Exodus 15:22-27

INTRODUCTION: You talk to much about missions, don’t you know there are needy people here to.

“I am not a Christian; I am a Baptist.” I don’t know why I found this one so funny.“Do you grow weed in your closet?” The church member actually wanted to look in the pastor’s closet to confirm his suspicions.“Sorry I was late to church. My dog, Rambo, and I have been witnessing to people.” Rambo must be a special dog.“I don’t know if I will be able to help with baptism tomorrow. I’m bleeding from my rectum. I think it’s hemorrhoids.” By all means, please stay home.“Are you the one who keeps taking the beer off my daddy’s grave?” I’m left wondering how daddy gets the beer.“So did you fly or drive there?” That was a question asked of a pastor after he returned from a trip to the continent of Africa.“We never had these storms until you came.” Those are words said to a pastor after hurricanes Rita and Ike.“You need to turn all the lights up during worship. You can’t worship God when it’s dark because He is light.” There has to be a theological response to that.“Can you perform a ceremony just short of marriage for just living together?” Do you take this roommate . . .“I really appreciate the content of your sermons, but I can’t stand to watch you as you deliver it.” It would be tough to take that statement as a compliment.“I need you to go catch a peacock that escaped!” Of course, that’s item 6c in the job description.“ I can tell you have the anointing of God. My cat does too.” It must be a very spirited cat.“I can’t run the media and worship God at the same time. I can only worship God with my eyes closed.” Note to that church member: Don’t drive and worship at the same time.“Are you and your wife getting a divorce?” This question was asked of a pastor when he announced his resignation. They were not getting a divorce.“You need to wear a bra when you preach.” Just to be clear, this statement was said to a male preacher.“You blink too much when you preach. You are also a very pale person.” Thank you for your kind words.“When are you going to get your own church?” This question was asked of an associate pastor.“Top that, preacher!” Words spoken to the pastor by the soloist as she stepped down from the podium.“Working here will help you overcome your seminary education.” Somebody doesn’t like seminaries.“Congrats. This is our last Sunday. This church is dead.” Words said to a new pastor on his first Sunday at a church.

God will lead you to bitter places

Exodus 15:22 ESV

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

wilderness of Shur - likely nw sinaini

wilderness and found no water - three days is a long time for no water.

We almost always have something to drink. We turn a faucet on.

HAHA - kids at bedtime.

Exodus 15:23 ESV

23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.

Marah - bitter. The place was named after the bitterness in it.

Noami internalized her bitter situation into becoming bitter. (from pleasent)

That is what Israelites were doing as well.

Ironic - they were waiting for water, they found it, but it was bitter.

They probably thought life would be easy from now.

Exodus 15:24 ESV

24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

they were following the cloud. What did Moses have to do with anything?

Stop complaining and start praying

Exodus 15:25 ESV

25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,

he cried to the Lord- right response for Moses.

Did you notice the difference? They grumbled to their leader. Moses actually cried out to God.

log - ??????????

sweet - Water isn’t normally sweet anyway.

tested them - what is the difference between a temptation and a test? A test is meant to draw you closer to God, a temptation is to pull you away from him.

Exodus 15:26 ESV

26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

if you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God. - If is important, so if not.

Some will say prosperty gospel, but this is not the case.

right in HIS eyes - not yours.

Our job is obedience, God’s job is provision.

Exodus 15:27 ESV

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

Elim -

twelve spring of water - (FL natural springs???)

seventy palm trees - Palm trees drink lots of water! Ecspecially in the desert. Could take well over 50 gallons a week.

CONCLUSION:

Johovah rapha - God is our healer, but interestingly they were hurt yet, but God is going to prememtly state I am the God who heals you.

WATER CUP ILLUSTRATION?????

Costa Rica - Bitter coffee illustration

Exodus 16:1 ESV

1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.

wilderness of sin - from place of refreshment to place of sin.

Exodus 16:2–3 ESV

2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

what? Did they not remember the previous story.

meat pots and ate bread to the full - not true! They were being beat. Begging to be released.

HAHA kids hungry thrirsty

Exodus 16:4 ESV

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

The curse wasn’t a test, the blessing was a test.

Exodus 16:5 ESV

5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

This was the first time in history that a day off was given.

The test was are you going to trust me. 6 days I will give you, and extra on the 6th. if you will trust me on the 7th days.

Exodus 16:6–7 ESV

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”

You shall see the glory of hte Lord -

If we complain, we are complaining against God. Becuase God put us in that position.

TV on wall next to door.

Cabinate by the window.

waves on long wall.