Title: Shut Up and Get Moving!

Focus: We need to move forward, and grow as a church and not get bogged down in scepticism

Function: To help the hearers get over their paranoia and fear and get about doing Gods work

Text: Exodus 14:1-16



Intro:
1.  Home for holidays.  Open many presents
2.  Youngest was being so careful, told him to just go for it, rip it open
3.  We often hesitate, and sometimes God says to just go for it!
4.  Text: Exodus 14
	a.  Background:
		- Bondage in Egypt
		- Contest between Pharoah and God, 10 plagues
		- 1st born killed, Israel released
	b.  (v.1) - They turned back and camped by the sea
		- Strategically a poor moved, would be boxed in
	c.  (v.2-12) - Egyptians come, what should they do?
		- They panic and complain
		- No faith 
			- Don’t be too hard on them, all they have known all their
			   lives is curel, dehumanizing bondage
	d.  Hey this is not a time to complain!
5.  We are in a similar situation this morning
	a.  We are standing on the sea, looking across to a new year
	b.  The Old is behind us, threatening to take us back
	c.  What should we do?


I.  We should be brave (v.13)
	A.  Do not fear
		1.  Seems to be a tall order when enemy breathing down your back
		2.  However, the Lord will accomplish victory
	B.  We fear many things
		1.  Much on spiritual warfare lately
			a.  Is good, but over-emphasis leaves wrong impression
			b.  It is almost as if it is telling us to be afraid of Satan
			c.  Bible nowhere says to fear Satan 
			d.  Mt 10:28 - Fear God
			e.  2 Cor 7:1 - Perfect holiness in fear of God, not Satan
		2.  God showed time and time again we should fear him
			a.  Plagues attacked Egyptian deities
				- Nile to blood
				- 3 days of darkness (God defeated Ra)
				- Death of first born
			b.  Thus the Egyptians shall know I am Yahweh
			c.  Israel shall know I am Yahweh
	C.  God has not given us a spirit of fear
		1.  Gal 4:3-7 - We are adopted as children, not a slave but a son
		2.  Rom 8:15 - Not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear, but spirit of adoption
	D.  On the banks of new year - Satan surround us to make us afraid
		1.  Do not fear looking like denominations
			- If can’t look like them, get rid of building, enter by window
			- We not copying denominations, they are copying the church
			- We should be more concerned with looking like him
		2.  Do not fear sharing Gospel
			- If God speak through Balaam’s donkey, he can through you
		3.  Do not fear new ideas and change
			- We want to be first century Christians
			- Are are the 21st century church, not 1st century
			- Truth never changes, but it’s package does
				- What if I wore plaid, double-knit bell bottoms
				- Silk shirt unbuttoned with gold chain
		4.  If going to preach Gospel, has to be in form people understand
	E.  Need to stop being paranoid 
		1.  If paranoid, we are not fearing God (fearing wrong thing)
		2.  Don’t bury talent in the ground, fear God
		3.  There is no paranoia in fear in God, but there is in Satan


II.  We should be quiet (v.14)
	A.  But I thought we should pray to God when in trouble?
		1.  Would expect Moses to tell people to pray
		2.  Why does he tell them to be quiet
	B.  Paraphrase:  “If you would just shut up, the Lord will fight for you”
		1.  Problem:  They were not praying, but panicking
		2.  Fear causes panic, panic causes stupidity
			a.  Israel was stupid on the wilderness journey
			b.  Whinned, complained, quarreled, and rebelled
			c.  God was patient at first, but later, in Numbers, it ran out
		3.  If you can’t keep your mouth shut, will get in trouble
	C.  What is the key to being quiet?
		1.  Gal 5:15-17 (1 Cor 3:3) - Fights, quarrels, from flesh - no peace
		2.  Rom 8:6-7 - Peace from mind on spirit (Gal 5:21 - it fruit of spirit)
	D.  On the banks of a new year
		1.  Satan want us to quarrel and be fearful
		2.  Need to have calm, silent faith
		3.  Calm silent faith means action, fighting is inaction
		4.  Those who whine loudest do the least


III.  We need to move forward (v.15)
	A.  Gods says to shut up and get moving
	B.  Reminds me of another crossing (Josh 3:14-16)
		1.  Time not right!   During flood season
		2.  ILL:  I remember MIssouri River flooded - swift, deep, and scary
		3.  River is deep and swift - God says MOVE FORWARD!
		4.  But time is not right, wait till water is down!
	C.  IF you wait for perfect conditions, nothing will ever happen
		1.  ILL:  Basic training.  Obstacle course - over water
		2.  They threw rope and said to grab it, not second chance
		3.  Rope came over, but it was wiggling all over the place
		4.  I hesitated, wound up falling in the water
		5.  Slimy water made me slip of monkey bars
	D.  Here we are standing on the banks
		1.  Don’t be afraid, don’t complain
		2.  Move forward, and God will make a way


Concl:
1.  Time to move forward, not backward
2.  Have to move forward because we 21st cent. church, not 1st cent church
3.  I challenge you to move forward
	Become all things to all men to win them and grow them to do the same
4.  Don’t become bogged down in fear, paranoia, quarreling, arguing
5.  If you are moving, won’t have time for fear or fighting
6.  Christianity is like riding a bike
	a.  When I first learned, my Dad set me on and gave me push
	b.  Pedal! pedal!  I didn’t, but I had momentum
	c.  I eventually fell
	d.  I kept falling even after learned to pedal
	e.  Dad not mad at me for falling, but would be if I not even try
7.  Momentum will run down, and will fall - SO MOVE FORWARD or will fall
8.  Don’t be afraid to fall, God pleased if trying.
	a.  But if let fear stop you, God not pleased
	b.  Fear him, not falling, and keep pedaling
9.  I challenge you, become all things to all men - If the world is changing, that
means we change.  (Not truth, but the packaging of truth).
10.  As we stand on the banks, what are you going to do?