Saved By Blood and Power | Chip Stallings | June 28, 2026

Jun 28, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Cries Rise from Unseen Valleys

The Israelites groaned under Egyptian oppression, unaware God’s ear bent low to their pain. Their deliverance began not with visible rescue but with divine attention to muffled cries. God’s knowledge of their suffering preceded action, anchoring hope in His faithfulness rather than their circumstances. Even when darkness obscures His hand, He hears, remembers covenant promises, and moves. Trust grows not by sight but by clinging to the truth that He knows. [51:13]

The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor. They cried out, and their cry for help because of the difficult labor ascended to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the Israelites, and God knew. (Exodus 2:23–25, CSB)

Reflection: Where have you hesitated to cry out to God, fearing He doesn’t see your struggle? How might His promise to “know” reshape your prayers today?

Day 2: Stuttering Leaders and the God Who Equips

Moses’ objections—his stutter, his past failures—mirror our own insecurities. Yet God’s call isn’t contingent on human capability but on His presence. The burning bush didn’t consume Moses with shame for his limitations; it revealed a God who transforms inadequacy into holy ground. Leadership isn’t about perfection but partnership with the One who authors purpose. [59:25]

Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent… I am slow and hesitant in speech.” The Lord said to him, “Who placed a mouth on humans?… Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:10–12, CSB)

Reflection: What “stutter” do you fixate on that God might be inviting you to surrender? How could His presence redefine your sense of calling?

Day 3: Bricks Without Straw and Faith Without Relief

Pharaoh’s increased demands after Moses’ obedience felt like divine abandonment. Yet hardship often precedes liberation. The Israelites learned to labor while waiting, their blistered hands proof that God’s silence isn’t absence. True deliverance requires enduring the uncomfortable, trusting the Deliverer’s timing over immediate relief. [01:06:07]

The Israelite foremen saw they were in trouble… They said to Moses and Aaron, “May the Lord take note of you and judge… You have made us reek to Pharaoh.” Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people?” (Exodus 5:19–22, CSB)

Reflection: When has obedience led to increased difficulty? How can you discern God’s faithfulness in the tension between promise and process?

Day 4: Blood on the Doorpost and Freedom’s Cost

The Passover lamb’s blood wasn’t symbolic—it was survival. Its application required humble participation in a gruesome act of trust. Freedom always costs blood, pointing to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. Just as the Israelites ate dressed for departure, we live ready, redeemed by a Lamb whose blood eternally secures our liberation. [01:09:15]

Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood… and apply it to the lintel and the two doorposts. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning. When the Lord passes through to strike Egypt… he will pass over the door. (Exodus 12:22–23, CSB)

Reflection: What “doorposts” in your life need the blood of Christ applied afresh? How does His sacrifice compel you to live “dressed for departure”?

Day 5: Walking Through Walls of Water on Dry Ground

The Red Sea parted not when the people strategized but when Moses lifted his staff. Their deliverance required stepping into a corridor of chaos, trusting the walls of water held by unseen hands. Faith isn’t the absence of fear but obedience amid terror, believing the God who splits seas also steadies steps. [01:15:22]

Moses answered the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation… The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.” The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to break camp. As for you, lift up your staff… and divide it.” (Exodus 14:13–16, CSB)

Reflection: What “sea” confronts you where God is asking for obedient movement, not retreat? How can you fix your eyes on His salvation, not the walls of impossibility?

Sermon Summary

Exodus puts God at the center as the dependable deliverer. The story does not celebrate Israel’s grit; it showcases the Father who walks into the nursery of their fear and brings peace by presence and power. God hears the groans, remembers his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and sees. The text says it plain: God knew. Before anyone sees relief, God is already moving.

Moses stands as the unlikely instrument. His life moves from thinking he is something, to learning he is nothing, to discovering God is everything. At the bush that burns and is not consumed, I AM names himself, declares holy ground, and promises, I will certainly be with you. Moses offers honest limitations and God answers with signs, a brother beside him, and the steady reminder that the mouth, the staff, the mission all sit in God’s hands.

Pharaoh hardens and flexes, and God flexes back. Obedience makes life harder before it gets better. Straw is removed, quotas remain, and faith must work the night shift. God often answers prayers for the impossible by inviting his people into the uncomfortable. Israel must keep working while God is working.

Plague by plague, God exposes Egypt’s gods, then sets the terms for rescue by blood. The Passover lamb’s blood on the doorposts marks a people covered, spared, and ready to leave in haste. God saves by power and blood. At midnight judgment falls, wailing fills Egypt, and Pharaoh finally says, go.

At the sea, fear surges again. Trapped between water and war, Israel voices nostalgia for slavery. Moses answers with the line that steadies the soul: do not be afraid; stand and see the Lord’s salvation; the Lord will fight for you. God parts what has never parted. Israel walks through walls of water on dry ground, and the enemy is left on the shore. History is made one trusting step at a time.

All of it points forward. Jesus stands as the greater Moses and the true Passover. His blood frees from slavery to sin, not for a season but forever. The Son sets free indeed. The sin factory is shut down and a new Master rules by grace. God still invites limited people to do what they can, then he does what only he can. Drop down the anchor now: God is the dependable deliverer.

Key Takeaways

1. God is the dependable deliverer In Scripture, rescue starts with God’s presence, not human resolve. His covenant memory, his seeing, and his knowing run ahead of visible relief. Faith learns to anchor in who God is before the waters part. Dependence is not passivity; it is trust that listens and obeys under pressure. [42:44]
2. God often asks the uncomfortable Prayers for the impossible frequently come with assignments that stretch nerve and muscle. Obedience deepens when straw is scarce and quotas stay high. Those stretches are not detours but doorways where God grows sturdy trust. Comfort rarely forms courage; calling does. [66:26]
3. Salvation comes by power and blood The Passover draws a sharp line: judgment is real, covering is provided, and deliverance requires trust marked in public. Power opens the way, blood secures the people, and haste signals a new Exodus life. God rescues in a manner that humbles pride and magnifies grace. [71:42]
4. Jesus ends sin’s rule for good The greater Moses does not negotiate with sin; he breaks its mastery. Union with him dismantles the old factory and installs a new allegiance to righteousness. Freedom is not the absence of struggle but the presence of a stronger Lord. The Son’s word makes liberty real and durable. [83:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:17] - Turn to Exodus
[37:22] - Guests and shared mission
[38:45] - Night fears and a father’s presence
[42:19] - God the dependable deliverer
[46:38] - From Abraham to slavery in Egypt
[52:03] - God hears, remembers, and knew
[55:21] - Burning bush and holy ground
[58:39] - An empowered but imperfect leader
[64:34] - Pharaoh turns the screws
[66:26] - Called to the uncomfortable
[68:52] - Passover: marked by blood
[77:36] - Through the sea on dry ground
[80:14] - Jesus, the greater Moses
[82:25] - Free indeed in Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Exodus 14:13-14 (CSB)
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.”

John 8:34-36 (CSB)
Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”

Romans 6:6-7 (CSB)
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin.

Observation Questions

In Exodus 14:13-14, what three actions does Moses tell the Israelites to take when facing Pharaoh’s army?
According to John 8:34-36, what is the difference between a “slave” and a “son” in Jesus’ analogy?
What does Romans 6:6-7 say happens to the power of sin over us when our “old self” is crucified with Christ?
In the sermon, what example was given to illustrate how God’s presence brings peace even when circumstances don’t change? [39:47]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Moses emphasizes “stand firm” and “be quiet” in Exodus 14:13-14 instead of urging the Israelites to fight or strategize?
Jesus says in John 8:34 that sin enslaves people. What might “slavery to sin” look like in practical, modern terms?
The sermon mentions that “God often answers prayers for the impossible by inviting his people into the uncomfortable.” How does the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea illustrate this principle? [01:16:34]
Romans 6:6-7 describes the “old self” as crucified. How does this relate to the idea of the “sin factory” being shut down, as mentioned in the sermon?

Application Questions

What is a situation where you’re currently tempted to fear or panic instead of “standing firm” and trusting God’s deliverance? What practical step could you take to actively depend on Him this week?
The sermon highlights that “obedience makes life harder before it gets better” [01:06:26]. Where has following God’s direction created discomfort or difficulty in your life? How can you persevere in obedience while waiting for His timing?
Jesus’ blood sets us free from sin’s mastery, not just its penalty. What area of your life still feels like a “dead corpse” of sin that you need to stop carrying? How can you daily rely on Christ’s power to walk in freedom?
The sermon compares God’s presence to a father calming a child’s fears [41:58]. How can you intentionally remind yourself of God’s nearness when facing overwhelming circumstances?
The Israelites had to “keep working while God was working” [01:07:55]. What mundane or frustrating task in your life might God be using to build your trust in Him right now?

Sermon Clips

34s

#OnePrayerAway

“``Whether you're in this room here or you're watching online, you may feel like I'm just too far gone. Ship, you have no idea. You're like, I don't. I have no idea. But I can promise you this, is in the worst case scenario in all of life, you're only one honest prayer away from a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Because the gospel is that good. The power is not in your ability to get right. Your power is about to let go and let the right one work in your life. And the gospel is that good. It's the power of God is salvation to every single one who would choose to believe.”

56s

#TrustGodInCrisis

“``God brings peace and power when he walks into our scary moments. The Lord is fighting for you. So what are you gonna do in your crisis moments? Are you more likely to complain and to settle for the familiar slavery in your Egypt? Or are you willing to do the uncomfortable? Are you willing to trust our dependable deliverer? As we said many times, we ask God to do the impossible. He will ask us to do the uncomfortable. The Israelites had to do their part. Moses had to do his part. Is there anything that you are delaying in obedience today?”

43s

#PresenceCalmsFear

“``when my kids were scared, they didn't need instructions, right, or explanations. They didn't even walk over and go, okay, this here is what's called a noise machine. Right? You know, and this light over here is actually something we had planned and that light that came through the window was a car driving by and their headlights and they didn't need explanations or instructions. They simply wanted They simply needed You see, the reality of my presence in their room, in their crisis, in the moment of their fear was all they needed.”

48s

#AnchorInGod

“``I don't know what kind of scary situations that you're experiencing today far worse than new lights and new sounds. You may find yourself in a good position and I hope you are today. I wanna encourage you to drop down that anchor when whatever seas you find yourself in today, rough or smooth, maybe somewhere in between. Today's the right time to drop down this anchor that God is dependable. The gospel holds up and the God who would do that for you is the God who is for you. Whether you can see it now or not, he's fulfilling his promises in your life.”

59s

#SavedByGrace

“``We are not saved by being better than anyone else. We're not saved by doing enough good things. You're saved because Jesus's death and resurrection made it possible for you to be forgiven and free from being mastered by sin. good news. the son has set free is free indeed. So have you been set free? Are you living in freedom? Not perfection, but are you living in freedom? The same gospel, the same good news that has set men and women and boys and girls free for thousands of years can set you free today.”

35s

#CoLaborWithGod

“``See, God invited Moses and Israel to do what they could do. And then God did what only God could do. That's the co laboring relationship we have with our dependable deliverer. We do what our limited capacity can do, but we're all in. And then we trust God to do all that he can do.”

55s

#LambSetsUsFree

“``The powerful Passover points to the perfect lamb of God who would whose blood would be poured out as a payment for our sin. So that even when we die, we live. The result of the Passover lamb being sacrificed was so that God's people would be freed from the slavery in Egypt. Their freedom was temporary. Around two thousand years ago, Jesus, the lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world, lived the perfect life and was offered on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin. So when Jesus rose from the dead, he set his children free from slavery to sin.”

39s

#SeeTheSavior

“``In the midst of chaos, Pharaoh's army on one end, Red Sea on the other, the people complaining and wishing they could go back into Egypt. Moses told the people to not be afraid. Moses told the people to stand firm. See the Lord's salvation. In other words, see something that you can't see. Open your eyes to see things as God is seeing things in this moment. You're only seeing the opposition. You need to see the savior.”

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East Valdese Baptist Church This sermon · AI assistant

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Saved By Blood and Power | Chip Stallings | June 28, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Cries Rise from Unseen Valleys

Day 2: Stuttering Leaders and the God Who Equips

Day 3: Bricks Without Straw and Faith Without Relief

Day 4: Blood on the Doorpost and Freedom’s Cost

Day 5: Walking Through Walls of Water on Dry Ground

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Saved By Blood and Power | Chip Stallings | June 28, 2026

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