WEBVTT

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 Bible as we continue to think this evening about Moses and the salvation of God that we see here.

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 But let's begin with a warning that I've heard in a couple of different contexts this week,

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 perhaps you've reflected on it, the danger of consuming the news. So since the 1990s,

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 we've been living with a 24-hour news cycle. And psychologists have been sort of tracking and

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 studying the impact that consuming the news can have on us as people. Two major findings,

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 which I think are significant. One can tend to hijack our attention. So whether we find ourselves

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 doom scrolling, whether we find ourselves instinctively checking our device every few

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 minutes to see what might have changed, we can easily find ourselves distracted from the people

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 and events that are happening right where we are, right in the room. So it can hijack our attention.

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 And secondly, they recognize it can heighten our anxiety. Too much time looking at bad news

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 increases, the stress hormone that's released in our bodies. And we can find ourselves being utterly

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 overwhelmed by bad news coming from every corner of our planet, so much of which, almost all of which,

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 we cannot control. And so you find these warnings, you know, to avoid consuming the news, or we might

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 find the news actually begin to consume us. Well, bearing that in mind, I want to think about Exodus 13 and 14

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 to say from a Christian point of view, one way to respond to that is to make sure that we are hearing

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 God's good news. That what grabs our attention is the gospel, God's salvation through Jesus.

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 That we would allow that truth to bring peace and security into our hearts and lives in a world that

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 can seem so often to be full of chaos. We sang Psalm 106 and we began reading from Psalm 77,

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 remember Psalms, telling us to look back, to reflect, to remember for the sake of a life of faith and

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 obedience. In the book of Deuteronomy, so Moses wrote the book of Exodus, he also wrote the book of

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 Deuteronomy, 16 times the people of God are told to remember. Remember that you were slaves and God

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 redeemed you, that's the dominant one. Remember the Lord your God, He is the one who will give you the

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 ability to prosper in the promised land. Remember the Lord's victory on your behalf, so don't live in fear

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 of your enemies. As the people of God, we always need to remember who our God is and what He has done

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 on our behalf, because the dangers are real and they're always there to our faith. We see them in the

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 story of the Israelites, where our faith can become weakened, where we can be conformed to the world,

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 where our hearts and our minds can turn towards idols. So we're going to use Exodus 13 and 14 to hear

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 news reports, to hear true facts, to strengthen our faith, to remind ourselves of these basic

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 truths that we find here, that God is the God who guides His people, that God is sovereign and He

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 gains glory for Himself, and that God saves His people by grace. So let's begin by thinking about

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 the truth that God leads His people. This is there at the end of chapter 13 from verse 17 to 22.

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 Let me just briefly summarize. So last time we were here, we were in Exodus 5 and 6, and we heard

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 the promise of God that by His mighty hand, by His power, and in response to His covenant loyalty,

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 He's going to keep His promises, rescue will surely come. Chapters 7 to 12 are then full of God's mighty

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 acts. We have this great conflict going on between God and Pharaoh and the false gods of Egypt,

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 sometimes described as a God conflict. We have these plague events, these judgments where God shows

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 His superiority. We also have God's grace on display in the Passover event, so the judgment that falls on

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 Egypt, the people of Israel are spared so long as they obey God's Word, so long as the Passover lamb

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 is killed and the blood is sprinkled. So that now Pharaoh eventually turns and the nation of Israel

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 comes out. They enjoy their freedom. So that's where we find ourselves today. Moses is reporting for us

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 on some of the early movements of the nation as they experience this newfound freedom.

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 So in these early days, what does Moses pass on to us? He tells us that God leads His people. He makes

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 clear that they are a pilgrim people. Verses 17 and 18, we have that sense that they've been taken out,

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 but they're still on this journey, and it's a journey that God is directing. So it says He didn't lead

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 them into Philistine land because that would most likely tend to war. So He took them on this

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 longer route. God knows their faith is weak. They'd be prone to be discouraged. And so as an act of

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 kindness, and as a means by which He'll show His glory, He takes them on a different route. They come out on

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 this journey following God, ready for battle. And this pilgrim people remind us that we too, as the

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 people of God, we're a pilgrim people, aren't we? We are journeying the life of faith as a journey,

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 and we're called to walk by faith. And we are invited to walk by faith, understanding and growing

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 in our appreciation that God looks after us. We are safe in our Father's hands. John chapter 10,

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 Jesus reminds us that no one can snatch His people from His Father's hands. So we're a pilgrim people,

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 just like them. And this pilgrim people, they were invited to remember God's promise. Takes us to that

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 really, perhaps, surprising, strange incident of Joseph and his bones. Verse 19, Moses took the

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 bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. Takes us back to the end

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 of Genesis. So as Joseph was dying in Egypt, he believed God's promise that in the fullness of God's

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 time, His people would be released from Egypt and taken to the promised land. And so Joseph's dying

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 wish is that his bones would travel to the promised land, expressing faith in God's promise.

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 So now, 400 and something years later, the rescue has come. And so the people of this generation,

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 as they carry Joseph's bones out of the promised land, they have this visible reminder, God has kept

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 that promise. It took a long time, but it was exactly the amount of time that God had for them.

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 Now, as we journey in the life of faith, we too are invited to remember God's promise. We don't look

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 to the bones of Joseph. He was a prince of Egypt, but he chose to identify with his people even as he

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 died. We look to Jesus, the one who left the glory of heaven, the one who chose to identify with us,

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 came to save us. We know as we look to Jesus that he keeps his promise, dying to rescue us,

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 establishing the new covenant in his broken body and his shed blood. So as we journey through life,

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 we remember God's promise. And as a pilgrim people, they also enjoyed God's presence.

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 Verse 20 to 22.

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 After leaving Succoth, they camped at Etham. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud,

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 by night in a pillar of fire, so they could travel by day or by night. The pillar was always there,

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 always visible. The 24-hour news cycle in the Israelite camp, our God goes before us. He is with us.

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 In fact, the only time he doesn't go before them is when he goes behind them to shield them from their

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 enemies. So God, as it were, literally draws near to them to direct their steps, reminding them and

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 reminding us that freedom, because they're now enjoying freedom, freedom is to be free to enjoy

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 life with God. And this remains the great reality for the church today. God is with us. He's with us

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 by his Spirit. He's with us now as we worship. Jesus promised he wouldn't leave us as orphans. He

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 would come to us. And Jesus is still leading us by his Word and through his Spirit. And so it's so

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 important for us as Christians and as the church that we keep God's Word in front of us. But we have

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 in the story of Moses and Israel and the Exodus good news that we need to hear and we need to keep

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 hearing. That we're not left to our own devices as the people of God, but rather he leads his church.

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 Jesus leads his church, coming to be present with us, coming to be strong when we are weak and when we

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 are fearful. So that's the first thing we see, first thing we hear of this good news. The second thing is

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 that God gains glory. That's there at the beginning of chapter 14. Now, I think this is a really interesting

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 chapter. But picture for a moment. So we know from watching the TV news that there are war reporters

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 who go into hostile territory, bringing reports back right there as the action is happening. Well, picture

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 this evening an Egyptian war reporter. So he has followed Pharaoh and his armies to the sea. He has

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 watched what's just happened. And now he returns back to the center of power in Egypt. He returns to the palace,

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 bringing the news they dreaded and feared. Pharaoh and his army, they're defeated. They're gone.

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 Posing the question, what has happened? How has the most powerful empire on the planet

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 been defeated at chasing former slaves? How has this happened? And the headline that we have

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 is in verse 4. Here's how it happens. 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, and the Egyptians will know that I am

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 the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen. God's design, part of God's design in

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 these events is that the Egyptians would come to know, I am the Lord, discovering the hard way.

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 God alone is glorious. God is the true king. God is in control. And the Egyptians, they've had a front row seat

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 as this action has been playing out. How have they seen the glory of God on display? Well, they've discovered

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 that he is the glorious king over creation. Think about verse 16 for a moment. Think about the way this is

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 presented. Raise your hand. Raise your hand. Raise your hand. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea

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

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 What does that make you think of? If you know the beginning of the Bible, it will probably make you think of

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 Genesis chapter 1 and day 3 when God the Creator divided the sea so that dry land could be formed.

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 The sovereign Creator King is doing another great work here, bringing, as it were, new creation

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 so that His people can be set free. God is bringing life to His people in this event, showing Himself glorious

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 over creation. Of course, He's been showing that all through the plague events. So, whether it's turning the Red Sea

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 to blood or whether it's sending gnats or flies, showing that He is in charge, showing that the false gods of Egypt

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 are powerless to resist. So, He's the glorious king over creation. They are also seeing that He is the glorious

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 king over Pharaoh. Pharaoh who set Himself up as a son of the gods.

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 In verse 3 and 4, God deliberately, we're told, sets the Israelites on a path so that Pharaoh will think

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 the Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, and I'll harden Pharaoh's heart and He will pursue them.

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 The only real confusion, and we see this all through these chapters of the book of Exodus, is Pharaoh's

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 confusion in thinking, in thinking He can resist God and His will and go unpunished.

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 Exodus chapters, all the way from 4 to 15, has this repeated theme of Pharaoh's hard heart.

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 And so, sometimes the emphasis falls on God hardening Pharaoh's heart. At other times, Pharaoh hardens his heart.

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 What happens is, no matter God's words, let my people go, no matter God's actions, putting His glory on display,

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 Pharaoh resists, and he stubbornly says, no. And God is sovereign, and He hardens the heart of this evil king.

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 He's going to bring His judgment into the present. That Pharaoh's stubbornness and the delay in setting the people go free is actually going to allow more of God's glory to be seen,

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 more of God's power to be shown, more differentiation between Egypt and Israel, because Israel doesn't experience the judgments of God.

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 So, even Pharaoh's own officials at one point will say, Pharaoh, this is the finger of God at work.

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 And then you get that lovely verse in chapter 12, verse 38, as the Exodus event takes place,

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 says the Israelites journeyed. There were about 600,000 men on foot beside women and children.

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 Many other people went up with them.

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 So, some of the Egyptians who are living there, seeing what God is doing, saying, I'm not following Pharaoh. He's clearly not in charge.

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 So, they become part of the people of God, and they join God's people.

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 God is gaining glory over Pharaoh.

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 He is the glorious king over judgment and salvation.

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 The message to Pharaoh has been clear from the beginning.

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 Let my people go so that they might worship me.

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 The message to Moses was clear.

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 Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt are going to be judged.

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 Pharaoh has been wicked.

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 He is the one who gave the order, the national order,

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 to throw babies into the Nile.

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 He is the king who has deliberately been enslaving God's people against God's will.

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 And so, God says he will gain glory.

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 And he gains glory through judgment and salvation.

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 It's an important theme through the Bible.

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 The only way for God's people here to have peace

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 is if their enemies stop pursuing them.

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 And that happens because God acts.

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 How does God act here?

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 Through this great miracle, he divides the Red Sea.

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 The people go through safely.

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 But the water comes down.

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 The waters of judgment cover the Egyptians.

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 Again, going back to the book of Genesis.

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 The waters of judgment that covered the earth in Noah's day.

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 Here are the waters of judgment coming over Pharaoh and his army.

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 And the Egyptians themselves are in no doubt.

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 In verse 25,

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 God jammed the wheels of their chariots,

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 so 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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 God is going before them.

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 God goes behind them to protect them.

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 And God fights for them to give deliverance from their enemies.

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 Israel are kept.

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 Israel are saved.

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 No longer forced to serve a cruel tyrant king,

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 working them to death.

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 Now they have freedom to serve the good and gracious Lord and King.

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 God gains glory.

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 Of course, there are some difficulties that folks might have,

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 that we might have with these scenes.

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 Let's just think about them for a couple of minutes together.

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 Does judgment,

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 because judgment features throughout the Bible,

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 does God's judgment make God unworthy of worship?

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 So some people have the idea that God is love and can only ever be love,

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 and so any judgment would make them that would be unworthy of God.

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 Is it unworthy of God to harden Pharaoh's heart in an act of judgment?

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 I think perhaps on one hand,

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 it's really important to recognize our particular point of view.

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 You know, as we read the Bible,

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 we read in a particular culture,

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 we read in a culture and context where we have freedom,

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 where we have peace,

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 where we are not an oppressed or persecuted people.

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 But it's really interesting,

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 if you hear reports,

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 you talk to believers from persecuted places.

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 If we had the opportunity to speak to a Christian believer from North Korea,

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 or from Eritrea,

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 where they are suffering horror and imprisonment and labor camps,

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 and the threat of death constantly because of their faith,

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 you would hear time and time and time again,

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 the justice of God presents real hope for us.

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 That in the end,

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 evil will be done away with.

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 That God's salvation will come.

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 A God who didn't care about child killing,

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 remember Pharaoh advocated national child killing,

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 a God who didn't care about cruel slavery,

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 a God who didn't deal with sin in the end,

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 that would be a God who would be unworthy of our worship.

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 He wouldn't be just.

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 He wouldn't be righteous.

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 But that's not the God of the Bible.

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 We may wrestle with His timing.

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 Sometimes it's difficult because we read of God's judgment,

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 judgment brought into the present,

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 and that can be really striking to us,

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 and it's intended to stand as a warning

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 that we need to be ready to meet the reality of judgment day.

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 Sometimes we can struggle because we feel that there is so much injustice in the world,

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 and we long for God to act now,

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 to fix things now.

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 But as the people of God,

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 we can rest in the promise that in the end,

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 the judge of all the earth will do right.

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 God's judgment doesn't make Him unworthy of worship.

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 But perhaps there's another objection that someone might have.

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 Does seeking His own glory make God unworthy of worship?

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 You know, for us, if we see someone who's all about their own glory,

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 self-promoting, vain,

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 it can seem like the height of arrogance.

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 It can be really off-putting.

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 Especially as we understand ourselves as people,

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 we are not ultimately glorious.

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 But we need to recognize that God exists in a whole different category to us.

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 He is the highest good.

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 He is absolute perfection.

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 So for God to seek anything less than His own glory

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 would be for Him to suggest that there is someone or something that's better than Him.

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 And that's impossible.

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 Rather, what God does is He puts His glory on display in salvation,

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 that we might see His glory.

00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:28.340
 And especially for us in the New Testament age,

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:31.699
 we see the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,

00:23:32.139 --> 00:23:33.399
 His perfect character.

00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:39.579
 We see the glory of God's victory over sin and evil at the cross of Jesus.

00:23:39.939 --> 00:23:43.379
 And we are invited, as the people of God,

00:23:43.439 --> 00:23:48.419
 to find our highest joy in our glorious God.

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:55.199
 The Bible teaches us that we shouldn't settle for anything less.

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:58.720
 We shouldn't be too easily satisfied.

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:03.019
 Rather, we are to pursue our joy,

00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:10.600
 understanding that true joy comes when we know and enjoy the God who is glorious.

00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:16.480
 It is good news that God gains glory.

00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:21.860
 And it is good news, thirdly, that God saves His people.

00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:28.979
 Let's, for a moment, act like investigative reporters as we consider these events.

00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:31.699
 You know, investigative reporters, they're not just interested in,

00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:34.039
 here's the events that have happened,

00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:36.779
 but they're also wanting to probe deeper and to say,

00:24:36.859 --> 00:24:37.319
 well, why?

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:39.099
 Why did these events happen?

00:24:39.159 --> 00:24:40.919
 What's the significance of them?

00:24:41.639 --> 00:24:42.979
 And when we do that,

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:46.259
 we discover the good news that God saves.

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:48.099
 He's pleased to save by grace.

00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:51.299
 The first fact that we can discover,

00:24:51.459 --> 00:24:52.299
 who is saved?

00:24:53.159 --> 00:24:54.480
 What kind of people are saved?

00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:56.339
 Verse 10,

00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:58.759
 we find the Israelites looking up.

00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:01.019
 They've got the Red Sea behind them.

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:03.699
 They've got the Egyptians coming towards them,

00:25:03.719 --> 00:25:04.799
 and they're terrified.

00:25:06.399 --> 00:25:08.699
 Was it because there were no graves in Egypt

00:25:08.699 --> 00:25:11.279
 that you brought us to the desert to die?

00:25:12.099 --> 00:25:14.740
 They're caught between a rock and a hard place.

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:17.319
 All they can see, the only two options that they can see,

00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:20.259
 well, either there's slavery in Egypt,

00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:22.200
 or there's death.

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.620
 And so they say to Moses,

00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:25.500
 why did you take us out?

00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:27.960
 At least if we're slaves, we're still alive, we're not dead.

00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:34.500
 One of the things that we see repeating in the story of Israel,

00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:37.539
 and when we're honest, we see it in our own lives,

00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:41.720
 is how slow they are to believe and to trust,

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:44.539
 how weak their faith is,

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:47.779
 how weak our faith is so often.

00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:52.000
 And so God will send a message to them.

00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:54.500
 So in Deuteronomy 9,

00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:56.920
 God will say,

00:25:57.140 --> 00:26:00.380
 remember, I didn't save you because you were righteous.

00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:02.860
 I didn't save you because you were on a different moral,

00:26:03.059 --> 00:26:05.000
 spiritual plane to everybody else.

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:07.839
 And we see that, don't we?

00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:10.180
 We see that in this text.

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:14.900
 But the wonderful thing for us is that the more that Moses is led to highlight

00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:18.980
 the spiritual messes and failures of the Israelites,

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:25.220
 the more we see the sovereign grace and mercy of our God on display.

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:32.960
 And as his patience and his kindness and his faithfulness to his promises,

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.559
 as they are spotlighted,

00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:38.319
 gives us hope.

00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:42.980
 Because we're just like Israel,

00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:46.420
 prone to wonder, prone to despair,

00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:51.940
 but we rest in the salvation that God provides.

00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:53.720
 Because that's the second fact.

00:26:55.340 --> 00:26:57.680
 The people who are saved were helpless and hopeless,

00:26:58.340 --> 00:26:59.480
 except for God.

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:01.059
 Who saves them?

00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:04.360
 Verse 13 and 14 of chapter 14.

00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:07.320
 Moses answered the people in their distress,

00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.640
 do not be afraid,

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.380
 stand firm,

00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.880
 and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.

00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:16.279
 The Egyptians you see today,

00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.580
 you will never see again.

00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:19.700
 The Lord will fight for you.

00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:22.299
 You need only to be still.

00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:24.759
 Israel, here's your job.

00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:27.000
 Effectively, do nothing.

00:27:27.120 --> 00:27:27.740
 Stand firm.

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.840
 Stand still.

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:30.700
 Let God work.

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:32.299
 It's the Lord who will deliver.

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:35.080
 It's the Lord who fights.

00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:37.680
 The call to faith

00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:42.240
 is a call to faith in the God who saves.

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:45.400
 This call to faith that we have

00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:48.039
 is to place our trust entirely

00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:51.099
 in our God and Savior.

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:54.120
 So that just like the Israelites,

00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:56.220
 we don't need to be overwhelmed

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:59.500
 by circumstances or fears

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:04.279
 when our faith is built on the solid rock

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:07.000
 of God and His promises,

00:28:07.620 --> 00:28:09.680
 of Jesus and His salvation.

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:12.299
 Third fact,

00:28:12.360 --> 00:28:13.380
 how are they saved?

00:28:14.340 --> 00:28:15.299
 There's a summary

00:28:15.299 --> 00:28:20.440
 in verse 29 and 30.

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.640
 Well, having been told in verse 28,

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.860
 the water flowed back

00:28:23.860 --> 00:28:25.560
 and covered the chariots and horsemen.

00:28:25.620 --> 00:28:26.640
 Not one of them survived.

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:29.400
 But the Israelites went through the sea

00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:30.460
 on dry ground

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:32.759
 with a wall of water on the right

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:34.299
 and on their left.

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:36.740
 That day the Lord saved Israel

00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:40.299
 from the hands of the Egyptians.

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:43.639
 This wonderful picture

00:28:43.639 --> 00:28:47.680
 of God creating these huge walls of water

00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:50.659
 and God's people passing safely

00:28:50.659 --> 00:28:52.599
 through those waters,

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:54.259
 those waters that brought death

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:56.819
 and judgment on God's enemies

00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:59.319
 so that they can look back

00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:00.359
 and they can recognize

00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:03.419
 they've been set free from slavery.

00:29:03.979 --> 00:29:06.039
 They've been set free from Egypt.

00:29:06.159 --> 00:29:08.319
 They can actually see their enemies

00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:10.179
 dead on the other side of the shore.

00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:13.500
 Now they're set free to enjoy

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:16.479
 a new life of freedom with God,

00:29:16.919 --> 00:29:18.139
 with a new identity,

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.479
 no longer slaves.

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.839
 Now they're redeemed people of God.

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:25.719
 They pass through the waters.

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:29.620
 I think when the New Testament writers

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:31.299
 speak of baptism,

00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:34.940
 at least sometimes they have this in mind.

00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:38.220
 Baptism can be a reminder to us

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.900
 of the Exodus event

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:42.460
 that God in His grace and kindness

00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:43.900
 saves His people,

00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:46.500
 taking us from sin and death,

00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.740
 bringing us forgiveness,

00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.140
 giving us freedom,

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:51.299
 giving us new life

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.579
 and a new identity

00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:56.339
 identity as a child of God.

00:29:59.899 --> 00:30:01.000
 And then we can turn

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:02.859
 to the eyewitness response.

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.539
 How did it make you feel?

00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:08.519
 What did you do next?

00:30:09.199 --> 00:30:10.500
 As we hear from those

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:12.139
 who experience God's salvation,

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.919
 there is so much that we can learn.

00:30:15.379 --> 00:30:16.319
 Verse 31,

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.639
 when the Israelites saw

00:30:17.639 --> 00:30:19.279
 the mighty hand of the Lord

00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:21.079
 displayed against the Egyptians,

00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:23.859
 the people feared the Lord

00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:26.419
 and put their trust in Him

00:30:26.419 --> 00:30:30.480
 and in Moses, His servant.

00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:33.379
 So they can testify.

00:30:33.619 --> 00:30:35.240
 We know, we can see.

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:37.779
 God has rescued us from our enemies.

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.720
 God has brought life

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:41.859
 in the place of death.

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:44.859
 He has revealed His mighty hand

00:30:44.859 --> 00:30:46.019
 and saved us.

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.799
 And we can do the same

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:49.779
 as the people of God.

00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:51.579
 And our response like theirs

00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:55.299
 ought to be to fear God

00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:58.180
 with that sense of being awestruck

00:30:58.180 --> 00:31:00.720
 at how amazing He is.

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.920
 That we would rejoice

00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:04.619
 and tremble

00:31:04.619 --> 00:31:07.099
 at the goodness and glory

00:31:07.099 --> 00:31:09.639
 of God and His saving grace.

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.879
 And notice too,

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.299
 they trusted.

00:31:13.819 --> 00:31:15.720
 They trusted both God

00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:17.100
 and Moses,

00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:18.380
 Moses, the servant of God.

00:31:19.059 --> 00:31:20.799
 For their journey of faith,

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.259
 God would lead them,

00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:23.600
 Moses, His servant,

00:31:23.660 --> 00:31:24.180
 would lead them

00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:25.620
 and they were invited to follow.

00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:28.360
 Just like us.

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:31.140
 Invited to trust our God

00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:32.299
 and Jesus,

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.920
 the servant

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:35.100
 who suffered

00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:36.920
 to save us.

00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:38.680
 The one set over

00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:39.600
 us

00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:40.779
 to lead us.

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:44.059
 So as the people of God,

00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:45.680
 we need to hear

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:47.019
 this good news.

00:31:47.139 --> 00:31:48.519
 We need to be consumed

00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:50.200
 by this good news

00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:51.019
 of salvation.

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:53.119
 Because we understand

00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:54.039
 our own hearts

00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:55.279
 and our own lives

00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:56.220
 that we can have

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.859
 our attention

00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:58.000
 distracted.

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:59.339
 We can find ourselves

00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:00.379
 anxious and we need

00:32:00.379 --> 00:32:01.440
 to come back

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:02.799
 again and again

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:04.879
 to this good news

00:32:04.879 --> 00:32:05.899
 of solid joy.

00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:08.480
 In this world

00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:10.160
 of the 24-hour news cycle,

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:11.080
 we need to make sure

00:32:11.080 --> 00:32:12.720
 that this good news

00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:14.460
 is what we hear first

00:32:14.460 --> 00:32:15.600
 and most often.

00:32:16.600 --> 00:32:17.820
 That this would take

00:32:17.820 --> 00:32:18.540
 our attention

00:32:18.540 --> 00:32:19.420
 and steady

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:20.800
 our hearts.

00:32:21.560 --> 00:32:22.680
 Because we know

00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.400
 in Jesus,

00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:24.540
 God still

00:32:24.540 --> 00:32:25.560
 saves

00:32:25.560 --> 00:32:26.759
 by grace.

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.420
 He is the one

00:32:28.420 --> 00:32:29.680
 who takes the initiative.

00:32:29.860 --> 00:32:30.380
 He is the one

00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:31.160
 who responds

00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:32.580
 to our spiritual distress.

00:32:34.060 --> 00:32:34.820
 In Jesus,

00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:36.480
 God does act

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.599
 mightily

00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:38.439
 to save us.

00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:40.099
 Everything is completed.

00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:42.099
 Salvation is a gift

00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:43.200
 to receive by faith.

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.839
 And in Jesus,

00:32:45.980 --> 00:32:46.759
 we have one

00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:48.159
 greater than Moses.

00:32:49.159 --> 00:32:50.960
 The righteous servant

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.899
 we are called

00:32:51.899 --> 00:32:52.859
 to follow.

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:55.099
 The one who in love

00:32:55.099 --> 00:32:56.419
 actually went under

00:32:56.419 --> 00:32:57.179
 the waves

00:32:57.179 --> 00:32:58.359
 of God's judgment

00:32:58.359 --> 00:32:59.679
 for us.

00:33:00.899 --> 00:33:02.099
 So that we

00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:03.839
 might have

00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:05.079
 new life.

00:33:05.079 --> 00:33:06.500
 Just as he

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.819
 after death

00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:09.899
 enjoyed resurrection life.

00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:11.480
 And God

00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:12.599
 calls us

00:33:12.599 --> 00:33:14.099
 to a life

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:14.939
 of faith

00:33:14.939 --> 00:33:16.099
 and a life

00:33:16.099 --> 00:33:16.699
 of worship.

00:33:17.179 --> 00:33:18.179
 To fear him,

00:33:18.419 --> 00:33:19.519
 to trust in him,

00:33:19.819 --> 00:33:20.559
 to walk

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:22.079
 in his ways,

00:33:22.179 --> 00:33:23.399
 to stand still

00:33:23.399 --> 00:33:24.759
 in amazed

00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:25.240
 wonder

00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:26.179
 at God's kindness

00:33:26.180 --> 00:33:27.740
 and to move

00:33:27.740 --> 00:33:28.320
 forward

00:33:28.320 --> 00:33:29.600
 with trust.

00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:31.220
 This is

00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.200
 our God,

00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:33.519
 the great

00:33:33.519 --> 00:33:34.200
 I am.

00:33:35.100 --> 00:33:35.740
 Let's pray

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.420
 to him together

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:36.759
 tonight.

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:38.680
 Father God,

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.420
 we thank you

00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:40.080
 that throughout

00:33:40.080 --> 00:33:41.060
 the Bible

00:33:41.060 --> 00:33:43.039
 you remind us

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:44.799
 of your great

00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:45.720
 and gracious

00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:46.539
 salvation.

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:48.580
 You remind us

00:33:48.580 --> 00:33:49.480
 that you are a God

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:50.759
 faithful to your

00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:51.240
 promises.

00:33:52.080 --> 00:33:53.000
 You remind us

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.860
 that you are a God

00:33:53.860 --> 00:33:54.840
 who is with your

00:33:54.839 --> 00:33:55.240
 people,

00:33:55.399 --> 00:33:56.179
 that you lead

00:33:56.179 --> 00:33:56.939
 your people,

00:33:57.539 --> 00:33:58.439
 and that you are

00:33:58.439 --> 00:33:59.939
 active for our

00:33:59.939 --> 00:34:01.299
 good and for

00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:02.279
 our salvation.

00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:04.459
 And so we pray

00:34:04.459 --> 00:34:05.119
 that as we are

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.679
 surrounded

00:34:05.679 --> 00:34:08.000
 by so much

00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:08.759
 bad news,

00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:09.380
 so much can

00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:10.480
 throw us off

00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:11.400
 balance and make

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:12.279
 us anxious

00:34:12.279 --> 00:34:13.699
 and distract us,

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.119
 Lord, we pray

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.480
 that you would

00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.279
 keep pulling us

00:34:16.279 --> 00:34:17.940
 back to the

00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:18.659
 good news of

00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.039
 Jesus,

00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.559
 our Lord and

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:20.920
 Savior,

00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:22.380
 that our hope,

00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:23.079
 our life,

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:24.039
 our joy,

00:34:24.759 --> 00:34:25.400
 would be built

00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:25.799
 on him,

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.380
 we pray.

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:28.000
 In Jesus' name,

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:28.860
 Amen.

00:34:31.159 --> 00:34:31.840
 We're going to

00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:33.559
 close with a hymn

00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:35.119
 that reminds us

00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:36.539
 of the truth

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.239
 that our God

00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:39.279
 will go before us.

00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:39.679
 So again,

00:34:39.759 --> 00:34:40.460
 let's stand

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:41.539
 together

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.539
 to sing.

00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:51.119
 —