Exodus: Tested

Life doesn’t always feel like a mountaintop — sometimes it feels like a desert. In Exodus 15–17, we walk with the Israelites through a dry and difficult journey where they face thirst, hunger, and deep frustration. But in each moment of need, God meets them — not always in the way they expect, but always with purpose. These stories invite us to look at our own wilderness seasons and ask: what is God trying to show me here?


Sermon Outline
1. Bitter to Sweet
2. Manna and Quail
3. Water from the Rock


1. We must trust God for our daily provision
2. We must trust that God is our healer
3. We must trust God in the waiting.


Discussion Questions
Section 1:   (Exodus 15:22–27)

1. Why do you think the people grumbled so quickly after seeing God’s miracles at the Red Sea?
2. Have you ever had a moment where something you hoped would refresh you turned out disappointing or "bitter"? What was your reaction?
3. What do you learn about God from His response (showing Moses the wood to sweeten the water)?
4. How might God be inviting you to trust Him with something bitter in your life right now?

Section 2:   (Exodus 16)

1. What do you think was at the heart of the Israelites' complaint about hunger?
2. Why do you think God gave them just enough manna for each day, instead of letting them stockpile it?
3. Where in your life is God asking you to trust Him one day at a time?
4. What “manna” has God given you lately — something small but sustaining?

Section 3:  (Exodus 17:1–7)

1. The Israelites asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Have you ever asked that question in your life? What was going on?
2. Why do you think God chose to provide water from a rock?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 10:4. How does seeing Christ as the “rock” change how we understand this story?
4. What is one area of your life where you need to ask God to bring “water from the rock” — refreshment from a hard place?