The Wanderers

The Wanderers Part 1: The Crossing

Today we begin our summer teaching series “The Wanderers”.

Over the next several weeks we are going to journey through the story of God’s people as they were brought up out of Egypt and began their journey through the wilderness.

Our Series begins today with the crossing of the Red Sea.

The Red Sea crossing is the moment when God gave his people a seemingly impossible victory over the enslaving powers of Egypt.

It’s a defining moment of deliverance and grace for his people

In this story, God saves His people from the pursuing Egyptian army by splitting the Red Sea, saving the Israelites, and destroying the pursuing army.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:10-14‬‬

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.”

Already in our story we find a motif of mistrust and rebellion that we will see time and time again throughout their journey.

We will say to ourselves “How can they doubt and complain after all they have seen God do?” And our Father will look us in the eye and smile knowingly

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:15-22‬‬

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.

In these moments of terror, the steadfast faith of Moses bears the weight of the un-believing people.

In the eyes of the people, they were stuck. A sea before them and death behind them. There was no way.

But God was about to display his power to make a way- literally, an unimaginable way for them to be saved, and for him to get the Glory.

In this story we begin to understand that as we are backed up against the impossible- God is not limited by our imaginations. He’s not limited our plans, or our ability to see the way forward.

He has a plan for redemption. A plan that will bring him glory for generations to come!

Our call as His people is to trust and believe in Him.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:23-31‬‬

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.

The Lord went behind his people protecting them, and he went before them making the way for salvation.

That’s not just what God did, it reveals who he was, and the good news today friends, it’s who he still is today.

The Lord goes behind you, and before you. Will you trust him? Will you trust him to do the impossible?

Jesus said in Mark 10:27 “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Will you trust God with your impossible today?

Overview of Exodus

This video gives a brief overview of the book of Exodus, helping us frame it within the biblical narrative. This link is for Part 1, make sure to watch Part 2!

http://bible.com/events/48899753

Church of the Nazarene 

The Problem with Certainty

The more control I feel like I have, the less I have to live by faith.

What are you certain of today?

The truth is, for most things in our lives, certainty is an illusion.

The desire for control is the root of what’s wrong with us.

Just as certainty is an illusion, control is too.

When I feel in control, I don’t have to live by faith.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭13:17-18‬‬

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭13:20-22‬‬

After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭16:4-5‬‬

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

In your uncertainty, trust God’s plan.

In your uncertainty, trust God’s presence.

In your uncertainty, trust God’s provision.

In your uncertainty today, you have a choice.

You can’t have control. But, the truth is, you don’t really want control.

You can’t have certainty. But you can have the One who is certain.

The question is, what are you trusting in today?

http://bible.com/events/48896033
Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg

Questions Jesus Asked: “Why Are You So Afraid?”
Do you know Him? Do you obey Him? Do you need Him? Do you trust Him?

Today we continue in our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Why are you so afraid?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:35-40‬‬
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

-In the moment, Jesus’ question seems ridiculous: “Why are the disciples afraid?! Because they almost drowned!”
-Jesus asks a follow-up question, which helps us understand what He is really after: “Do you still have no faith?”
-The disciples had seen Jesus do remarkable things: cast out demons, heal a paralyzed man. And still they do not have faith.

-Jesus is challenging their lack of faith in His identity.
-Jesus is challenging their lack of faith in His presence.

Do you know Him? (“Who do you say that I am?”
Do you obey Him? (“Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and not do what I say?”)
Do you need Him? (“Do you want to get well?”)
Do you trust Him? (“Why are you so afraid?”)

Trust that He is who He says He is.
-Trust that His promises are true (2 Corinthians 1:20).
-Trust that He has already paid the price for your sin (Galatians 3:13-15).
-Trust that the pain and brokenness you are experiencing matter to Him (Psalm 147:3).
-He cares for you, and He demonstrated His love for you by dying on a cross for your sins (1 Peter 5:7)

Trust that He is with you.
-Just as we can trust that He keeps His promises, we can also trust that He is with us (Isaiah 41:10).
-He gives us the gift of His Spirit, so we can experience His presence today no matter what (John 16:7).

Other Verses for Study & Reflection:
Isaiah 41:10
2 Timothy 1:7
1 John 4:18
Psalm 34:4
Joshua 1:9

Church of the Nazarene East Rock

Questions Jesus Asked: “Why are you so afraid?”
Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

Today we conclude our our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Why are you so afraid?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:35-41‬‬
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Jesus notably doesn’t ask you “WHAT are you so afraid of?”

You see the answer to what we are afraid of is easy. We can likely name those things all day long- but there is no healing in that question.

The question Jesus ask’s is “WHY are you so afraid?”

Jesus is asking about WHY we are afraid- Why we don’t trust him or why we don’t think he cares. He wants us to consider those things

Today friends, Jesus already knows why you’re afraid…do you?

After a long day’s teaching, Jesus gave instructions for them to hop in the boat, and head for the other side of the Lake.

The geography around the sea of Galilee is very steep and mountainous, the surface of the lake being some 600 feet below sea level, strong sudden winds were a common phenomenon. But this was no ordinary storm.

The waves are coming over the sides, the water is filling the boat faster than they can bail- they are going down if something doesn’t change. So, they holler for Jesus who exhausted from the day, is sleeping in the front of the boat…

“Jesus! We are gonna die out here, don’t you even care?”

Commentator Robert Guelich says:
“The fear of the storm overwhelmed their commitment to Jesus and their confidence that he did care for them”

In the moment- as the waves overwhelmed the boat, their fear overwhelmed their commitment to Jesus as their loving savior and protector.

We see within their question, there is a subtle rebuke that he doesn’t even care. That’s what Jesus is really addressing in his response. They didn’t trust him

What Jesus addresses in his question is their lack of faith, their lack of trust in him as their Lord.

Their fear of the storm and death lead them to doubt God’s faithfulness, his care, and perhaps even his ability to do something about it.

Pastor and author Jeff Stott says, “The Lord’s rebuke is not about their reaction to the storm, but their reaction to Jesus in the storm.”

Jesus knew the reason they were so afraid. He knew the reason they were rebuking him as if he didn’t care was because their fear had replaced their faith in him. That’s what fear does…

Jesus is calling to us today, trying to get us to see the places where our fear has replaced our faith and trust in him. The places where doubt has crept into our relationship.

If you were to be honest today, what questions are you asking the Lord in the middle of your storm?

Do you find yourself asking like the disciples if Jesus even cares?
Can I trust you with my future?
Can you really heal me?
Is this the best you can do?

We may not verbalize these questions or ever put thought to them, but our fear shows they are there.

What would it look like for you today to replace your fear with Faith?

That’s the invitation

Jesus begin his journey with the disciples saying “let’s go over to the other side.” Today, let’s replace our fear with faith and go with Jesus to the other side. He is faithful. He is Trustworthy. He is Good.

http://bible.com/events/48890499

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg

Questions Jesus Asked: “Do you want to get well?”
Do you want to get well?

Today we continue in our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Do you want to get well?”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:1-9‬‬
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,

What begins as perhaps an oddly framed question, ends in life changing transformation.

We see Jesus joining the man in the middle of his pain, in the middle of his hopelessness, and bringing him new life.

When Jesus asks this question- he has a greater healing in view.

We know what healing He has in mind for the man by the pool. What is His intent for you, in this room today?

Jesus makes his way to the pool of Bethesda, where the text says a great number of people who had physical disabilities were lying.

Depending on your translation, you may have noticed that verse 4 is missing in the text. The tail end of verse 3 and all of verse 4 are not found in the earliest manuscripts, meaning they wouldn’t have been Johns original words, but a later author may have inserted them.

So, if we included the text it would read: Here a great number of disabled people used to lie- the blind, the lame, the paralyzed -“waiting for the moving of the water, 4 because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had.

The omitted text contains an explanation of sorts, of why people were at this specific pool.

I think sometimes when we hear things like this in scripture, of people looking to a bubbling spring for healing, we are quick to assume a place of superiority over the people of the bible.

While most of us are not running past the hospital to get over to Lake Shenandoah for healing, we do look to many things for healing or reprieve from the brokenness, pain, and pressure of life, don’t we?

We sit beside the pool of perfection, don’t we?
How often do we sit broken and longing beside the pool of relationships?
The pool of a few beers to take the edge off or to forget our problems.
The pool of approval through followers or likes on social media.

What pool are you sitting beside today?

Within the man’s response we begin to understand that he was fixated on this pool for healing.

His response is so true to our experience it’s easy to imagine right?

“I can’t do it on my own…I can’t get there… I’ve been so close so many times, but I just can’t seem to make it”

“And Nobody will help me… they are all out for themselves… they don’t even see me struggling…they don’t care…”

Having been there 38 years he had given his life to this cure. But he had nothing to show for it, and no hope for a future without it. And that loss of hope is at the heart of it right?

That’s where Jesus enters his Story. That’s the place Jesus wants to bring life.

So, he asks him “Do you want to be healed?”

So, what’s your pool today?

Can you imagine your life differently?

Just like the man in our text today, you may have been searching for healing for so long in other places that you can’t imagine a different future anymore.

The thought that you could live with hope- seems impossible
The idea of life free from addiction, seems unattainable
The reality of forgiveness and a new start- seems like it’s for everyone else.

Jesus asks “Do you want to be healed?”

Will you take the step of faith and embrace Jesus and the life he offers you today? Will you leave the pool behind?