God Leading Us Forward

Introduction

This afternoon as you and I, stand once again at the precipice of a new year our text this morning is particularly relevant to us.

For the past month leading up to Christmas, Pastor Erik and Pastor Harrison have been reminding us that God is With Us. He is not a far and distant God, Christmas reminds us that He is an up close and personal God.

So today we are going to continue in that truth as we see that God is Leading Us and will continue to do so through 2024.

In Exodus 13:17-22, The Israelites are leaving in mass from Egypt. For four hundred years they had been living in the land of Egypt—and most of that as slaves. And as we see them leaving Egypt, who is leading them?

God himself is leading His people.

And this is great news for you and I this morning because friends, God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The same God who delighted in His people in Exodus 13 is the same God who delights in His people today. The same God who leads His people in Exodus 13 is the same God who leads His people today.

And we as humanity are still a people in need of our God. How many of you know this morning that we are still a people that desperately need God to lead us?

My goal is for you and I to leave today with a greater trust in the God who leads us and a greater desire to be led by Him.

Towards that goal I want us to see in our passage 4 Truths about God’s Leadership

Let’s read the passage together. So if you have your Bible I invite you to open it to Exodus 13:17-22. It’s also printed in your worship guide as well.

Exodus 13:17–22 “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

(Prayer)

I. God Leads Us Knowing Us (17)

Exodus 13:17 “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.””

When Israel left Egypt they knew their destination. God told Moses in Exodus 3 that He was going to take the people to Canaan—and Moses tells the elders of Israel—so as they march out of Egypt they have a clear idea of where they are heading.

But verse 17 of our passage tells us that as God leads His people out of Egypt He doesn’t take them on the straightest path. The quickest way to get to Canaan from Egypt is to walk down the coastline—through the territory of the Philistines.

So what’s going on here?

Is God a bad navigator? Does He not know the shortest route? Surely not! The one who invented the East and the West knows what direction to move in...

Friends, our text tells us—God does not lead them on the most obvious path because He fully knows the hearts of those He’s leading.

And this truthis great news for you and I as we seek to enter 2024 faithfully following God.

We all want that right? No Christian here made a resolution to be a less faithful follower of God.

And maybe you’re here as a visitor and you aren’t a Christian—but you are seeking God—you know that life with you at the helm as not been going well. This truth is good news for you too.

God knows you—God knows you better than you do—God knows you fully—God knows you in ways that would surprise you.

Have you ever done something and you were surprised by your own actions or feelings? Guess what? God wasn’t surprised…because He knows you through and through. He created you.

And this should be comforting to us because God doesn’t lead us hoping that His plans for us are best. He doesn’t lead us down a path not knowing whether or not it will fit us. Every plan God makes for you is tailored for you. No baggy plans here.

Now here’s the catch—you and I are not omniscient like God is—we’re not all knowing.

If we’re honest often times you and I look at the path that God has set us on and we kind of scratch our heads. And we ask God, “Are you sure—you know what you’re doing? Are you sure this is right?” “God shouldn’t we go the obvious way through Philistia?!” “God shouldn’t we go the easy way?!!”

Let me encourage you. When it seems like the route forward doesn’t make sense, trust God. God sees what we don’t and He knows you and what path you need—listen this is important—He knows what path you need for His plans to be accomplished in you.

Sometimes, what seems like the easy and obvious way to us is actually the path that will—at best lead us to rely on ourselves—and at worst destroy us.

Years ago Vickery and I, when we only had two young sons—built a house. We decided that with a family growing--the next step for us was obviously to build a home and settle down right outside Wilmington, NC.

So we got approved for a loan and we started working with a builder to build our home. We picked out the lot, and the layout, and the colors, and the materials—

We visited the job site frequently to take pictures of the progress-

And while the house was being built we lived with an older couple from our church in their two bedroom apartment with our two kids and our cat.

And the house was finished. And when it came time to sign the paperwork our realtor told us that we weren’t approved for the loan afterall---that a mistake had been made in calculating our debt-to-income ratio as it related to student loans—and that we would not be getting the house that was custom built for us.

You probably won’t be surprised—that Vickery and I were confused. We were upset. We were heartbroken. What could be more obvious than giving us the house we prayed for and built? God why won’t you let us walk down this path?

About a year later we were on our way to Wake Forest, NC to start seminary—and it was clear to us…God kept us from planting roots down because He wanted to move us. And it was a much better plan than our plan.

God led us on a path that wasn’t obvious, but was right for us because He knows us fully.

In our passage God knew that if He took Israel through Philistia and they saw war that they would return to Egypt. God knew that owning a house during that time in our life wasn’t right for us.

So when the path before you doesn’t make sense—as is bound to happen this year--know that you are loved and cared for and lead by a God that can see the full picture—

Transition: God leads us Knowing us and the second truth we see in our text is...

II. God Leads Us Knowing Himself (18a)

Look at the first part of verse 18 with me...

Exodus 13:18a “But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea...”

If you aren’t familiar with this story of God’s people in Exodus—let me give you a spoiler alert—going toward the Red Sea turns out to be a death sentence—from man’s perspective.

Fast forward a bit and Pharoah is pursuing Israel with all of His army.

At their backs is the Red Sea which promises them death by drowning—and at their front is a massive army bearing down on them.

The options—so it seems to them—is to drowned or be killed or enslaved again.

This leads the people of Israel—though they have seen God miraculously deliver them from Egypt—though they are literally being led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night—this leads them to say...

Exodus 14:10–12 “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.””

And before you judge Israel’s reaction here…be honest…tell the truth and let the Lord love you…haven’t you responded the same way when put between a rock and a hard place by the Lord?

I know you have...

because the human heart doesn’t change—we too quickly question the goodness of our God when circumstances seem grim.

And I don’t want to be naive…this world is full of sorrow…truly hard situations fall on God’s beloved people all the time.

Maybe you haven’t been in this hard place where it seems like death is bearing down on you…where it seems like there are no options for you…but odds are you will be—at some point.

Because you live in a fallen world—it’s not what it should be—and we all get touched by it.

And I want you to take comfort in knowing—if you are in that place now—or if you are fearful thinking about that time coming—that God doesn’t stop being sovereign when life gets hard.

His power doesn’t wax and wane with our faithfulness. Do you know how good that is? IYKYK.

Because He knows what He’s going to do with that situation—He was the one who led Israel into this situation—He led them there knowing Himself and what He was going to do.

In Genesis 37 Joseph is sold into slavery by His brothers. He finds himself in a pit, betrayed by jealous brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully accused, imprisoned, and then later exalted to authority in Egypt and God uses Him to save Israel from famine. In fact, Israel is exiting Egyptian bondage now in our passage because God gave them rescue by Egypt through Joseph.

Israel’s path to the Red Sea began hundreds of years prior by the sovereign hand of an all powerful, good God.

Bear with me here…what does this mean for us?

It means that when it feels like God has abandoned us—from our perspective—when it seems like we are all alone—we aren’t.

Friends, Don’t for a second—now or in the coming year—believe the lie of the enemy—that your God has forsaken you…He hasn’t.

This is the promise of the gospel—that you are God’s and that He is yours—and that He will never forsake you or leave you.

You need to look no further than the cross of Jesus Christ to know that He hasn’t. He who died to make you His—that He might lavish His love on you—Has not and will not abandon you in the direst of circumstances.

Sometimes being led by God means we will find ourselves in a hard circumstance…that’s true

My friend Tony just died after a long battle with Sickle-Cell Anemia.

We prayed for His healing and it came. He is healed now.

But he left behind his wife Candace and their 6 year old son, Isaiah. And God is not surprised by this. He isn’t wringing His hands trying to figure out what He’ll do.

Let me say, and I pray you hear it with Christian maturity…Tony’s death came to pass by the plan of a good God.

I don’t know what God is doing in this. I can’t see it. I’m sure for Candace and Isaiah that this feels like a Red Sea moment in their lives. I’m sure the enemy—who hates God and His people—is trying to lie to them about the character of their God.

But nonetheless, the truth is that God hasn’t left them—

His love for them hasn’t waned—and the safest place for them and us when our back is against the wall is to cling to the goodness of the one who died for us and brought us to life by the precious blood of Christ.

In this new year—let us remind ourselves and each other—especially in the hard times that God fully knows us and knows what He will do. We can take comfort in these truths church.

Tranisition: As we continue in verse 18 we see also...

III. God Leading Means we can be Confident in our Going (18b)

Let’s keep reading verse 18...

Exodus 13:18 “But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.”

The fact that our God leads sovereignty, omnisciently should give us confidence as we seek to be those who walk in His ways.

The rest of verse 18 tells us that Israel left Egypt equipped for battle. They were ready to fight.

And if you are pausing here—you’re reading carefully. We know they were’nt ready for battle. God said it.

The beginning of our passage gives us God’s perspective, “they ain't ready, they don’t want that smoke” But here in the second part of verse 18 we are seeing Israel’s perspective.

Israel coming out of Egypt, coming out of God showing Himself to be the One True God—miracle after miracle—plague after plague—Israel coming out of Egypt carrying Egpyt’s treasures with them are feeling very confident.

“We’re ready! We’re ready for battle.”

And it almost makes Israel seem silly. But I don’t want us to miss something here. I don’t think their confidence is misplaced, church.

They have seen their God move and so they come out of Egypt ready to do battle with God leading them.

Oh, that you and I would face 2024 with this same confidence.

To quote the apostle Paul…Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

What’s our application here? Confidence does not meaning diving head first into everything we do confident that God will catch us.

If Israel had ignored God and tried to March through the Philistines land that would have been foolishness…not confidence.

Here’s how I think we can carefully apply this…We should have full confidence—bold confidence— as we endeavor to do the things that God has CALLED us to do.

Do we see the difference? If God called you to it—do it!

So confidently share your faith, confidently seek God in the scriptures, confidently fight your sin, confidently be generous with your time and resources—where God has called you to go—you can go with full of confidence—if God told you to do it, then friends, let us do it boldly.

As we embark on this new year—let this be said of us--those City Church folks are confident in their faith because they know the God who leads them.

Verse 19 of our text gives us an example of confidence rooted in God..

Exodus 13:19 “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.””

How confident was Joseph that God would visit His people? Confident enough to say, “Bring me with you when you go...”

If God said it, then he’ll do it. And if God calls you to obedience then be confidently obedient. Amen?

Transition: Lastly, the fourth truth we see about God’s leading in our text is...

IV. God Helps Us Follow Him (20-21)

Read with me in verses 20-21

Exodus 13:20–22 “And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

Here again we see another picture of God’s love for us. And we see how good it is to be led by our God.

As the people are marching into the unknown God is givng them obvious help. That’s the best kind of help church...

He is giving them obvious direction.

During the day a pillar of cloud moves before them. Where it goes they go.

And when the night falls that pillar is aflame and God continues to guide His people in the darkness of the night.

Here’s the truth again...God in His kindness gives His people obvious help—

And this has been the pattern of God with His people from the very beginning.

God has always been kind to give his people physical signs for their good! To help them in their faith.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin—it was God’s kindness to put a flaming sword at the entrance of the Garden—lest they enter and be destroyed.

The Rainbow after the flood was given by God to remind all people that the flood would never again take over the whole earth.

The 10 commandments written by the finger of God on tablets of stone was God’s kindness for His people.

The incarnation of Jesus, Immanuel, God physically with us,

The cross of Christ, the empty tomb

the sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper....are God’s kindness and obvious helps to our faith.

Over and over again God shows himself to be a God who not only lead’s His people but helps them follow His lead.

And this is good because we’ve already established sometimes the path God sets us on is not easy to follow…but don’t worry—you aren’t alone—God is helping you.

The obvious help that the Israelites received from God—in our passage—was a pillar of God’s own presence.

And maybe this afternoon, you are thinking, “Must be nice. I wish that God would give me such obvious help for my life.”

God where is my pillar of cloud and fire—I don’t know what to do—I don’t know where to go...

Don’t you know this morning church, that you and I have something so much better than supernatural weather?

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Church, we have the supernatural Word of God

In every literal sense your Bible contains the very Words of God.

2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The God who created all things—the God to whom all worship is due—the God who speaks and creation moves--

WE HAVE HIS WORDS!

We have his instruction, we see His character, we have His help and not only that,

But God through His Spirit helps us understand and apply the help that He gives us in the Word. We get His Words and His Spirit, and His church to help us read it and understand it and apply it.

Keep the cloud... Amen? What we have is so much better.

As you enter 2024 don’t forget that God has given you obvious help to follow Him faithfully

Conclusion

As we go into this new year City Church, I hope God’s Word this morning in Exodus has stirred in you a greater trust in the God who leads you and a greater desire to be led by Him.

As I close, I want to encourage you this morning to plan to do something with what we’ve talked about in Exodus 13.

God knows you fully, He knows what He’s going to do and what’s coming down the pipeline of your life.

You can have confidence in pursuing boldly all that God has called us to do and be.

And God has given you His very Words to guide you and His Spirit is helping you understand and apply it.

So the question for you and I is...

What would it look like to apply this message in our lives?

Let’s pray.