WEBVTT

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 still thinking about this time of testing, a testing of their faith, and where the people

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 all too often are putting God to the test, we have a chance to think about Moses and the provision

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 of God. Again, we sort of touched on this last week, but again, we're invited to recognize that

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 all faith, all biblical faith, is tested faith. Some examples, James chapter 1, James the half-brother

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 of Jesus, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

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 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Joy in facing trials,

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 as a follower of the Lord Jesus, because God is able to work in those trials to bring perseverance

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 and maturity. Or 1 Peter chapter 1, it uses the image of refining, faith is refining, so that faith

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 is refined so that it shines a treasure more precious than gold, bringing praise, glory, and honor

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 to God himself. All faith is tested faith. Jesus said to his own disciples, if you want to be my

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 follower, you must deny yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.

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 And part of the test of faith that I think we can identify from the Israelite experience,

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 Exodus chapter 17, is that question, perhaps a question that we've struggled with or find

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 ourselves asking, it's the question of verse 7 in our text, is the Lord among us or not?

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 Is the Lord with me when I experience unemployment or illness or opposition and setback? Is he with us

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 us as a church? Sometimes we feel like we live in a day of small things, where we feel like the church

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 is largely ignored. Is the Lord with us? Perhaps if we see the church down the road seeing big things

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 and great encouragement, in our testing times, can we depend upon the Lord to be with his people?

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 When things are hard, instinctively we want to know, don't we, there is someone with us and someone

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 who is for us? Two iconic sitcoms, I guess, one from the 80s, one from the 90s. Cheers, for those of

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 you who are old enough to remember Cheers, we want to go where everyone knows our name. The idea of having

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 that place where there are friends who understand us and who are there for us, or in the 90s friends,

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 of course, I'll be there for you when the rain starts to pour. You know, if that's true of friendship, we long

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 for support. Isn't that definitely true for us in the life of faith? We long to know, is the Lord among

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 us? Is he with us? Is he for us? We can identify with the testing that Israel's young faith is

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 experiencing. You know, they have known what it was like to have the Red Sea at their back and facing

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 the enemy Egyptians coming at their front. They have been tested with the bitter water that they

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 couldn't drink. They've been tested in the wilderness where they had no food, and now there is no water,

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 and now there are fierce enemies coming from behind while they're weary and tired, looking to destroy

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 them. This in itself is a small enough sample, but it establishes the point that all faith will be

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 tested. All faith is tested faith. Is the Lord among us? How does God answer that question?

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 How does he answer the question in chapter 17? How do we see the Lord providing evidence that he is for

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 his people? How does he provide for them? We need to think about the staff and the rock and the hill.

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 So that's where we're going to go. We're going to think about the staff that features in this story.

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 Maybe you've read magazine interviews or listened to podcasts where the question is asked of a celebrity

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 perhaps. What items are essential to your life? You know, if you're trapped on a desert island,

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 what could you not live without? There are some Bible stories, aren't there, where an object,

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 it seems to become so vital to a storyline. The story of David and Goliath, we always think of the

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 five stones and the sling. Or we think of the story of Samson, and we always imagine that the jawbone or

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 the lion carcass. Well, isn't it definitely true of the story of Moses? Because time and time and time

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 again, Moses' staff keeps showing up. It was Moses' staff that was turned into a snake.

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 It was as Moses' staff struck the river Nile that it turned to blood. It was Moses' staff that parted

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 the Red Sea. And now it's the staff that links these two stories together. There'll be water from a stone

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 as the staff. It's the staff that it's called. It's the staff that it's called. It's the staff that

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 it's called as a weapon of spiritual warfare as Moses prays. Why is the staff such a significant

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 character, if we can use that word, in the story? What does the staff represent? Well, I think the staff

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 of Moses is an invitation for the people to look and to see the Lord is present with you. The Lord's

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 power is for you. In many ways, it functions for the people like the cloud, the pillar of a cloud and

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 fire that always was with them. It's an act of God's kindness, demonstrating, I am with you. I am for you.

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 My presence and my power are here. It's an object lesson, again, that in every spiritual testing,

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 we're invited to rest in this. The God of power is present with his people.

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 In our times of testing, perhaps when we feel spiritually thirsty, when we feel a sense of

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 weakness and weariness, or if we're feeling spiritually opposed, we feel like we're in the thick of the

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 battle, we too are invited to rest in the power and the presence of our Lord. He is and always will be

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 among his people. We rest knowing our Father, that we are kept in his hands. We can trust in his

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 goodness and his goodness and his wisdom. We trust the words of Jesus, his Son, our Emmanuel, the one who said,

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 I won't leave you as orphans, I will come to you. The one who said, I'll be with you always. We rest and trust in

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 the presence of the Spirit within our hearts, who unites us to Christ and all his saving benefits, bringing comfort to us.

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 So that in Christ, we have songs to sing to strengthen our faith. Psalm 23, a precious song for the people of God.

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 He is with us when we go through the dark valleys. His goodness and mercy, they do follow us all the days

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 of our lives. We do feast on the grace that the King provides. Psalm 46 is the song of the church.

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 God is our refuge and strength. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is still a fortress for his people.

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 Is the Lord among us? Will he really provide for me? Absolutely. Absolutely. We can rest in the gospel promise.

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 We can rest in God's great provision because he's given us himself in his Son, the Lord Jesus.

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 It was sinful of the people to test God, and we need to be aware of that. I want one more proof,

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 one more sign that you're worthy of my trust. Like the Pharisees in Jesus' day, one more miracle,

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 one more miracle. We're invited to rest and to trust God's word, God's gospel. The Lord is among us,

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 and he is with us and for us. So that's the lesson of the staff. Let's think about the rock, the first half

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 of the chapter. Israel's question, the testing, is the Lord among us or not? It is evidence, again,

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 that they are slow to learn. The life of faith, sometimes it humbles us, doesn't it? We expect to

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 make more progress in our life of faith than actually we seem to make. It seems to be often

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 at one step forward and two steps back. Israel's slow to learn. They've seen and enjoyed so much of

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 God's power and presence and provision. While they were still slaves in Egypt, God was showing he was for

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 them by working those great, those plagues, those judgment on Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt,

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 and he was protecting the people all the while. In the Passover event, God provided for them

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 the animal, the substitute, the blood that was sprinkled so the angel of death would pass over.

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 In the parting of the Red Sea, God had provided for them. In raining down bread from heaven.

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 But still, their grumbling, quarreling, testing, prove it, God. How are we better off following you

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 rather than being back as slaves in Egypt?

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 Sometimes there can be false expectations about the life of faith. Perhaps they expected,

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 well, with God on our side, we can expect a life of faith without any testing.

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 Perhaps they were anticipating a road to glory without any suffering.

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 Perhaps they were imagining it would be a life of lots of good things, but without any discomfort.

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 Sometimes, Bible teachers, churches can give a false impression of the life of faith.

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 Come to Jesus, and your life will be wonderful. Come to Jesus, and health, wealth, and prosperity will be yours.

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 Faith will be tested. It's so clear from Scripture.

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 It's often been said that faith is like a muscle, and faith grows through testing, just like muscles grow

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 through testing. There is pain and endurance.

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 Now, I imagine, for any of us who are into physical exercise, we'd probably like to fast-track.

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 We begin a campaign of fitness. We'd rather fast-track and get to the end result where we feel like a much healthier,

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 fitter version of ourselves, but we need to go through pain and endurance to get there.

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 And the people of God always need to learn that.

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 I'm reading Spurgeon's devotions this week.

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 He posed the question, have you ever asked, spoken to God, say, I want to go to heaven.

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 I wish I could just go to heaven.

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 Spurgeon asks, how many times is that simply to be with Jesus?

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 That was Paul's thing.

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 I want to go to be with Jesus, which is better by far.

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 Other times, perhaps is it the case that we just want to avoid all the trouble and the difficulties that we're having.

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 It can be really hard to go through testing.

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 And so we find the people here in verse 2, quarreling with Moses, saying, give us water to drink.

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 And Moses replied, why do you quarrel with me?

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 Why do you put the Lord to the test?

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 But the people are back complaining.

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 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?

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 It's interesting, they haven't learned their lesson.

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 They're straight back to grumbling, complaining.

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 But Moses is understanding.

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 Because Moses' response in verse 4 is to cry out to the Lord.

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 He turns to God in prayer.

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 And God's answer is a wonderful public lesson, a public demonstration that he is present.

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 He is powerful.

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 He is faithful in this and in every time of testing.

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 And this is where the staff turns up.

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 Verse 5, the Lord said to Moses, go out in front of the people, take with you some of the elders of Israel,

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 and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

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 Oh, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb, strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.

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 Notice what's happening here.

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 So the same staff that was used at the Nile.

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 So the river Nile in Egypt was the place of life.

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 That's why so many people lived along the banks of the Nile and still do.

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 But the staff, as judgment, turned the place of life into a place of death.

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 But now Horeb, it's reversed, isn't it?

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 Here's this dead stone.

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 But when the staff hits it, water flows, life comes.

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 The dead rock gives life-giving water.

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 And the whole community can see.

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 In this test, in every test, look to God your rock.

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 He provides.

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 Don't test Him.

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 Pray to Him and trust Him.

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 We read 1 Corinthians 10, where Paul used this story along with others to teach the Christians in Corinth.

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 The rock in this story is Christ.

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 We read in John 7, Jesus speak about being living water.

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 Same in John 4.

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 Jesus is the one who satisfies our deepest thirst.

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 Jesus is the one who gives life.

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 What do we want as people?

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 You know, truly, deep down.

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 We have surface-level things that we would love to have.

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 But deep down, those things that we share in common are going to be ideas like hope and security.

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 A sense of purpose.

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 We want to know love.

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 We want to know forgiveness.

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 We want to experience freedom.

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 Jesus comes and says, I'm the living water.

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 I'm the one who satisfies.

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 I and I alone, fully, truly, eternally meet those deep needs.

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 The Lord Jesus Christ is a source of hope for us in this life that we are vitally connected to our God.

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 Our sins are forgiven.

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 And He has hope in the life to come.

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 As we are united to Jesus, just as He died and then rose to new life, so we believe that when we die, we will pass to resurrection life.

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 He gives hope that lasts.

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 There is security found in Jesus.

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 He is our rock.

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 He is our foundation.

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 He is the cornerstone.

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 That He gives purpose to life.

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 That all that we do becomes an opportunity to do it for the glory of God.

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 Everything that we do, the most mundane things that we do as Christians, they all matter to God.

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 Now, all of life is conveyed with meaning.

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 He brings us the deepest love.

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 He brings us into a relationship with the living God.

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 The one relationship that will never spoil.

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 That will never be broken by death.

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 The one that will grow for all eternity.

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 He is the one who gives us forgiveness.

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 He is the only one who gives us peace of conscience and peace with our God.

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 And He is the one who gives us true freedom.

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 Freedom to live as God made us to live.

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 Freedom to live within the good and wise limits that God sets.

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 Set free so that we might truly love God and love our neighbor with the grace that He provides.

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 Jesus and Jesus alone satisfies.

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 In Moses' day at Mount Horeb, the rock was struck and life-giving water flowed.

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 Mount Calvary, Christ was struck.

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 Christ was crucified.

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 And as His blood flowed, so eternal life flows to all who believe.

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 That's the rock.

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 But we've still got one last lesson to learn.

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 And it's a lesson that we find from the hill.

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 I imagine some of us have favorite battle scenes.

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 Maybe some of us will.

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 If you like history, if you like Scottish history, maybe you really enjoy Bannockburn.

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 If you're into books and movies, maybe it's some of those scenes from Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter or Star Wars.

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 The Bible has some amazing battle scenes.

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 David and Goliath.

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 It has great examples of God fighting on behalf of His people.

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 The Red Sea is a great battle scene.

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 Here's a good discussion starter while you're having your supper.

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 What's your favorite battle scene in the Bible?

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 I love this one.

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 I think this one's a great image for the life of faith.

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 Because we've got two things going on, and we need them both.

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 And so when we look down into the valley, we see Joshua and his soldiers.

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 They're fighting, and they're in the heat of the battle.

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 Their swords are drawn.

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 But then we look up onto the hillside, and we have Moses, the elderly.

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 We have Aaron and Hur, these men of prayer.

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 And in the heat of the spiritual battle, the staff is raised in prayer for spiritual victory.

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 Moses said to Joshua in verse 9,

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 Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.

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 Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.

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 It's a great image.

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 Now, we can usefully ask ourselves, why is this conflict happening?

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 Verse 8, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

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 We discover in Deuteronomy 25 something about these Amalekites.

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 We discover they are cruel, and they are cowardly.

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 They are like those predators that perhaps you watch in your documentaries.

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 They look to pick off the weak and the injured.

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 So, as Israel is walking through the wilderness, and as they are weary and tired,

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 the Amalekites come and look to take advantage.

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 And what becomes clear in Deuteronomy and here in Exodus,

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 is that this is a people group who have no fear of God.

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 Rather, they set themselves deliberately against the Lord, His will, His people.

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 It's clear to the whole region.

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 Israel belongs to God, and God has a special purpose for His people.

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 Amalekites deliberately fight against that.

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 But this presents Israel with a whole new test.

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 Now they have to fight.

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 As they fight, they're going to discover again something they discovered at the Red Sea.

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 Exodus 15, 2 and 3, the Song of the Sea.

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 The Lord is my strength and my defense.

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 He has become my salvation.

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 He is my God, and I will praise Him.

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 My Father's God, and I will exalt Him.

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 The Lord is a warrior.

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 The Lord is His name.

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 And so they're invited again to trust God,

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 the God who is for His people,

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 and who is against His enemies,

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 the one who fights to ensure His people's salvation.

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 Well, verse 9 shows us, reminds us,

00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:29.940
 that there is this war on two fronts.

00:22:30.040 --> 00:22:31.620
 We have Joshua leading the army below.

00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:34.300
 We have Moses leading up in prayer on the hill.

00:22:34.560 --> 00:22:36.140
 And then in verse 10 to 13,

00:22:36.860 --> 00:22:38.780
 we have the battle report.

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:42.000
 Now as we read that battle report,

00:22:42.080 --> 00:22:44.760
 I don't know if you noticed where the focus lay.

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:50.400
 Was the interest primarily in what was happening down below,

00:22:50.539 --> 00:22:52.079
 or was it what was happening up on the hill?

00:22:53.379 --> 00:22:55.299
 Well, listen to how it is written.

00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:57.920
 So Joshua fought the Amalekites,

00:22:58.379 --> 00:22:59.480
 as Moses had ordered,

00:22:59.879 --> 00:23:02.039
 and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up the top of the hill.

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:05.099
 As long as Moses held up his hands,

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:07.019
 the Israelites were winning.

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:08.920
 But whenever he lowered his hands,

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:10.440
 the Amalekites were winning.

00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:13.160
 When Moses' hands grew tired,

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:15.340
 they took a stone and put it under him,

00:23:15.360 --> 00:23:16.080
 and he sat on it.

00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:18.080
 Aaron and Hur held his hands up,

00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:19.799
 one on one side, one on the other,

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:22.860
 so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:27.080
 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with a sword.

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:29.580
 Where's the priority?

00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:30.880
 Where's the focus?

00:23:31.320 --> 00:23:33.519
 It's on the hands raised in prayer, isn't it?

00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:36.140
 As long as the hands are up, they're winning.

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.380
 As long as his hands are steady,

00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:40.240
 praying to God,

00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:42.680
 Joshua overcomes with a sword.

00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.400
 Of course, both were needed.

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:47.820
 But we see that Moses,

00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:50.080
 God's appointed mediator,

00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:52.420
 is vital to the victory.

00:23:53.720 --> 00:23:54.980
 And then we get a couple of lessons

00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:56.100
 from the battlefield

00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:59.140
 in verse 14 and 15.

00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:01.460
 Verse 14.

00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:02.600
 Write this on a scroll

00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:03.960
 as something to be remembered,

00:24:04.059 --> 00:24:05.940
 and make sure that Joshua hears it,

00:24:06.320 --> 00:24:07.600
 because I'll completely blot out

00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:08.539
 the name of Amalek.

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:10.779
 What's the lesson?

00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.859
 The lesson for Joshua

00:24:12.859 --> 00:24:14.119
 and for those following him

00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:17.039
 is that God has promised future victory.

00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:19.740
 God has promised future grace,

00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:21.980
 and so they are invited to trust

00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:23.720
 the God who has been with them

00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:25.259
 in the past and in the present

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.779
 to be with them in the future.

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:30.519
 And here's the other lesson.

00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:32.879
 Moses built an altar

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:34.539
 and called it,

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:37.139
 The Lord is My Banner.

00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:39.180
 What's the significance of that?

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:39.859
 It's a reminder.

00:24:40.579 --> 00:24:42.240
 The battle belongs to the Lord.

00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:44.519
 The banner represented,

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:47.700
 here's where the commander-in-chief

00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:48.660
 of the army is.

00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:51.000
 Here is where you should flock to.

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:52.160
 Here's where the strength

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.319
 of the army lies.

00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:55.440
 There's a call to faith

00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:59.019
 in God and His provision.

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:02.619
 Now, as we think about

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:04.619
 what's happening here in the valley,

00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:05.700
 in particular on the hill,

00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:07.500
 three questions for us

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:09.059
 to think about

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.859
 by way of observation

00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:11.460
 and application.

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.000
 First,

00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:14.240
 a question of temperament.

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.759
 I don't know if that's something

00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:16.299
 you think about.

00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:17.940
 What is my temperament?

00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:20.019
 Now, why do I ask that?

00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:20.340
 Because

00:25:20.340 --> 00:25:22.759
 I think typically

00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:25.000
 we'll all either be

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:26.880
 activist types

00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:28.880
 or we'll be more

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.580
 reflective types.

00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:34.220
 So that when a time of testing comes,

00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:36.700
 there might be one of two instincts.

00:25:36.840 --> 00:25:38.440
 One instinct might be,

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:40.320
 okay, I need to roll up my sleeves.

00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:42.100
 I need to sort of get busy

00:25:42.100 --> 00:25:43.900
 facing the challenge

00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:46.519
 if you're an activist type.

00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.779
 Maybe if you're more reflective,

00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:49.620
 your response to trouble is,

00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:51.480
 I need to find a quiet place

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.880
 to think

00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:54.160
 and to pray.

00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:58.100
 This test shows,

00:25:58.700 --> 00:26:00.080
 actually, we need both,

00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:00.580
 don't we?

00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:05.080
 There is a danger for both

00:26:05.080 --> 00:26:06.019
 and there's a need for both.

00:26:06.100 --> 00:26:06.799
 The danger for,

00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:08.860
 I guess, folks are prone to action

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:10.700
 is that it's easy to rush in without God,

00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:12.720
 to rely on natural resources

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.380
 rather than God's grace.

00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:16.700
 But there is, of course,

00:26:17.280 --> 00:26:19.600
 a danger for reflective types.

00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:22.380
 We can be entirely passive,

00:26:23.060 --> 00:26:24.480
 hoping if I pray enough,

00:26:25.060 --> 00:26:26.820
 God will remove all the obstacles

00:26:26.820 --> 00:26:28.740
 and I won't have to do anything.

00:26:30.060 --> 00:26:31.720
 This text actually says to us,

00:26:31.760 --> 00:26:32.140
 doesn't it,

00:26:32.320 --> 00:26:33.940
 the Christian life is not either or,

00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:34.960
 it's both.

00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:38.420
 There are times when we need to pray

00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:40.960
 and there are times when we need to act.

00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:46.640
 And wisdom from God

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.059
 will show us when.

00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:52.940
 So at the AGM,

00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.579
 we were thinking about

00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.960
 wanting to

00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:57.319
 make connections

00:26:57.319 --> 00:26:58.119
 and build bridges

00:26:58.119 --> 00:26:59.139
 with our community

00:26:59.139 --> 00:27:01.139
 so that we can share the gospel.

00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:02.960
 And we spoke about

00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:04.619
 community prayer walks.

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.460
 We need those,

00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.220
 we need to be praying

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:06.960
 for our community.

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:08.139
 But we also need

00:27:08.139 --> 00:27:09.240
 community engagement.

00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:11.019
 To be serving,

00:27:11.179 --> 00:27:11.859
 to be speaking.

00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:12.720
 We need both.

00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.639
 It's not either or,

00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:15.319
 it's both and.

00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:20.059
 But a second question

00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:21.980
 is what is the essential battle?

00:27:23.659 --> 00:27:24.700
 If we were to ask,

00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.619
 what's the essential battle here?

00:27:28.419 --> 00:27:29.720
 What's the essential battleground

00:27:30.399 --> 00:27:31.319
 of the Christian life?

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:32.419
 The key battleground

00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.599
 when faith is tested

00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.200
 is the prayer battle.

00:27:35.819 --> 00:27:37.179
 It's the battle to pray.

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:41.019
 With the disciples,

00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:42.039
 we need to learn,

00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:42.779
 Lord,

00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.559
 teach us to pray.

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:46.700
 Teach us to pray

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:47.679
 because our battles

00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.200
 are real.

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:50.200
 They're predominantly spiritual

00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:53.240
 against wickedness,

00:27:53.880 --> 00:27:54.519
 against lies,

00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:55.360
 against injustice,

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.420
 against temptation.

00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:00.480
 Our mission is spiritual,

00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:02.320
 to spread the gospel,

00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:03.200
 to make disciples

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.080
 for the Lord Jesus.

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:06.220
 So we need to pray

00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:08.019
 for spiritual help.

00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.720
 We need to pray

00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:11.580
 for spiritual dependence.

00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:13.980
 We pray to have grace

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:15.180
 and power and wisdom

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:16.240
 that comes from God,

00:28:16.620 --> 00:28:17.460
 to love Him,

00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.579
 to love our neighbor,

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:19.360
 to say no,

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:19.920
 to sin,

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.660
 to say yes

00:28:20.660 --> 00:28:21.819
 to doing God's will.

00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:26.939
 The last question

00:28:26.939 --> 00:28:28.720
 to ask is this one,

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.939
 who is our man on the hill?

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.659
 For the people then,

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.579
 they could look up

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.139
 and they could say,

00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:34.539
 Moses,

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:37.519
 who is our man on the hill?

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.019
 We have Jesus.

00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:41.619
 We have a greater mediator

00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:42.279
 than Moses,

00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:44.539
 indeed a greater Savior

00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:46.240
 than Joshua.

00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:46.539
 Remember,

00:28:46.659 --> 00:28:48.179
 Joshua means God saves,

00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:50.140
 Jesus means God saves.

00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:53.960
 We look back

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.600
 and we remember

00:28:55.600 --> 00:28:57.340
 the victory

00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.660
 of our mediator,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.360
 the Lord Jesus,

00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.380
 on Mount Calvary.

00:29:00.940 --> 00:29:02.740
 His decisive victory

00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.560
 over sin

00:29:03.560 --> 00:29:04.900
 and death

00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:06.000
 and the devil,

00:29:06.860 --> 00:29:07.620
 bringing an end

00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:08.480
 to guilt,

00:29:08.860 --> 00:29:10.100
 our war with God,

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.900
 our separation

00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:12.019
 from God.

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:14.660
 and we have hope

00:29:14.660 --> 00:29:17.420
 of His victory

00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:19.519
 in our spiritual battles.

00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:24.099
 The King who comes

00:29:24.099 --> 00:29:26.480
 into the heat of the valley,

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:28.420
 into the battle,

00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:30.319
 to be with

00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:32.599
 and for His people.

00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:34.619
 In Him,

00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:35.940
 we have strength.

00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:36.579
 In Him,

00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:37.740
 we have the promise

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.400
 of final

00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:40.380
 and ultimate victory.

00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:42.359
 And so,

00:29:42.440 --> 00:29:43.059
 we take heart

00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:43.859
 as we consider

00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:45.620
 our man on the hill.

00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:48.880
 We recognize

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:50.500
 that unlike Moses,

00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:53.559
 whose hands flagged,

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:55.759
 Jesus praying hands,

00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:57.759
 they never get tired.

00:29:59.120 --> 00:30:00.259
 Isn't that a wonderful promise

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.240
 in Hebrews 7

00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:02.920
 that we have in Jesus

00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:04.400
 one who ever lives

00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:06.120
 to make intercession

00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:06.839
 for us?

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:09.119
 at having worked

00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:10.179
 for our salvation

00:30:10.179 --> 00:30:11.259
 by living,

00:30:11.459 --> 00:30:11.659
 dying,

00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.339
 and rising.

00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:15.179
 He now lives

00:30:15.179 --> 00:30:17.059
 for our salvation

00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:18.379
 by always praying

00:30:18.379 --> 00:30:19.599
 to the Father

00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:21.439
 on behalf of His people.

00:30:22.159 --> 00:30:23.019
 And His strength

00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.619
 is infinite.

00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:24.879
 His life is infinite.

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:25.839
 There's never going

00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:27.019
 to be a situation

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:28.459
 that will ever find

00:30:28.459 --> 00:30:29.859
 Jesus tired

00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:30.819
 in heaven,

00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:32.319
 lacking energy,

00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:33.839
 unable to pray.

00:30:35.199 --> 00:30:35.740
 His hands

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:36.679
 never get tired.

00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.699
 And so,

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.959
 we always have security.

00:30:40.159 --> 00:30:41.240
 And as His people,

00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:41.579
 then,

00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:43.339
 we learn to look up

00:30:43.339 --> 00:30:45.419
 when we are tested,

00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:47.480
 when we find ourselves

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:47.819
 asking,

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.319
 is the Lord

00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.339
 among us or not?

00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:52.199
 We look to Calvary.

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:55.099
 We look up the hill.

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:56.259
 We don't see a staff,

00:30:56.339 --> 00:30:56.980
 but we see

00:30:56.980 --> 00:30:58.759
 a wooden cross.

00:30:58.759 --> 00:31:00.660
 and we see a Savior

00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.359
 hanging there

00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:02.299
 for our salvation.

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:05.059
 We look up to heaven

00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:07.379
 to see Jesus

00:31:07.379 --> 00:31:08.119
 sitting,

00:31:08.579 --> 00:31:08.980
 ruling,

00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:09.980
 praying

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:11.740
 as our priest king.

00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:13.759
 He is God's

00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:14.579
 great provision

00:31:14.579 --> 00:31:16.799
 in all of our testing.

00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:19.140
 And so,

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:19.740
 we have hope.

00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:23.420
 One final lesson

00:31:23.420 --> 00:31:24.200
 Paul draws

00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:25.799
 for us.

00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:28.359
 As he looked back

00:31:28.359 --> 00:31:29.000
 on the events

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.680
 of the Exodus,

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.539
 as he looked back

00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.220
 on the testing

00:31:32.220 --> 00:31:33.240
 and what we can learn

00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:34.339
 from those tests,

00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:37.339
 sometimes,

00:31:37.559 --> 00:31:38.740
 when difficult times come,

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:40.279
 we think it's chaos.

00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:42.140
 But actually,

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:42.980
 Paul says,

00:31:42.980 --> 00:31:44.460
 the testing

00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:45.259
 that we endure,

00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:46.480
 it all happens

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.640
 under supervised

00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:48.460
 conditions.

00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:50.120
 The one who's

00:31:50.120 --> 00:31:51.079
 supervising

00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:53.240
 is God himself.

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:55.799
 1 Corinthians 10,

00:31:55.940 --> 00:31:56.660
 13.

00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:00.500
 Paul wrote there,

00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:01.140
 no,

00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:03.640
 the NIV uses

00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.519
 temptation,

00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.660
 could equally

00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:06.420
 well be

00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:07.420
 interpreted

00:32:07.420 --> 00:32:08.259
 testing.

00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:09.759
 No testing

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.680
 has overtaken

00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.180
 you

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:12.519
 except what is

00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:13.519
 common to mankind.

00:32:14.879 --> 00:32:15.500
 And God

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:16.480
 is faithful.

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.339
 He'll not let you

00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:19.019
 be tested

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:19.920
 beyond what you

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.480
 can bear.

00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:21.940
 But when you

00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:22.680
 are tested,

00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:24.240
 he will also

00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:25.460
 provide a way out

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.660
 so that you

00:32:26.660 --> 00:32:27.559
 can endure it.

00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:29.839
 Never tested

00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:30.579
 beyond what

00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:31.279
 we can bear.

00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:32.839
 God is

00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:33.680
 faithful.

00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:35.460
 God is faithful

00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:36.240
 to give strength

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:36.740
 so when we're

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:37.119
 tested,

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:38.680
 either we'll have

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.559
 sufficient grace

00:32:39.559 --> 00:32:40.160
 that we can

00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:41.359
 rest in

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.279
 and give glory

00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:42.779
 to God

00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:43.599
 as we are

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.079
 tested,

00:32:44.639 --> 00:32:45.319
 or he will

00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:47.099
 provide a way

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:47.779
 out beyond

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.460
 the testing.

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.599
 All faith

00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:52.559
 is tested

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:53.200
 faith,

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.240
 but looking to

00:32:55.240 --> 00:32:55.700
 Jesus,

00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:56.940
 our mediator,

00:32:56.940 --> 00:32:58.519
 God has

00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:02.920
 hasслob

00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.600
 ,