Forward By Faith
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
Introduction:
Everyone in their life will have those moments where they have to make a difficult choice.
Often times there will be more than 1.
Those difficult choices are usually made from their internal constitutions.
Ultimately it is what we believe that dictates what we do, it is the “why” behind it.
Among the man who made difficult choices through wartime I wanted to highlight one specifically:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his story happened through World War 2.
He was a German pastor, martyr, prophet, and spy.
He was:
A German pastor that resisted the Nazi-government.
He was involved in underground church operations.
He helped to undermine the Nazi’s constantly.
He was part of an attempt on Hitler’s life, which brought him to prison and ultimately his hanging in 1945.
Here is a testimony of his faith and testimony he left behind:
“The prisoners were taken from their cells. The judgments were read out to them. Through the open door in one room, I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer. He was on the floor praying to his God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed. He believed and was so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a prayer. Then he climbed the steps to the gallows. He was brave and calm. He died in a few seconds. In the almost 50 years that I have worked as a doctor, I have never seen a man die so completely accepting of the will of God.” -Bonhoeffer: Making Difficult Choices - Spotlight English
Connection:
I cannot begin to say what I would do if it were me in this position.
I can only hope that my faith would be strong enough and that my courage followed my faith.
Dietrich was confronted by choices, choices that would not just impact his life; but many he knew and also those who followed.
He wrote a lot during this time and those writings built up the global and local church’s faith and lives and continue today doing the same thing.
What we see is that his choices were to walk forward by faith, or allow fear to freeze him in place where he couldn’t do what God called him to do.
Walking by faith isn’t easy, and there are numerous testimonies for people doing just that, like:
Joni Eareckson Tada
Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan
Gutenberg, the Anabaptist and martyrs
The Disciples and all of the early martyrs
We can read of earlier ones too.
Our text today provides us with the opportunity for 2-3 million of God’s people to move forward by faith, even when it seems ridiculous.
Thankfully for them and for us God works through ridiculous.
Exodus 14 is going to be broken up in 2 parts.
The first part is the challenge
The second part will be the action
We start at the moment when Pharaoh is haunted by and regrets what he just did.
Pharaoh is confronted by the fact that he just lost over 600,000 men for his workforce.
Not only has this come to his attention; but as appearances go the Israelites were just wandering around in the desert, they seemed lost; which provided opportunity.
Verses 1-9 records for us:
Pharaoh’s last effort (1-9)
Pharaoh’s last effort (1-9)
1 Then the Lord said to Moses,
2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
The lord’s plan isn’t always revealed until the finalization of it.
The Lord is directing Moses as he leads the Israelites to the mountain for worship.
He tells Moses to double back and take the position at an entirely vulnerable spot.
There are 2 groups this would impact or have an effect on:
Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
All the Hebrews following Moses.
God says exactly how this would impact Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
They quickly forgot the God that they would be fighting against and the authority and power He just revealed to them through the plagues.
Which highlights how our memory after a little time can be “adjusted” with a little suggestion.
God doesn’t say anything about the mind of the Israelites; but we can think through the passages as if we were there ourselves.
Illustration:
Do you recall a time in history where we didn’t have technology like google maps for directions.
A time that was much simpler with paper maps, or our memory.
Us men “know how to get there” and you know that because we told you we know where were going.
Until you begin to see a searching look on our face.
That moment when whatever landmarks we knew, aren’t there anymore.
We can’t admit to that, especially when you ask questions like:
Do you know how to get there?
Want me to find directions?
After a while our passenger begins to get nervous, then frustrated.
The Israelites aren’t that far into their journey and the’re walking.
Imagine the frustrations and fear of this long journey ahead of them.
It might be fair to say the minds of Israel weren’t in the best spot towards Moses.
It would cause problems with the Hebrews, not to mention that God revealed what Pharaoh would also think of the double back.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
Pharaoh sees the Israelites physical position is being cornered.
Maybe he thought one of his gods has delivered the Israelites into his hand and he might get the last word.
Pharaoh and his servants hatred must have been so strong that they forgot what God did to them for Pharaoh release the Hebrews.
He was blinded by his hard heart.
Once again God is going to use Pharaoh’s hard heart to glorify Himself to Israel, Egypt, and the known world.
Pharaoh did as the Lord said, he brought his full might against Israel towards their vulnerable position.
6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him,
7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.
9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
Notice what he chose in his pride:
He chose to take his whole army!
All his horses and chariots and horsemen.
If you were to fight someone weaker, less skilled, and from a strong advantage point how much of your army would you need to conquer?
Pharaoh wanted to make a statement to the world.
Don’t mess with the god of this world who has power and might; kneel to him.
But there was a part of the equation Pharaoh didn’t know.
God’s will is going to be done through Pharaoh one more time.
Pharaoh’s pride and Israels vulnerability offers an opportunity for a last ditch effort to get his labor force back and save some face.
Pharaoh is confident in his pursuit of them and Israel notices Pharaoh is coming, which reveals:
Their weakness (10-14)
Their weakness (10-14)
10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.
Israel realized Pharaoh’s army is in pursuit.
I’m not sure how long it might have taken for his army to reach them; but they were close enough for Israel to see them.
(A guess but maybe 14 miles?)
How should they respond to seeing Pharaoh?
I ask this because of the manner they were brought out from slavery.
Illustration:
Have you ever heard the term “rose colored glasses”?
It is typically used to describe the ability to ignore all of the bad things about a person, because all you are seeing are the great things.
A lot of times it is used to describe a newly married couple.
It isn’t that you don’t love your spouse, it boils down to those moments where the glasses are off and you recognize things that weren’t there before.
It can also be referred to as “the honey moon stage”.
Either way the glasses are off and hopefully you can get back to that point where all you see is good in the other person, instead of different.
The glasses or honeymoon stage was over between Israel and God.
They had forgotten his love and all He had done bringing them out.
They were so caught up in the fear they missed how little power and authority Pharaoh had before all mighty Yahweh.
Connection:
This is something that we are also prone to.
We often forget all the things He saved us from and our fear rules our mind allowing for silly things to be done and said.
The truth shall set you free; but only when you believe the truth and ignore the lie.
The truth is that Israel is precious to God, they are His people, He brought them out with a mighty hand.
The lie is that Pharaoh has any authority as slave owner over them after God now owns them.
It’s easy to do the same thing.
Do the battle in our mind between what we think and what the truth is.
When God is for us who can be against us?
Especially when we are armed with verses like Psalm 118:6
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Or Psalm 56:11
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
When we see how God protects, provides for, and leads His disciples we can have complete trust and confidence that God is using us for His will.
That is what we desire, to do His will.
Our Lord is requiring no fear of circumstances because we know and trust that He is in control.
This is also told to the disciples at their sending out.
18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.
God brought them before Kings and their audiences for a grand public platform to spread the gospel: faith in Jesus; then to later show them!
Israel's reaction to this situation was to fear greatly.
It is like an abused child being afraid of their abuser and also possessing a loyalty to them.
Israel served from fear to Pharaoh, and under God they don’t know how to serve from faith and freedom, they have to unlearn their enslaved routine and grow into their freedom.
Let’s read what they chose to do, acting from fear:
11 They said to Moses, “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?
12 Is not this what we said to you in 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.”
Have you ever noticed when people are operating from a position of fear they do and say things that are out of character or silly?
Who brought them out from Egypt, Moses or God?
Who caused all the plagues, Moses or God?
Who instituted the celebrations to honor and never forget what God had done?
It wasn’t Moses or Aaron.
Israel in their “slave” heritage began to blame Moses and Aaron for their leading and the coming danger.
Nothing to different from what Adam and Eve did when they were operating from a compromised position with God.
12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
The blame game began with Adam and Eve; but Israel begins their own routine that they would follow all through the wilderness.
They turned into complainers.
Personally I can say I hate whining and complaining is in that category too.
Their complaining didn’t make much sense as God brought them out not Moses.
Moses obeyed by faith God’s call.
They supposedly recalled what they said to Moses before leaving Egypt, it may have been when the foreman was beating them and making them work harder by forcing them to find and gather their own straw to make bricks.
They told Moses to leave them alone let them serve the Egyptians.
Isn’t it sad when you witness someone settle?
All humans have this inward fulfillment when they serve others.
With exception of the Narcissist, they don’t find any fulfillment in that; but again that is an compromised position as a lost soul bound to sin.
We are created with a fulfillment to serve and it was sad that the Israelites would rather serve man than God!
In what areas of our lives do we settle by serving man, our culture, others politics, relational expectations, instead of serving the Living God?
The Israelites fear forced a lie that Pharaoh was on his way to kill them and that God would not rescue them.
There has to be one person who is speaking from a non slave mindset:
Moses hadn’t grown up in the Hebrew lifestyle as a slave, and God had removed him from allowing that upbringing to affect his evaluating power.
On the back side of Midian was where God prepared Him to lead his people.
This is how Moses could say what he did in :13-:14
13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
God will remove the fear you have, trust Him and believe He can and He will!
Believe and do!
Moses gave a statement that challenged their loyalty.
He said: You see that thing that is causing you to do stupid things and say silly things, that thing you fear the most right now?
The fear will be removed; but:
Faith is required (15-18)
Faith is required (15-18)
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
God says:
This isn’t the time for prayers and pleading with me, it is time for action!
I’m not sure if you caught what God is asking Moses the leader to do:
He is told to lead them into the water!
Remember the position: their backs were to the coming Egyptians, they were facing the water!
Moses was given direction:
Moses was to be the emblem for parting the sea.
16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.
Sometimes people need to see faith in action to believe it.
As believers: We need to see other peoples faith and God do amazing things in their life because of it.
Non-believers need to see our faith being worked out so they know were serious about our God and He is worth it!
This comes into the area of faith and works.
A lot of people can be conflicted by passages in the New Testament where it talks about not judging one another, like in Matthew:
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
Especially when we have other passages that teach us about watching a persons life, and whether or not they are a believer through what they do.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
What we can come up with that suits it best is fruit inspector, this is how we best dance the line isn’t it? just as Matthew 7 teaches:
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Faith is action, born from belief and trust, and moves forward.
Israel is confronted by whether or not they believe that God leads them.
Whether or not they trust their Lord and His will and who He calls to lead.
All of which should be shown by their faith.
Faith to step out of their logic, comfort, abusive history and embrace the truth about God.
Move forward into the water and God will part it for them to walk across on dry ground.
Conclusion:
To us reading the story it is simple to take those steps into the water isn’t it?
It doesn’t take faith to read about the salvation of the Lord.
Each of us have things in our lives we fear.
In those moments ask yourself questions:
Am I allowing that fear to control me?
Am I making decisions from fear or faith?
What part of this scenario do I not believe God is in control of?
How is God asking you to get into the water and trust Him?
What action should you choose from faith, not fear?
How is your faith being shown to others and will you allow it to impact them or are you hindering it?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s actions showed his faith in God and many have been emboldened because of it.
God can use you in that same way and wants to.
There was a study done through Barna research group that asked people about a hero that impacted their lives to be named.
Then they asked what was it about that person that impacted you so greatly?
It came back that the greatest impact had taken place through their character.
When our faith in God is the only reflection we have that people remember imagine how God will use that in others lives.
Desire to live by faith lifting up the one who is worthy of the title Savior!
-Pray!
