Sermon Tone Analysis

What does the Law have to do with Christmas?

Everything!

Last week we did a survey of Exodus 1-14.

In that section of Exodus we saw the great theme of scripture that God wants a people to be His special possession.

His desire is that we would be his people, and that He would be our God.

God wants his people to know Him and to Fear Him.

As we saw last week, the fear of the Lord has a range of meaning.

At one end, is the terror of falling into the hands of a holy, righteous, all-powerful, just God who will punish rebellion and sin against him.

Then, along the range we come to awe that this God would love us, showing mercy and grace to redeem and purify us.

Then, that leads to love and obedience as we say like Isaiah, “Here am I, send me.”

Moses was not a man of faith at first, nor did he properly fear the Lord.

But over time, as the Lord worked with him, he grew to trust and fear the Lord.

As we saw at the end of the passage, many of the Egyptians feared the Lord, leaving with the Israelites.

And, the Israelites feared the Lord.

Today, as we continue in Exodus, this theme of God wanting a people to be his own that fear him, and for them to have him as their God is continued.

For though the Israelites did fear the Lord, as we are going to see, they were quick to forget… Just like me.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were truly afraid, and then after it passed, you seemed to quickly forget?

Sometimes, we are quick to forget things that should not be forgotten.

That is true of the Israelites.

So, the Lord designed lessons for the Israelites to learn as they journeyed from Egypt.

In Exodus 15 we begin with a great celebration as the people are being led in song by Moses’ sister, Miriam.

They were celebrating the Lord and the great power he displayed in overcoming the Egyptian army.

Then, we see that the Lord led them away from the sea and into the desert.

Just three days later after the Lord showed his might and power in the plagues he brought on Egypt to secure their release, after he displayed his great power and had them cross the sea on dry land, and then brought the waters back to wipe out the Egyptians, the Israelites find themselves at a spring where they could not drink the water.

Immediately, the people began to cry out to the great God who had shown his power over the waters… Well, actually no...

But Moses did cry out to the Lord, and the Lord showed Moses what to do in order to make the water fit to drink.

God is beginning to test the Israelites.

A test is used to help them learn that they need to fear the Lord, and they need to rely on him for healing.

Just like they need water everyday, they need the Lord to heal them because they are so quick to forget him, and rebel against him.

They need his spiritual healing.

Then, in chapter 16, we find out that we are about 30 days from the time they left Egypt.

Remember, that while they were in Egypt, God started their calendar.

It was on the 14th day of the 1st month that they began celebrating Passover.

Now, in chapter 16, we are on the 15th day of the second month, or just 30 days from the day they marched out of Egypt.

What happened 30 day later?

In 30 days we have moved from rejoicing in the Lord and his great might to grumbling and complaining.

They forgot the lesson of Marah, that the Lord can heal them and provide for them if they turn to him.

They have reverted to walking in the flesh: getting angry and grumbling, instead of walking humbly with their God and turning to him.

What is God going to do?

Again, the Lord is patient and works with his people, testing them to see if they will do what he says.

This continued throughout their journey.

Then, we once again get to a place where they need water.

What will they do?

Cry out to the Lord?

No.

Then, the Lord shows his power in enabling them to defeat the Amalekites, and that brings us to Exodus 19, when they come to Sinai.

The rest of Exodus is spent at Mt. Sinai, and there the Lord tests his people.

They are not 45 days since they came out of Egypt. the 1st day of the 3rd month.

This is what God says,

Hear their response:

1st time

God is coming in 3 days.

Get ready.

Do not approach the mountain.

Then God speaks directly to the people

People’s response:

Moses approaches God, and gets an expansion of the law.

Begins and ends with not worshipping other Gods.

2nd

3rd

written

pillars

Moses went up before the Lord to get the rest of the covenant.

Setting up the Tabernacle

Establishing the Sacrificial system

What is the point of the Law?

The Law shows us our Sin and the way of Righteousness: Redemption through Jesus Christ.