Once Upon A Time: The Tension in the Story
February 19, 2023

Once Upon a Time: The Tension in the Story

“Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land.” Exodus 3:7-8 (NLT)

  1. The Tension of

    .

    • God is even when we don’t see it.
    • “And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:9-10 (NLT)
    • Just because God is not talking to about my situation, doesn’t mean God is not on it.
    • “So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet.” Luke 18:7 (MSG)
    • “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea…” Exodus 13:17-18 (NLT)
    • It’s about the , not the
    • God is more interested in making you into the you need to be, rather than getting you to the you want to be.
    • “And you shall remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments or not.” Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (RSV)
  2. The Tension of the

    • “When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. ‘What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?’ they asked…The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord…” Exodus 14: 5, 9-10 (NLT)

    • “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you… In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” 1 Peter 5:6-7, 10 (NLT)

  3. The Tension of

    .

    • “As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord,and they said to Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness?’” Exodus 14:10-11a (NLT)
    • You may not control the but you can control the am I going to ?
    • “All of you that honor the Lord and obey the words of his servant, the path you walk may be dark indeed, but trust in the Lord, rely on your God.” Isaiah 50:10 (GNT)
    • “But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.” Exodus 14:13-16 (NLT)
    • Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)