
 They simply took

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:29.200
 step by step

00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:29.740
 by faith,

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.400
 walking through

00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.200
 the treacherous sea

00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:32.599
 between the walls

00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:33.079
 of water

00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:33.920
 that they just

00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:34.759
 had to trust

00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.059
 would not come

00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:37.120
 collapsing down

00:29:37.120 --> 00:29:37.740
 on them.

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:39.500
 But Egypt,

00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:41.460
 Egypt charges in

00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:42.160
 trusting not

00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:42.599
 in the word

00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:43.120
 of the Lord,

00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:44.079
 but trusting

00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:44.759
 in what Egypt

00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:45.680
 had always put

00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:46.380
 its trust in,

00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:47.500
 in horses,

00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:48.420
 in chariots,

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.579
 in military strength.

00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:50.960
 And right there

00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:51.480
 in the middle

00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:51.839
 of the sea,

00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.279
 that's where

00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:53.620
 Pharaoh's imagination

00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:55.039
 finally dies.

00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:56.819
 Because the chariots

00:29:56.819 --> 00:29:58.039
 can't save them.

00:29:58.120 --> 00:29:58.960
 Verse 25 says,

00:29:59.059 --> 00:30:00.200
 God jams their wheels.

00:30:00.339 --> 00:30:01.019
 Think about that.

00:30:01.079 --> 00:30:02.279
 The very technology

00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:04.299
 that made Egypt

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:05.859
 look unstoppable.

00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:07.379
 The very thing

00:30:07.379 --> 00:30:08.059
 Pharaoh trusted

00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:08.819
 to secure

00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:10.779
 his desired future

00:30:10.779 --> 00:30:12.500
 became useless,

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:13.959
 a hindrance to him.

00:30:14.479 --> 00:30:15.159
 And the Egyptians

00:30:15.159 --> 00:30:16.659
 finally recognize here

00:30:16.659 --> 00:30:17.419
 and cry out

00:30:17.419 --> 00:30:18.099
 what Israel should have

00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:18.819
 known and believed

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.559
 all along.

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:21.119
 Yahweh is fighting

00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:21.599
 for them.

00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:22.939
 Yahweh is fighting

00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:24.259
 for his people

00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:25.179
 and not as some

00:30:25.179 --> 00:30:26.359
 king kidnapping,

00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:28.159
 not as like a king

00:30:28.159 --> 00:30:29.000
 who's like kidnapping

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:31.139
 some immigrant laborers

00:30:31.139 --> 00:30:31.819
 to build his own

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:33.139
 alternative empire.

00:30:33.659 --> 00:30:33.979
 No.

00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:36.420
 He doesn't call them

00:30:36.420 --> 00:30:37.839
 to himself

00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.880
 to be his slaves.

00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:39.420
 Do you remember

00:30:39.420 --> 00:30:40.559
 what Yahweh told Pharaoh

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.220
 all the way back

00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:42.259
 in Exodus chapter 4?

00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:44.360
 In Exodus chapter 4,

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.440
 verse 22 and 23,

00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:46.539
 Yahweh tells Moses

00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:47.860
 to say to Pharaoh,

00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:51.339
 Israel is my firstborn son.

00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:53.460
 Let my son go

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:55.400
 so he may worship me.

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.579
 And this is who

00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:58.940
 the Hebrews have always been

00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:00.079
 in God's eyes,

00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:01.160
 not Pharaoh's slaves,

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:03.240
 Yahweh's sons,

00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.180
 Yahweh's children.

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:05.059
 So you see what God

00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:06.180
 is doing here at the Red Sea

00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:07.559
 in the whole book of Exodus.

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.519
 This isn't just God

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:09.200
 getting his son

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:10.299
 out of Pharaoh's house.

00:31:10.440 --> 00:31:11.420
 He's beginning to get

00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:13.120
 the mind of a slave

00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:14.400
 out of his sons,

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:15.180
 out of Israel.

00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:16.859
 Because slaves,

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:18.140
 slaves look up,

00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:18.859
 they see Pharaoh

00:31:18.859 --> 00:31:19.620
 and they tremble.

00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:20.500
 Slaves assume

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.980
 Pharaoh gets the final word.

00:31:22.099 --> 00:31:23.160
 Slaves think the future

00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:24.140
 belongs to the one

00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:25.140
 with the most

00:31:25.140 --> 00:31:26.339
 threatening whip.

00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:28.279
 But God is teaching

00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:29.059
 these slaves

00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:30.299
 what it means

00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:31.079
 to live as sons,

00:31:31.079 --> 00:31:32.139
 to look up

00:31:32.139 --> 00:31:32.839
 and see more

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:33.759
 than Pharaoh's chariots,

00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:34.579
 but to see the Lord

00:31:34.579 --> 00:31:35.199
 of hosts,

00:31:35.919 --> 00:31:37.019
 who is at the same time

00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:38.159
 their liberating king

00:31:38.159 --> 00:31:39.899
 and their affectionate father.

00:31:40.339 --> 00:31:41.439
 He's teaching his sons

00:31:41.439 --> 00:31:42.559
 to receive his word

00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:44.000
 and walk in his ways,

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.879
 not by the crack

00:31:44.879 --> 00:31:45.599
 of the whip

00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:46.339
 as I did

00:31:46.339 --> 00:31:47.199
 with my girls

00:31:47.199 --> 00:31:48.319
 this past week,

00:31:49.199 --> 00:31:50.939
 but with a mighty hand

00:31:50.939 --> 00:31:52.460
 and an outstretched arm

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:53.519
 and with a gentle,

00:31:53.919 --> 00:31:54.220
 patient,

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.460
 and loving posture

00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:57.639
 toward his grumbly children.

00:31:57.640 --> 00:32:00.400
 See, the point of Exodus

00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:01.320
 isn't simply

00:32:01.320 --> 00:32:03.160
 liberation from slavery,

00:32:03.820 --> 00:32:05.160
 but liberation for

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:07.120
 and unto sonship.

00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:08.880
 The point of Exodus

00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:09.480
 isn't simply,

00:32:09.800 --> 00:32:10.800
 wow, Yahweh is

00:32:10.800 --> 00:32:11.940
 a powerful God

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:12.640
 worth trusting,

00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:15.100
 but Yahweh is also

00:32:15.100 --> 00:32:16.560
 a loving father

00:32:16.560 --> 00:32:18.040
 worth living with.

00:32:19.100 --> 00:32:19.300
 And man,

00:32:19.380 --> 00:32:20.520
 I think that's what

00:32:20.520 --> 00:32:21.300
 I was missing

00:32:21.300 --> 00:32:22.740
 when I was Pharaoh

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.980
 to my daughters

00:32:23.980 --> 00:32:24.660
 in my home

00:32:24.660 --> 00:32:25.520
 this past week.

00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:27.920
 living within the imagination

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.619
 of Pharaoh

00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:29.539
 and his empire.

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.799
 I thought being a good father

00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.980
 meant controlling my daughters.

00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:33.879
 I thought I needed

00:32:33.879 --> 00:32:34.639
 to control them

00:32:34.639 --> 00:32:35.720
 with force and pressure

00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:36.639
 and more and more

00:32:36.639 --> 00:32:37.500
 threatening cracks

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.139
 of the whip.

00:32:39.579 --> 00:32:39.940
 But you know,

00:32:39.980 --> 00:32:40.460
 on Friday,

00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:42.119
 after like really

00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:42.819
 just laying it

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.400
 into my girls

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:44.319
 before they hit it off

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.139
 to school,

00:32:45.539 --> 00:32:47.200
 I went for my daily walk

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.200
 with my dog Sammy

00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:49.480
 and with God

00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:51.660
 and my heart sank

00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:54.160
 and I had to fight back tears.

00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:54.559
 Why?

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:57.019
 Because I knew

00:32:57.019 --> 00:32:57.579
 that the father

00:32:57.579 --> 00:32:58.639
 I had been to my girls

00:32:58.639 --> 00:32:59.220
 that morning

00:32:59.220 --> 00:33:01.119
 was so far

00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:02.319
 from the father

00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:02.900
 I've been trying

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.980
 to point my girls to

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:05.920
 in these past eight years

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:06.700
 of being a dad.

00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:08.879
 Our father in heaven.

00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:11.180
 Hallowed be his name.

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:13.740
 Our holy and good,

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:14.700
 good father

00:33:14.700 --> 00:33:15.740
 who is a father

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.799
 without equal.

00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:19.339
 And it wasn't even just

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:19.960
 that I was treating

00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:21.319
 my girls like my slaves,

00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:21.759
 but man,

00:33:21.819 --> 00:33:22.519
 at the same time

00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.839
 that I was playing Pharaoh,

00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:25.839
 I too was treating

00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:26.720
 my own self

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:28.240
 as a slave.

00:33:28.659 --> 00:33:30.679
 A slave to Pharaoh's imagination,

00:33:30.939 --> 00:33:32.399
 a slave to the idea

00:33:32.399 --> 00:33:33.359
 that cracking the whip

00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:34.519
 is the only way

00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:36.279
 to win in this world.

00:33:36.879 --> 00:33:37.079
 Sure,

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.899
 I was holding the whip,

00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:38.639
 but I was acting

00:33:38.639 --> 00:33:40.000
 way more like a slave

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.059
 than a son.

00:33:43.159 --> 00:33:43.480
 You know,

00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:45.019
 in the Gospel of Luke,

00:33:45.379 --> 00:33:46.059
 chapter nine,

00:33:46.199 --> 00:33:47.059
 Jesus is up there

00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:47.839
 on the mount

00:33:48.439 --> 00:33:48.839
 of transfiguration.

00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:49.519
 Transfiguration.

00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:51.259
 And as he's praying,

00:33:51.339 --> 00:33:52.679
 his face and his clothes

00:33:52.679 --> 00:33:53.799
 all become bright

00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:54.559
 and glorious,

00:33:54.919 --> 00:33:56.759
 and then Moses appears

00:33:56.759 --> 00:33:57.779
 with Elijah,

00:33:57.899 --> 00:33:58.740
 and they start talking

00:33:58.740 --> 00:34:00.779
 to Jesus about his departure,

00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:01.559
 or in the Greek,

00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:02.599
 his exodus.

00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:04.659
 And basically,

00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:05.379
 they're talking about

00:34:05.379 --> 00:34:05.899
 his cross,

00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:06.659
 his sacrifice,

00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:07.799
 or what Jesus calls

00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:09.119
 his own baptism.

00:34:10.279 --> 00:34:11.539
 The way he will put sin

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:12.059
 to death

00:34:12.059 --> 00:34:12.960
 through his blood

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.840
 and triumph over death

00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:15.319
 and evil

00:34:15.319 --> 00:34:16.480
 by taking upon himself

00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:17.440
 the deathly judgment

00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:18.780
 threatening all God's children.

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:19.900
 So,

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:21.019
 they're on this mountain,

00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:21.300
 right?

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.000
 They're talking about

00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:22.800
 how he will become

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:24.420
 the ultimate Passover lamb

00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:25.599
 whose blood will cover

00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.639
 and protect every child

00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:27.480
 of God from judgment.

00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:30.159
 But then Peter comes in,

00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:30.700
 right?

00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:31.900
 And he's like,

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:32.320
 Master,

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.700
 it is good for us

00:34:33.700 --> 00:34:34.260
 to be here.

00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.619
 Let us start building

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.300
 some shelters

00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.200
 for you guys.

00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:38.380
 And Luke tells us

00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.139
 he did not know

00:34:39.139 --> 00:34:39.880
 what he was saying.

00:34:40.760 --> 00:34:41.760
 It's almost like

00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:42.619
 all Peter could think

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.340
 to do was to

00:34:43.340 --> 00:34:44.720
 try to make himself useful,

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:45.539
 to serve,

00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:46.679
 try to build something,

00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:47.500
 get something done,

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.139
 bring value,

00:34:48.279 --> 00:34:49.119
 advance the ball

00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:50.159
 a couple more yards

00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:51.079
 for God.

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:53.719
 And I wonder

00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:55.739
 if that's how so many of us

00:34:55.739 --> 00:34:56.460
 show up in the world.

00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.619
 We wake up every day

00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:59.960
 trying to advance the ball

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:01.480
 a couple more yards.

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:04.219
 And when we hit obstacles,

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.359
 we get more and more forceful.

00:35:06.859 --> 00:35:07.539
 And to us,

00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.639
 it just feels like resilience.

00:35:08.779 --> 00:35:09.480
 It just feels like

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.679
 the natural way of the world.

00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.759
 That's how you get stuff done,

00:35:11.879 --> 00:35:12.219
 right?

00:35:12.379 --> 00:35:12.819
 And sure,

00:35:13.279 --> 00:35:14.179
 we want to be Christians

00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:15.539
 who are diligent.

00:35:16.339 --> 00:35:17.399
 But how often

00:35:17.399 --> 00:35:18.179
 does our diligence

00:35:18.179 --> 00:35:19.659
 actually turn into

00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:20.559
 desperation

00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:23.339
 and being incredibly demanding?

00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:25.399
 How often does our diligence

00:35:25.399 --> 00:35:27.099
 come more from anxiety

00:35:27.099 --> 00:35:28.219
 and insecurity

00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:29.759
 and a slavish mindset

00:35:29.759 --> 00:35:33.179
 than from the humble desire

00:35:33.179 --> 00:35:33.779
 of a son

00:35:33.779 --> 00:35:34.759
 to honor his father

00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:37.219
 but within our God-given limits?

00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:38.919
 You know,

00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:40.299
 when Peter seemingly goes

00:35:40.299 --> 00:35:41.839
 into servant-slave mode,

00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:44.640
 it's always stuck out to me

00:35:44.640 --> 00:35:45.660
 what God says to him

00:35:45.660 --> 00:35:46.840
 at the Mount of Transfiguration.

00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:47.360
 He says,

00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:48.460
 Peter,

00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:51.340
 this is my son

00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:53.100
 whom I love.

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:54.640
 With him,

00:35:55.180 --> 00:35:56.160
 I am well pleased.

00:35:57.100 --> 00:35:58.539
 Just listen to him.

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.620
 It's like God was telling Peter,

00:36:01.700 --> 00:36:01.920
 Peter,

00:36:02.160 --> 00:36:02.920
 my son,

00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:05.780
 I didn't ask you to do anything

00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:07.240
 other than fix your eyes

00:36:07.240 --> 00:36:08.160
 on my son

00:36:08.160 --> 00:36:08.840
 whom I love.

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:09.900
 You see this?

00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:11.820
 You see this brilliance?

00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:13.420
 You see my delight in him?

00:36:13.480 --> 00:36:14.700
 How pleased I am with him?

00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:17.000
 This is the whole thing,

00:36:17.160 --> 00:36:17.340
 Peter.

00:36:17.940 --> 00:36:18.780
 The very thing

00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:20.039
 he came to accomplish

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.780
 and offer.

00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:21.099
 Peter,

00:36:21.300 --> 00:36:22.180
 you don't need to build

00:36:22.180 --> 00:36:23.559
 something for the son.

00:36:23.639 --> 00:36:24.320
 You need the son

00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:25.960
 to accomplish something for you.

00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:26.920
 Listen to him.

00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:27.840
 Look at him.

00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:28.639
 Love him.

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.639
 Lean on him.

00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:31.420
 Because this son

00:36:31.420 --> 00:36:33.019
 is about to accomplish

00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.559
 the exodus

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:34.360
 that none of us

00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:35.300
 could ever accomplish

00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.079
 for ourselves.

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:38.320
 At the first exodus,

00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:40.100
 Israel stood between

00:36:40.100 --> 00:36:41.519
 their old life of slavery

00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:43.019
 and the seemingly

00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:44.000
 only other option,

00:36:44.080 --> 00:36:44.960
 the waters of death,

00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:46.640
 until their mediator,

00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:46.980
 Moses,

00:36:47.160 --> 00:36:47.860
 with a mighty

00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:49.080
 and outstretched arm,

00:36:49.240 --> 00:36:49.440
 right,

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.220
 as if it was

00:36:50.220 --> 00:36:51.559
 the very hand of God

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:52.260
 made a way,

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:53.100
 a way of salvation

00:36:53.100 --> 00:36:54.340
 through the deathly waters

00:36:54.340 --> 00:36:55.780
 into life

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.700
 and freedom

00:36:56.700 --> 00:36:57.500
 through the sea.

00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.740
 And when Pharaoh's

00:36:59.740 --> 00:37:00.480
 forces followed,

00:37:00.780 --> 00:37:01.660
 they didn't survive

00:37:01.660 --> 00:37:02.420
 the baptism

00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:03.300
 of the Red Sea.

00:37:03.380 --> 00:37:04.280
 There was no exodus

00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:04.980
 for them

00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:06.059
 because they had

00:37:06.059 --> 00:37:06.880
 no mediator

00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:08.380
 to follow by faith.

00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:10.559
 But now,

00:37:11.380 --> 00:37:12.699
 a greater mediator

00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:13.280
 has come.

00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.679
 And he's gone

00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:16.059
 through a greater baptism

00:37:16.059 --> 00:37:17.519
 all alone at first

00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:18.460
 to accomplish

00:37:18.460 --> 00:37:20.159
 a far greater exodus.

00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:21.280
 Except this time,

00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.980
 this mediator's hand

00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:24.199
 seems far less mighty.

00:37:25.019 --> 00:37:25.900
 Instead of clutching

00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:26.800
 a wooden staff,

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.740
 it's pierced through,

00:37:29.699 --> 00:37:30.380
 outstretched

00:37:30.380 --> 00:37:31.159
 and nailed

00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:32.800
 to a cross of wood.

00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:35.039
 And when this mediator

00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:35.580
 is baptized

00:37:35.580 --> 00:37:36.860
 in the judgment of God,

00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:37.820
 he actually tastes

00:37:37.820 --> 00:37:38.960
 death for you

00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.680
 and for me

00:37:39.680 --> 00:37:40.620
 to bear the judgment

00:37:40.620 --> 00:37:41.780
 that every child of God

00:37:41.780 --> 00:37:42.580
 but him

00:37:42.580 --> 00:37:43.519
 has ever deserved

00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:44.280
 for all the ways

00:37:44.280 --> 00:37:45.039
 that we feared

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.539
 and followed

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:48.039
 the pharaohs

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:48.780
 of this world

00:37:48.780 --> 00:37:50.220
 instead of our

00:37:50.220 --> 00:37:50.960
 Father in heaven.

00:37:52.380 --> 00:37:53.280
 And it's not until

00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:53.860
 the third day

00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:54.560
 that he emerges

00:37:54.560 --> 00:37:55.539
 from the waters

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:55.980
 of judgment,

00:37:56.120 --> 00:37:57.080
 but emerge he does

00:37:57.080 --> 00:37:57.840
 to guarantee

00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:59.120
 resurrection life,

00:37:59.380 --> 00:38:00.060
 new creation,

00:38:00.060 --> 00:38:01.539
 to chart a new way

00:38:01.539 --> 00:38:02.900
 in our broken world

00:38:02.900 --> 00:38:03.920
 in which there often

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.699
 seems to be

00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.360
 no good way,

00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:06.440
 no good option,

00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:08.440
 no good possible outcome.

00:38:09.500 --> 00:38:10.559
 This is what he does

00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:12.079
 and this is the gospel.

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.480
 The gospel of Exodus,

00:38:13.679 --> 00:38:15.019
 the gospel of new creation,

00:38:15.139 --> 00:38:16.860
 the gospel of sonship

00:38:16.860 --> 00:38:17.739
 for former slaves

00:38:17.739 --> 00:38:19.039
 like you and me.

00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:20.559
 Slaves to sin and death,

00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:21.719
 slaves to the imagination

00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:22.519
 of Pharaoh

00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:23.820
 and slaves to fear

00:38:23.820 --> 00:38:24.380
 and terror

00:38:24.380 --> 00:38:25.199
 and insecurity.

00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:26.099
 Jesus,

00:38:26.820 --> 00:38:27.820
 the greater Moses,

00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:29.119
 Yahweh himself,

00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:29.900
 the Messiah King

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:31.259
 has come in the flesh,

00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:32.420
 not to crack the whip,

00:38:33.060 --> 00:38:34.440
 but to bear the whip

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.380
 in our place

00:38:35.380 --> 00:38:36.840
 to bring many sons

00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:37.600
 to glory.

00:38:38.680 --> 00:38:39.040
 So,

00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:40.460
 if this is our God,

00:38:41.340 --> 00:38:42.680
 why would we continue

00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:43.380
 to live with

00:38:43.380 --> 00:38:44.680
 limited imaginations

00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:46.560
 determined by the empires

00:38:46.560 --> 00:38:47.420
 of Pharaoh?

00:38:48.200 --> 00:38:49.420
 Why would we continue

00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:50.360
 to tremble before

00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:50.980
 the chariots

00:38:50.980 --> 00:38:51.700
 and keep living

00:38:51.700 --> 00:38:52.780
 like no one can save us

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.460
 but ourselves

00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:55.100
 when instead

00:38:55.100 --> 00:38:55.880
 we can live

00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:56.840
 in our Father's love

00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:57.540
 and liberty

00:38:57.540 --> 00:38:58.340
 and in the fullness

00:38:58.340 --> 00:38:59.460
 and freedom

00:38:59.460 --> 00:39:00.480
 won for us

00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:01.159
 in Christ?

00:39:02.179 --> 00:39:02.420
 So,

00:39:02.579 --> 00:39:03.880
 as we move on

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:05.599
 toward Moses' law,

00:39:06.320 --> 00:39:06.519
 this,

00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:07.420
 the gospel,

00:39:07.639 --> 00:39:09.039
 it's so essential.

00:39:09.199 --> 00:39:10.019
 The Ten Commandments

00:39:10.019 --> 00:39:11.320
 aren't new restrictions

00:39:11.320 --> 00:39:13.019
 for a newly enslaved people,

00:39:13.219 --> 00:39:14.539
 but they are the way

00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:16.000
 that liberated children

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:16.900
 of God

00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:17.780
 live in harmony

00:39:17.780 --> 00:39:19.000
 with their Father

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.280
 and with each other

00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:21.559
 after the image

00:39:21.559 --> 00:39:22.079
 of Christ.

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.199
 So,

00:39:23.260 --> 00:39:24.059
 let's live that way

00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:25.519
 and trust Him.

00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:26.460
 Let's pray.

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:26.500
 Let's pray.

00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:26.539
 Let's pray.

00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.539


00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.539


00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.539


00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.539


00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.539


00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:30.460
 Let's pray.

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:32.420
 Lord,

00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:33.220
 would you expand

00:39:33.220 --> 00:39:34.159
 our imaginations

00:39:34.159 --> 00:39:36.440
 to see the world

00:39:36.440 --> 00:39:37.340
 as you see it,

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:39.519
 to know that

00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:40.099
 with you

00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:40.659
 and in you

00:39:40.659 --> 00:39:41.740
 all things are possible

00:39:41.740 --> 00:39:42.599
 and all things

00:39:42.599 --> 00:39:43.460
 turn out for good

00:39:43.460 --> 00:39:45.099
 for those who love Christ.

00:39:46.360 --> 00:39:47.300
 We thank you

00:39:47.300 --> 00:39:48.720
 for our better

00:39:48.720 --> 00:39:49.740
 mediator Christ,

00:39:50.579 --> 00:39:52.340
 for His baptism,

00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:54.400
 for His exodus,

00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:56.300
 and that you have

00:39:56.300 --> 00:39:57.599
 graciously invited us

00:39:57.599 --> 00:39:58.320
 to join Him

00:39:58.320 --> 00:39:59.480
 in that baptism,

00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:00.880
 in that exodus.

00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:03.200
 God,

00:40:03.340 --> 00:40:04.099
 let us set our eyes

00:40:04.099 --> 00:40:04.599
 on Jesus

00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:06.440
 and would He

00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:07.380
 prove Himself

00:40:07.380 --> 00:40:08.240
 to be the author

00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:08.940
 and perfecter

00:40:08.940 --> 00:40:09.579
 of our faith

00:40:09.579 --> 00:40:11.300
 and would our lives

00:40:11.300 --> 00:40:12.380
 demonstrate to the world

00:40:12.380 --> 00:40:15.860
 all the possibilities

00:40:15.860 --> 00:40:17.760
 that are in you

00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:19.460
 and only in you.

00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:21.320
 In your Son's name we pray.

00:40:21.720 --> 00:40:22.139
 Amen.