Exodus: The Power of God’s Presence | Exodus 15:22–27; 16:1-8; 17:1–7
Sep 18, 2023
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The podcast explores the tests faced by the Israelites in Exodus and what they can teach us about facing testing in our lives today. It also discusses the potential negative effects of helicopter parenting, the importance of work, generosity, and Sabbath, and reflects on Jesus' role in delivering his people from spiritual slavery.
46:30
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Quick takeaways
Testing is a formative process that teaches love, trust, and reliance on God's provisions.
Community support and Sabbath rest are essential for finding meaning, growth, and rest in times of testing.
Deep dives
Testing in the Wilderness
The podcast episode explores how testing plays a crucial role in the growth and development of individuals. The speaker draws examples from different cultures, highlighting how tests or rights of passage are universally practiced throughout history. These tests are intended to teach skills, endurance, faith, and self-awareness. The speaker emphasizes the importance of embracing testing as a means to experience God more deeply, find contentment, and develop strength and integrity. The biblical story of Israel's journey through the wilderness is used to illustrate the three tests that they faced, namely the scarcity of water, the provision of manna, and the lack of water again. These tests reveal the people's struggle with bitterness, entitlement, and their perception of God's presence and provision. The speaker encourages the audience to move from grumbling to groaning, from entitlement to gratitude, and to seek God's presence and freedom in times of testing.
The Purpose of Testing
One of the main themes explored in the podcast is the purpose of testing. It is revealed that God uses testing as a means to teach His children to hear and obey Him out of love. Testing surfaces areas in our lives that hinder love and reveals our deeply held commitments. By going through testing and bringing our complaints before God, we learn to trust Him to bring sweetness out of bitterness and to heal and refine us. The speaker highlights the importance of viewing testing as a formative process that qualifies individuals for the future and trains them to rely on God's provisions and timing.
The Role of Community and Rest
The podcast emphasizes the significance of community and rest during times of testing. It highlights the need for support, perspective, and accountability from others as we navigate through trials. Community helps make meaning out of suffering and provides a space for lament and growth. Additionally, the practice of Sabbath rest is explored as an act of trust and resistance to our culture's constant demands for productivity. Rest invites us to rely on God's provision and sovereignty, and it frees us from the anxieties and pressures of work and expectations.
The Presence of God in Testing
The overarching message of the podcast is that God's presence is found in the midst of testing. The biblical story of Israel's testing in the wilderness serves as a reminder that God is with His people even when they doubt His presence. The speaker emphasizes that through Jesus, God stood before His people and bore their judgment, displaying His unshakable mercy and love. By looking to Jesus, we can find freedom in His presence and trust that He is actively working in our lives during times of testing.
Pastor of Formation & Mission Benjamin Kandt begins the second part of our Exodus series, The Power of God's Presence, by preaching through the temptation narratives in Exodus 15-17. Here, we see that God leads us through the wilderness of testing to find freedom in His presence.
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