EX 18-19: MEETING WITH GOD (1)

SCRIPTURE READING

Exodus 19:9 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,

Exodus 19:10–11 ESV

the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Exodus 19:12 ESV

And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

Exodus 19:13 ESV

No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

Exodus 19:14–15 ESV

So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments. And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

Exodus 19:16 ESV

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

Exodus 19:17 ESV

Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain.

END HOW WE WANT TO BEGIN

LAST WEEK; WE SHOULD GROW IN THE LORD AND NOT GRUMBLE

TODAY;

‘PREPARING OUR SOULS TO BE MEETING GOD’

TO BE MEETING ; SPENDING TIME WITH GOD

INFINITE CANNIT FULLY KNOW HIM

FOUR WAYS 1 TODAY

INTRODUCTION

I. ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT FREEDOM BRINGS NEW FRUSTRATIONS

INTRODUCTION OF THE POINT

IRAEL HAS JUST SEEN SOMETHING MARVELOUS AND WONDERFUL: THEY HAVE SEEN

THE TEN JUDGEMENTS OF GOD ON THE SO CALLED GODS OF EGYPT

THE GRAND EXIT FROM EGYPT WITH ALL OF THEIR GOODS AND SOME OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE

THE GRANDE DEMONSTRATION OF THE RED SEA PARTING AND WALKING IN THE MIDTS OF THE SEA, WALLED BY THE WATERS

THEN, THEY TURN AROUND, AND SEE THEIR ENEMIES DROWNED IN THE SEA

THEY HAVE SEEN THE EXTRAORDINARY AND NOW, THE ONE THING THEY LONGED FOR IS HERE: THEY ARE FREE.

BUT FREEDOM HAS VALUES.

IN OTHER WORDS, FREEDOM COMES AT A COST AND, THEREFORE, FREEDOM HAS SOME EXPECTATIONS REGARDING WHAT IT TAKES TO... “STAY FREE.” AND SOMETIMES, THIS NEW PLACE OF FREEDOM WILL NOT ACCEPT ALL THAT YOU DID TO GET FREE.

ISRAEL WAS IN EGYPT AND NOW THEY ARE FREE IN MIDIAN BUT MIDIAN - IN ALL OF IT’S NOT BEING EGYPT - CANNOT BE LINVED IN LIKE IT IS EGYPT. ISRAEL GOT TO MIDIAN AND STILL TRIED TO OPERATE LIKE THEY WERE IN EGYPT AND WHO WOULD BLAME THEM.

YOU ONLY KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW!

FREEDOM

FREEDOM PRINCIPLE #1: DO NOT LET THE NEW FRUSTRATIONS IN YOUR FREEDOM MAKE YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE NOT FREE

THIS IS WHAT THEY THOUGHT WITH THE NEW CHALLENGES THAT COME WHEN THEY WERE FREED

THAT IS WHY THEY GRUMBLED … AND THAT IS WHY THE GRUMBLING WAS TOWARDS GOD.

THEIR FRUSTRATION WAS WITH THEIR FREEDOM BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT THE CHALLENGES OF THEIR FREEDOM MEANT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

THAT IS HOW WE ARE. WE ALWAYS GO BACK - NOT BECAUSE BACK LOOKS GOOD, BUT BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES - THE NEW CHALLENGES - DUE OUR FREEDOM MAKE US THINK WE HAVE NOT LEFT EGYPT AT ALL.

SO THEY WANTED TO GO BACK

Exodus 16:3 (ESV)

“Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THE REASON YOU STILL STRUGGLE WITH SIN IS BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT THAT FAITH AND BAPTISM WASHED EVERYTHING OFF!

BUT NOW YOU HAD NEW TEMPTATIONS TO SIN. STUFF YOU NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT, FELT OR EVEN BELIEVED WERE IN YOU.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN - JESUS HAS BROUGHT YOU OUT TO THIS WILDERNESS TO DIE OR MORE INTENSIFIED TEMPTATION IN A SIN DOES NOT MEAN THAT SIN STILL HAS A GRIP ON YOU

NOT TO MENTION, YOU HAD THE OLD STUFF FEEL LIKE IT INTENSIFIED. ITS THE SAME TEMPTATION TO LIE, BUT NOW IT FEEL LIE EXTRA STRENGTH TEMPTATION

NOW IT FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NOT BEEN FREED AT ALL! LIKE YOU HAVE NOT MADE PROGRESS;

BUT THEY WERE FREE BECAUSE THEY WERE GOD’S PEOPLE AND GOD WAS THEIR WARRIOR GOD

YOU, IF YOU HAVE BELIEVED AND TRUSTED IN CHRIST ALONE FOR YOUR SALVATION - IF YOU HAVE LEFT THE WAY OF SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIM TO RECEIVE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS - YOU ARE FREE.

THE GOSPEL IS YOUR FREEDOM

1. GOSPEL FREEDOM (A) - YOUR SOUL HAS BEEN FREED IN JESUS BY JESUS

JESUS SAYS IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 8 - THESE WORDS:

John 8:31 (ESV)

...“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

John 8:36 ESV

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO

John 8:24 ESV

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

2. GOSPEL FREEDOM (B) YOUR LIFE IS BEING FREED FROM SINFUL PATTERN BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 ESV

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

FREEDOM PRINCIPLE #2: Old Schemes Are Useless In New Situations

TRYING TO USE EGPYT WORK IN MEDIAN

SO PREOCCUPIED WITH GETTING OUT OF EGYPT THEY NOW DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FUNCTION – THIS IS ANOTHER CHAOS (AND IF NOT CAREFUL) ANOTHER SELF IMPOSED SLAVERY

AND THIS IT BECAME WITH 40 YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS

· TRYING TO USE WHAT

o WE ARE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH DOING WHAT GOT US HERE THAT WE WONDER WHY THOSE METHODS DO NOT WORK

1. FREEDOM BRINGS NEW DEMONIC SCHEMES SO WE NEW A NEW DISCIPLINED STRATEGY

Exodus 18:17–18 ESV

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT AINT WORKING MO

DAVID AND GOLIATH

§ COULD NOT FIT SAUL’S ARMOR

· BUT GET THIS: THAT WAS ARMOR FOR OLD STYLED BATTLED,

· GOLIATH WAS NEW PROBLEM AND OLD WEAPONS THAT USED TO FIGHT OLD BATTLE WOULD NOT DO

· IF DAVID FAUGHT WITH THAT GEAR DAVID WOULD HAVE LOST. WHY?

o YES THE GEAR WAS OLD BUT

o DAVID WOULD HAVE NOT FOUGHT IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD. HIS STRENGTH IS ALWAYS A PRESENT STRENGTH

DAVID JEREMIAH SERIES ON DAVID - DAVID NEEDED A NEW ANOINTING - A NEW EMPOWERMENT OF THE SPIRIT TO BATTLE - WAGE WAR

PAUL - DISCIPLINE MY BODY

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 ESV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 ESV

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

PETER - ADD TO YOUR FAITH

2 Peter 1:5–7 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2. FREEDOM BRINGS SPIRITUAL WARFARE SO WE NEED FRESH SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

WHAT JETHRO GAVE MOSES WAS GODLY ADVICE - ADVICE THAT MOVED HIS TO SEE IN A NEW WAY. FOR US

Ephesians 6:11 ESV

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT FREEDOM BRINGS NEW FRUSTRATIONS