Sermon Central
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Be Still And See The Salvation Series
Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Aug 6, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Almost all of us are going through tough situations, hopelessness despite the resources and people around us. Our ordinary life is disturbed and more pressure mounted upon all of us. All sectors of life challenge us to cope up. Hope amidst despair is with God.
Text: Exodus 14:13-31
Theme: Be Still and See the Salvation
Introduction: The Lord is good; His love endures forever. God willing, we will meditate on the theme, HOPE AMIDST DESPAIR, throughout August. Almost all of us are going through tough situations, hopelessness despite resources and people around us. Our ordinary life is disturbed and more pressure mounted upon all of us. All sectors of life challenge us to cope up. The Lord brings us, hope, amidst Despair. Today we are meditating on the theme:
Be still and see the salvation based on the text Exodus 13-14.
The take away from this sermon could be:
Move on, the Lord is travelling with you;
Look up, the Lord is fighting for you; and
Trust in Him, he has delivered you.
1. Exodus 14:15-20: Move on(v. 15), the Lord is travelling with you(v. 19)
Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army. God led them into the valley and brought them to this place purposefully. They were caught between the mountains and the sea. Pharaoh thought that the Israelites made a foolish move. Can God make a wrong move in your life? When you are perplexed, disturbed, gave up hope. God tells you and reminds you that I am with you. God taught the final lesson to Pharaoh who was Jehovah, and God has shown himself as a redeemer and silent fighter to the children of Israel. God makes the way even when there is no way. The end of the human mind is the beginning of God’s mind and God’s ways.
Do not stay back, move on. Move forward. The Lord is with you. He travels with you. Exodus 14:19 expresses that the Angel of the Lord who had been travelling in front of Israel’s army went behind them to safeguard them. What a wonderful understanding that the Lord goes before you. When we feel lonely, when we are in disastrous moments, the promise is that the Lord goes with us. Step out with faith that the Lord is going ahead and behind you.
Travelling Angel of God refers to the divine presence, manifested in the pillar of cloud and fire. The pillar of cloud slow and silent movement of that majestic column through the air, and occupying a position behind them must have excited the astonishment of the Israelites (Isaiah 58:8). It was Yahweh, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit (Exodus 13:21, 14:24). Burning Bush associated with God and the Lord (Exodus 3:2). He proceeded the camp and stood behind them (Exodus 13:21, Psalm 78:14). 1 Corinthians 10:4 says it was Jesus Christ, and in Psalms, it refers to the Holy Spirit (Psalm 2:12).
He gave a promise to Abraham and he does lead him to an unknown country as a guide walking in front of Abram (Genesis 12:1, 4, Acts 7:3). Moses has the promise of God that God will be with him when he stands before Pharaoh (Exodus 3:10, 12). The Lord led the battle of David; he went before him to the battlefield. The Lord had gone before him on the tops of the Balsam trees (2 Samuel 5:22-24).
Jesus told his disciples that he will be with them until the end of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20). Mark ends his Gospel confirming the presence of the Lord was with them everywhere (Mark 16:20). While Jesus sent seventy of them to cast demons, perform miracles and wonders. They returned and joyfully reported that how they succeeded the Satanic powers, Jesus immediately replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. This shows the presence of God was with them (Luke 10:18). The early Church had seen the work of the Holy Spirit. He told Saul that he was persecuting Christ when he persecuted the Christians. He identified with their pain (Acts 9:5). The presence of God in our life often not taken into account, the grace of God is taken very lightly. The miracles of God we experience in our day to day life. God expects a thankful heart and gratitude from us.
2. Exodus 14:21-28: Lookup(v. 10), the Lord is fighting for you(v. 25)
Pharaoh had best chariots (Exodus 14:7), the officers, soldiers, armies were marching boldly against the Israelites (Exodus 14:8), the Egyptian horses, chariots, horsemen and troops pursued and overtook the Israelites (Exodus 14:9). The Israelites looked up and there were Egyptians marching after them. Often we think, we are satisfied in slavery, sin and defeats. We are comfortable with the fear of men. We serve a wonderful God. He is the God of Hosts, God of victory, God of the mount and valley, and God of seas and wilderness. Pharaoh thought the Israelites were wandering in confusion (Exodus 14:3). Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord and there is no other God.
God knew what they needed, God knew what they were going through, and then God came up with good news for their bad situation. God knew. As we struggle to live out the life of faith, we have a God who knows us, knows our problems, knows our failures, and knows our needs. God provides good news for whatever bad situations we are going through, namely, unemployment, depression and serious illness, doubt, fear, loneliness and we can add on.