Austin Chinese Church

As one reads the many chapters and books dedicated to the teaching of the Law, it is easy to get bogged down in all the details and yet completely miss the reason or purpose behind the teaching. That is, we can miss God's heart when we focus only on His words. What if we instead read the Law through the filter of, "WHAT is God trying to say to us, to me?" or "WHY did He ask Moses to record this for us?"

As the Israelites embark on the journey home to the Promised Land, God gives them laws to teach them how to live in right relationship with Himself and with one another. These laws also reveal to us God’s character, that He is a God who cares about justice. In our passage today, we will see a glimpse of God’s heart for reconciliation, and that reconciliation requires restitition. Ultimately, Jesus fulfills these laws by being our restitution.

After giving the 10 Commandments, God gave additional laws and directions for how His people should live out the commandments in their day-to-day lives. As Christians today, we strive to obey the 10 Commandments. Though we are not required to follow the additional laws that applied to ancient Israel, we can learn from God’s life-giving laws for a broken world, and gain an understanding of his desire for protection, justice, mercy, and restoration.

The Ten Commandments are often viewed as a rigid list of rules, but at their core, they are the framework for a covenant relationship between a holy God and His redeemed people. These commandments aren’t about legalism, but about love, identity, and trust. Discover how God's law reveals His heart and how obedience becomes an act of worship, not obligation.

It is hard to think of a job in all of history that was more difficult and underappreciated than the one Moses had! Working for a Master that was/is perfect, all powerful, all knowing, and always present. Leading a group of people who were scared for their lives, who had very short memories, and who regularly complained. But they were about to receive 10 commandments and a thing called "the Law" that would change their lives forever. Moses had been called to lead and prepare the children of Israel. What can we learn from his life, especially those of us who are Dads and also "called to prepare."

Community is important in our journey home to God. The work of the Lord is to be shared. It is not meant to be a lonely endeavor, but one in which God calls his church to lead, serve, and build His kingdom together. You don’t have to carry it all. We’re in this together.

When the pressures of life leave us weary, it's easy to forget who goes before us. In Exodus 17, we meet the God who satisfies our needs and secures our victories - sometimes through a rock, sometimes through a raised hand. Here we see what it means to belong to the Lord - our source, our strength, and our banner in every battle.

In a culture driven by more—more wealth, more control, more comfort—we often overlook the quiet miracle of "just enough." In Exodus 16, God provides manna in the wilderness, not in abundance, but in sufficiency—daily bread to teach His people dependence, trust, and gratitude. This week, we’ll explore how God's provision, though sometimes simple and even unexpected, is always sufficient. Discover how learning to live with “just enough” frees us from anxiety, fuels our faith, and fosters a deeper contentment in the Giver rather than the gift.

Sometimes, even after experiencing the power and delivery from God, we still lose faith and trust in the moment of hardship. The Song of Moses reminds us to keep our focus on the faithfulness of God and to obey His commands. It's not a guarantee that we'll be free from hardship, but that God will remain faithful through our hardship.

In a world that glorifies loud opinions, constant updates, and frantic control, God invites us into something radical—silence. In Exodus 14, with an army behind them and a sea in front of them, the Israelites panic. But God doesn’t give them a battle plan—He gives them a command: “Be still.” We’re cutting through the chaos to rediscover the quiet power of trust. Because sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is stop talking, stop striving, and just stand still. Less noise. More faith. Let God fight.