We welcome a guest, Tali Iijima, who brings the element of worship with dancing into the gathering. The Bible message is taken from Exodus 15, the story of the Israelite’s encounter with adversity at Marah.
(Outline notes below)[display_podcast]
Let the Challenges Begin (Exodus 15:22-27)
I. The passing through the Red Sea is a type of Baptism.
A. Various symbols of the Red Sea event.
1. Signifies leaving an old life.
2. Signifies following the Messiah.
3. Signifies being identified with a new people.
4. Signifies the beginning of training for the promised land.
II. What’s next, Moses? (v. 22 – 27).
A. God did not take them on a direct route to the Promised Land.
B. The joy of victory begins to fade on a three-day walk (v. 22).
1. No map.
2. No water.
C. Elevated hopes vs. crushing disappointment (v. 23-24).
1. Water! We’re saved!
2. Eyuk! This tastes awful!
3. How do people deal with the “emotional roller-coaster”?
D. How soon we forget the hand of God.
1. They saw the power of God but they doubted His love.
(a) Remember their doubt of Moses? Are you going to kill us as the Egyptian
(b) The same concern is now their attitude before God.
2. Does this kind of thing happen in churches? Yup!
III. God’s intention is to train His people.
A. Though the people were walking in victory, they were to face testing.
B. This is a picture of personal faith experience and of church life.
C. Testing, training, and temptation always follows baptism.
1. The enemy will attempt to pursue by temptation
2. God will offer you opportunity to trust.
3. Such opportunities train us for righteousness.
D. This experience becomes a statute and an ordinance (v 25).
1. The people were given an opportunity to trust.
2. God gives them the pattern of what they can expect from Him.
3. Their behavior is measured against the His demonstrated pattern of faithfulness.
E. What are the parameters of the test of the people (v. 26).
1. Did they “give earnest heed”?
2. Did they act accordingly-active faith.
3. I will heal and deliver.