Series: “Delivered” – Working our way through the book of Exodus.

Today: Talking about how “God Provides”

Exodus 15:1-3(ESV) Part of the song they sing to God, I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his 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 man of war; the LORD is his name.

 The Israelites praise God for delivering them from the Egyptians. It is not long however before the Israelites forget all about praising God and fall back into complaining.

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Exodus 15:22-24(ESV) Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

One of the first things we have to understand about our God is that he actually desires to provide for his children.

Matt 7:9-11(ESV) Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

God provides what HE KNOWS we need. Not what WE THINK we need. Examples:

 I think I need a bigger house

 I think I need a better spouse

 I think I need a better job

 I think I need _______________

Notice: God allowed the Israelites to get thirsty. This is true for us today as well. God is not afraid of allowing us to get to places in our lives where we must be dependent on Him!

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Exodus 16:1-3(ESV) They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

 Once again, the people forgot about all that God had done to rescue them from slavery.

The Israelites placed their own expectations on God. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our ability to be content in our relationship with God is directly tied to our expectations of God. If your expectation of God is that he would make you happy and comfortable, you will continually be disappointed and discontent! God never promised to make us Comfortable in this life!

The Apostle Paul gives us advice on how to be content:

Philippians 4:12(ESV) I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

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True contentment comes from our relationship with God, not the rewards he provides. 

Exodus 16:4-5(ESV) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

God provided what the Israelites needed most, which was time to rest, to remember and to celebrate their relationship with Him!

Matt 6:33-34(ESV) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

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Things to think about:

1. Do you trust that God will provide what He knows you need even if it isn’t what you think you need?

2. Do you need to take some time to just be with God without trying to get something from Him?

3. Have you forgotten how God has provided in the past?

4. What would it look like to remember all that God has done for you?

Passages: Exodus 15-17.

Sermon Reflection – Share what God used to get your attention from the sermon.

1. Look Exodus 15:1 -21. What were they celebrating? If you had been amongst them, what would be all the things you could celebrate and be grateful for? A) What things in your own life journey can you be grateful for?

2. Read Exodus 15:22-27. What is the situation? What does this show you about God? About people? A) How do you relate to what you discovered?

3. Take a look at Exodus 16 – 17:4. Describe what different situations happen. A) What is similar between the manna, the quail and the water situation? What is different?

4. What is the Lord showing about himself in each of these situations? A) How is the people’s relationship with the Lord? B) What are they having to unlearn from their old ways of life? What are they having to learn with this new way of life?

Next week: Delivered! God Commands Passages: Exodus 18-24