This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "When You Don't Know What To Do, Just Stand", Exodus 14:10-23, 11/17/2019

   

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

JUST STAND

Exodus 14:10-23

TROUBLE FOLLOWS YOUR DELIVERANCE

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord . 11 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? 12 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!"

A, Having witnessed the 10 plagues of God, which affected the Egyptians   

     and  not them, they still had no faith in God.

   1. They had escaped the death angel because of blood on their door posts,

       yet they could see  God’s protection against the same Egyptians.

   2. Their lack of faith show up in their complaints to Moses.

   3. We must have confidence that if God saved us once, He can do it again.

B. Many of our complaints are about the blessing of God we already have.

   1. Israel never knew freedom, therefore didn’t know the responsibilities of     

       freedom.

   2. Israel never knew how to plan for themselves, Now they would have

       to plan.

   3. Israel never knew how to trust anyone, now they would have to learn

      to trust God.

   4. They complained because they doubted their ability to stand on

       their own.

   5. They called on the Lord, but they complained to Moses about

       God has done for them.

GOD USES YOUR TROUBLE TO GLORIFY HIMSELF

13 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. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 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.

TESTING YOUR FAITH DURING TROUBLING TIMES

1. The Israelites were physically free from Egypt, but

     spiritually enslaved to their past.

2. The had been controlled by the Pharaoh all their lives.

3. They would have to learn to allow themselves to be

    controlled by God.

SALVATION IS A PROCESS

1. Salvation starts with a Word of Promise from the Lord

    a. God promised your deliverance before you were born

        Genesis 3:15

2. God opens the door to His salvation.

    a. God open the Red sea so Israel could walk to

        the other side.

     b. The objective of getting to the other side of the Red Sea

         was worship.

             

Ex 10:3-4

"This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

3. We have to voluntarily walk to salvation.

4. Our faith grows as we walk toward salvation.

5. Salvation is a selection by God.

    Ephesians 1:4

6. God will not allow anyone to stop you from worshipping Him

7. God will protect you as you walk toward Him

      a. The Israelites were guided by the Lord from Egypt into

        the desert.

      b. As a parallel, Jesus ministry began in the desert when He was tested   

          by the devil.

8. Whatever you are going through, It is not your battle, it is the Lord.

GOD USES YOUR TROUBLE TO SHOW HIS POWER

17 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. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."

19 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, 20 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.

1. God planned your troubles so He will get the glory.

2. God planned your troubles so that your enemies will know that He is 

    God.

3. God planned your troubles so you can see Him destroy your enemies.

4. God provides protection throughout your troubles.

    a. God provided a pillow of a cloud to protect the Israelites by day

        and a pillar of fire  to protect them by night.

    b. God used His pillar of cloud to separated the Egyptian army

        from the Israelites.

    c. God gave light to the Israelites, but darkness to the Egyptians.

5. God gives light to all believers and darkness to the rest of the world.

6. In your darkest hour, God is your light.

     

WE ARE INSTRUMENTS IN GOD’S GLORY

21 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, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen.

1. The hand of the Lord is over the lives of all believers.

2. On our behalf, God opens doors that are closed to others.

3. God reveals His glory to us when He does what is impossible for man.

4. For the salvation of the Israelites, He made the water stand as a wall

    and dried up the river bed .

5. When we walk with God, we walk on solid ground.

6. When we wall with God there are walls that protect us from ourselves.

    a. There is the wall of God’s glory.

    b. There is the wall of ignorance.

    c. There is the wall of His forgiveness.

    d. There is the wall of His honor.

    e. There is the wall of His tolerance.

    f. There is the wall of His grace.

    g. There is the wall of His mercy.

    h. There is the wall of His power.

    i. There is the wall of His protection.

BREAKING DOWN WALLS

7. There are walls in us that have to be broken down as we

    walk toward salvation.

        

  Phil 2:12

  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence    

   only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation

   with fear and trembling.

    a. There is the wall of pride.

    b. There is the wall of sin.

    c. There is the wall of unforgiveness

    d. There is the wall of selfishness.

    e. There is the wall of fear.

    f. There is the wall of hatred.

    g. There is the wall of selective love.

    h. There is the wall of sadness.

    i. There is the wall frustration.  

BUILDING UP WALLS FOR SALVATION

8. There are walls that must be built up in us as we walk toward

    salvation.

    a. There is the wall of humbleness

    b. There is the wall of love.

    c. There is the wall God’s joy.

    d. There is the wall of God’s peace.

    e. There is wall of reverence to the Lord.

    f. There is the wall of tolerance.

    g. There is the wall of forgiveness.

    h. There is the wall of gratefulness.

    i. There is the wall of faith.

As they walked to the other side, Israel were hidden from

the Egyptians by God’s cloud of protection.

When we look back, we see God’s love and not our enemies.

When we look forward we see God’s salvation.

        

Exodus 15:2

The Lord  is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

THANK GOD FOR HIS SALVATION

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 Sam Houston Parkway North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons follow me on facebook and visit my blogs;

Revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com