To Covenant

INTRO – Have you ever had a lingerer?

Someone who still hangs around after you’ve got what you want from them? Perhaps overseas, a waiter waiting for a tip? At this time of year maybe it is a family member or a college at a Christmas party that doesn’t leave your side.

Someone helps you out and you say, ‘Well, nice to meet you, thanks for the help.’ And they linger … and then say, ‘Actually, would you have dinner with me?’ Gulp! - that is a greater commitment than we wanted.

Our series this Advent has been asking God the question ‘What brings you here?’ Why would he come among us? We’ve been looking way back in the story of the Exodus, where 3 times God says he is ‘coming down’. Last week we saw the first time: To Moses at the burning bush, God said ‘I’m coming down to rescue.

And rescue he does! There’s a titanic struggle over the next 16 chapters, and then God’s people are finally freed from slavery to Pharaoh. What a relief! Thanks Rescuing-God! We’ve got it from here. I guess you’ll be flying off now to rescue some other people. Cheers! Er, God-speed! [wave]. But God lingers.

And then … proposes.

Exodus 19:3-6

Exodus 19:3–6 NIV

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

1. We see that God is more than just a rescuer

• This is more than a road-side assist situation. This is a serious proposal: You’ve seen with your own eyes how I carried you on eagles’ wings – what a picture of God’s rescue – now I want you to be my treasured possession, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, if you will trust and obey me? God is proposing that he and they be bound to one another. The bible word for this is covenant. A formal, serious, binding, lasting agreement.

Our Patneship Pledges - Andrea

2. God comes down for the ceremony

• Moses puts God’s proposal to the people, and they say Yes (v8). Then the rest of the chapter is about all the preparations for the ceremony, and God comes down (v20). The ceremony of covenant, with all its vows and promises runs from chapter 20 to 24. It’s really something. A defining moment in Israel’s history and all history.

My first Wedding in 3 weeks - I have lingered in their life… now I have moved on but my relationship with them still lingers

3. But what does all that have to do with Christmas?

• Well, there was yet to come an even more defining moment. For all the (literal) fireworks in Exodus, that covenant was just a shadow of something bigger to come. That grand ceremony between God and Isreal: just a wedding rehearsal?!

• The coming of the Messiah is the coming of THE great Bridegroom. We saw last week: the angel told Joseph to call him Jesus because it means ‘The LORD saves’. But two verses later Matthew quotes the prophet: A virgin will give birth to a son and they will call him… Immanuel which means God with us. Not just a Saviour. A bridegroom. Who comes so we can be totally reconciled – united with him!

4. We can be more than free. We humans are wired for and crave both freedom and belonging

• This idea of Jesus as Bridegroom and his people as the Bride runs right through the NT, from the Gospels to the end of Revelation, the ultimate wedding. To be a Christian is more than just to be ‘saved’. Peter sums it up:

1 Peter 2:9–10 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Does that sound familiar? We’re more than simply set free (to drift until we get stuck again). We are given a purpose and an identity – a royal identity! To be a people belonging to God.

CONCLUSION

• Do you see that the God who dares to rescue you, really loves you? And he lingers! He doesn’t just want you to be out of trouble, but in with him. What’s your response to him?

[And… could the news get even better…?]