Worthy of Praise. Summary and Goal. Main Passages Exodus 13:17-22 Exodus 14:1-14 Exodus 14:21-31

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1 SESSION 4 Worthy of Praise Summary and Goal As the children of Israel left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, God demonstrated His worthiness of all praise by guiding His people, manifesting His glory, and delivering them in love. As God s children, we too can praise God for His guidance, His glory, and His deliverance. Main Passages Exodus 13:17-22 Exodus 14:1-14 Exodus 14:21-31 Session Outline 1. God is worthy of praise for His guidance (Ex. 13:17-22). 2. God is worthy of praise for His glory (Ex. 14:1-14). 3. God is worthy of praise for His deliverance (Ex. 14:21-31). Theological Theme God magnifies His glory through His faithfulness to lead and save His people while bringing judgment upon those who oppose Him. Christ Connection God parted the Red Sea in order to make a way of salvation for His people. In a similar manner, God made a way of salvation for us by sending His Son. Missional Application God calls us to praise Him for His glory in salvation and judgment so that others will see and be compelled to join us in giving praise to Him. Date of My Bible Study: LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.

2 Session Plan Worthy of Praise Introduction Option As group members arrive, ask them in groups of 2-3 to read Exodus 15:1-18 and to record their thoughts about the following: How is God depicted in the song? What imagery is used? How are the Israelites described in the song? What effect will God s actions in the song have on other nations? When you address Exodus 15 in the Introduction, allow groups a moment to share their reflections. For Further Discussion What are some ways God guides His people today? How can we know if a path is or is not in God s will? Introduction Begin with the effect music often has over us as listeners, even as those who participate, and share about its benefits for teaching truth. As you lead into the first question below, share your own answers (with full honesty) so your group can feel free to be honest as well (leader p. 46; personal study guide [PSG] p. 37). What is your favorite album of all time? How about your favorite song? What genre of music do you prefer over others? Point to Moses song from Exodus 15 as an example of music teaching truth, specifically about the events covered in this session, and then summarize the session (leader p. 46; PSG p. 37). 1. God is worthy of praise for His guidance (Ex. 13:17-22). Connect this story of the people leaving Egypt to the previous session on the plague of death of the firstborn. Read Exodus 13: Use Pack Item 2: The Exodus Map to point out a possible path on which God led the Israelites (away from the Mediterranean Sea). This route wasn t easy, but God knew what He was doing; He can be trusted (leader p. 47; PSG p. 38). Why is it sometimes difficult to trust in God s guidance? As an explicit storyline element, highlight that the Israelites carried out the last wishes of Joseph by carrying his bones with them as they left Egypt a testament to his faith in God s promises (leader p. 48). Note God s method of guiding the Israelites, a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. But through the work of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit, who resides in us to guide us into all truth (leader p. 48; PSG p. 39). When have you been able to look back at your life and see the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit? How does looking at God s guidance in the past increase your confidence in His future guidance? 44 Leader Guide Winter

3 2. God is worthy of praise for His glory (Ex. 14:1-14). Read Exodus 14:1-14. Explain how Pharaoh played into God s plan to receive glory through victory over the Egyptians (leader pp ; PSG p. 40). How is God s glory shown in unusual strategies for victory? Comment on how, in spite of all they had seen God do, the Israelites still complained about the threat of the Egyptians. In response, the Lord told them to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, in which He alone would display His glory (leader p. 50; PSG p. 41). In what ways does the complaining of the Israelites point a mirror to our own hearts? How does the tug of slavery to sin still affect our hearts even after we have been redeemed? 3. God is worthy of praise for His deliverance (Ex. 14:21-31). Ask a couple of volunteers to read Exodus 14: Describe the method God used to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians, demonstrating both judgment and salvation through the water (leader pp ; PSG p. 42). Reference Pack Item 4: The Plagues once more to show how the crossing of the Red Sea both continued and completed the pattern of the plagues. In what ways have you seen the power of God after a season of waiting for God to act? Why is it important that God s saving actions on our behalf demonstrate our weakness and His strength? Explain how the story of the exodus provides a picture of what has happened to us in salvation and in the Christian life, also illustrated in baptism (the bold words below fill in blanks in the PSG) (leader pp ; PSG pp ): What We Are Saved From Bondage How We Are Saved Crossing Over by Grace Why We Can Be Saved A Mediator Why is it important that we give all glory and praise to God for His salvation rather than thinking we have contributed something? Conclusion Recall Exodus 15, and encourage your group to be a singing people because of our great deliverance through Jesus Christ (leader p. 53; PSG p. 44). Apply the truths of this session with His Mission, Your Mission (PSG p. 45). For Further Discussion What are some specific ways we can seek justice and care for the oppressed in our community that praise might be given to God? For Further Discussion How does the salvation through judgment motif at the crossing of the Red Sea compare to the flood story in Genesis 6 9? Conclusion Option Consider concluding this session by singing To God Be the Glory as a group. (A printable PDF of this hymn is available on the DVD in The Gospel Project for Adults: Leader Pack. Make as many copies as needed.) Christ Connection: God parted the Red Sea in order to make a way of salvation for His people. In a similar manner, God made a way of salvation for us by sending His Son.... Missional Application: God calls us to praise Him for His glory in salvation and judgment so that others will see and be compelled to join us in giving praise to Him. 45

4 Expanded Session Content Worthy of Praise Voices from the Church God is pictured as a mighty warrior who has won the battle for his people and will reign forever. The hymn [of Exodus 15] expresses confidence that God will continue to direct his newly redeemed people. 2 Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen Introduction Although I don t have much musical talent, I enjoy music and I love to sing. It always interests me to discover what kind of music other people enjoy. Music shows us the glorious diversity of humanity and the fact that we reflect our Creator and Redeemer who sings over His people (Zeph. 3:17). No wonder Martin Luther said, Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. 1 Music is a wonderful way to teach God s Word. It is portable theology because a song filled with truth is something you get to take with you. I love listening to my 10-year-old Ethiopian son singing worship songs. Whenever I hear good songs on the lips of my children, I m thankful for the artists and song writers who devote their skills to the Lord. What is your favorite album of all time? How about your favorite song? What genre of music do you prefer over others? In Exodus 15, we have an ancient song of praise. Apparently, Moses penned this song right after God delivered Israel from Egypt. Like other songs, it s rich in lyrical content. The people could take the truth of God s deliverance with them and remind each other of God s power and grace through song. And so they sang: Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode (Ex. 15:11-13). What brought about such expressions of praise? Session Summary In this session, we see what happened to the children of Israel as they left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. God demonstrated His worthiness of all praise by guiding His people, manifesting His glory, and delivering them in love. As God s children, we too can praise God for His guidance, His glory, and His deliverance. 46 Leader Guide Winter

5 1. God is worthy of praise for His guidance (Ex. 13:17-22). In the previous session, we saw how God delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt. As we pick up the story, we notice how God guided the Israelites next steps. 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here. 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Notice Israel didn t exit by the way of the sea, though it was the quickest route. They would have arrived in less than two weeks. That was the shortest way, but not the best way. There were enemies in that direction, and Israel was not ready for battle. God said, Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt (13:17). They would have turned back to Pharaoh at the first sign of trouble. Even though they left equipped for battle, this doesn t mean they were ready to fight (13:18). Later in their journey, once they reached Canaan and saw how big their enemies were, they said, Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt (Num. 14:4). God s route wasn t an easy route, however. For starters, they would soon be hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh s army. God planned to teach them many things on this journey. God had other purposes in mind, involving much more than simply moving them from point A to point B. The Israelites would later doubt God, just as we are tempted to do as we journey in this life. In many of life s circumstances, we don t know what is going on, but we must trust in the wisdom of God, knowing that God is good and He is working out His sovereign purposes (see Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28). It s hard to make sense of some things in our minds because we aren t God. Our minds cannot grasp the big picture. God knows what He is doing. We may not know the way we are going, but we know our Guide. Further Commentary The Lord could have taken His people safely on any route He wished. The choice of route here and the comment on it offer insight into the thinking of both the Lord and the Israelites. The Lord knew the Israelites better than Pharaoh, who considered them a military threat (1:10). It balances reports that the Israelites worshiped and obeyed (12:27-28,35,50-51) and foreshadows their upcoming behavior (14:10-12; 16:2-3). In the process of the exodus, God anticipated the thinking of both the Israelites and the Egyptians and put it to His own use (14:3). Like His choice to keep Pharaoh alive (9:13-16), this choice of route displays who the Lord is. As a result of it, the Israelites would watch the Lord fight for them (14:13-14) They would experience His care and His willingness to work in spite of their frailties (Ps. 103:13-14). Archaeologists have found that Egypt had heavy fortifications along the northern route close to the Mediterranean coast. Though that route would have taken the Israelites by the most direct path to Canaan, through Philistine territory, it would have presented extreme danger and constant opposition. The Philistines came to the western coast of the Mediterranean from islands in the Aegean Sea and would later be frequent foes of Israel. Egyptian or Philistine opposition would have been daunting to the Israelites at this time (cp. 6:9). 3 Dorian G. Coover-Cox, HCSB Study Bible 47

6 Voices from the Church We must trust that the God who cares more for us than we do for ourselves will lead us in his paths for his great name s sake, just as he has promised. 4 J. D. Greear Why is it sometimes difficult to trust in God s guidance? When Israel left Egypt, they took some of the riches of the Egyptians. In verse 19, we see that they took something else, actually someone else Joseph! The Israelites carried out the last wishes of Joseph by carrying his bones with them to the promised land (see Gen. 50:24-26; Heb. 11:22). This simple act also demonstrated that God was fulfilling His promises. Joseph believed God was faithful and that He would make good on His promise to Abraham. That s why he said, When you leave Egypt, take me to the land of promise too. Our guidance-giving, promise-keeping God led Israel by day and by night in a most extraordinary way. God provided a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night (13:21). Once again, fire is a picture of God s presence. Many scholars have tried to deny this miracle, claiming it was just a cloud. But this pillar of cloud, and the one of fire, traveled before them for 40 years. God never leaves us; He guides us. I can imagine someone saying, Well, I sure would like to have a cloud! Or, I would like to order up a cloud to hover over the guy I should marry! Or, I would like to have a cloud lead me to my college destination! In the new covenant, after Christ s earthly ministry and ascension, we now have something better, or rather, someone the Holy Spirit who resides in individual believers. Paul referred to the indwelling of believers in numerous places. In Colossians, he described the new covenant and said, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). Christ by the Spirit is in believers (both Jew and Gentile). He resides not in a tabernacle or in the temple but in believers who are the dwelling place of God. Jesus, referring to the time after His ascension and the sending of the Spirit, said, He [the Holy Spirit] dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:17, emphasis added). As you make your journey in this life, know that you aren t alone, if you are a believer. We aren t left as orphans (John 14:18). We not only have God among us, but in us! So, no, you do not have a cloud. Instead, you have the Spirit Himself, guiding you into all truth (John 16:13). When have you been able to look back at your life and see the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit? How does looking at God s guidance in the past increase your confidence in His future guidance? 48 Leader Guide Winter

7 2. God is worthy of praise for His glory (Ex. 14:1-14). The Israelites journey takes an interesting turn in the next scene. The Lord told Moses that an epic showdown was about to take place, and God would get glory over Pharaoh (14:4). 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so. 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. 10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said to the people, Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. Further Commentary Israel may indeed have cried out to YHWH for help, but their next reaction (as often in the steppe country; cf. Ex. 16:3, etc.) was to blame Moses. This was very wrong but very human: we recognize ourselves again and again in Israel. No graves : a bitter irony, in view of the abnormal preoccupation of the Egyptians with tombs (compare the similar obsession of the Nabataeans of Petra, and the Etruscans of Italy) but it is not likely that Israel meant it so. The situation was too tense for that. Is not this what we said? It is futile to argue whether or not the Israelites had actually used these words to Moses in Egypt. They were not in the mood for niceties, and certainly these words express the attitude of Exodus 5:21. Said in Hebrew often has the same sense as thought (cf. Ps. 14:1, says in his heart ). 5 R. Alan Cole If God weren t in charge, then one would conclude that this strategy was crazy (14:1-3). Israel was on their way out when God told them to go back and camp between the sea and the desert. If Pharaoh were to pursue them, they would be trapped. God implements unusual strategies throughout the Bible. Remember Abraham and Sarah s age when they had a child? Later, we ll learn about Gideon and his little army (Judg. 6 8), Jehoshaphat s battle with the Ammonites and Moabites (2 Chron. 20), and a demon-possessed herd of pigs (Mark 5). 49

8 Voices from Church History Hope in the Christian sense is no mere human longing for an uncertain future. It is rooted in the life of God Himself and founded on His own promises. 6 Lesslie Newbigin ( ) Voices from Church History To God be the glory, great things He hath done, So loved He the world that He gave us His Son. 7 Fanny Crosby ( ) Ultimately, God used an unusual strategy with Jesus Christ going to the cross. Satan, like Pharaoh, must have thought that he had Jesus trapped and defeated. Yet God brought deliverance for us through the resurrection and glorified Himself. As the story continues, we see how Pharaoh pursued God s people just as God said he would (14:5-9). Pharaoh thought he had a good military strategy, but he was actually fulfilling the purposes of God. As Pharaoh pursued Israel, he would have used the best of chariots. Egypt had all the modern military advantages available to them. Surely they thought the Israelites would be defeated and enslaved once more. Pharaoh was probably singing victory songs before the battle began. But he was wrong. How is God s glory shown in unusual strategies for victory? According to verse 10, when the Israelites saw the Egyptians, they were afraid. No surprise here! The Egyptians were superior soldiers. They had weapons of mass destruction, so to speak. But what was the real problem? Israel had forgotten that it was God who brought them to this place. They needed only to fear God and trust in His love (see Ps. 106:1-10). Instead, the Israelites began to complain. Moses told these scared complainers, Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent (Ex. 14:13-14). What kind of strategy is this? Stand still? The Lord will fight for you? Yes. That s the right strategy (see also 2 Chron. 20:15-17). Don t be afraid. The battle isn t yours. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Since God would give the victory, only God could get the glory. This isn t ultimately a story about Israel s victory but about God s unrivaled, incomparable glory. In what ways does the complaining of the Israelites point a mirror to our own hearts? How does the tug of slavery to sin still affect our hearts even after we have been redeemed? 3. God is worthy of praise for His deliverance (Ex. 14:21-31). Through the end of chapter 14, we find one of the most important stories in the Bible the crossing of the Red Sea. God would get His people out of Egypt through the miracle of the sea, and He would judge the Egyptians by swallowing them up in the sea. 50 Leader Guide Winter

9 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians. 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Moses obeyed the instruction God gave him (14:21). But think about these instructions. Pharaoh was coming, the people were complaining, and God said, Hold out your stick, and I will part the waters! Why? Once again the theme of God s glory is repeated: I will get glory over Pharaoh (14:17). It may have sounded foolish, but Moses obeyed. God s deliverance manifested itself through the parting of the waters (14:21). By doing so, the Israelites walked through to safety (14:22). Can you imagine this? The water was pulled back to be a wall. The idea of a wall carries the idea of a city wall. One commentator says, A city-wall sized wall of water on either side of them implies the division of a deep body of water, not merely the drying out of a shallow one or the drying out of wet terrain. 8 When I read this, I think of Niagara Falls. It s massive. The parting of the waters, though, is not too hard for the Lord of all creation. As the Egyptians pursued the Israelites, the Lord looked down, majestically exalted above all (14:24). He threw the Egyptians into a panic and clogged the wheels of their fine chariots (14:24-25). They should have fled, but they didn t. Further Commentary Verse 31 addresses this most important implication of all the events with attention to faith: the resultant faith of God s people in the Lord and their willingness to place their trust in him and in his representative, Moses. Not only does this verse thus identify the point of the story of the deliverance at the sea for all generations (all should learn from it that the Lord can be trusted to deliver his people, no matter what their plight) but adumbrates the New Testament emphasis on salvation by faith. What was important for Israel was not merely that they were safe and the Egyptians were not; what mattered was that faith saves, and God had shown them how faith in him could pay off to their lasting benefit. They were still new to good theology. Many of them at this early point understood very little of who Yahweh was and what he expected of them. But they had now seen one final, awesome act of deliverance from Egypt, and it prompted their fear and trust. 9 Douglas K. Stuart Voices from Church History Thy greatest refuge, O child of God! in all thy trials, is in a man: not in Moses, but in Jesus; not in the servant, but in the master He has not a rod, but a cross which can open the Red sea and drown thy sins in the very midst. He will not leave thee. 10 Charles Spurgeon ( ) 51

10 99 Essential Christian Doctrines 78. People of God Scripture describes the church as the people of God (2 Cor. 6:16). Comprised of both Jew and Gentile, the church is created by God through the atoning death of Christ. The term church is used in two senses of individual local churches composed of people who have covenanted together under the lordship of Christ and of the universal church composed of all believers in Christ in all times. As the people of God, the church seeks to live under God s ruling care while we are protected and cared for by Him. After Israel s crossing of the sea, Moses stretched out his staff so that the waters came down on the Egyptians and everything with them (14:26). This was total elimination. At daybreak, the Israelites could see God s victory, for the Egyptians were swallowed up when the water went back into the gap (14:27-28). Verse 29 provides a summary statement: But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The reality of judgment and salvation are clear in verses Imagine this scene: bodies are washing up on the shore a dreadful picture of unrepentant people before the Holy One! The waters of judgment came down on those who refused to believe. Pharaoh reaped what he sowed. In contrast, we see the happy picture of believers who have been saved from the waters of judgment. They were delivered to the other side by grace through faith. In what ways have you seen the power of God after a season of waiting for God to act? Why is it important that God s saving actions on our behalf demonstrate our weakness and His strength? Just as Moses led his people through the waters of judgment to the other side, those who are in Christ will safely pass through the waters of death to the other side because of His mighty resurrection. This is what baptism represents passing from death to life. In baptism, we are saying, I have died with Christ, I have been buried with Him, and I have been raised with Him! (see Rom. 6:1-4). The true story of the exodus provides a picture of what has happened to us in salvation and in the Christian life. What We Are Saved From Bondage The Israelites were delivered from their enslavement. This is a picture of salvation. They were free, but there was a problem. They had gotten out of Egypt physically, but Egypt had not gotten out of their hearts (see Acts 7:39). How does this relate to us? God redeems us from bondage also. But our bondage has many layers. 11 Objectively, we are free from condemnation through Jesus. We have positional freedom. The penalty of sin is gone. There was an objective guilt upon us, but through Jesus we are freed. We can say, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Subjectively, however, we still struggle with going back to Egypt. We aren t slaves, but we are tempted to live like slaves. 52 Leader Guide Winter

11 How We Are Saved Crossing Over by Grace In Exodus 14:13-14, Moses told the Israelites to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today The Lord will fight for you. The principle of grace couldn t be clearer here. Salvation is not about what we do but about what God has done for us in Jesus (see also Rom. 4:3-8). Israel s crossing over reminds me of Jesus words about eternal life: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24, my emphasis). The apostle John also spoke of crossing over from death to life: We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death (1 John 3:14). If you are a Christian, you have crossed over. Praise God for His deliverance! Why We Can Be Saved A Mediator It s important to consider why the Israelites didn t drown in this event they had a mediator. Consider Moses role. On the one hand, he s identified with the Israelites, and on the other, he s identified with God. You have one man so identified with the Israelites that their guilt is on him. He gets rebuked for the Israelites sin in Exodus 14:15. God said, Why do you cry to me? There s no indication that Moses himself was crying, but he got rebuked anyway. He s also so identified with God that God s power is working through him (14:21,26). That s a mediator. He s the man in the middle. But there s another mediator, a better one Jesus Christ. He was not just rebuked for one sin in one verse, but this mediator took God s wrath for all our sin. And this mediator was God (John 1:1). Jesus is the only way we cross over. He is our mediator. 12 Three Paths of Subjective Slavery 13 According to Tim Keller, we can recognize three ways the slavishness of the heart may be explained. First, we can fall back into the slavishness of sin. So Paul said to believers, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body (Rom. 6:12). Every day we must put sin to death. Second, we can revert to works-righteousness. Our hearts want to go to a works-based system of salvation, a performance-based Christianity. We have to fight every day to believe our salvation is in Christ alone. Third, we still deal with our old idols. We must fight the temptation to yield to our old masters that say, Serve me or die. Why is it important that we give all glory and praise to God for His salvation rather than thinking we have contributed something? Conclusion In Exodus 15, God s people sing. This is good and right. A saved people should be a singing people. If Israel sang with all their hearts over this salvation, how much more should we who have received a greater deliverance through Jesus? We praise what we prize. Do you prize the Savior? We commend what we cherish. Do you cherish Him? Nothing else compares to Him. CHRIST CONNECTION: God parted the Red Sea in order to make a way of salvation for His people. In a similar manner, God made a way of salvation for us by sending His Son. 53

12 Additional Resources Worthy of Praise References 1. Martin Luther, quoted in Then Sings My Soul, Special Edition, by Robert J. Morgan (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003), Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004), Dorian G. Coover-Cox, in HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 120, n. 13: J. D. Greear, Jesus, Continued (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), R. Alan Cole, Exodus, in Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973), Lesslie Newbigin, The Household of God (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2008), Fanny J. Crosby, To God Be the Glory, in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2006), Ibid., C. H. Spurgeon, Israel at the Red Sea, The Spurgeon Archive [online], 30 March 1856 [cited 22 April 2015]. Available from the Internet: Tim Keller, Getting Out, The Gospel Coalition [online video], 12 April 2011 [cited 22 April 2015]. Available from the Internet: Ibid. 13. Ibid. 14. Adapted from Field Guide for Small Group Leaders, by Sam O Neal (Downers Grove: IVP, 2012), Study Material Get expert insights on weekly studies through Ministry Grid at MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject. Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry blog at LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry. -- Calling Out Chapter 3 from Living God s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays -- Israel at the Red Sea Sermon by Charles Spurgeon; find a link to this sermon at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources --Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including Pharaoh s Army, can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at LifeWay.com/BiblicalIllustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project. Sermon Podcast Tim Keller: Getting Out Find a link to this at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources Tip of the Week Tips for Facilitating Group Discussion 1. Silence Is Your Friend. Silence often seems awkward and uncomfortable in the midst of a group meeting, especially in response to a question asked to the group. As a leader, you may feel the desire to jump in and quickly rephrase a question or even answer it yourself, but resist the urge. Silence can and probably means your group members are thinking about their response. Give them time, between thirty to sixty seconds. If no one responds at this point, then you can rephrase. But don t belabor the point or try to engineer an obvious response. If a question bombs, just move on. 2. Three Important Words a Group Leader Should Know. As a group leader, you will likely be perceived as the expert in the room. This can put you under a lot of pressure to know answers to sticky questions or details about doctrines. Instead of winging an expert opinion, shutting down conversation, or potentially causing damage to the truth, feel free to share these three important words: I don t know. And if needed, these can be followed up by three more words: I ll find out Leader Guide Winter

13 About the Writers The Gospel Project Adult Leader Guide ESV Volume 4, Number 2 Winter Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor Daniel Davis Content Editor Josh Hayes Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN ; or make comments on the Web at Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project : Adult Leader Guide ESV (ISSN ; Item ) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN For subscriptions or subscription address changes, subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All Scripture quotations marked (HCSB) are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today s English Version Second Edition Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Unit 1: Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also serves as associate professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His books include Ordinary and the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary on the Book of Exodus, among others. He is happily married to Kimberly, and they have five adopted children. Unit 2: Rick Morton (sessions 7-8) is Vice President of Engagement for Lifeline Children s Services in Birmingham, Alabama, where he leads the ministry s partnership efforts to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children around the world. He is married to Denise, and they have two middle school sons and a daughter in college. Kendell Easley (sessions 9-12) is a professor of biblical studies at Union University and is the director of the Master of Christian Studies and Doctor of Ministry programs for Union in the Memphis area. He also serves as pastor of McLean Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Kendell is married to Nancy, and they have one married young adult son. Unit 3: D. A. Horton is currently serving in the Church Planting Residency at Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina. He and his wife, Elicia, and their three children are preparing to plant a church in Los Angles, California. He is working on his PhD in Applied Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. WRITERS