A Living Faith!
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Introduction:
Last week Israel was challenged to live out their faith, this week we get to see their faith in action.
The position they were put in had been one where they could choose how to respond!
They could respond by moving forward or by doing nothing.
It was faith of fear.
Faith would provide freedom from the fear
Fear would subject them to slavery.
That is too similar to our lives isn’t it?
When we have faith in God we find freedom from the fears that entangled us into irrational thoughts and actions.
When we give in to fear we are giving over the reigns of our minds to that fear and it is willingly subjecting ourselves to slavery.
The Israelites were going to physically be slaves, and it was something they already part of, why would they want to submit themselves to it once again?
The abused mind lives in fear and there is comfort in the routine.
The Israelites had proclaimed they believed the Lord and that Moses was sent to deliver them with the leaving of Egypt.
The action of their faith is about to be required.
They are provided an:
Opportunity to Obey (19-20)
Opportunity to Obey (19-20)
19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them,
20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
Israel in their position were vulnerable.
They faced the sea and behind them came the Egyptian army to capture them.
God told Moses it was time for action!
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
Their action would need provisions.
The Egyptian army was closing in.
God would fulfill what Moses said:
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.”
With that fulfilment God would have to provide that opportunity.
Which He did through a show of His protection.
19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them,
God Himself was there.
It is noted that the text for “angel of God” in this passage is similar to the voice speaking to Moses from the burning bush.
It quite possibly is another Christophany, that moment where Christ reveals Himself in the Old Testament.
God showed His consistency through the pillar of cloud being present and the power of the Angel of the Lord in the cloud being His authority.
The Egyptians were held by the Angel.
20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
It mentions that it took place all night.
This would give us a time frame for how long it took for the wind to split the waters and dry the ground.
At night the Angel and the pillar of Fire stayed separated but divided the Nation of Israel from the Egyptian army.
God protecting them while His will is done.
God protecting them and making obedience to Him possible.
The Opportunity is provided and offered by the Lord, it is up to them to move forward.
They may have proclaimed they had faith; but now they can show it.
Here is a way to think through this, and apply it to your own life:
Illustration:
“It is not sufficient merely to say that you trust Christ for salvation, and then to imagine there is nothing further to be done. I have often tried to expose that delusion by representing a pilot as being brought on board a vessel, and the captain and sailors saying that they all had confidence in him that he would take the ship safely into the haven. They said they trusted him, but having declared their faith in him, they all went below and lay down to sleep.
Now, of course, the pilot wanted to have the sails attended to, and the ship put in good trim, and he needed the helmsman to manage the rudder, so he called out, “What are you all doing down there? Why have you all run away from me?”
The principal we learn from Israel needing to cross the Red Sea by faith, is the application to the expectation of living out our faith.
The application for living out our faith isn’t just entrance onto the boat; but how we manage ourselves during the journey.
This is really pointing towards how at the moment of salvation we are grateful for being saved from our punishment in Hell; but hopeful and joyous for our relationship with our Lord and our God.
As we enter salvation the boat is escape from Hell.
The journey is how God is discipling us to reflect Him as our Father!
Israel would have this opportunity to obey which reveals their belief and trust in a God who is present with them, providing the opportunity to act from faith!
They have their:
Opportunity for Faith (21-25)
Opportunity for Faith (21-25)
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Moses continued to obey as the Lord directed him.
He continued to be a representative of the Lord to the people as He did what God said.
An example of trust, obedience, and leadership for God.
Moses was being the beacon of hope and deliverance to the people.
Providing the picture for how to trust, obey, and follow God!
Moses’ obedience showed God splitting the water right in front of their eyes.
It wasn’t just the appearance of deliverance and salvation, they felt the strength of the Lord with the wind powerful enough to split the sea!
Much worse than this last Monday evening but similar in the amount of time it took.
All night.
All night the pillars protected Israel from Egypt!
The time of their salvation was now!
They were probably amazed at crossing the sea with walls of water on both sides and the seafloor dry.
Actually one of the best depictions for this scene was in a movie called the prince of Egypt from Disney in 1998.
God created the first walk through aquarium.
They obeyed the Lord, they stopped complaining and blaming Moses for imminent death and went into the sea by faith.
Why did they do that?
Was it because they had no other choice?
It was because they saw the salvation of the Lord.
Seeing the salvation the Lord had provided didn’t mean they were “out of the woods” per say yet.
Illustration:
Even at the depths of the sea walking on dry ground Israel could have doubts.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
When it seems like your life is in danger what the Lord has told you can be easily forgotten.
The disciples forgot what Jesus told them: they were going to the other side!
Israel could’ve lost sight of the Lords leading while in the sea as they went back focusing on their fear; the coming Egyptians.
Again the Lord would reveal His might and will in the presence of Israel.
23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic,
25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
The morning watch was typically the darkest hour before dawn, it was traditionally the best time for attack when men’s spirits were lowest.
While in pursuit of the Israelites the Egyptians were “thrown into a panic”
the word for thrown is a word that depicts confusion, the Lord confused them.
The same word is also used later in Exodus.
27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
It is a position of disorder.
For men it’s like that moment when your working on something and you set your tool down for a moment only to pick it up once again and it’s gone. like the infamous and mythical 10mm socket.
That kind of mindset is the kind that God is portraying here.
You kind of feel like your loosing your mind because it isn’t making sense and your mental faculties are about to unravel.
The Egyptians wheels were getting clogged.
According to Psalms we have a possible reason for this.
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
It seems as though it may have started to rain, making the dry seabed wet once again.
The context seems to point to all of Israel finished crossing the sea, or at least very close to finishing.
The Egyptians were beginning to enter a defeated mindset and that would add to their panic.
Overall giving them a proper perspective of the situation.
25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
The reality was God fights for Israel and not the Egyptians, only it was too late for them attempt a return trip.
As Israel witnesses the:
Promise Fulfilled (26-31)
Promise Fulfilled (26-31)
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.”
27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.
28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.
The Lord directed Moses what to do.
Moses obeyed the Lord’s direction.
The Egyptian army and Pharaoh had been erased from existence.
In that moment God was through conquering the Egyptians for Israel.
Israel was a witness to it all!
I wonder if in that moment the finality of possible slavery to ever happen again was concluded in their minds?
When you see God provide salvation to you from any fears in your life, how do you react or what do you think?
Is that ever a fear that you will return to or allow to enslave you ever again?
Their fear was dealt with and finished, dead to them!
Moses gives us a reminder for what God had done in this miracle.
29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
Israel saw the thing they feared laying along the seashore.
They didn’t struggle coming through the sea, the Egyptians did.
They had a leader who separated the water and a wind to dry the ground for them to be able to make the journey.
They received not just salvation; but a memory or great courage to hold onto all their lives and pass on to their next generations.
31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
Conclusion:
Israel’s faith grew that night entering a new day!
Faith often grows.
let me read you a story:
“I will tell you how faith grows. Sometimes it grows in intensity. You believe the same things, but you believe them more firmly.
A child has a pearl in its hand. but now the child has grown up into a man, and he has the same pearl, but how differently he holds it. When, as a little child, he held the pearl, then you might, perhaps, have taken it away from him; but now that he is a man, see how he doubles his fists and grasps the treasure!
So it is with the man who grows in faith. He gets such a grip on eternal truths that you cannot take them from him. He has learned to stand firmly. He is not carried about by every wind of doctrine. He keeps the helm of his soul fixed right to the port where he is bound, let the wind blow and the storm howl and moan as it may.”
The anchor for our faith that we hang it all on is secure and no person or thing can remove us from Him.
The lesson we are to learn as we study the bible and specifically Exodus 14 today is:
Through the trials of your faith, trust the foundation Jesus has built for you to stand on.
There is 1 condition: You must believe it! Believe in Him!
If we are to be sure footed as a mountain goat on the granite we must believe that where we stand and what we believe is 100%.
This would allow us the freedom to be who God created us to be
As our insecurities breed instability.
We can overcome them because God is leading us, providing for us the same opportunities He did for Israel.
An opportunity to Obey His word.
An opportunity for Faith.
Throughout our lives we will see His promises fulfilled.
God didn’t call you to fear He died for you to have a living faith.
One that grows stronger and more secure in Him!
-Pray!
ASK THE 2 MEN TO COME AND PRAY FOR COMMUNION!
