Part 19: God Shows Up

We're going to be in Exodus chapter 19 today and the one of the saying it just to give you a really brief update on and ask for your prayer about as you know where we're searching for and received and I think I was going to provide somebody perfect for a church and then send someone to us will be a great fit, but I would pray I would ask if you choose me and I know others and Leadership on her board would ask for your wisdom and for your prayers as we work through that process to make it very clear and that he would send the right guy and that we would be sure to be patient for his leading in that can you do that for us would really covet your prayers in that. We are in the Book of Exodus and we've been in it for a number of weeks now and today. We're going to see God show up or going to seem to show up and so far if you don't maybe know the whole storyline of what's happened in Exodus. It begins with God's people having spent 400 years in a foreign place in the land of Egypt the North End of Egypt and overtime over those four hundred years, they multiplied so greatly that Pharaoh enslave them and oppress them and then and the people's burdens were just continually X upon them for fear that they would rise up and Conquer Egypt. Well, they begin to cry out to God for help and it's a damn it seemed as if he's been silent for 400 years where has he been and then God miraculously raises up a guy by the name of Moses. Saves his life as a little boy rescues him and speaks for now. God can't use him. and then at the age of 80 Jesus appears to him through a burning bush and Moses comes back to Rescue God's people he appears before pharaoh and mentioned last Sunday, you know, you goes to the the most powerful leader in the most powerful country in the world at the time and demands that he let the people go God miraculously miraculously Works many works of Wonders in the 10 flags and then freezes people and then as it seems like there was going to get them across the Red Sea and then got closes to see up behind them and slays all the Pharaohs Army to rescue them and now they're free. And up until this point they've never had their first battle in fighting the last couple weeks and that's today. We're going to see God show up this God whom they've seen work wonders for them who they've heard speak to them through Moses now, but we're setting up for the moment where they are going to hear his voice and his power with their own eyes. Who he is?

I got is going to show up in Exodus 19 and 20. And now I just want to be a logical clarification before we go on because some of you are a pretty astute theologically in your thinking. What do you mean God's going to show up? I thought you was on the present. Isn't he everywhere all the time? Always there present everywhere, right? Yes, absolutely. Totally as I'm not negating that one shows up. I'm talking about his manifest presents where his presence becomes manifest and clearly understood in the moment. That's what we're talking about today when God shows up to the Israelites. It should be an exciting morning you saved us and show yourself to us. Holy Spirit, I pray that as we unpack your words together today. Do you speak to us? Holy spirit speak to me in and teach me and through me as I teach. We pray against the enemies servants that works. In fact that he wouldn't cause us to ignore your word or ignore the truth or shoulder belt or Pride or anything else that that we shouldn't but instead. Holy spirit with you work and come in power to change a sand to make us more like Jesus. all of these things

Morning, before we head into it is that when God shows up always invites us into relationship? When he shows himself, he's showing himself. It's to invite you and I into relationship with him maybe a relationship for the first time. Maybe that's into deeper relationship. Maybe that's a corrective measure in their relationship with him, but when God shows up I sent a relationship. It's an invitation to know and that's exactly what it is. Genuinely inviting us into relationship. God is who steps? You know kind of lit the match Let It Burn.

intimately and he wants to

into relationship with him. He's spoken to you in to me through his word to know him and understand him if he doesn't worship as we sing together unless you engage your heart and I encourage you.

As you engage him and give him glory the song that starts that he is in Throne. Don are phrases. He shows up in those times at that's even worse.

A miraculous. Sometimes he shows himself some of you may have experienced some things where you know, there's no other explanation for what just happened. Other than that God did that God protected me. God has made God did that. Maybe it's just in nature, you know, God shows himself through his creation, but not so that we would worship the created thing. But so we would worship the Creator, right? But you can worship God it's a call to worship to relationship to know him even shows up in tragedy. He reveals himself to us. Sometimes in tragedy in the face of tragedy of it's a call to trust him. I just received this Tender Care.

And when you face tragedy, maybe you're facing one this week. I don't know. But do you know you have a choice in that moment? You can either seek Him and trust him. Or you can be angry and turn from him and become bitter and callus. And if you're not careful, if you choose the ladder you become fitter in Calais. Suddenly everything in life begins to be seen through these bitter frames in this bitter lands and you're robbing yourself of the invitation and you may in fact miss it. Because now is a fellow believer comes to you and says something to you. You don't hear it in the love and which have spoken but you hear it through that lens of of hurt and anger and bitterness and you don't hear and read God's word through the lens of his reaching out to you and relationship. You hear it in the lines of it. Will then why did you allow that to happen to me? And when you hear a pastor leader speak you don't you don't hear things with the Grayson with the relationship?

God is always inviting us. Guitar Choice how we respond? The tragedy could be him. It could be a call to repentance and turning back to God and he might die down. He might do it with patience and grace to you. What about when God is silent silent?

Well, I believe it's still an invitation to relationship when he is silent because it's an invitation to trust his promises like we saying about the great things he's done and trust him to do it again. And that's where the Israelites are at this morning. Inviting you into relationship. What's your response? What's your response? Let's read together in Exodus chapter 19. On the 3rd New Moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt. So that's just the way of saying on the first day of the third month right the first day so it's been a couple months since they left Egypt they came into the Wilderness of Sinai. They set out from rephidim. Some of this is a little bit review of what we've already covered but most just reiterate. Sorry repeat that they set out from rest of demon came into the Wilderness of Sinai in the encamped in the wilderness their Israel encamped before the mountain. You may not realize this yet, but we're going to see it here in a second when they can't before the mountain before Mount Sinai. This is actually the filming of one of God's promises to Moses and we'll come back to that. We're going to see him do that a few times today to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel. Just what he says to them. You yourselves have seen what I did to Eagle's Wings and brought you to myself.

You've seen what I've done is what God says. I wonder if I'm looking back.

It's not like if you think of it as driving a car, it's actually not for the windshield.

Also in the rearview mirror or in the side mirrors that you looked can you go without God really protected me there or look at what he did.

Usually you see his hand over faithful in the past is going to be faithful as I keep going.

You often see God's hand looking back. I wonder for you, you know the great things I did.

What are some things he's done for you? And this could be really big things could be just really simple things. Everybody's dressed today God's giving you clothes. He's done great things for you. There's plenty of people in the world who don't have clothing. What along swing clothing? He provides for you. When is the Cherry do you like he says I'm going to carry you like on like an eagle with its young on their on their wings how she carried you through hard times three times when you're learning and you're not sure how to trust them. Everyone is seeing God's hand and you often see it when you look back. And that enables you to trust them for the president going forward. One of the ways Moses would have seen this right away. I just I told you inverse to at the end of her student says there is for the mountain

God's promise

laughing at this mountain about a year ago. But a year ago in the text.

Moses met Jesus Through Burning Bush on Mount Sinai and if you look at chapter 3 verse 12, he said to Moses but Moses I'll be with you and this will be the sign for you that I sent you and when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you still serve God on this. All right. I'm going to be with you. And by the way when you come back, there's going to be a hoe.

and I just said

I thought it would be where he spoke to me.

I would imagine he probably brought some people and showed it to him. Don't you suppose? I got told me I'd be back here and I'll be back here with all of you. And maybe there was even some identifying Mark of it. He has told people ahead of time. That's the one.

You see God's hand when looking back cuz so many times and you specially read it when you get into numbers and some of the other accounts of some of these times. There were times where Moses to said God. Why did you send me? Why'd you send me the Pharaoh? I just send me what these people would be better if I was dead.

Because in the moment, he was forgetting all of God's promises, but now is it gets to the point where he can look back and see God's faithfulness. You can trust him to keep going. And Moses's Hazmat got here and he's going to meet him again here about a year later after that first encounter. What's are the first five what we're going to see here is that God gives a new identity to this people now therefore. So speaking through Moses to them. He says if you will indeed you shall be my treasured possession among 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 Moses that you should speak to the people of Israel. God says Moses and you're going to remind them of everything that I've done for them and rescuing them from the Egyptians how I carried them and provided for them and then you're going to tell them remind them if they are going to go if you obey that's your only requirement now, but the obedience comes when After having rescued them because look at verse 60 says that you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you should speak to the people of Israel. Notice the order of Events first God rescues them and then he gives them an identity. First deep freeze them in fights for them. And then he says you are like it. imagine if God told Moses Tell everybody hears God's command if you obey him, he's going to rescue you from Egypt. If you do it all if you get it, right he's going to get you free.

There's still be a huge population of Israelites enslaved in Egypt today. They would have never been able to become free. Because it would have never obeyed perfectly. No Godfrey them and then he says bring me and your freedom. Things will go very well for you. If not, I love you and they'll be discipline until you do.

Illustrates a lie versus a truth that's prevalent scripture. The first one is the LIE of religion. The LIE of religion is it's the religion is this.

Things obeime clean yourself up get it. All right then. God will. Love you. If you follow all the rules. You can be accepted. if you are

That's a lie. Garden mystery then you'll be me and I'll go live like it. That's the LIE of religion that if you do good thing you'll be made right with God. I like to joke all that is a lot of do do do a bunch of doodoo.

The polite way to say it. It's a lie. I bought into it and you need to be freed from here's the truth of the Gospel the truth of the Gospel is that Jesus does all the work in freeing you your only response is to believe. That's your only response. And when you believe you are made new your set free your rescued and yes, you may and you already are new even though you're not yet totally new and now because of who you are you need to live like it.

There was no longer a threat and now they're free and now that they're free when we see.

I like girls to like how they're supposed to live out this new identity.

And when you live like this because I made you this way life goes so much better. It's not achieving that identity. It's receiving that identity and then living it out. You see the difference.

We talk to you tonight in our life group after you mentioned you're talking about pet peeves one of my pet peeves and I forgot it last night, but is religious people who impose all kinds of things that you have to do to be made right with God to be accepted. This is who you are and I'll go be free and now here's the danger though. If once you're free. You're free. And now any slavery you put yourself back into in terms of of sin and addiction whatever else it's a slavery now from within that you put on your

And you have a choice you can drop that and let it go and Trust Jesus and be made new. Or you can continue to not live out who you truly are.

If you indeed obey my voice any obedience, by the way on our part is actually Jesus working in Us in Philippians 2 12 and 13. How to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 4 verse 13, it's God who works in you? He'll actually work in and through you through the spirits help you all day. God's blessing came with this condition of obedience and he goes on us for all the Earth is mine, but you'll be treasured among all my possessions. Will the Apostle Peter took these words of Moses isn't the first time the ideas of the idea of a kingdom of priests is ever mentioned in scripture and and Peter flushes it out. He says you is Father's Day this year a chosen race a royal priesthood. This is your identity a holy nation a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the Excellence of him who called you out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light that you may Proclaim his accidents Xmas knows the order that you may do this you're sent to love because of who you are because you're well now you can go Proclaim that That's the truth of the Gospel John speaks of it in Revelation as well. Those notes are on your on your outline this morning those verses.

But notice that order you are now GoPro climate. Not go Proclaim it so you can become but you are and I'll go live it out.

Just want to know what year this is Covenant language. When God says you will be my treasured possession This is Covenant language in in Covenant goes like this. God uses this language all throughout the Old Testament and then even into the New Testament in the New Covenant with Jesus that I will be your God. You will be my people. And I will dwell among you and I'll be with you. That's Covenant language and God is about to establish this Covenant with his people of I'm going to be your God as you go into the promised land you're going to be with you.

now Let's keep going in reverse seven and eight years from Moses Kami called the Elders of the people. He set before them. All these words Lord has commanded him and all the people answer together and said that the Lord has spoken. We will do and Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. The foot of Mount Sinai used to say Moses know I need you to go talk to him. Tell him remind them everything. I've done remind them of who they are and tell them then how they're supposed to live now that that's who they are and I'm in a relationship.

He calls us to obey him. He calls us to obey him again attention and hear this clearly. This isn't obedience. So that God will love you that's religion. That's a lie, that's garbage. The truth is listen. Invite you in a relationship to be made new to be rescued. And then after that he calls you to avadian Stew live out this new identity. Never to earn his favor always to reveal it. Universe 9 in the Lord said to Moses Moses behold that the people may hear when I speak to you and they 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 garment. I got going to show up in a cloud and literally it's a cloud of clouds like thick Cloud super thick two different words and Moses is supposed to go tell everybody to consecrate themselves to wash their garments separate to be totally other to be different. I noticed the God is already said I'm going to make you into a holy nation. You are my treasured possession and now I want you to consecrate yourselves and live like who you are. And live a holy life as my children. Peter tells tells us in 1st Peter 14 is obedient children don't be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But is he who called you is Holy you also be holy in your contact since it's written got a said You shall be holy for I am Holy he says his obedient children. We should fear God and afraid of him, right? It means fear Him. Revere him I mean, I'm sick of that with with my son Charlie Wright. I certainly never want him to be afraid of me that like if I mess up Dad's going to just lose it and yell at me and hit me or do something awful know as it as an obedient Child near me. But not be afraid of me. You see the difference and steering me out. I want him to realize when when he hits his mom when she's trying to help him and he gets angry and you eat swings and smacks her. his first thought after being corrected is Dad's going to want to talk about that.

That's a reverent fear, isn't it?

I mean there's there's times where he'll go to talk to Dad about that Mom.

But I'm really glad to write. but I never wanted to be a

Got in the same way when when the Bible tells you as a child of his to fear the lord. It's not to be afraid to ever come to him. But the fear Him in reverence because he's a good dad who loves you, but he will correct. He will correct you. You should consecrate yourself. And prepare to meet him up notification popped up this week clearly from Jesus and it said three days. I'll be back. What would you do? You live your life a little different. Could you maybe put some things aside? That's the idea they're preparing to meet with God. Get ready the day after tomorrow God showing up. Someone said that this life is simply a dress rehearsal for eternity. It's all preparation to meet God and that's what's happening here. And then one day you will see him and it's described throughout the Bible and even hear, you know, it's told Moses consecrate themselves, let them wash their garments and preparation as like this change of clothes. This whole identity piece is really changing clothes. It's going at it's taking off who I was in my sin and putting it away and put it on who I now am in Christ and living it out. That shows of all throughout the New Testament even multiple times in the Old Testament this idea of changing clothes and other words that mean, for example, I can Revelation Jesus return if she's made herself ready just like an exodus 19. She's consecrated herself. She's in fact, she's changed her garments washed and it was granted for her grace that you get these new garments to go live out this new identity. It was granted her to close. Her self was fine linen brighten pure. She didn't earn it. We don't learn it this Purity. It's granted to us. It's all Grace. For the fine linen is the righteous Deeds of the Saints. And it doesn't go on and Exodus chapter 19. There's a warning.

how to prepare to meet him And that there's a warning here in Exodus 19 starting a verse that says and you shall set limits Moses All Around member that there at the base of Mount Sinai sang. Take care not to go up into the mountain or even to touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

And if somebody touches the mountain like don't go rest onto the ground don't touch him knowing no handle touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot. She touches the mountain. Weatherby Starman he shall not live but that to me sounds like a sign I've seen in front of somebody's would like out in the Sonny's redneck Woods, doesn't it sometimes like that? You know, I'll be stoned or shot weather Beast or man. He shall not live. Hope you can live with me in the light of what's really very very serious but shot by the way doesn't mean if a gun is with a bow and arrow. They didn't have firearms coming out of Egypt that a lot of good things when I firearms. When the trumpet sounds a long blast they shall come up to the mountain up to the edge of the people be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman and other words if you're married and keep yourself and don't play with your wife over the next 3 days prepare yourself to focus solely on meeting your God. That's what he say.

When God shows up yours invites us in a relationship cause us to obey him and then he shows us who he is. He shows us who he is. Look at how he shows himself to the Israelites on the morning of the third day. And by the way to a lot of this gets reflected again in Jesus return in Revelation. On the morning of the third day. There were Thunders and lightnings. And a thick Cloud on the mountain in a very loud trumpet blast so that all the people in the camp Trumbull. Now that very loud trumpet blast. It wasn't isn't like a trumpet like you and I think of like a Ram's Horn, you know select if you watch the Vikings play football today and never hear that horn blow. It's kind of like that and it just it it blows and it gets louder and louder and louder and it it's start of the people they trembled

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

No Mount Sinai looking like this description Mount Sinai was wrapped in Smoke because the Lord had to send it on it and Fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln. and the whole Mountain trembled greatly

Does the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses spoke and God answered him and thunder doesn't us description of Mount Sinai just sound kind of like a volcano to you. I found this picture of Mount Cervantes in erupting in Mexico in April 2015. And as soon as I saw it, all I could think of was Exodus 19 and 20. Because it's so matches that description. So imagine you hear the loud trumpet blast you walk out with Moses after having consecrated yourself for 3 days. You're at the foot of the mountain and then you see this in front of you.

What are you going to do?

A couple weeks or days and assuming I'm assuming you're probably assuming we see what's going on here. He's dead you gone. And they rebelled against God. But imagine God showing his power in this way and was probably much more glorious than what we see just in this volcano. So the Lord came down on Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain in the Lord Called Moses to the top of the mountain Moses went up.

And the Lord said to Moses go down Warren the people if they break through to look and many of them perish and also the priests who come near the Lord that they need to consecrate themselves. All the leaders bless the Lord break out against them. I need to live like who they are and Moses said to the Lord the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai for you yourself warned us. He says are you you told me to set limits and then the Lord said to him go down, bring an errand with you. Don't let the priests in the people breakthrough. Let's keep the Lord break out against them. So Moses went down to the people and told them and what's going to happen next week is that we're going to see Moses and Aaron go back up. God is going to give him his top 10 list for how they're supposed to live out this new identity in the land cuz you knows the Ten Commandments. But here's the deal. Why does God reveal himself in such a powerful way to all the people? Why does he do that? What he shows himself here and this way because seeing him motivates they're holding us it motivates them to live out this new identity and Obey him. Exodus 20 verse 20 says this Moses said to the people don't fear for God has come to test you that the fear of him maybe before you that you may not send. I just wonder is what kind of clothes this morning we're going to sing and call it a morning. God's inviting you into relationship with him as you enter into that relationship. He then calls you after that to obey him. And it's a seek him so that you would show himself to you that it would motivate you to continually live out that obedience. How are you seeking him? Are you in his word? Are you connected in a life group? Are you?

Are you seeking him? Cuz whoever seeks me I will be found.

We're going to close this morning stinging. And that we're going to sing actually a song that. Really come straight out of Exodus. Where Moses towards the end of the book asks for God while he's with him up on Mount Sinai to show him and reveal to him. Revealed to Moses his glory. Because Moses realizes that there's really nothing greater than to see who got is for him to show up for his manifest presence to be made known to him. Because that alone will sustain him that'll that'll remind them of the who God is and who he is and then credible relationship he offers and it will motivate him to obey him. So it is we closed this morning. Let's sing this together. It's kind of our closing prayer for the week. That the Lord would show up and show us who he is. Motivate our obedience in our Holiness and strengthen our relationship with him a man. What standard say?