A Posture of Worship

Exodus: Called Out • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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The deliverance experienced by the Israelites at the hand of Lord moved them to a posture of remembrance and praise to the One who had delivered them. In our culture, we rarely pause to praise the Lord for the works of His hands. We spend much time petitioning and seeking the Lord to move His mighty hand on our behalf, but when He is faithful to respond, we often just move forward past the obstacle that the Lord has removed without stopping and solidifying in our hearts the wonder of who God is. A proper posture of worship and praise must be present to keep our hearts steadfast in trust and faith.

Notes

Transcript

Posture of Commemoration

Exodus 15:1–12 NIV

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies.

Moses pens this song of praise after the Lord’s miraculous deliverance of the people of Israel.

Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is His name - Moses asserts the Lord’s willingness to fight for His people against their foes. This is seen in stark contrast to Egyptian gods who needed to be appeased and swayed to support their followers.

The Lord defeated the best of the best of Egypts army without the help of His people.

All of this has been done to answer once and for all to His people, Who is the Lord?

This song was taught to all the people as a commemoration of what the Lord had done. This was to serve as the foundation for the people that they might place their trust in the Lord as they continue to press forward.

What I face today will not matter for I know who the Lord is. What I face today can not shake me for the Lord is with me. Our knowledge of what the Lord has done serves as our rock for remaining steadfast in what the Lord will do.

Posture of Assurance

Exodus 15:13–21 NIV

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone— until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. “The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”