Sermon Tone Analysis

Exodus 19:1-25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2001

Gladstone’s Only Fear

 

William Gladstone, served many times as Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894.

Once he sat in Christ’s Church College and talked at some length about happy changes that had taken place in the lot of the English people.

His outlook was so radiantly optimistic that it aroused a challenge.

/One of the students said, Sir, are we to understand that you have no anxieties for the future?/

/Are there no adverse signs?/

The grand old Englishman answered slowly, Yes, there is one thing that frightens me — the fear that God seems to be dying out in the minds of men.

This even more true today.

People have lost their knowledge of God and subsequently their reverence for God.

Introduction

 

Last Sunday we answered the question, /What is Worship?

/We saw that, /Worship is giving God what He is worth!/

Jesus said to the Samaritan woman that we must worship in spirit and in truth.

Today I want to look at the conditions that the Lord placed upon Israel when they worshipped Him.

This matter is so important that God gave Israel instructions in the Law and in the book of Leviticus.

The book of Leviticus deals exclusively with how God's people must approach a holy God.

In Exodus 19 Israel arrives at Mount Sinai where God has brought them to worship Him.

Here, the Lord taught Israel four important things about worship.

These four things are.

*/Obedience, Listening, Consecration &  Reverence.

/*

 

/Firstly,/ Total Obedience

 

*Exodus 19:3-6 */And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel./

In *Exodus 19*, God promised Israel that they would be His special people.

They would be a kingdom of priests to the Lord; a holy nation.

But there were certain conditions upon the fulfillment of God's promises.

They had */to keep/* His covenant which is also called the Law.

Israel's obedience to God was so important that the Lord sent Moses back down the mountain to set these words before them.

If you read the book of Exodus through you will discover that Moses went up and down seven times in all.

God had important instructions Israel must comply with if they were to enter into covenant with Him.

Many years later, Saul learnt this lesson the hard way.

He disobeyed God and lost the kingdom.

Samuel told him obedience was better than sacrifice.

*/How did they respond to God's request?/* *Exodus 19:7-8 tells us:* /So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him.

Then all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do.

So Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord./

Two million people agreed to do all that the Lord had commanded.

They promised to obey the Lord in everything.

Suzerain Treaty

 

In the Middle east two kinds of treaties were made.

A parity treaty between equals and a suzerain treaty between a conquering king and his vassals.

A Suzerain treaty involved both responsibilities and privileges.

The king promised to defend the conquered country from other nations that might attack them.

In return the vassal state pledged their loyalty to the their new sovereign.

They had to obey his laws and respect his governors.

They paid taxes and were expected to ally themselves against the enemies of their sovereign.

/God made a suzerain treaty with Israel./

He was not their equal but their superior.

They must be completely loyal to Him, their King.

They must obey the Lord in all things.

Obedience wasn't an option, it was demanded.

Obedience was required to receive the promises.

Application

 

If believers want to enjoy God's blessings they must obey God's commandments.

If we want to worship God we must first obey Him.

The Lord doesn't reveal Himself to disobedient people.

Christians have been given tremendous privileges as members of God's family.

*1 Peter 2:9* /But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

/However with privileges goes responsibilities./

/

 

Obedience is not an option.

If we have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ we must obey Him.

/Jesus said, Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not the things that I command you?

Are you obeying your Lord?

Are you serving Him? Are you keeping His commands?

/You cannot worship God unless you first obey Him.

If you are disobedient to God on some point at present the Lord cannot take you on any further.

You must first deal with the issue at hand.

/Secondly,/  Listen Attentively

 

*Exodus 19:9* /And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, *that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.*

So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord./

Associated with faith is hearing God's Word.

God told Moses that He would speak personally to him in the midst of the thick cloud.

/Why?/

He was laying the groundwork for good communication.

Israel needed to be ready to hear God's voice.

God had important things to say to Israel, so He made sure that He got their attention first.

The Lord spoke to Moses in such a way that all Israel heard and would believe both God and Moses, His servant.

*Romans 10:17: tells us:* /that faith cometh by hearing and hearing the Word of God.  /

 

Since faith comes by hearing God's Word we ought to be very careful to listen to the Word.

God's people need to be sensitive to listen or they will miss what God wants to say to them.

When God spoke to Moses all Israel heard.

However normally God speaks through a still small voice as He did to Elijah.

We need to be sensitive to listen for His voice.

We need to set aside time each day when God can speak to us through His Word.

This must be unrushed and in a quiet place.

We need to reflect upon the word and write down the things God reveals to us.

By doing this we learn more and can refer to our spiritual journal later on.

*Revelation 3:22 says: */He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches./

*Put negatively, you won't hear God's Word if you don't pay attention to it.*

We need to be sensitive and listen to God's Word.

Christ warns us about not paying attention to the Word.

*Matthew 13:14-15: */And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them./

Preacher Was Against Sin

/ /

Calvin Coolidge attended church alone because his wife was unwell.

When he arrived back home he went up to her room to see how she was feeling.