Exodus 13:17-15:2 Facing the Red Sea Part 1 - Transfering your dependence to the Lord

Think about the great opportunities in life.

Accepted to MIT / Getting saved / Going to work at EDS

Getting married / Leaving EDS / Getting the okay to pastor

Or discovering that I could not figure life out and fell into great depression

Failing miserably in my Christian life

Being unable to make ministry work by my efforts

Stumbling significantly as a parent

Failing to be able to raise support as a missionary

Deep brokenness are the great opportunities

Here we discover that we are unable to control our lives

And to move forward we must transfer our dependence to the Lord

Israel faces great trouble. Unable to overcome it. Unable to have control. A great opportunity – They will have to transfer their dependence to the Lord.

Let us finish our examination of Exodus 13:17-15:2

Again I am taking a lot of ideas and even words from a book by Robert J Morgan. .Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times by Robert J. Morgan

Published for Billy Graham Evangelistic Association by Thomas Nelson

The overall lesson - When Facing the Red Sea - Transfer your dependence to the Lord

I. When facing the Red Sea: Trust the Lord

A. Demands faith

(NKJV) Exodus 14 13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.

Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

1. Stay calm and confident

Not be afraid

a. The real test of faith – Anyone can say the right words - Can’t be faked – otherwise you will fear – real test – anyone can say I trust – Will you trust?

b. He knows and reassures

1) 107 OT, 42 NT assurance to not be afraid

a) Disciples on the sea

b) Woman with issue of blood

c) Mary at the tomb

2. Demands waiting on Him

Stand still, … hold your peace.”

a. Ceasing striving – let go of anxiety

b. Do what He asks you to do and no more

3. Demands believing He delivers

(NKJV) Exodus 14 13 …the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. .. 14 The LORD will fight for you,

a. Believe by faith He is able to work

b. This is what He does

c. Believe the promises He has given

d. Believe He fights on your side

e. Live with expectation that He will act

B. Do your part

1. Take the next step

(NKJV) Exodus 14 15 And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

a. Stop asking – time to act by faith – faith is always active

b. Not paralyzed

1) by ‘overthinking’ 2) ‘uncertainty’ 3) ‘faithlessness’ and fear

c. Take the next logical step

d. May not be able to understand the end of the path, but usually know what is needed next – do it

“Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Dale Carnegie

2. Leads step by step ‘in increments’

(NKJV) Psalms 119 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

a. A lamp – wick from an oil lamp – only see right in front of you keep from stumbling

b. How to know the next step

1) In accordance with His Word – most critical – absolute authority 2) Influenced by counsel – most insightful 3) Inner leading – both strong and misleading 4) Do what seems the right thing to do 5) Know that if the heart is seeking the right step, He is not inhibited by even a wrong decision

3. What does God want you to do next

a. Get rid of the sin

b. Seek forgiveness

c. Change your attitude

d. Do your part to make the relationship right

e. Obey what you know He wants you to do

f. Put yourself where God wants you to be

C. Rest in His presence

1. Be aware of His presence

(NKJV) Exodus 14 19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.

a. He is here – He surrounds them / lives in us

b. Here seen – we have the privilege of walking by faith instead

c. Our promises more secure in His Word – I am with you

2. Trust in the protection of His presence

(NKJV) Exodus 14 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

a. He is active though unseen

b. Moves into the face of the enemy

c. Helps / inhibits

d. Fights for (Son and the Father)

3. Find comfort in His presence

(NKJV) Exodus 14 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

a. Like a night light

b. Can see and understand

II. Facing the Red Sea: Expect Him to work

A. God can demonstrate Himself radically

(NKJV) Exodus 14 21 … and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 …, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

1. Not a mere human event (Reed sea really a marsh – heavy was the problem) – High walls of water on both sides

2. Not a natural occurrence (Earthquake, High winds on a narrow stretch of land) – time for 2-6 million people to cross

3. Dry ground (Supernatural event) – dry enough that the Chariots were unafraid to follow

4. Wall – always used of massive city walls at least 20 feet high

B. God’s activity often includes us

(NKJV) Exodus 14 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea;… 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

1. Must ultimately respond by faith – can stay and die

2. Small roles to play

C. God delivers

1. The Lord saved that day

(NKJV) Exodus 14 30 So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

2. The Lord delivers because He delights in us

(NKJV) Psalms 18 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support. 19 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

3. Delivered us from the greatest problem

Gal. 1:4 (Christ) gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age.

4. Ways He might deliver

a. Deliver from the problem – eliminate the problem

b. Deliver in the midst of the problem – give peace to endure the problem

c. Deliver ultimately in spite of the problem – deliver in the age to come

III. Facing the Red Sea: When He delivers

A. Make it a personal faith-builder

(NKJV) Exodus 14 31 Thus Israel saw the great work (hand) which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.

1. God really delivers

2. Fear Him

3. Believe in Him

4. The beginning of faith

5. Faith at its core – critical to grow it

B. Don’t forget to praise Him

(NKJV) Exodus 15 1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!

2 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

1. Acknowledge what He has done

2. Gain a different perspective

C. Be prepared for a new crisis

(NKJV) Exodus 15 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.

our faith grows when we choose to apply God’s promises to today’s problems and use the experiences to mature us for tomorrow’s challenges.