Through the Water - SMM (*)

Lead Off Question

Have you ever been through a haunted house?

Illustration

Ripley's Believe It or Not in San Antonio, walk the plank room, spiral catwalk

Transition

Right now, some of us see where God is calling us, it's as clear as day. Yet, what isn't clear is whether or not we will follow through. We have some objections, a few concerns, and some things that we are certain God must have forgot about when He chose us for this calling.

Today we are going to be looking at Moses and the Israelites and their journey through the Red Sea, and how a faith in God not only led them to freedom but led them out of a second round of enslavement.

Bottom Line

When we are Christ-filled then we will learn to trust and follow where God leads us.

___________________________

Bible Verse

Exodus 14:1–31 NIV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 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. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 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.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

* God has a plan, we are in His plan.

Breakdown

Is it a comfort to you to know that you are a part of God's plan? You didn't just appear and God had to figure out where you would fit or how he you make use of you. He knew of you, and you were already a part of his plan.

I have said it over and over, you have your spouse, your kids, your mom, your dad, your grandparents, your friends, your coworkers, your teammates, your influences, because GOD PLACED YOU THERE IN HIS PLAN. You have not interrupted God's plan, and he is not unaware of your situation. He is fully aware of your circumstances, your schedules, your kids schedules and your personal needs, yet he has still given YOU your calling.

Bottom Line

When we are Christ-filled then we will learn to trust and follow where God leads us.

___________________________

Bible Verse

Exodus 14:9–15 NIV

The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 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. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.

* God has a plan, and we need only to be obedient.

Breakdown

I am inquisitive, just ask my mom or dad, or my fiancé. (wedding planning with an inquisitive person is hard, I am sorry Madi)

Naturally, when someone comes to me with a plan I think, well I wonder if they have thought through everything, and mostly importantly HOW THIS AFFECTS ME. Look, Tom over there, he will figure it out, but have you considered how this will affect me. Have you considered the cost, the labor, the time, the energy, isn't there an easier way, can't we just go without it, is it really necessary at all?

This is exactly what the Israelites begin to wonder. WHY ARE WE HERE, WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED THERE!

When God calls us, it is our faith that we lean into, and our previous experiences of His goodness that are our reminder that we are a part of His plan, and His plan is good. Can you answer that question?

Bottom Line

When we are Christ-filled then we will learn to trust and follow where God leads us.

___________________________

Bible Verse

Exodus 14:29–31 NIV

But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

* God has a plan, and as we follow Him, His plan reveals more of Him to us.

Breakdown

Imagine the sounds of those waves crashing together, the people in the sea, the people on the shore. When they realized, God was fighting their battle for them the whole time. They were never trapped or forgotten.

Right now, where you sit, regardless of what you are facing, you are not trapped, and you are not forgotten. God has this amazing plan for your life, he has called each and every one of us, and he awaits our obedience.

Bottom Line

When we are Christ-filled then we will learn to trust and follow where God leads us.

___________________________

Application

This morning the waters God has called each of us to walk through look a little different from person to person. For some of us God is calling us to:

Begin having a quiet time (reprioritize time, eliminate distractions)

Begin evangelizing (to a friend, a family member, a coworker)

Start a small groupLead your family (be the head, disciple your kids, show them Scripture, pray with your spouse)

Start serving in a ministry here at Calvary

Greater financial dedication

Full time ministry, becoming a missionary

I plead.