9/20/26, Melrose Community Church, Sunday Service

What does it truly mean to know God -- not just know about him, but know him in a way that shapes how we live, how we respond to hardship, and how we treat others? That question sits at the heart of our journey through the book of Exodus. We explore four remarkable encounters with water in Exodus -- water destroyed, water divided, water restored, and water provided -- and discover that each one is far more than a historical event. Each one is a window into the character of God himself. From the Nile turning to blood before a resistant Pharaoh, to the Red Sea parting before a terrified people, to bitter water made sweet in the desert, to water flowing from a rock in the wilderness, we see a God who is powerful beyond our imagination, patient beyond our deserving, and generous beyond our expectation. The invitation is this: to slow down, look closely at what these stories reveal about who God is, and ask ourselves honestly whether our lives reflect that same character. Because knowing God and reflecting God are meant to go together.

Discussion Questions:

- In Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh asks, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" How do the subsequent ten plagues directly answer Pharaoh's challenge and act as a judgment on Egypt’s gods?

- Other than water, what are other illustrations of God’s power, protection, and provision?

- In Exodus 14, God led the Israelites to a difficult place where they were out of other options to escape Pharaoh. What can we learn about God from this?

- In Exodus 15:22, the people expected water after three days and then found only bitter water. How do you react when a path God seems to be leading you down turns out to be painful or disappointing?