The Day the Law was Broken

Exodus 32:1-26

[Read Scripture]

You know, there has been a disservice done by many who stand in churches across the land, and that disservice is disregarding sin.

It is the idea that we should try to make the people happy and share to them what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear.

Now people don’t want to hear about sin, they don’t want to hear about what they are doing wrong, and instead just want to hear about what they are doing right.

I’m not against preaching positive messages, in fact, I am all for it. And that’s what I’m here to share with you today, a positive message. That I am positive that God hates sin.

Now, we may not like the fact that we are sinners, but that is just the truth of the matter. But praise the Lord Jesus will save us from our sins.

But you know, even as a saved child of God, I know that there are times where I still give into sin. And that is what we see here with the Children of Israel.

They gave into sin, even when God had moved in their life. And there are several things we see about this passage that we can relate in our life. First, we see…

The Impatience of Sin (1-3)

· The Israelites had been camping at the base of Mt Sinai, and Moses and Joshua had been gone for a while, they had been on the mountain for almost 40 days.

· The people were starting to get impatient with Moses and with God and they basically say here, how long do we have wo wait to hear from God?

· It is easy to become impatient, especially when it comes to God. Our desire is to have God move instantly when we need him too. But God doesn’t operate on our time schedule. Hence Mary & Martha with Lazarus death.

· The people’s impatience moved them to sin. And with impatience we get problems.

o Abraham & Sarah got impatient with God’s promise of a son. But their impatience just created long term problems.

· These people got impatient with God, so they decided they would make a new god. Their impatience blinded them from seeing the one true God.

· When you get impatient with God, it is easy to disregard his word.

· A New England preacher by the name of Phillips Brooks was known for his calmness and poise. His intimate friends however knew that he too suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What is the trouble Dr. Brooks?" asked the friend. "The trouble is, that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't!" replied Brooks. It is these moments that we find a way around God, or make a new god that will do what we want him to do.

· Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

· Now I know it can be tough to wait, heaven forbid that we have to wait for anything. But friend we are to wait for the Lord to move. Wait for the Lord to answer. Wait for the Lord to speak.

· Don’t get impatient on God when he hasn’t answered your situation. God may be working out all of the details.

The Idols of Seduction (4-6)

· Now we see the impatience of sin, but now we see the idols of seduction.

· What was the sin that these people gave into? They make an idol!

· Now remember, an idol is anything we put before God. Basically, they were making a god that fit their image, instead of them trying to live in the image of God.

· These people got the idea of who god was to them, and so they have this image made. This image that they had in their head.

· Oh how many are guilty of this! We need to worship the God of the Bible, not the one in our heads!

· Now it is easy to be seduced by an idol, think about these idols that are worshipped today:

o Self (it is all about what I want)

o Approval (we are not happy unless we are validated by others)

o Success (our focus is on winning or being the best)

o Wealth (we stay concern with it and want more)

o Health & Appearance (worship our bodies and fashions)

· With idols you will give up what you have as an offering to it. These people gave of their possession to worship a god that was not going to take them anywhere.

· These people were suppose to be God’s people, but they were sin sick. And when you have your eyes on an idol, friend you will go the wrong way.

· An Englishman who was traveling in Palestine got to Nazareth in the evening when the shepherds were bringing their sheep to water at the well. When the sheep had their water each shepherd made his own call and the sheep each followed their own shepherd's voice. The Englishman was intrigued with this and asked one of the shepherds if the sheep always followed their own shepherd when they are called or would they ever follow a different one. The shepherd answered this way, "Sheep will always follow their own shepherd except under one condition, and that is when they are sick! If a sheep is healthy is will always follow the right shepherd, but when they are sick they might follow anyone who calls them."

· Now don’t be seduced by the idols of this life, don’t cave in like Aaron did and just go with the crowd. Stand strong and firm on Jesus Christ.

The Intercession by the Servant (7-14)

· So we see the idols of seduction but friend look here at the intercession by the servant.

· God reveals to Moses that the people have given in to sin, and that he is angry with them and wants to destroy them.

· Now remember, God hates sin. God doesn’t just look at sin like we do. When it comes to sin, he hates all sin.

· Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Now God had the right to destroy these people.

· But what happens? Moses speaks up for the people. This same group of people that had murmured and complain about him. All the stress that these people had brought on his life. He is taking up for them.

· You know Moses here is a picture of Christ. He knows that these people have done wrong, he knows that they have gone astray. But yet he loves them enough to go to God about them.

· Moses is willing to die for these people. And that is what Jesus Christ did. There on the cross, he prays to the Father, forgive them for they no not what they do.

· Friend, we ought to be thanking God that he sent his son to die on our behalf.

· Now Moses interceded for the people, and friend you need to be like that too! You need to being going to God regarding the lost.

· When is the last time you prayed for that lost loved one? You know God might be on the verge of destroying them, but you can intercede on their behalf!

· We pray for the sick, how about the perishing?!

· Do you know that Jesus Christ is making intercession for you as well? Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

· We need to be thankful that Jesus is there on our behalf!

The Indignation toward Sin (15-24)

· So, we see the intercession by the servant but notice what we see here in verses 15-24 and that is the indignation toward sin.

· Now Moses and Joshua come down from the mountain side and hear a bunch of noise, that Joshua thinks is the sound of war in the camp, but Moses knows what it really is. These people had lost their minds and were worshipping this calf, and they were dancing around in their birthday suits.

· Now Moses sees this happening and how does he respond? Now remember he just prayed that the Lord would spare this people, but he gets angry as well. He is angry at the sin that they are committing.

· You know we ought to feel the same way when it comes to sin. Does sin make you angry? It ought too. Yet, there are many who turn on the TVs and computers and they just watch it.

· Or, maybe like Aaron, suppose to be a godly man, there compromising your faith and contributing to the evil.

· Friend, we should take no satisfaction to sin. Love the sinner not the sin.

· Now Aaron, empowered these people to give in to sinfulness. Now friend, I know that we live in a world where major cooperations and businesses defying the Word of God, they are alluring the people into sin, don’t be like those who gave their gold to it.

· Don’t be a person who contributes to evil and sinful things in this world. Know what sin is. Know where your money is going. Is it going to the Lord or is it going to sinful pleasures.

· Now Moses got angry over the people sinning and this idol that they had made. And what does Moses do? He takes action against it.

· Friend, if you see sin taking place in front of you, don’t be one to stand and tolerate it. Be a person who does something about it.

· Now parent if you are at your home and your children are giving into something sinful, tear it down.

· If you go and you see people doing wrong, speak up and stand up against it.

· Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

· What we need to do is draw a line in the sand when it comes to God, are we going to be committed to him, or are we going to go the way of the world?

· Now let me tell you, when you don’t choose God, then you are choosing to die. You are choosing death. Friend stand against sin and choose Jesus.

The Invitation to be Saved (25-26)

· Now we have seen the indignation toward sin, now friend let me share with you the invitation to be saved.

· You know, these people had messed up. They had seen the hand of God work to deliver them from Egypt, they had seen God part the waters, they had seen the glory of the Lord descend onto the mountain top, but yet with God being right there they still gave in to sin.

· They had done wrong, and the wages of sin is death, but what did the rest of Romans 6:23 say? “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

· Now Moses gave them the offer, and that is what Jesus is doing for you. He is giving you the offer to be saved, he is giving you the offer to be forgiven, he is giving you the offer of a fresh start.

· Friend, we are at a point, that right now Jesus is saying to you come, will you give up the idol, will you turn from your sin, will you come back to Jesus and be faithful to him.

· Now is that chance.