Flashing Lights and Faith

Flashing Lights and Faith

Exodus 14:15–30 • Rev. Todd A. Christine • Road Construction Series

Introduction: The Chaos Before the Clarity

This summer, during my travels, I found myself stopped in a construction zone. Ahead of me was a maze of equipment, dust, and disarray — no visible road, just chaos. I stared at the sign-holder, wondering, “Where am I supposed to go when we’re finally told to move?”

Then a truck rolled past, flashing yellow lights and a massive sign: “Pilot Car: Follow Me.” It didn’t clear the chaos, but it led me through it. Dust flying, machinery humming, earth torn up on every side — but that pilot vehicle knew the way.

It wasn’t until I looked in the rearview mirror that I realized the road had always been there… I just couldn’t see it until I trusted the one who could.

1. God Leads with Intention — Even into the Impossible

Exodus 14:1–4

God tells Moses to take the people on a divine detour: “Turn back and camp by the sea.” Pharaoh will think they’re lost. But this isn’t poor planning — this is prevenient grace. God is leading them on purpose, into what looks like a trap, in order to demonstrate His power and glory.

We ask: Why not take the easy road — straight to Canaan? But that “easy road” went through Philistine territory — a brutal, iron-wielding army Israel wasn’t ready for. What looked like confusion was actually compassion.

Wesleyan Truth: What looks like delay may actually be divine protection.

Apologetics Note: Yam Suph and the Red Sea

Some scholars argue “Yam Suph” means “Sea of Reeds,” implying a marsh — but Scripture repeatedly identifies it as a mighty sea.

1 Kings 9:26: Solomon built ships on the Yam Suph — ships don’t sail from swamps.

Deuteronomy 1:1, Numbers 33 — all place Yam Suph in the region of the Red Sea.

The drama of this story matches that setting.

So no, our Bible translators did not make a mistake. The Red Sea it is — and God is about to part it.

2. God Uses Pharaoh’s Pride and Israel’s Panic

Exodus 14:5–9

Pharaoh sees Israel’s strange movement and thinks, “Now’s my chance.” His pride hasn’t broken. He gathers his elite chariots — the pride of Egypt — and charges out.

But God is setting the stage. He tells Moses what’s about to happen: this final confrontation will break Egypt once and for all. Pharaoh’s ego will become Egypt’s downfall.

Observation: Pharaoh is so consumed by control, he’s willing to sacrifice Egypt’s future to preserve his pride.

Meanwhile, the Israelites? They see chariots behind and sea ahead, and they panic.

3. The Human Factor: Fear Before Faith

Exodus 14:10–12

They cry out to Moses:

“Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us here to die?”

They’ve seen God humiliate Egypt with plagues, but now the danger is personal — not over there, but right here. Their fear overwhelms their memory of God’s power.

This is the reality of the human heart: We want freedom, but fear holds us captive. We want deliverance, but don’t know how to depend. We cry out for salvation, but don’t trust the one who brings it.

Faith is what fills the space between fear and obedience.

Psalm 56:3–4 says:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Fear is not a sin — but faith must rise to meet it.

4. God’s Deliverance Requires Our Dependence

Exodus 14:13–22

God doesn’t yell, “Figure it out!” He says, “Stand firm… and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring today.” Then He tells Moses to raise his staff and the Israelites to move forward.

Faith doesn’t mean knowing the plan — it means trusting the One who parts the sea.

We want passive rescue — but God calls us into active trust. He doesn’t teleport Israel to the other side — He calls them to walk throughit.

Salvation is not earned by our movement, but confirmed by it.

This is justifying grace in action. God opens the path; Israel must step in.

5. Between Egypt and the Promise: The Fight Within

The temptation to return to Egypt is real. We all know the voice:

“Go back to the addiction.”

“Go back to the affair.”

“Go back to the lie, the self-loathing, the comfort of chains.”

The old life always seems easier when the new one looks uncertain.

But once you’ve encountered the living God — you can’t go back unchanged. You can try to pretend it didn’t happen, but even you don’t believe the lie.

Freedom means walking away from what enslaved you, even when your heart is still learning how to be free.

Like Jacob wrestling with God, Israel is learning dependence in motion. Deliverance isn’t just escape — it’s transformation.

6. When Fear Rises, Faith Must Step Forward

Exodus 14:21–30

“The Lord drove the sea back…” “The Israelites went through on dry ground…”

This is not some tidy storybook ending. They walked in terrified, obedient, trusting anyway. Faith isn’t the absence of fear — it’s movement in spite of fear.

Zach Williams sings it well: “Fear is a liar.” Fear tells you, “You’re stuck.” Faith says, “God is making a way.”

You don’t have to part the sea — just trust the One who can. You don’t need to know the whole plan — just follow the Light ahead. You don’t need to fear what’s behind — because God goes before you. So lift your hands. Take a step. Move forward.

Faith moves when God says, “Go.”

7. Gospel: The Road Through the Cross

1 Corinthians 10:1–4 tells us the Red Sea was a baptism — a movement from slavery into covenant. And just as God brought Israel through the water, He brings us through the blood of Christ.

God doesn’t just save us fromsin — He saves us through the cross, into holiness.

You’re not just forgiven — you’re set free to walk in obedience. This isn’t salvation by effort — it’s salvation by grace, walked out in surrender.

The Red Sea is the road to promise. The Cross is the road to holiness.

Final Challenge: Will You Move Forward?

Are you standing at your own Red Sea?

Frozen in fear? Tempted to run back to what’s familiar, even if it enslaved you?

The lights are flashing. The dust is swirling. The voice of grace is saying,

“Follow Me.”

Call to Action

Step into saving faith (Justification) Walk in obedient grace (Sanctification) Let the past die (New life in Christ)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Wesleyan Theme

Red Sea Parallel

Application

Prevenient Grace

God led them to the sea

Trust even when the way is unclear

Justifying Faith

Stand firm and believe

Respond to God’s call to salvation

Sanctifying Grace

Walk through the parted waters

Obey even when it’s hard

Holiness & Freedom

Pharaoh destroyed, Israel delivered

Live in freedom, not fear

Closing Words

Sometimes God leads you where there is no road — so you’ll trust Him to build one in front of you.

Will you follow the flashing lights of grace — or run back to Pharaoh’s chains?

Today is your invitation to move. Through the water. Through the fear. Through the impossible. To freedom.