Sermon Tone Analysis

A different kind of worship

but mostly a matter of something that continues to plague even Christian people today: an inability to see that the spiritual world is primary to and in control of the physical and visible world.

In order to help his people understand the truth, Yahweh insisted on being believed in rather than being seen.

It was so much easier to believe in something that could actually be seen.

Worship - Don’t worship idols is too easy here.

I’m sure most of us have heard that sermon a time or two.

There worship was partially correct.

The acts themselves were correct the object of worship and the motivation of the worship was not.

—> The Israelites had never been without Moses for this long.

Moses and Yahweh were synonymous to them they were connected.

So when Moses disappears God disappears.

The reality is they didn’t understand God apart from Moses.

—> One of the times in ministry is the season of transition...

—> One of the hardest days in ministry is telling people you are leaving...

—> Leaving Marshall

—> We can’t allow ourselves to get connect our worship to anything or anyone but God.

Leadership - Don’t short change your responsibilities in the church, whatever those may be.

—> Its unclear in text whether or not Aaron felt forced into making this idol.

Exodus 32:1 (NRSV)

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

—> Either way he was in the wrong.

—> Tries to course correct.

—> So now he is leading them in appropriate worship kind of but they are worshiping an image of their creation and not really Yahweh, and they are feasting for their benefit and their fun and not the glory of Yahweh.

—> This is poor spiritual leadership.

This could have all been avoided if Aaron just says no, but he doesn’t, and we don’t really know why he doesn’t.

Could be fear, could be he wanted to be popular, but either way now he is complicit in these acts of spiritual disobedience.

Vrs 7-14

—> God knows what’s going on down below, even going so far as to quote what the people have said.

—> Put yourself in Moses’ place here.

Knowing that you left your brother in charge and that it has all gone down hill.

—> God is saying the same thing to Moses that Moses has said to God, there is a lot of “your people” talk.

—> Now leave me be and I’ll take care of them and then you Moses can be a great nation.

Leadership

—> Moses, instead of standing by, comes to the people’s defense.

—> He begins to intercede for them.

He doesn’t make excuses for them, because honestly he can’t.

They sinned, he knows it, God knows it, everyone knows it, but Moses doesn’t give up on the people.

—> The more I look at this the more I see this as God testing Moses’ leadership.

Will you cut out when given the opportunity?

Will you take the easy way?

Are you really in this for the long haul?

—> Moses’ answer shows God that yes Moses is committed and still the right person to lead God’s people.

At least for now.

I want to close with two questions this week...

How is your worship?

How is your leadership?

Is your worship centered around your needs, your wants, your comforts, or is it centered on God?

Are you leading others toward God or away from God? Are you committed to the people you are leading or are your ready to cut bait and run?

No matter your answer to those questions can I tell you the good news.

God is still with you.

God is still faithful.

God still loves you and cares.

You know how I know that, because God is still using me.

I’ve been guilty and am still guilty sometimes of not having the right attitude in worship.

I am guilty of being a poor leader.

Yet I strive to always answer the bell when God calls.

I strive to have and hold that relationship even in the midst of my failure not because I can but because God is a God of grace and love and keeps pulling me back in.