Out of Despair and Into Celebration

(S1) — Out of Bondage/Into Freedom

Free at last! The Exodus of the Hebrew/Israelite people.

Moses...burning bush....Egypt...Pharaoh...tell them

Exodus 5:1 ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me

The Passover; a meal of remembrance...

Pharaohs hard heart brings God’s judgment—Plagues...

Exodus 12:31 “Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested.”

Out of bondage/Into Freedom…

Imagine what it was like for them! 430 years of captivity…what would they do with their freedom? Who would they trust? Their history? Moses?

FREEING THE QUAIL

At a Farmer’s Market, there was a covey of quail walking around a pole. They had strings attached to their legs and walked in circles hour after hour. A customer purchased the birds and then cut the strings off their legs, giving them their freedom. Yet, in spite of the strings being cut, they continued to walk around the pole in the same circles. They did not know they were free and could go in a new direction. The man had to chase them away from the pole before they understood that they were free.

Having freedom and knowing it are two different things.

Ask a person stuck in addiction… “just believe and you will be free,” they say; but when it gets hard…ones history, broken past, easily coms flooding back.

Now, with the sea ahead of them and Pharaoh’s army behind them; their freedom in jeopardy…they find themselves in a difficult place.

The reason for their despair—depth of their despair—The way through it: their deliverance

(S2) —Title

They had witnessed the power of God in Egypt…but had not yet learned to trust the one who set them free; to trust in God as their savior.

FREEING GOLLUM

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...a frightening creature named Gollum. He lives in the area known as Middle Earth and goes about with a croaking throat muttering. At one time he possessed the ring of power and it corrupted him with its evil.

The view discovers that Gollum is not so frightening as he is pathetic. It turns out that he once was a Hobbit named Smeagol, much like Bilbo Baggins, one of the heroes of the story. But the ring corrupted him in mind, spirit and body. Now he is a little, slimy, twisted animal-like creature with haunted eyes and frog-like shape. His greed and sin have done this to him.

But through the friendship and grace shown to him by Frodo, whom he now calls “Master,” a change begins to take place. At one point in the film Gollum becomes two persons arguing with himself: the old Gollum telling him that he is worthless and unlovable, and the new Gollum who refutes those arguments and refuses to believe them.

It is a struggle, but Gollum finally says, “Go away! We don’t need you!” “What?” asks the old Gollum in disbelief. “Leave, and don’t come back!” the new Gollum says firmly. Suddenly the old Gollum is gone. He is free of his bondage. Gollum begins to jump and dance. “Gone! Gone! We told him to go away, and away he goes! Smeagol is free!”

Out of despair and Into Celebration…

PRAY

(S3)

Exodus is their journey to trusting God; what they learn along the way. Getting Egypt out of them...

God’s way is BEST

{13:17-18}

Story about a young woman who had prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The sister left four little children and since there was no one to care for them this young woman had to stay with them. Her heart was broken. She had dreamed of being a missionary and now she would never have a chance to go out for the Lord.

However, she submitted to the Lord’s will and did the best she could for the children. As they grew up, one by one they came to her saying, ‘Aunt, I feel that God wants me to be a missionary.” So instead of one person going out as a missionary, because of her faithfulness to God and His call four went out. She came to see, after all, that God’s way was the best way.” (Jack Andrews Expository Studies – Understanding Acts)

There are NO shortcuts to TRUSTING God!

I wonder, how we miss God’s best, when we try to take the shortcut to following Jesus...?

{13:21-22}

Where would they go? No maps, gps…to the promised land? They would have to learn to...

(S4)

Trust God to LEAD them!

God was not only with them but leading them in His covering by day (protection)...and light by night (safety)...

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

They would learn that God’s way was best, while trusting God to lead them…

Do you trust God to lead you?

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

But what are they to do when God’s changes course…puts them back in the cross hairs of their enemy?

(S5)

{14:2-4a)

Are you willing to trust God to lead you, even when it doesn’t make sense?

Why the U-Turn? Why the confusion? God would increase his glory in the eyes of this people, by diminishing Pharaoh’s...

{14:4b}

God would not only defeat the enemy, but make em’ look bad; so that…

(S6)

Everyone...would know WHO did this!

How quick we are to forget what God has done...

The passover was for their remembering—The parting of the sea was so everyone would know…

And so God seizes Pharoah heart (8)...he gathers his army and 600 of his best chariots...and sets out to pursue them

It’s easy to forget that we have an adversary pursuing us today...

1 Peter 5:8–9 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

God wanted everyone to know that he was still in control; especially the enemy

Job…

With their freedom in Jeopardy…their place of despair

(S7)

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.

Who can blame them! The sight of their oppressor. 430 yrs of making bricks in the mud...long days...undernourished beaten down both physically/spiritually—terrified, they cry out to God

Despair...“to be without hope; lose or give up. A state of hopelessness”

No visible way out; the impassible sea in front of them...a sea of Egyptian solders behind them...they cry out to God...the depth of their despair. is real; they weren’t afraid over nothing!

Times when our despair is warranted...

(S8) — Hurricane Helene

Fall Mission Trip

For the Israelites; fear had a face. We see the depth of their despair...they cry out to God (10)…then they complain to Moses (11).

(S9) — {14:11-12}

...better off back in Egypt? Moses, what have you done to us...If we thing about it, this is really messed up...

Moses trusted in God who he met at a bringing bush. He knew God was going to do something huge but had absolutely no idea what it is...

The only way out of despair and into celebration, was to trust the one who freed them

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Do you trust God to do what you can’t?

Four clear steps out of Despair/Into Celebration (13-15)

(S10)

I. Stand FIRM!

Exodus 14:13 “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.”

Their fear is real—what they had seemed better...Moses says fear not...

How many times that is in the Bible?

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Jesus to is disciples n the storm; their place of despair

Mark 6:50 “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.””

Despair can feel like we are on sinking sand?

To Stand firm—”to occupy firmly in a place or location” to find your footing on solid ground.

Matthew 7:24 ““...everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

STANDING FIRM is taking our eyes off our circumstances, ourselves...

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (fear).”

Its fixing our eyes on Jesus who sets us free

Proverbs 4:25 “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”

Second step out of Despair/Into Celebration

(S11)

II. Be STILL!

14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.””

(ESV) to be silent...stop your complaining it wont do any good; ever found complaining to be helpful

be still and know...the god that heard your cry, made a way and freed you

Psalm 46:10 “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God

This also means having a sense of peace

Mark 4:39 “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

When we know and trust our battles to the lord...being still in the presence of God; we can find peace

When the waters of despair look impassable, your enemy too great...be still...Trust God, He’s got this; He’s got you!

The third way out of Despair/Into Celebration comes directly from God…

(S12)

III. MOVE on!

15 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

God tells Moses to stop praying and start doing...times when our praying is not the will of God...

— the problem with no action

Fear can be paralyzing...but moving forward can be freeing...look back only to remember what God has done, but don’t linger there; move on

Psalm 23—don’t linger long in the valley of the shadow of despair...

Do your prayers cause you to move? Call you to action?

Author Tim Hansel writes: One day, while my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled "Hey Dad!" I became an instant circus act, catching him. We both fell to the ground. For a moment after I caught him I could hardly talk. When I found my voice again I gasped in exasperation: "Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that???" He responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure...because you’re my Dad." His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted. Isn’t this even more true for a Christian? Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, pp. 46-47. From a sermon by Mike Rickman, "Trusting God’s Word" 7/11/2009

The army behind them, the sea before them; moving forward would mean to fully trust in God

(S13)

STAND FIRM—BE STILL—MOVE ON...the Lord himself will fight for you!

..for God is about to do something great! To bring you out of despair/Into Freedom—will you trust me?

{14:15-18}

Ever find yourself in a place of despair...?

John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

Trust God’s way as BEST...trust God to LEAD you...trust God to do something you can’t...so that everyone will know that Jesus set you free!

God did a great thing that day...

Exodus 14:25 “He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.””

(S14) Title

Out of Despair and Into Celebration

Exodus 15:1–2 “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

But God was going to do something even greater...in Jesus who sets us free from slavery to sin—Out of Despair/Into Celebration

You only need to Stand Firm—Be Still—Move on and Trust in the one who set you free!