Exodus 14:11-16




GO BACK       STOP    GO FORWARD
Go Back / Exodus 14:11-12
11 Then they said to Moses, "Because there were
  no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to
  die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt
  with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt,
  saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the
  Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us
  to serve the Egyptians than that we should die
  in the wilderness."
Go Back / Exodus 14:11-12
THE NATION OF ISRAEL
Just arrive at Red Sea
On the edge of freedom
On their way to the
 promised land
Ready to give up, go back
 to slavery
What's the use? Throw in
 the towel!
Stop / Exodus 14:13-14
13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be
  afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the
  Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.
  For the Egyptians whom you see today, you
  shall see again no more forever.
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold
  your peace."
Stop / Exodus 14:13-14
MOSES
Stand still
Stop and think
Be proactive, not just reactive
Stop and watch God work this out
Go Forward / Exodus 14:15+17
15 And the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry
  to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand
  over the sea and divide it. And the children of
  Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst
  of the sea.
17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the
  Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will
  gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army,
  his chariots, and his horsemen.
Go Forward / Exodus 14:15+17
GOD
This is not a time to go back to slavery
This is not a time to stop and do nothing
This is the time to go forward
God has a plan:
  God will open the Red Sea so they can cross
  God will harden Egypt to follow into the sea
  God will win over Pharaoh and his army
Challenges, Problems, Obstacles
Got Problems?      Trouble?


Health decline?    Financial?


Work?              Personal?


Family?            Friends?
Same Options for Us
Go Back              Stop
Remember the “good   Look before you leap
 old days”           In a hole? Stop digging
Resist change and
 reject new things
                     Go Forward
Let's go back!
                     God is looking for
                      maturity, growth,
                      increase
Same Options for the Brotherhood
Go Back                   Stop
Shrink, shrivel up        Not shrinking, not
There is a “graying” of    growing
 the church in many       Plateau
 congregations            Keep the aquarium
Many churches are         Go Forward
 dying of old age
                          Expected to grow,
                           produce fruit
Same Options for Cades
Go Back               Stop
We can go backwards   Become a “Holy
Just dwindle           Huddle” (closed
                       group)
Keep a spirit of
 discouragement       Just us - - and we like it
                        that way
                      Are we keeping the
                       aquarium, or fishing
                       for men?
Same Options for Cades
Go Forward
Baptize, Restore, Reach Out, Invite, Teach
The church is a body – expected to grow
  Grow in number
  Grow in spirit, excitement
  Grow in love, fellowship
  Grow in faith and knowledge
Israel had 3 choices




GO BACK         STOP     GO FORWARD
We have 3 choices




GO BACK        STOP    GO FORWARD
WHICH DIRECTION?
WHICH DIRECTION WILL THE CHURCH HEAD
 IN THE COMING MONTHS?
WHICH DIRECTION WILL CADES HEAD IN
 2013?


 WHICH DIRECTION WILL EACH
     OF US HEAD IN 2013?

Back stop forward

  • 1.
    Exodus 14:11-16 GO BACK STOP GO FORWARD
  • 2.
    Go Back /Exodus 14:11-12 11 Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."
  • 3.
    Go Back /Exodus 14:11-12 THE NATION OF ISRAEL Just arrive at Red Sea On the edge of freedom On their way to the promised land Ready to give up, go back to slavery What's the use? Throw in the towel!
  • 4.
    Stop / Exodus14:13-14 13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
  • 5.
    Stop / Exodus14:13-14 MOSES Stand still Stop and think Be proactive, not just reactive Stop and watch God work this out
  • 6.
    Go Forward /Exodus 14:15+17 15 And the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
  • 7.
    Go Forward /Exodus 14:15+17 GOD This is not a time to go back to slavery This is not a time to stop and do nothing This is the time to go forward God has a plan: God will open the Red Sea so they can cross God will harden Egypt to follow into the sea God will win over Pharaoh and his army
  • 8.
    Challenges, Problems, Obstacles GotProblems? Trouble? Health decline? Financial? Work? Personal? Family? Friends?
  • 9.
    Same Options forUs Go Back Stop Remember the “good Look before you leap old days” In a hole? Stop digging Resist change and reject new things Go Forward Let's go back! God is looking for maturity, growth, increase
  • 10.
    Same Options forthe Brotherhood Go Back Stop Shrink, shrivel up Not shrinking, not There is a “graying” of growing the church in many Plateau congregations Keep the aquarium Many churches are Go Forward dying of old age Expected to grow, produce fruit
  • 11.
    Same Options forCades Go Back Stop We can go backwards Become a “Holy Just dwindle Huddle” (closed group) Keep a spirit of discouragement Just us - - and we like it that way Are we keeping the aquarium, or fishing for men?
  • 12.
    Same Options forCades Go Forward Baptize, Restore, Reach Out, Invite, Teach The church is a body – expected to grow Grow in number Grow in spirit, excitement Grow in love, fellowship Grow in faith and knowledge
  • 13.
    Israel had 3choices GO BACK STOP GO FORWARD
  • 14.
    We have 3choices GO BACK STOP GO FORWARD
  • 15.
    WHICH DIRECTION? WHICH DIRECTIONWILL THE CHURCH HEAD IN THE COMING MONTHS? WHICH DIRECTION WILL CADES HEAD IN 2013? WHICH DIRECTION WILL EACH OF US HEAD IN 2013?