Journey to Promise: Through The Sea (Exodus 14:1-22)

 Sermon for Milledgeville and Centenary UMC...

Journey to Promise: Through The Sea (Exodus 14:1-22)

Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday school.

“Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.” “

“Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his mother asked.

“Well, no, Mom. But if I told it the way the teacher said, you'd never believe it!”

 

"The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.” 
Exodus 14:14

Imagine the scene. Moses followed God’s lead to the edge of the Red Sea. [Slide] Suddenly Pharaoh’s army of charioteers appeared in the distance. The people were terrified. They cried out against Moses.

 

We told 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 here in the desert!” (Ex 14:11-12)

 

Moses was a rather reluctant prophet. He’d begged God to send somebody else. And when Pharoah refused to let the people do, Moses was ready to throw in the towel. “Why did you ever send me?” But God encouraged Moses. “Now you will see what I will do to Pharoah. He will let my people go because of my strong hand.” (Ex 6:1)

 

[Slide] God unleashed chaos upon Egypt. Moses witnessed the River Nile tun to blood. A plague of frogs, gnats, and flies followed. Disease followed that, then painful boils covered the Egyptians. Still Pharaoh would not let the people go.

So God destroyed their agriculture with hail and swarms of locusts. Then God blocked out the sun so that Egypt sat in utter darkness for three days. Still Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go. Finally, Death came for the firstborn of every household in Egypt. Pharaoh’s own first-born son died. The cry from Egypt was great. The mighty hand of God broke Egypt’s hold upon Israel.

 

But now the people had lost sight of all they saw God do. But Moses remained steadfast. Moses saw what God can do, and he encouraged the frightened Hebrews.

 

[Slide] “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm… The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.” (Ex 14:13-14)

 

How often do we get riled up and fearful and quickly forget all that God has done for us?

 

There is much chaos in our world. [Slide] Every day the news brings more horrors, sad and maddening events. There’s rioting and violence in our streets. Protesters have died, and many others injured. War rages in various parts of our world. Humanity seems determined to destroy this planet.

 

Violence, and impending death frightened the Hebrews there at the Red Sea. [Slide] The sea is often a biblical metaphor for chaos. They feared the might of Pharoah. They feared being cut down by the sword, or run over by chariots. With the sea at their backs and the Egyptian army charging, the Hebrews were trapped. What could they do but die?

 

But Moses told them, “The Lord will fight for you. You need only to calm your hearts. Don’t be afraid. Have faith!”

 

[Slide] God instructed Moses to extend his staff over the waters. With a strong wind God split the sea. Israel walked through to safety. God made a way, in the midst of chaos, and Israel was saved.

[Slide] The Egyptians pursued them, but the sea swallowed them up and they all drowned. Israel was truly free, never to fear the power of Pharoah again.

 

Moses broke out in a song of praise! [Slide]

 

“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 my song,
and he has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
³ The Lord is a warrior—
Yahweh is his name. (Ex 15:1-3)

 

There is much chaos in our world. [Slide] Beyond the headlines, chaos causes suffering much closer to home. Some of us are dealing with frightening health concerns. Some of us are grieving the loss of a loved one. Some of us are facing joblessness and financial insecurity. Some of us are bullied. Many of our neighbors feel hopeless. It can feel like we are trapped, like our backs are against an unforgiving sea and the enemy is coming for us. In such moments in life, remember the God who rescues. The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still. You need only to stand firm in faith.

 

I googled “faith stories God recused me” and got several hits.

 

[Slide] I came across the testimony of Shelia Walsh, co-host of a national television talk show called The 700 Club. One day while she was interviewing a guest on live television, her guest asked her, “You are the one always asking us questions, but how are you doing Shelia?” Shelia broke down crying and couldn’t stop.

 

 

As a child Shelia adored her father. He was fun and always encouraging to her, but then her father suffered a brain aneurism. He came home from hospital a violent and cruel man. He hit her, called her names, was incredibly abusive. She wondered what she had done to deserve such harsh treatment. She suffered his abuse for years. One day her father attempted to strike her over the head with his cane. She pushed him back to protect herself. Her father was placed in a lunatic asylum. He escaped one day and drowned himself in the river.

 

Shelia had only ever wanted to be like her father. Now he was gone. She shifted seeking her father’s approval to seeking God’s approval. She worked very hard to live a life pleasing to God, but here’s the problem. She didn’t allow God to love that hurting little girl. Shelia hid that part of herself from everyone, including God.

 

The chaos of her trauma crept into her mind and threatened her sanity. At times in her life Shelia felt drawn to suicide. She put on a happy Christian face, but that day on live television, something inside Shelia broke.

 

The producers cut to commercials and rushed her off set. Shelia made arrangements at a mental health hospital. On the drive there, she contemplated suicide. She drove to the beach, took off her shoes, and walked out into the ocean to water chest deep. A voice inside told her to take another step and all this pain can end. But even there, The Lord was with her. Even in the chaos of her trauma, Jesus was at her side. She raised her arms to heaven, spoke Jesus’ name again and again until she found the strength to finish the drive to the hospital.

 

[Slide] She was on suicide watch for 72 hours. They took away from her anything that she might use to harm herself. Shelia had only her Bible to keep her company. Shelia knew her career was over. How did she ever get here?

 

She was alone and utterly broken. Nighttime was the worst. In her dark solitude, voices would tell her how bad she was, how much she had messed up, how she would never recover. In these moments, Shelia would repeat the words of Psalm 27

 

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage (Psalm 27:13-14)

 

One night while she was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, feeling lost, broken, and utterly alone, she saw the feet of someone standing in front of her. She looked up to see who she thought was one of the staff. He placed something in her hand and said, “The Shepherd knows where to find you.” [Slide] She looked in her hand and saw a small stuffed lamb. She never saw the stranger again. Shelia was convinced that Jesus had checked himself into the mental hospital with her. From that moment on, the Lord helped Shelia recover. Jesus made a way through the sea of her trauma, and she walked away free.

 

[Slide] When chaos is crashing at your back and the enemy is in your face, do not be afraid. The Lord will fight for you. You need only be still.