Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114 (or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21) or Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103: (1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35
In the wilderness, we can know that God is wth us.
Sin may be ‘near’, but God never leads His people into it (Exodus 13:13:17, James 1:13).
Following Christ means walking a narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14). We are surrounded by many temptations. Pray that your feet will not slip (Psalm 37:31; 17:5; 44:18).
Sometimes, the Lord leads us ‘by way of the wilderness’ – a way of apparent fruitlessness.
Why? – So that ‘equipped for battle’, we might learn to serve Him better (Exodus 13:18).
The Lord does not leave His people in the wilderness. Pursued by their enemies (the Egyptians), they were guided by the ‘cloud’ and ‘fire’ (Exodus 13:21-22).
God was with them, and He was about to reveal His saving power in a mighty way (Exodus 13:13-14).
There is judgment as well as salvation (Exodus 14:30).
Looking to neither the ‘right’ nor the ‘left’, we must look to the Lord (Exodus 14:21-22). Rejoicing in ‘the great work’ He has done, our faith ‘in the Lord’ grows strong (Exodus 14:31).
In the wilderness, we can know the greatness of God’s power and His love.
‘The Lord is high above all nations… Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high?… Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, who turns the hard rock into springs of water’ (Psalms 113:4-5; 114:7-8).
The Lord is greater than we could ever imagine. There is no greatness like the greatness of the Lord. All human greatness cannot even begin to compare with the greatness of God. His greatness is not only the greatness of His power. It is also the greatness of His love.
When we sing, ‘How great Thou art’, we sing not only of His power – ‘Thy power throughout the universe displayed’. We sing also of His love – ‘And when I think that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die – I scarce can take it in, that on the Cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin…’ (Mission Praise, 506).
In the wilderness, we look back with thanksgiving and look forward with hope.
In Exodus 15, we have a song of redemption – God has redeemed His people; a song of thanksgiving – we give thanks for God’s redemption; and a song of hope – we look forward to the complete fulfilment of God’s redemption.
This is not only a ‘song of God’s people.’ It is also the song of Moses, a personal song. This is worship – not a mere formality, but worship which arises from the depths of Moses’ heart.
Deeply moved by the grace and glory of God, Moses pours his heart out to God in worship: (i) He praises the God of grace – ‘my strength… my song… my salvation’ (Exodus 15:2). (ii) He praises the God of glory – God triumphs ‘gloriously’ (Exodus 15:1). His ‘glorious’ power is demonstrated in His ‘glorious’ deeds (Exodus 15:6, 11). (iii) Worshipping this God of grace – the redeeming God (Exodus 15:13) – and glory – the reigning God (Exodus 15:18) – , we say, ‘You are my God, and I will praise You’ (Psalm 118:28). Let us worship God – personally as well as publicly.
In the wilderness, we remember this: God is in control and He loves us.
It was a time of ‘very great and sorrowful lamentation’ (Genesis 50:10). Jacob had died (Genesis 49:33). Soon, Joseph would be gone (Genesis 50:26).
God was still there. He had been there in the past (Genesis 50:20). He would be there in the future (Genesis 50:24-25).
Times are hard. We rejoice: ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
An earthly life has ended. We say, ‘His mercies never come to an end.’
We cannot cope. We discover that ‘His mercies are new every morning.’
Everything seems to be changing. We trust in God’s unchanging love: ‘Great is Thy faithfulness.’
It seems hopeless. We say, ‘I will hope in the Lord’ (Lamentations 3:22-24).
‘Bad’ things are happening to you. Do you need to be ‘reassured… and comforted’? – ‘God meant it for good… Do not fear.’ The Lord ‘will provide for you’ (Genesis 50:20-21).
Whatever happens, remember this – God is in control, and He loves you (Romans 8:28)!
In the wilderness, we can learn to thank God for His love and live for Him.
‘Praise the Lord’ (Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22).
Let’s praise Him for His ‘steadfast love’. He is ‘abounding in steadfast love’ (Psalm 103:8).
How are we to respond to His ‘steadfast love’? Are we to say, ‘God loves me. I can do what I like’? No! We must not think like this. We’re not to say, ‘I’ll keep on sinning. God will keep on forgiving’ (Romans 6:1-2).
God’s Word tells us something very different. Loved by God, we learn to love Him. When God’s ‘steadfast love’ has really touched our hearts, it changes our lives.
This is the great change which the Psalmist has in mind when he writes, ‘As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him… The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him’ (Psalm 103:11, 17).
Let’s thank God for His love – and live to please Him!
In the wilderness, we can know that we belong to the Lord.
Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8).
Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it can be anything but easy! Whatever is happening to us, we must remember this: we belong to the Lord.
When everything’s going well, remember what it was like to be in the wilderness!
Jesus tells us a remarkable story about a forgiving master and an unforgiving servant..
It’s about a servant who had a very large debt – millions of pounds/dollars – cancelled by his forgiving master (Matthew 18:27).
What did the servant do? He demanded payment from another servant who owed him a few pounds/dollars (Matthew 18:28-30)!
When your life has taken a turn for the good, don’t look down on those who are still in the wilderness.
Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way… Do not… destroy your brother for whom Christ died… Don’t do anything that will cause your brother to fall (Romans 14:13, 15, 21).
God didn’t bring us out of our wilderness so that we could drive other people more deeply into their wilderness!
You are… a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).
We rejoice in the Lord who has brought us into the promised land of His salvation. In our rejoicing, we must never forget that they were in the wilderness.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:10).
Remember that you have been brought out of the wilderness and pray that God will help you to bring others out of the wilderness.
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The Bible Readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary – Year A.
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