What does it look like if God is successful?

2nd graders to children’s church - John Albrycht wanted them to finish what they had started

The Lord’s success blesses the world

If we are going to do anything well, we have to have some idea of what the end result will look like.

That’s why architects and engineers get paid.

They render detailed drawings that show how things are supposed to fit together

And what it all looks like when it gets together.

Because if you know what it’s supposed to look like when you finish, then you can handle the unexpected things and still get to the right place.

My father-in-law was a plumber and helped build hundreds of apartments all over the place.

The apartments were all built on concrete slabs which meant that the plumbing had to be run underground before anything else was built.

Every now and then, after they poured the concrete around the plumbing, a pipe what was supposed to be in one place might be off an inch or two.

So when the carpenters came in to start framing up walls, they knew what the rooms were supposed to look like

So they adjusted - and when the job was done.

You had a beautiful bathroom or a gorgeous kitchen.

Because everyone knew what success looked like.

We all have a pretty good idea of what we want success to look like for us.

But have you ever considered what the Lord’s measure of success looks like for Him?

I mean, when things turn out as He planned, what does He expect to see?

I’m not talking about at the end of of the age

I’m talking about now - everyday - imperfect life.

What is God expecting to see that is His measure of success.

Please turn in your Bibles to Exodus 19.

We’re going to read all 25 verses - this is the lead up to receiving the 10 commandments

It’s important for us to hear how the story is told.

So, we’re going to Exodus 19, and while you are looking it up

Kids, everyone in your life wants you to be successful

And everyone has a hope and a dream of what you’ll be when you grow up.

But the most important hope for you is the one that Jesus has for you.

If you’ll pay attention today, you’ll pick up some clues of what your life will look like if you live your life God’s way.

Our three words to help you listen are Lord, success and world.

Now if you are all ready, hear now the Word of the Lord from the book of the Exodus 19:1-25

Exodus 19:1–25 ESV

On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves 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, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. 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, 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. 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. 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.” 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.” 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. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

PLAY VIDEO

Exodus 19:1 “On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.”

The word wilderness has a specific meaning.

The wilderness is defined as a place that does not have the resources to sustain life.

There is no access to food or water in the wilderness.

If you go there unprepared, you die.

Moses is there with at least a half million of his closest friends.

There is no way humanly possible for them to remain alive.

And yet, for the next eleven months, the place you just saw on that video will be their home.

Now, think about how their lives have changed.

Three months ago, they are living in the lush, green Nile River delta.

Now they are living in a barren, rocky, mountainous wasteland.

You know they had to be uncomfortable.

You know that every day had to be a challenge.

But yet, when the Lord looked at Israel, He saw success.

What does a successful people - let’s say a successful church - look like.

What the Lord says will happen, happens

Do you remember hearing this from Exodus 3:12? “He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.””

I remember saying that was an odd type of encouragement to Moses.

Now think about it, the Lord is saying, “you’ll know you did it right if you don’t die before you get back here.”

Can you hear Moses’ mind working when the plagues were happening and Pharaoh was angry with him?

“You’re not going to die, keep going, get these folks back to the mountain.”

Standing at the Red Sea, “You’re not going to die, keep going, get these folks back to the mountain.”

In the wilderness with bitter water, no food and no water.

“You are not going to die, keep going, get these folks back to the mountain.”

And that’s exactly what happened - that’s exactly what Moses could depend on.

That’s what we depend on - what the Lord says will happen, happens.

Number 2:

The work continues until the ultimate goal is reached

Look at verse 2: Exodus 19:2 “They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain,”

Part of a good camping experience, for me at least, is that it’s not permanent.

For some of you a good camping experience involved a Hampton Inn

But the nature of camping is just that - it’s temporary.

They “encamped” in the wilderness.

That means at some point they are going to pick up everything they have and move on.

Have you ever said, “Will this ever end?”

And you know when you ask that the ultimate answer is no, it won’t - it’s the nature of life.

Yes, this storm will pass - but as we’ve said - you are either in a storm, just out of a storm or you are about to get into another storm.

Life is a series of encampments.

We get to rest for a minute but the work of the Lord won’t be done until there is a new heaven and a new earth.

So there will never be a time in any of our lives this side of heaven where we aren’t involved in the work of the Lord.

There will never be a moment, from the day of our salvation until the day we are called home that we won’t be working for the Lord.

That’s a measure of His success - that the work continues until the ultimate goal is reached. Number 3.

The Lord’s people live so everyone can see the goodness of God

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”

Lord only knows how many of us learned that song from Ms. Diane and now Ms. Megan in preschool.

It is biblical you know - Jesus even said it

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

A measure of God’s success is seeing us live our lives so people will know that He is good.

This text tells us five characteristics of that kind of life.

Of a life people can see that shows them that God is good.

First, The world sees us relying on the Lord. v. 2

Go back to verse 2 and the definition of wilderness.

The wilderness is defined as a place that does not have the resources to sustain life.

And yet, for eleven months, they live right here at Mt. Sinai.

There is only one way that could happen - the had to rely on the Lord to provide for them.

Manna for food.

A huge gusher of water coming out of a rock.

Yet, they had enough.

Because the Lord provided.

Part of the problem with them whining was not just what God saw

But that other people saw them whining, and what did that say about the goodness of God?

God took a desolate place and made it habitable for eleven months so the whole world could see what He does for His people.

What does that say to us?

I don’t know about you but it says to me I need to go home today and take a good hard look at what I have.

Who gave it to me?

How has the Lord provided - And - how has the Lord shown me His goodness?

Number two, The Lord’s people live so everybody can see the goodness of God.

There is a phrase here that made my ears perk up - look at verse 4: Exodus 19:4 “‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”

Where have you heard eagles’ wings?

Does this sound familiar?

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

The Lord uses the imagery of a mother eagle a lot in scripture and there is a lot to be said about that

But for all of the tenderness and care and strength there is one thing that bowls me over about this.

Where do the eagles’ wing always take us?

Isaiah 41:4 ESV

Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

The Lord always brings us back to Him.

All all of the things about the goodness of God - for me this is the best.

Which one of us hasn’t crashed and burned at some point in our lives and yet, where did the eagles’ wings bear us back to?

Some of you have shared hard, hard times in your lives

Some of us have fallen hard, fallen to places where we thought we could never recover -

Or worse still, it was so bad we thought we shouldn’t be allowed to recover - and yet.

He bears up up on the wings of eagles’ and brings us right back to Him.

How does life with the Lord get any better than that?

I know for a fact that we don’t need to air every bit of our laundry in public

But when someone else falls and you can show them the goodness of the Lord, the Lord sees that as a success.

Number three, the world hears our voice.

Look at verse 6: Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests...

A kingdom of priests.

Every man, woman and child a priest.

All of us, every one working to help “bring…humans closer to God and to help dispense God’s truth, justice, favor, discipline and holiness to [other people].

The Lord counts it as success when we live a life of integrity based on the truth in God’s word.

When we seek fairness for every image bearer of God regardless.

When we live disciplined lives that make us different.

And number 4 is tied to that:

Number four, the world sees we are different.

Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

That’s probably our weakest thing - people hate to be different.

Even the rebels conform to acceptable rebellion.

We don’t want to stick out.

Want to embarrass most teenagers? Do something that makes them stick out.

How about you?

Don’t you get a knot in your gut when the conference call starts veering into politically correct arenas and you don’t agree and you’re afraid you’ll be called on?

Being different - that’s hard.

But being holy means being different

And holiness is a measure of success for God.

God’s measure of success is if His handiwork can be picked out of a crowd of people.

And finally,

Number five, the world sees our commitment.

Look at verse 8: Exodus 19:8 “All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

That’s the Lord’s measure of success.

What did Jesus say?

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Why?

So He can create a contented people that He can share an entire eternity with.

Success isn’t simply telling the the world about Jesus.

Our job is to show the world that our God is a God of such wisdom and love for his people,

That those that follow Him lead lives so incredibly blessed

And so incredibly different from the rest of the world

That the entire world will want to be a part of His kingdom.

The ultimate goal is not to get them saved by Jesus.

The Lord’s measure of success is that His people let people see how our lives have been changed so those people will yearn to have what we have.

And they’ll crave to will follow Jesus.

Psalm 42:1 “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”

That’s what we’re looking for.

That’s the salvation we want to see.

When life isn’t easy, you’re always looking for something to give you hope.

What does it look like if God is successful?

It looks like a body of brothers and sisters giving the world around them hope.

I like that - and that’s what we are trying to do.

I like being an agent of hope.

I like knowing that some one’s life is better because they bumped into me and walked away with Jesus.

It doesn’t matter if they remember my name, as long as they remember Jesus.

I also believe many of you are thinking the same thing.

We don’t care if they remember us as long as they remember Jesus.

We did leave one thing out - I wanted to save it.

Look at verse 5 again: Exodus 19:5 “...you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples...

Or let me put it in my language.

We’ll be dad’s favorites.

The Lord’s success blesses the world.

I have no clue what’s happening in your world right this minute, but wouldn’t it be great to know that you are SOMEBODY’S favorite?

We’re going to pray and then we’ll sing.

While we are singing, if you really need to be somebody’s favorite

Come talk to me.

I’ve got a friend you need to meet.

Let us pray.