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[0:00] Let's read and listen to God's word from Exodus 13, starting at verse 17. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.

[0:16] For God said if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So God led the people round by the desert road towards the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt, ready for battle, and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear on an oath.

[0:37] He had said, God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place. After leaving Succoth, they camped at Ethan on the edge of the desert.

[0:51] 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.

[1:03] In chapter 14, Then the Lord said to Moses, tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi-Hahiroth, between Migdal and the sea, directly opposite Baal-Zephon.

[1:16] Pharaoh will think the Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them.

[1:28] But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. So the Israelites did this.

[1:39] When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their mind and said, What have we done? We've let the Israelites go and have lost their services. So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.

[1:54] Verse 8. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops, pursued them and overtook them as they camped by the sea, near Pi-Hahiroth, opposite Baal-Zephon.

[2:14] As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.

[2:26] 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?

[2:38] 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.

[2:51] Stand firm. And you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring today. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you.

[3:02] You don't need to be still. Then the Lord said to Moses, 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.

[3:18] 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 armies, through his chariots and his horsemen.

[3:29] Verse 19. Then the angel of the Lord who had traveled 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.

[3:48] Throughout the night, the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other, so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.

[4:01] 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.

[4:16] The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses, 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.

[4:33] 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.

[4:45] 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.

[5:02] The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and the horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.

[5:17] 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.

[5:37] 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.

[5:52] Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted, both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.

[6:04] The Lord is my strength and my defense. He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him. My Father's God, and I will exalt him.

[6:15] The Lord is a warrior. The Lord is his name. Verse 6. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.

[6:26] Verse 8. By the blast of your nostrils, the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall. The deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. Verse 11.

[6:37] Who among the gods is like you? Who is like you? Majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders. 13. In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed.

[6:49] In your strength, you will guide them to your holy place. 18. The Lord reigns forever and ever. And 20.

[7:00] Then Miriam, the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them, sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.

[7:15] Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. Last week, we looked at a wonderful great biblical theme.

[7:31] But I think even more precious reality in the life of the believer of that of being saved. Saved by the precious blood of the Lamb. This week, to paraphrase Tim Chester, the people of God arrived on the western shore of the sea as runaway slaves.

[7:49] And emerge on the other side, liberated, free men and women, heading for the promised land. An infant body of believers, you're like the church of God emerging, learning to walk by faith together.

[8:04] To trust the God in whom they are following. And it's a picture of you and I. It's a picture of the people of God, isn't it? Today, the same as yesterday, what it was for them.

[8:18] Before we came to Christ, slaves to our old ways of life, to sin and to Satan and to death. And now having put and enabled to put our faith in Christ, having repented, turned round from walking away from him, turning towards him.

[8:35] And believed in him as Savior and Lord, bowed the knee. We're new creations, made new, new life. Born again, made new by the Spirit of God and the power of God.

[8:47] Wonderful reality to declare this morning, be reminded of, isn't it? Because of his great grace and his redeeming love that was shown then. He's the same God then as he is today.

[8:59] Able to work in power then, as he's able to work in power in our lives. To lead us forward as individuals and as a church and a wide wide, his worldwide family. Forward towards the promised land.

[9:12] It's been lovely to hear just over the past couple of weeks a number of folks amongst us giving your life to Christ for the first time. We rejoice with the angels because of you.

[9:26] This is now your reality. So what we're seeing this morning, hopefully will just resonate deep within our souls.

[9:38] As we see the Lord leading his people, going before them, behind them, fighting for them. And as I sort of look to the past, I couldn't help but think of sort of the shepherd image that we sang at the beginning of Psalm 23.

[9:52] Of the shepherding of the great I Am, of his people. And as they were shepherded by him, they saw his kindness, his presence, his protection, his deliverance.

[10:03] And in response, they sang songs to the shepherds. So let's look and just see the kindness of the shepherd in these verses. Chapter 13, verse 17.

[10:15] 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.

[10:27] So God led the people around the desert road toward the Red Sea. See here, here, here, the Lord anticipating their needs in his kindness.

[10:39] Having escaped Egypt, the old life, would they stumble and fall in the infancy of their new life? Lose heart, lose faith, want to return back because of that immediate challenge that they would receive as they'd see the great army of Egypt coming.

[10:56] And so rather than lead them down, if you like, the Am 8 to Glasgow, he takes them on the other roads via calendar and so on. Just a roundabout route. You know, and that, I mean, maybe as you reflect on your own walk with the Lord, when we first came to Christ, it could have been a period of real blessing where you just seemed to experience the Lord's kindness in abundance.

[11:23] He seemed to lead and guide so wonderfully and vividly as we took those first steps in the new life that he was giving to us. We learned to trust him and walk before him.

[11:37] But maybe we find as the years have gone on that actually the road has been a little bit tougher, that we have had those times of testing where we've wondered about the kindness of the Lord and wondered what he is doing.

[11:51] We're going to see some of that in the passage today, aren't we? We discover, we look back and say, well, it's not because God is vindictive, but actually those periods he uses in our lives, even though they are hard, they're not wasted in his economy.

[12:06] Because he wants to draw you closer to him, deeper into him, grow in your faith and love and to have those convictions strengthened, even in the midst of those testing times.

[12:21] And we do that as parents. Our parents did that to us to help us to grow. You know, for example, if a child wants something and as they grow into the teenage years and say, okay, the parent knows they could pay for it.

[12:37] And say, well, how about you pay for part of that? You're not doing it because you're vindictive, because you're a loving parent and you want them to help them to understand the value of money and actually how to budget and to wait for things.

[12:53] Delayed gratification. All things are key for life and for living. So this little controlled test environment helps them to grow and mature.

[13:07] But here, we're seeing the kindness of God to them as he anticipates how they're going to feel. And so takes them by another means.

[13:17] But I wonder, just in your own convictions and your own experience, whether actually heart of hearts would consider the Lord kind.

[13:32] Depending on your early experiences in life or of life, your natural expectations is that actually he wouldn't be that kind.

[13:44] He wouldn't care for you. He's like, oh, he might care for other people, but he doesn't care that much for you. And your opinion of him is shaped not by the revelation given here in Scripture, but by past experience.

[13:56] And those are things to kind of have to work through. But he wants you to know and to see here in black and white what he is really like.

[14:06] To undo the things from the past. To make new your convictions for the future of what your walk and your relationship will be before him.

[14:17] And it is he is the one who is kind. Who anticipates our need. To know that and to rejoice in that and to savor that. To remember that.

[14:29] To overcome the thoughts of the past that shape that in wrong directions. It was lovely speaking to someone recently.

[14:40] Who was saying that they were concerned about going into a work situation. On the way to work in the car they were praying. Lord, would you be with me? They felt the Lord saying, I'm not only with you.

[14:54] I'm already gone before you. I'm there. In that difficult meeting that you're anticipating. The kindness of the shepherd. Who we follow.

[15:05] And who leads us and goes before us. And as they follow his leads. They're following in faith. And then we sung about that this morning. They pick up the return to pick up Joseph's bones in verse 19.

[15:19] That have lain there for centuries. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 22 tells us that Joseph also in faith trusted that the people would be delivered from Egypt to the promised land.

[15:30] Said, take my bones with you when you go. They too. Living by faith. Trusting in the promise. Pick up the bones.

[15:40] Saying, we're not coming back. We're not coming back. We're not coming back. That's the new life, isn't it? That's what we sing about this morning. That's what we're reminded about. They're walking by faith. Not just by sight.

[15:52] Think about those situations that you're facing where you're tempted to walk by sight. And think how walking by faith just might change and reshape that this morning. But as they go, they find not only the kindness of the Lord.

[16:07] But wonder of wonders and joy of joys. The presence. The ongoing presence. Abiding presence of the Lord. Verse 20. After they leave. After leaving Sukkoth, they encamped it at Etham on the edge of the desert.

[16:21] 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.

[16:37] To that pillar that was there. A very visible reminder of the God who was with them. As they sought to walk boldly and yet humbly, trustingly in him.

[16:52] A reminder he is with us. He is there. We're walking out into the desert. We don't fully know where we're going. But we know the one in whom we can trust in the situation.

[17:02] What we'll see in this passage is what that abiding presence means in real life.

[17:14] A couple of examples of that. It means that he is the one who will guide us. Verse 23. The cloudy or fiery pillars go ahead. Verse 22. They never left its place in front of the people.

[17:25] Romans chapter 8 verse 14 reminds us that those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. That he is still leading us and guiding us as individuals and as families and households and as a church family.

[17:39] And what does that leading look like? Of course in the midst of the Spirit's work in our lives there are giftings and enablings and anointings and equippings. And specific guidance that we might require.

[17:51] But before that and underneath all of that. There's a deep work going on. A deep work that's in our characters. That not only does he want to guide us but he also wants to work in us.

[18:05] To bring out in our lives the new life in which he is working as worked in. Flourishing in the fruitfulness of new life. Galatians 5.22.

[18:15] The fruit of the Spirit's work in you. It's love. It's love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Goodness. Kindness.

[18:26] Gentleness and self-control. Against such things there are no law. So as he's working out these things in our lives. At the same time. There's a death isn't there.

[18:38] To the old ways of living. In the old valleys of the world. It's still kind of permeate our thinking. And our living. Galatians 5.24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh and its passions and desires.

[18:52] Verse 25. Since we live by the Spirit. Let's keep in step with the Spirit. Changed and changing character. As the Spirit of God joyfully works in us and through us.

[19:07] The deep work in our lives. And we worry about where we should be or what we should be doing. But he is much more concerned about who we are becoming.

[19:19] First and foremost. Psalm 37 verse 4. Take delight in the Lord and he will grant you the desires of his heart. Delight in the Lord then desires not desires.

[19:30] Then delight is his order. So that is who we are before him. That is how his Spirit works in us.

[19:44] But there is also specific guidance on top of that deeper work isn't there? And we look to him in those crisis moments don't we? Where there's a choice to be made.

[19:55] Whether you're young and thinking about. Life after school, university or a career. Thinking about location. All of these kind of things can be stressful.

[20:07] But also fruitful. Because the Lord again will use those times. Where we're sort of wondering what the roads are ahead. And looking ahead and thinking where am I going Lord?

[20:17] He'll use those times to draw you nearer to him. To find new intimacy with him. As you seek him. As you lean on him. As you depend on him.

[20:29] You find new depth of relationship. And new aspects to his character. As you surrender your lives to him. And that can be hard.

[20:39] Because there are maybe several good options in front of you. And there are times where as we mature. You know there may be times where he's just specific.

[20:53] You know it makes it very clear. But there are other times where the options are before you. And as to mature you said well. Why don't you choose? From what you know of me. From what you.

[21:04] In your developing kind of maturity in the faith. Why don't you choose? As an aside. My own personal experience of guidance has varied over the year.

[21:15] Because you know the circumstances are different. You know when I applied to uni or poly as it was then. It was simple. What grades did I not have?

[21:26] And therefore where I could go. I'd just become a Christian. And it was pretty obvious where I wasn't going to go. And therefore where I was going to go. Like I said a few weeks ago when I went to Poland.

[21:38] Just full of the Holy Spirit conviction. It was very obvious. It made it very obvious what I was doing. But then when applying to work with UCCF. I happened to be going to see the boss of UCCF that day.

[21:50] I was in the Free Church College. Went into the Free Church bookstore. I was living by faith at that point. Didn't have quite enough cash to buy the magazine. That was all the job adverts for Christians.

[22:00] So I had a wee sneak peek. And just as I was looking. Right there in the middle was an advert that said. Do you have a heart for a mission? I'm like yes I do. We have a mission field. Fantastic.

[22:11] Who are you? UCCF. What? On the very day I was going to say. I actually bought the magazine. Went up to Andy the boss of UCCF. And slept there before. I'm interested in this job. He said we don't have any money.

[22:23] He said but don't worry about that. If it's right the money will be provided. Okay. So we prayed. I was interviewed. The money came. But again.

[22:34] So you know the Lord leads in different ways. I can go on about just. You know thinking about coming to. After I trained for church leadership. Thinking where next. You know.

[22:45] I was quite keen to be strategic. Where was an area that maybe wasn't much. In terms of the Evangelical Church of Scotland. And where there might be a university time. Willie Gilmore was there in Le Cropte at the time.

[22:56] But there wasn't much else happening. And Sterling approached me. And it seemed to fit the categories. Just different leadings at different times.

[23:07] But in all of those. It's important isn't it. That we do what Paul did. Remember when he had the Macedonian call. He had this dream. But in the morning. He shared it with those who were his traveling companions.

[23:19] And it says in Acts there. Having concluded together that this was right. That's what they went on. And so there should be a kind of. Others speaking into your life. And helping you kind of think these things through as well.

[23:32] As you seek the Lord's guidance. But sometimes you just have to push the doors. And see which ones open. And trust that the ones that open. Are the ones that the Lord is opening for you.

[23:42] As you weigh up and think through. Should I take that promotion? Is it going to push me? Stretch me a little bit too far. In terms of family life. Or spiritual life. Or my health. More money does not equal more happiness always.

[23:58] More holiness however. Will lead to more contentment. Jeremiah 17 7. Happy or blessed are those whose trust is in the Lord's. But of course.

[24:10] That you know. That all seems very simple. In terms of guidance. But it can be confusing. As we see here. It can feel that we've been led down. To what looks like a dead end. Verse 14. Then the Lord said.

[24:21] Chapter 14. Then the Lord said to Moses. Tell the Israelites to turn back. And camp near Pi-Hah-Roth. Near Midgal. And by the sea. There to encamp by the sea.

[24:32] Directly opposite Baal. Zephon. Pharaoh. Pharaoh will think. The Israelites are wandering around the desert. Confusion. Hemmed in by the desert. And you can imagine the confusion. Wait a minute.

[24:44] You said go back. Moses. Are you mad. Moses. Pharaoh will think that we haven't got a clue. Well exactly. That is the whole point.

[24:55] But it can seem confusing. The Lord knows what he's doing. And we might be left wondering what he is doing. But that doesn't mean to say that he isn't in control. And he doesn't know exactly the things to do.

[25:07] Verse 3. Pharaoh will think. The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion. Hemmed in by the desert. But I'm going to harden Pharaoh's heart. And we've talked about that before. And he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh.

[25:19] And all his army. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. So the Israelites did this. And again. They're learning aren't they. As a community.

[25:30] To trust the Lord. To walk by faith in his word. And what he says. Rather than just by sight. And what they're seeing. Isaiah reminds us. Isaiah 55 verse 8.

[25:42] For your thoughts are not my thoughts. Neither are your ways my ways. Declares the Lord. As far as the heavens are above the earth. So my ways are higher than yours. My thoughts than your thoughts.

[25:53] We may not know what the future holds. But we know the one who holds the future. And sometimes things can take a backward step. To secure a stronger future.

[26:06] But it may not appear that. By what is happening at the time. Things can seem sort of confusing. Even when the Lord has made it plain. Because we forget what he has said.

[26:18] We lose sight of him. We walk by sight. Not by faith. And then the scene changes in the passage. From the people of God. To the courts of Pharaoh. Chapter 14 verse 5.

[26:29] Pharaoh has a total head slap. Kind of moment. We've just lost all our slave labor. What on earth have we done? Gets out the whole army.

[26:39] Verse 7. 600 of the best chariots. I mean that's the equivalent of chieftain tanks. Of the time. The very best of what was available. The most intimidating. The most effective. Plus all the infantry.

[26:50] And at the sight of all of that. Coming to wars. And the noise of it as well. Verse 10. They're terrified. The people of God are terrified. They cry out to the Lord and to Moses.

[27:02] Verse 11. Where there are not enough graves. In Egypt. That you brought us out here to die. You brought us out here for nothing. We're better where we were. Verse 13 is beautiful.

[27:15] Because here. Not only do we see his kindness and his guidance. But also we see the protection. Of the Lord of the shepherd. Verse 13. Moses answered the people.

[27:27] Do not be afraid. Stand firm. And you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians. You see today.

[27:39] You will never see again. The Lord will fight for you. You need only. Be still. He says be still.

[27:50] Stand firm. The Lord. The Lord will fight for you. And he will deliver you. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.

[28:03] Is there something. That you need to hear those words spoken into your soul this morning. There is a very real fear that you have. And receive these words.

[28:14] Is it a health issue? A work issue? A family situation? A relationship issue? A financial issue? These words will not encapsulate everything. But what are the things that he wants to just press into your soul this morning to encourage you?

[28:29] Is it be still? You know sometimes we can come and we can pour our hearts to the Lord. Or we come to the Lord and we don't have a clue what to say. And so we just don't bother. We kind of walk away. But the encouragement here and elsewhere.

[28:41] Psalm 46 verse 10 and so on. Is to be still. And what are you doing when you're being still? You're knowing. That he is the Lord.

[28:52] Be still and know that I am God. You don't be still and just sort of empty our minds. It's Eastern mysticism. Christian meditation is be still. And fill your minds. With wonderful gospel truth.

[29:04] Be still. And know that I am God. And maybe there are times we just need to be still. Before him. And let him minister.

[29:16] To us. To speak the words that we need to hear. And of course we need to test them and so on. But maybe it's stand firm. The apostle Paul mentions this a good number of times.

[29:28] Specifically. And particularly in Ephesians chapter 6. If you want to look it up with me. It's page 1177. If you're looking for it in the Bible. It says. Finally.

[29:39] Be strong in the Lord. And in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God. So that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. But against rulers.

[29:50] And against authorities. Against the powers of this dark world. And against spiritual forces of evil. And the heavenly realms. Read about that in Revelation. Therefore. Put on the full armor of God.

[30:01] So when the day of trouble. Evil comes. You may be able to stand. Your ground. And after you have done everything. Stand. So stand firm then.

[30:12] With the belt of truth. Buckled around your waist. The breastplate of righteousness in place. With your feet. Fitted with the readiness. That comes. From the gospel of peace. And in addition to all this.

[30:23] Take up the shield of faith. In which you can extinguish. The flaming arrows of the evil one. The helm of salvation. The sword of the spirit. Which is the word of God. There's a whole series of sermons. In that passage.

[30:33] But notice. What Paul is saying. Again and again. Stand firm. And how do we stand firm? We stand firm. In all the gospel provision. That God has made for us.

[30:44] As he illustrates it. In the armor. Taking up the shield of faith. By which we extinguish. The fiery darts. Of the evil one. Whether they come. In the middle of the night. You know.

[30:55] When we're just semi-conscious. Or whenever. And we claim the promises. We take up the word. The sword of the spirit. Which is the word of God. And we claim the promises. In that moment.

[31:05] By faith. And as we do that. We move forward. And we trust him. With the breastplate of righteousness. In place. That positional. And progressive righteousness.

[31:17] That he gives to us. Made right with God. Fully. And living right before him. As he leads us. And he says.

[31:27] The Lord will fight for you. It's a very specific situation. He's talking about verse 19. The angel of the Lord. Who was with them. Also moved. Behind them. As this does. The cloud of the presence.

[31:38] And what's the Lord saying? I have your back. I have your back. It's humbling to think. That the Lord.

[31:49] At times. Would do that. For his people. And for you. And for me. For us as a fellowship. Wonderful examples. Scripture is replete.

[31:59] With examples. Of the way. In which the Lord. Has fought for his people. At least on the cross. Wonderful pictures. In the Old Testament. Peter in prison.

[32:11] Paul. Paul and Silas in prison. And so on. Wonderful examples. And then verse 21. Moses stretches out his hand. And the Lord. Drives back. The waters. Verse 15.

[32:22] Makes me smile. The people are getting stressed out. At Moses. Moses is getting stressed out. At the Lord. And the Lord says. Stop stressing. Get moving. It's time to be still.

[32:37] It's a time to move. And this is it. The very thing. The Lord knew. The people might think. Help. The Egyptians are coming.

[32:49] As he's. You know. Right back at the beginning. Of the passage. Happens. They want to go back. They're going weak-kneed. Shedding at the leadership. And we know Pharaoh is an instrument.

[33:03] Of Satan. Again. Revelation teaches that. Satan wants his people. To be discouraged. And divided. And deceived. And in danger. And in those moments.

[33:13] Where the pressures are on us. On his people. It's easy to lose sight. Of the purposes. The promise. And the plan. The presence. The kindness. The deliverance.

[33:27] Of the shepherds. Paul counsels Timothy. In his worry. About a situation. That he's facing. To Timothy. Four or five. But you. Timothy.

[33:37] Keep your head. In all situations. Very practical. Keep the heat son. And. We're reminded. Chapter 15. Verse 18. Because he reigns.

[33:49] He. Reigns. And. Chapter 15. Verse 2. He saves. You see. The deliverance. Of the shepherd. And it's here. The apostle Paul.

[34:00] Picks up on the story. And parallels it. With. The great. Deliverance. The great. Exodus. Of the people. Of God. From slavery. To new life.

[34:10] And to liberty. To Christ's death. And the cross. And his rising. Again. 1 Corinthians 10. He writes. How they were baptized. Into Moses. In the sea. And in the clout.

[34:22] Romans chapter 6. We've been looking at it. On Sunday evenings. You want to look it up. With me. That's page. 1132. If you're.

[34:33] New to the Bible. Paul says. What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning. That grace may increase. By no means. We are those.

[34:44] Who have died. To sin. How can we live to it. Any longer? Do you not know. That all of us. Who are baptized. Into Christ Jesus. Were baptized. Into his death. We were therefore.

[34:55] Buried with him. Through baptism. Into the death. Into death. In order. That just as Christ. Was raised from the dead. Through the glory. Of the father. We too. May live a new life. In the same way.

[35:08] As they appeared. To be trapped. By the sea. In those chapters. In Exodus. So Jesus. Led by the father. Appeared to be trapped. At the cross. But in the great reversal.

[35:19] That had happened. There. As he endured the cross. He was. Submerged. In the waters. Of God's judgment. And wrath. So that we could be. Delivered. From the very thing.

[35:30] That we deserved. To the very thing. That we do not. That we might pass through. Onto the other side. Of the cross. From the first side. Where we're slaves. To the other side. Where we're set.

[35:40] Free. Liberated. Into new life. In him. See when we come to Christ. We're united. To him. That's what these chapters.

[35:50] In Romans are all about. When we're baptized. In the spirit. When we're born again. We're united to him. In his death. We were there. As he died on the cross.

[36:01] As our sin was laid on him. And also we're there. United with him. As he rises. The first fruits. Of all who will believe. On the one side of the cross.

[36:12] Slaves. On the other side. The redeemed of the Lord. Romans chapter 6 verse 5. For if you have been united with him. In a death like this. You will certainly also be united with him. In a resurrection like his.

[36:24] For we know that our old self. Was crucified with him. So that the body. Ruled by sin. Might be done away with. And that we should no longer. Be slaves to sin. Because anyone who has died.

[36:35] Has been set free. From sin. Saved. Saved. We are saved. By the one who fought. For us. On the cross.

[36:46] And who won. Who rose. Victorious. Over the grave. Demonstrating for all time. There is a deliverance. There is a redemption. There is new life available.

[36:57] And there is a hope. Forever more. For those who will come. And walk in these things. Tim Chester tells the story of Martin Luther.

[37:09] Who was baptized as an infant. Went for a time trapped in a castle. And Satan was pressing heart. He famously threw an ink pot. At Satan.

[37:21] As he accused him. But also he was heard to go round the castle grounds. Saying I have been baptized. In Latin. I have been baptized.

[37:33] I have been baptized. And that seems unusual. Doesn't it? Thinking. Why did he say that? Because. Baptism. As Paul reminds us. Is a reminder that.

[37:44] Actually. Christ. Suffered the waters of judgment. So that I could be set free. The water. Whether by sprinkling or by immersion. It's a reminder of that.

[37:56] That the victory that he has won for us. Is full. And is decisive. I was buried with him. And I have been raised with him.

[38:07] I died with him. And now I am his. And his alone. A new creation. No more in condemnation. Here in the grace of God. I stand.

[38:18] As the old chorus goes. And so the Lord brings. The people through. Verse 22. On dry land. Delivered. Set free.

[38:28] By the power of God. The end of the slave drivers. The end of the enemies. Of their soul. When it came.

[38:38] As the waters closed over them. Behind them. Was decisive. The old is gone. The new is coming. The Lord. Verse 25. Throws them into confusion. Their wheels are jammed.

[38:49] They're stuck. Verse 27. Daybreak arise. Interesting that he mentions that. Because that was the point where. Ra. The great Egyptian. The greatest of the Egyptian gods. Was supposed to rise.

[39:01] But Ra. Could not save them that day. Because Ra. Is a figment of the imagination. A demonic deception. And they're consumed. By the returning sea.

[39:14] Commentators point out. There's an Egyptian curse. That falls upon them. Moses notes. Verse 30. The bodies of the aggressors. The oppressors. Are washed up on the shore.

[39:26] The old Egyptian curse. Wrote this. He who the king has loved. Will be a revered one. But there is no tomb. For a rebel against his majesty.

[39:37] And his corpse. Is cast on the water. The curse that they give out. Has been received on themselves. The punishment that they put out. To the infant Hebrew children. Boys.

[39:48] Was reversed on themselves. And they're consumed. So not only the deliverance of the shepherd. But rightly then. The songs. And closing just with these words. The songs to the shepherd.

[40:01] Moses and Miriam. Lead this infant community of believers. In songs of deliverance. In chapter 15. Songs full of the truth of who God is.

[40:12] Verse 3. He's a warrior. He's the great I am. Is his name. Verse 7. The greatness of his majesty. Verse 13. His unfailing love. Verse 18. The one who reigns. Songs of who he is.

[40:24] Songs of what he's done. Verse 1. Verse 4. Verse 8. Verse 10. Of his decisive deliverance. From the enemies. And from their past. And then songs of their. We include their personal experience.

[40:35] Of him. Verse 2. He is my strength. He is my defense. He is my salvation. He is my God. And songs of exaltation.

[40:45] Verse 1. Verse 20. Come. Come then. Let's sing. To this great God. Who has done great things. Who is our God. Savoring the Lord in their souls.

[40:58] As they lift praises to him. For his goodness. And his grace. And his kindness. And his provision. And his presence. And his protection. And his deliverance.

[41:10] The God in the exodus. Is the God of the great exodus. Of the people of God. Of the people of God. From. That Jesus won. And that's you and me.

[41:21] The power of God. That was delivering his people. Is the power of God. That is delivering his people. Today. At work. In our lives. So that we too.

[41:32] Are experiencing his kindness. His presence. His protection. And his deliverance. So it's right also.

[41:43] That we should sing. Sing. As we move together. Onto the promised land. Where we will sing. Revelation 15. Tells us. The song of Moses.

[41:53] That they sang on that day. As they sang. Of when they were once away. Runaway slaves. To free men and women. Set free by the power. Of God's. Set into new liberty.

[42:05] And new life. By the mighty power. Of the God. Who loved them. So let's sing. Let's sing together.

[42:16]  Of God's great work. In our lives. Let's give him the praise. That's due. To his name.