주일예배 영어설교

주일예배 영어설교(3/5일)/Exodus 15:22-27




Let\'s change the bitter water into the sweet water !

The event that Israelites crossed the Red Sea with the help of God was a great and unforgettable victory, success, blessing and miracle to Israelites.
After they crossedd the Red Sea they were overjoyed and praised God ;
\"The Lord is my strength and my song ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, I will exalt him.
Who among the gods is like you, O Lord ? Who is like you- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders ?
In your unfaling love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.\" (Exodus 15:2,11,13)
But after they praised God with this beautiful song they traveled in the desert without finding water for three days.
When they came to Marah, they found water but it was bitter so that they could not drink.
So the people who had experienced the miracle of the Red Sea became dejected and they grumbled against Moses.
Then Moses cried out to God, \"Lord, we don\'t have water to drink. Please, give us water !\"
And God showed him a piece of wood and told him to throw it into the water. As Moses did the water became sweet just like God said. And Israelites praised God again with gladness.
Brothers and sisters, we also face the bitter water in our life (business, school, company). What do you do when you face the bitter water ? Just like Israelites who even if they experienced the miracle of the Red Sea, will you be dejected too ?
Don\'t you think it is the character of humans that they grumble again when they face the bitter water ?
But as Christians what do we do in this situation ? What are the lessions we have to learn in this situation ?

1. Don\'t have to be dejected due to the problems.
When the Israelites moved to the land of Canaan they were always worried about water. The Red Sea worried them about too much water, but they crossed it.
And when they faced the bitter water at Marah the water was changed into the sweet water.
Some times later they drank water in Elim. Then they reached Rephidim, where Moses struck the rock with his staff that water gushed out.
As you know it is not easy to find water in Palestine. Therefore Israelites always faced the water problem. But God always solved their water problem.
However when the problems occured again they became dejected again and again.
Brothers and sisters, don\'t you think we experience not only great victories but also failures in our life ?
Especially, why aren\'t here some bitter problems in this foreign land ?
But don\'t be dejected due to the problems like Israelites.
But let\'s pray like Moses. God will tell us the way to change the bitter water into the sweet water (sigh into joy, despair into hope, curse into blessing)

2. Don\'t forget the great victory easily.
Isralites have a good memory. They are very clever. 25-30 % of the winners of the Nobel prize is Isralis. They have wisdom superior to other people. But the Israelites forget the victory of the Red Sea. And they became dejected.
When we face the bitter problems we are apt to forget easily what God did greatly for us before, and become dejected. But don\'t forget what God did for us. Don\'t be worried.
I also faced many problems like you, but God always helped me, and he gave me victories.
However when I face the problems again I sometimes worry again. Why ? It\'s because I forget what God did for me.
Therefore don\'t forget what God did for you. and be thankful always !

3. We have to believe God prepares Elim, oasis.
God not only changed the bitter water into the sweet water but also he prepared the oasis Elim. Elim is only 5 miles away from Marah. God prepared Elim where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees.
Therefore let\'s do believe that God always prepares good things for us.
Several years ago a plain crashed into the mountain Andes. Some persons were killed, some survived. The survivors ate the flesh of the dead man to survive.
Some days later rescue team arrived there and survivors were rescued. But it was a really irony because they realized that there was a nice hotel only 6 miles away from the accident area.
The survivors did not know that a nice hotel was there near to accident area so that they ate the flesh of the dead man.
Brothers and sisters, we have to know God prepares oasis for us especially when we face the bitter water.
We can see some persons who are dejected before the bitter water and they leave the church. Why ? It is because they don\'t think that the oasis is before them.
Brothers and sisters, don\'t forget God prepares oasis Elim for us and he waits for us there.
Therefore when you face the bitter water believe firmly that oasis of joy (hope, love, happiness) is before you !

Prayer : God we face a lot of bitter problems in our life. But we never be dejected. We believe God is the almighty God who can change the bitter water into the sweet water.
Lord, when we face the bitter water let us be the persons who can change the bitter water into the sweet water.
Lord, let us be the persons who lead many persons to oasis that God prepared for us. Amen !