Ep. 8: The Covenant II

All right. Welcome to episode 8 of the plan. The plan is our cemeteries were going through this school year that focuses on the story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation the entire story of scripture that is also our story and we're focusing on the plot points that unite the whole thing together because that is where we find our place in God's story. Once we understand what the whole story as we know that we have a role in that we can also invite others into that story. And what we found is, we've been studying through Genesis in the first half of Exodus. Is that the story of the Bible is God's plan to establish a Place full of people who live out their purpose in his presence, at every stage, in the Bible from beginning to end. This is what God is working through. And so, we saw, when he created the world in Genesis, when he created the universe, he put his people there, he put human beings there and call them to rule on his behalf. And then, on the seventh day, he filled the Earth with his presence. He came to live with them, and that was the design and then human being Messed it up and we saw in the garden in Genesis 3, that they were separated from God. His presence was, especially there in the garden and they were exiled and ever since we've been kind of a part from God's presence. But then in Genesis 12, God chooses, one family to put in one place to follow through two calls into a special purpose and he promises that he will be their God. Now. That's the part that we're still missing use the way that God's presence is going to be with his people, but we've seen how he has chosen to focus in on one group and establish the plan through them and somehow that is going to bless the rest of the world and bring the plan to the rest of humanity. And last week we reach this turning point where Moses is on the Mountain of God and he discovers God's presence or rather God Reveals His presence to Moses and and he says go and bring the Israelites out and come back to this mountain because this is where God has chosen to put his presents. And so it's kind of like in The Chronicles of Narnia that Aslan is on the move. Again, God is here and there's an opportunity for him to live with his people. Again until God, sends Moses to Egypt and he frees the Israelites and brings them to mounts. And that's where we left off the story last week, that the Israelites are the base of Mount Sinai and God is at the top and Moses goes up to meet with God. And so we see we're on the verge of this reconciliation that we've been looking for since Genesis 3, they are so close humanity. And God is so close together and we have a chance to have the plan restored for the first time since

So this is where we're going to pick up the story of the exact same passage where we left off. And I'm going to read the beginning of Exodus 19 and I want you to use this passage for your to find your coordinates. Remember? We're looking for for things to set up. A story people. Who is the story about place. Where is their home presents? How can they meet with God and purpose? What does God tell them to do? Those are the four parts of the story? The four coordinates that we find so that we can then read the rest of the story and track with the plan. So Exodus 19 1 through 6 on the first day of the third month after the Israelites left, Egypt on that very day. They came to the desert is Sinai after they enter the desert of Sinai and Israel Camp there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went to God and the Lord called 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 yourself have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried You On Eagle's 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. I saw this passage sets sets the stage for what's going to happen really through the next book and a half. So let's start with people who is the story about

It's about Moses and the Israelites same people as less last week. So the Israelites are the people of God. He is working through the whole body of people that God has also chosen Moses for the special role, where most represents the Israelites to God and then he represents God to the Israelites. So he has this kind of common point this point of overlap. He goes back and forth between them. And so Moses has the special role that other Israelites don't have to start the story about Moses. Now, where is their home? This part isn't explicitly stated in the store in this specific passage, but we should know this pretty well by now their where is their home? Where they supposed to end up? The promised land they are still on their Journey to the promised land sign. I was never the place. They're supposed to end up this last week was the first time we really heard about it, but ultimately God has given them Canaan and that's where they're going to go to live. Presence. How can I meet with God?

The newest God on the mountain. However, if you continue reading into 19, you'll find there's actually a little bit of a wrinkle with this Arrangement. Because as you read, God, starts laying down some rules for this conversation about to have and rule. Number one is no one, but Moses goes on the mountain. In fact, if anyone touches the mountain, if any animals touch the mountain, you stoned them. You stole them because you're not even supposed to touch them when you execute them, because nobody goes on the mountain. But Moses, he actually even tells Moses, I put up barriers even so that nobody will even try to get up a mountain. Only Moses goes on the mountain. So we can tell is this is not everything isn't completely back to normal. Right? This isn't God and Israel run into each other in slow motion. In a field of daisies reunions, right? This is a they're still figuring things out. And so there's complications or Cincinnati to be overcome, but at least Moses, now has the ability to go up on the mountain and meet with God. Now. What did God tell them to do?

What did he say in that passage about what they are meant to do to be his people? Tell them to keep the Covenant. Keep the company. Now at this point, the only Covenant we really heard details about is the Covenant with Abraham, but they are there to receive a New Covenant. So God says keep the Covenant and you will be Tamiya king of priests a holy nation and we'll move forward with the plan. Obviously. The next thing they need to do is figure out what the Covenant is. So, Moses goes back up the mountain. I need some god-sized laying out in the first section of the Covenant, he's going to give it to them in chunks throughout the next three books, but he gives him the first chunk the set of rules. And the first section is a set of 10 rules that kind of set the stage for the whole thing. So I'm going to redo all of them. And I'm going to redo all the first 10, but I will read you the first two because they're clearly very important. As an example of the kinds of things that are in the Covenant. God spoke all these words. I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make yourself for yourself. An image in the form of anything in Heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God. Punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my Commandments. Then he goes on. He was still another 8 to round out the top 10 and then he couldn't in use on them because the more rules and Moses comes down and tells all of these to the Israelites, but those first two are are really important and you can tell because God underlines them with this last passage is it has, hey, pay attention to these two because I am a jealous God. And what he's basically telling them in this section. Is that how you handled this command will determine how I treat you for Generations? If you get this one wrong, there will be consequences for three or four generations. 60-80 years. I've worked for a long time. There's going to be consequences and on the other hand, if you keep this. Then I'll be faithful to you for a thousand Generations, which if you think about it is actually a really long time, a thousand Generations is like 20,000 years, right? You know, it's only been about 175 Generations since this happened. That's a long time but he's going to be faithful to them if they keep it. Right? So clearly that the stakes are very high on especially this part of the Covenant, in general. But especially this part self. Their instructions are keep the Covenant. For example, no, Idols is a good place to start. Just no Idols, don't worship any other gods and don't worship. God through graven images, that's rule. Number one and two plus all the others. So that sets the stage for us as we go into the rest of the story about. We're going to see what do the Israelite to do. And, how does God respond. So the first thing that happens is actually very promising. Moses Dan, wrote down everything. The Lord has said, he got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain instead of 12 stone pillars. Representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Then he sent you an Israelite men and they offered Bert's offerings, and sacrifices young Bulls as Fellowship offering to the Lord. Basically, they're having a feast with God. If you remember last year, we talked about this. That's what those sacrifices are. Their feast that they're sharing with God, Moses took half of the blood and put it in the Bowls. Have the other half is Flash against the altar. Then he took the book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, we will do everything. The Lord has said, we will obey Moses and took the blood, sprinkle it on the people and said, this is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words. Great start. God says keep the covenants and you'll be my people and it starts with the Israelites agreeing to the Covenant. They said they hear it that he reads out. All the rules. God didn't have them sign a blank check or a blank contractor. You read the rules and says, okay. What do you think? And they say, yes, we'll do. It will agree to it. That's awesome, which is a great start. So, Moses goes back up the mountain, to get the next set of regulations. In the next set of regulations, are actually the blueprints for the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant and all the things that they're going to need to set up God's home among the Israelites because that's the goal. Right? The goal. Isn't this supposed to have this way to the bottom of mountain and got to the top of the mountain forever? God's meaning to come down with them and go with them into Canaan. So Moses goes up to get the blueprints for God's tent that he's going to live in while he's with his wife. And then things, and if things go great for Moses and daughters, having a conversation, but at the base of the mountain with the Israelites things, go take a turn. He's there for forty days. And when the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron and said, come make us Gods pause. This word is actually Elohim with green. I mean gods or the god of gods and for reasons that will see the second. It seems to me that there should be translated. As a God. Come make us a God who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt. We don't know what has happened to him. An answer them, take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing and bring them to me. So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron and in him and made it into an idle cast in the shape of a cat fascinated with a tool, then they said, this is your god is real who brought you up out of Egypt. When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced tomorrow. There will be a festival to the Lord. So the next day, the people Rose early and sacrifice burnt offerings and presented Fellowship offering after they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. so, I'm getting to it. Decided what what's really going on with, why the cat? But ultimately, the first thing you should notice is that they agree to the Covenant and then the immediately broke it. First thing, the first action they take after agreeing to it in the story is they broke it now, we all understand how they broke it because we think that they chose another God, like other gods to worship and they thought I was forget about y'all way. We're going to go worship these other guys like fail or raw or something else. It's not actually what happened. First of all, it's one God because it's one calf and also because when they have the party, the party is dedicated to Yahweh. So you're not worshipping a different. God. They're worshipping Yahweh through the golden calf. Now, why are they worshiping God through a golden cat? Will the golden calf actually has a significance in these ancient cultures that you find repeated over and over again. Actually, here's some pictures of various Gods depicted above bowls or calves. See the idea was remember the gods and these days were understood as being distant and unloving, it didn't care about people. So you need to coax them down, right? So remember we talked about how the Tower of Babel was meant to bring God down like he needed a ladder to get down, because I made it easy for him. He might be more willing to come down. We'll hear the idea is that if you want God to go where you want him to go, you make for him the most magnificent Steed. You can't, that he can't resist coming down to ride. It's all day with use animals, especially golden animals to serve as a ride for the presence of the god. And so as they lead the calf around, they assume the God is above the calf writing it because who could resist such a magnificent statue to ride a, who could resist writing something like this. And so, the idea they're getting impatient with what God With God coming down, but that's still the goal reuniting humanity and God is still the goal. And so they decide, you know, Moses taking too long. Maybe it's died up there. Maybe it's not working. Will bring them down ourselves. We will post guard down with this, amazing golden calf. It's when they have the specialist cuz they believe they have brought God down themselves. So, they actually want to do the thing God has promised to do, but they're doing it their own way on their own timeline, and the first red flag. They should have seen with the fact that they had to break God's Commandments to do it. Are there to break rule to in order to do this? And I should have been the right flank. And it's amazing. How often God's people will do something in God's name and miss the red flag that they're actually breaking one of his commands. When they do it. We are actually not uncommon for us to miss that red flag that we're violating with the Bible, what God tells us to do and then in God's name. This is not a great position to be. And remember, God said there are high stakes in following this command or not. And so, the scene changes and we move up to see what's happening on the mountain between God and Moses. And the Lord said to Moses go down because your people who you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idle cash in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it. And it said, this is your god is real who brought you up out of Egypt. I have seen these people, the Lord said to Moses and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation. So, what is God doing here? It seems like he's passing judgment. He's deciding what he's doing. He's going to destroy these people, which we should kind of be ready for. And we seen people break the plan before and God respond to it by taking one action or another. And so it makes sense that God would respond to what they've done. But there's a very important phrase in here that you can't lose sight of the phrases. Leave me alone. Why does God say, leave me alone? Does Moses have the ability to stop him? Does God need Moses his permission to do whatever you want to do? He doesn't. And so it's a very interesting phrase and we will see Moses picks up on it when he says, now leave me alone. He's actually inviting Moses into the decision-making process. That's what happened here. Has got invited Moses, into his decision-making process. Why? Because God isn't Covenant with the Israelites. God is in partnership with the Israelites and God takes that seriously, even when the Israelites don't Moses, not entitled to have a say in what God is doing. But God's goal is to be partnering with humanity and he has made a covenant with you. Is right in Moses is still in good standing, Moses has been on the mountain the whole time until God actually invites Moses into this decision, making process and give him an opportunity by saying now leave me alone. He's giving Moses the Opera, the ability to intervene and ask Moses to do something different. He could have just said, hey Moses, by the way, all those Israelites they made the golden calf. So I wiped them out there already did and we're going to start again with you. He could have just informed of Moses of what he had done. But instead he brings Moses in. And so now we're looking to see how Moses is going to respond because the story of the golden calf is actually about Moses. It's actually about the relationship between Moses and God. So what is Moses do this? Cuz remember he has no, he is not on the hook. He can wash his hands of the whole thing. He can tell the people that you can tell. Yes, your wife came out, start with me. Again. That be great. I've been having a hard time with him anyway. So, what is Moses going to do? Moses saw the favor of the Lord, his God. Lord. He said, why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt with a great power and a mighty hand. Why should the Egyptian say it was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains? Wipe them off the face of the Earth turn from your Fierce anger relent and do not bring disaster on your people. The Moses has this opportunity, and how does he use it? He uses it to intervene. He uses it, to ask, God, not to destroy them. The Moses used his position with God to intervene for Israel. And it says, in that section that says God relented of the disaster. He was going to to the way he was going to destroy the Israelites. That doesn't end the story. That just means, he's decided not to wipe them out this second cuz I'm okay. We'll talk. So Moses goes down to talk to stop. Put a stop to the party and but the thing isn't settled. He still has to go back and talk to God to sort this thing out. How many times do you think he has talked to God in order to sort this out?

Anybody remember from last week, remember connection last week? We had we folks on the conversation where God calls Moses and the burning bush and Moses subjects, 2.5, * 5 *, you tell God send someone else. I can't do it. He was a reason why he was ready yet. You resist 5 times. How many times do you think he is going to have to argue with God and tell God agrees to a Moses asking. 5 *. An interesting connection. The not Moses as he steps in his, an intercessor, going to have to argue with God, 5 times until they reach an agreement. So he goes down and he puts an end to the party Moses does. And then he tells them the next day. He said to the people, you have committed, a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord perhaps I can make at Omen for your sense of Moses. Hoping to somehow wash away their sins. Somehow. Cover up somehow, get rid of it. Get it out from between Israel. And God to Moses, went back to the Lord and said, oh, what a great send these people committed. They have made themselves a god of gold, but now please forgive their sin. But if not then block me out of the book you have written. It is a gamble. It's a bold move to say. I know I'm innocent, but if you're going to get rid of them, get rid of me, too. I'm with them. It's a package deal. He's actually standing in between God and Israel and saying if you're going to get them, you got to go through me. Which is a very bold move. It's a risky move. And the Lord said to Moses out. So it's basically says yeah, I'm not going to, I'm not going to kill someone who's innocent. I'm going to punch someone who's innocent over this. So instead God makes kind of a counter offer lessons his punishment instead. He says, leave this place you and the people you brought out of Egypt and go up to the land. I promise on Earth to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob saying I will give it to your descendants. I will send an angel before you would drive out. The Canaanites amorites. Hittites parasites, have ice in Jabba sites, go up to the land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way. Moses. Okay. So if you've been tracking with it yet, if you would check with the plan, you realize what how big of a deal is because God's relationship with Israel has been Humanity's best. Hope to be reunited with God and they came so close, right and then the Israelite to mess it up. And God says I got was going to destroy Moses Tyson. He said that's all right. Here is my next offer. I will, I will send you away. I'll even leave you through an angel to the promised land, but I'm not going with you. I'm going to stay here cuz this this isn't working out. This partnership is it's not me, it's you, but this is not working out. So I don't want to destroy you so I'll send you and you'll get your land flowing with milk and honey, but I'm going to stay here. Which is a tragedy if that's what ends up happening, right? Cuz the whole hope of this is that God and Humanity are going to be brought back into Community into a relationship. And so to lose that connection is is horrible. Moses is not the arrangement Moses wants to Moses said to the Lord, you have been telling me who these people, but you have not, let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, I know you by name and you have found favor with me. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways. So that I know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that. This nation is your people. Moses's, hold on. Wait a minute. If you stay here, how am I supposed to do this? So we we've really well, establish. I can't do this on my own. If there's, if we're clear on one thing is to Moses, can't run the show alone. So how am I supposed to do this without you? So, like, teach me. Tell me, how are you going to do? How am I going to get there without? You had show me cuz it said this was not the deal.

And God makes another counterproposal another proposal. He says, my presence will go with you and I will give you rest. Now, here is a place. One of the most stressful things about English language is we only have one second person pronoun. You You can't tell if it's singular or plural in this case. It's singular. Who is God going to go with? Nadia's room lights, Moses, just fine. You're right. You need me. So I will go with you and I will take care of you, but I'm not doing the whole thing with the Israelites. That's over, but you're right. I did promise to help you. So I will go with you.

This is not enough for Moses either. So Moses says, if your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that? You are pleased with me and with your people, unless you go with us, what else will distinguish me? And your people from all the other people on the face of the Earth. This is where Moses shows that he gets it. He understands the point of the plant because the point of the plant is not just for Israel to get its own when it's not just for one more group of people to migrate to another place and Conquer and rule over it and just be some other. Just another Nation. That's not the point. That's not going to change anything. What will change things is if God is with them because then the relationship between God, and that Nation will reveal God to the world. That's the plan is for God's relationship with Israel, to reveal him to the rest of the world, to show them his plan for Humanity. Because if you don't go with us, then what's the point? What's what makes us different from any other Nation? Like there's don't even bother if you're not coming with cuz it doesn't mean anything. What shows that Moses understand God's project. And so now after the fifth time that Moses is intervene and argue with God. God says, I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.

I will do this thing. You have asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name. This tells us something scandalous about what the story is, is Tate teaching which is what God does. Hear this? God forgave me Israelites. Why? Because Moses asked him to see what happens. Here is God, forgives them clean. There are really no consequences. Now that he's restoring the entire plan. He's going to go through with every any promises because it all back. Why? Because Moses asked him to because the person that he'd invited into Covenant with him asked. It mattered. What Moses did in that conversation.

And that is a crazy notion. That it matters. What God's human Partners asked? That there are things that God does because his human Partners have asked him to do it.

But that's not the whole story because there's one more side to this. What, why God forgives his people. Because Moses then says now Show Me Your Glory by. All right. So you you say you're going to go with us. Can I? Can I see that you're going to go with us? Can you show me your glory? So I know who you are. So I know that you're going to go with us. And the Lord said, I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you and I will Proclaim my name, the Lord in your presence. I'll have mercy on whom, I will have mercy and I left compassion on, whom I will have compassion Scott says, yes, I will show you my glory. I will tell you my name. The Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and Proclaim his name, the Lord, and He pass in front of Moses, proclaiming the Lord, the Lord or Yahweh. Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious, God slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness. Maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet. He does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children and their children for the sins of the parents, to the third and fourth generation. He was at the burning bush. She said, I am who I am or I will be, who I will be in this moment. When the most important passages in the Old Testament, certainly the most recoated passage in the Old Testament. This is, he tells God who he what? He tells Moses, who he will be, who he is being This is a repeated formula for who God is. He is gracious. That means he gives people better than they deserve. He is merciful. He punishes less than they deserve, he is slow to anger. It takes him longer to get angry than you think. He is full of loyal. Love is more loyal to you than you expect. That's who he is. And because of that, he is a God who forgives now. He's not a pushover. He also punishes evil. But what he's revealing to Moses, is it on the one hand? Yes. I forgave them. Because you asked me to but also God forgave his release because that's the kind of God. He is.

Moses was not asking God for something out of God's character. God did not begrudgingly. Give Moses what he asked for.

God's goal. All along was to reach this point where Moses and God we're on the same page and wanted the same thing.

So that's the other side of what we see is that God forgave because Moses asked, but he also forgave, because when Moses asked, is what he wanted to do, what it was in his character to do. So Moses was asking God to do the thing that he already wanted to do.

And when you realize that, that's what Moses is doing because hopefully this story is really more about Moses. It helps. You understand this interesting little fact that happens at the end of this conversation. Moses a God told Moses. He got so angry when he saw, what these aren't you doing. Did he broke? The Ten Commandments do in this conversation? God gives him a new copy, that Ten Commandments. And he comes back down to tell the Israelites, the results of his intercession with God. And this is what we find when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with a two tablets of the Covenant lines hand. He was not aware that his face was radiant because you had spoken with the Lord when Aaron and all the other. I saw Moses, his face was radiant and they were afraid to come near him, but Moses call to them. So Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him and they and he spoke to them afterward. All the Israelites came near him. He gave him the commands of the Lord. The Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finish speaking to them. He put a veil over his face.

But why is Moses glowing? He has been on the mountain with God before he has been on the mountain for 40 days with guy before? Why is he glowing this time with that indicates? Is that there is some kind of in some way Moses has reached the Pinnacle of what he is called to do, who he is called to be that there is this such an intense connection between him and God that he is now reflecting God glory. When he comes on. He's absorbed God's glory in 2 minutes, shining out. Which tells us that went whatever Moses did on that mountain. That was that was the Pinnacle of what he was supposed to be doing. And what was he doing? He was interceding for others. He was he was entertaining for others and he was asking God to do, exactly the kind of thing that God wanted to do himself. So by interceding, for Israel, Moses figuratively and literally reflected God's character. This is the goal for God, in his partnership, with human beings is to have human beings who want the same things that he wants. Who care about the same things that he cares about who react to situations in the way. He reacts to situations. It would have been so easy for Moses to say, Hey, you know, they messed up. It's on them. Go ahead, wipe them out, will start over. Hopefully, Mike is will do better that he could have done that very easily, but Moses stepped in between God and these people that infuriated him. For the sake of protecting them, for the sake of of, getting them restored with God, and that is exactly what God wanted him to do. That is exactly what God wanted with Israel was for them to be restored.

It's so what we see. This is the story of Moses, reaching the Pinnacle of his calling, as the person that goes between Israel and God. And he is he is coming down reflecting God going now. This doesn't mean he's perfect that glow Fades and there will be moments when he fails in this Mission. He is, he is not become perfect for all time. There is still a need for someone else who can do that, who will have their own experience of glowing on a Mountaintop, right? That will connect with the story. But in this moment, he did exactly what he was called to do. And this is where I think we can learn for our time today for what it means for us to be Christians today. Because remember we are part of the same story and we are interacting with the same God to the first thing that we learn from the story. Remembering that we live with the same God. Is our God is exactly who the story says, he is exactly who the Old Testament repeatedly says, he is he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in loyal love. This is so important to show off. And what we are told is that the Old Testament tells the story of a harsh, God, an Angry God, who is eager to destroy? Who is the opposite of all of these things and it over and over again throughout the rest of the story of the Old Testament. These attributes are going to be repeated. Is this is who God is. And sometimes we get pulled away from this. If you take a class on theology, proper means study of God and you talk about the attributes of God, will you end up with are mainly a bunch of Greek words about what God can do. About his omniscience is omnipotence. His omnipresence is immutability all all those terms. But when, when God's people talked about who he was, they talked about the fact that he is generous. That he is merciful. That he gets angry slower than you expect. That he was full of more love than you can understand. The he forgives and also that he's just, it's always, as you listen for what God is saying to you today, as you were, considering your relationship with God. Remember that? This is the god who calls you in a relationship. This is the god who wants to know you. This is the guy you are called to know. Not the angry guy who just wants to swat, everybody who puts a toe out of line, but a God who is eager to love you and forgive you. I hope but he was still just and cares about the way his world is run. What is also teaches us? Is that those who are in Covenant with God, what that means being intimate with God? Is he having a seat in the decision-making process? That when God calls people in the Covenant, he honors that that's his idea. So he likes being a covenant with people and he honors that and that gives those people who are in Covenant with God, acceded a decision-making process, their prayers matter.

Does going to get everything they want cuz it's still God in charge. but, When God calls people into Covenant, he honors that and that makes a difference. That means they have a roll ruling on his behalf. They have a spot at the table.

But keeping that Covenant means using that position in ways that reflect God's character. It is possible to abuse your place at the table is possible to abuse. The responsibility that God has given you when he calls you to come it. In fact that happens frequently throughout the story of the Old Testament when God's people try to use the what he's given them in the wrong ways and they try to follow their own plans and their own timelines. So our goal with a person and come it with God, ultimately wants to look like Moses did on that mountain. Only wants to pursue who Moses was on that mountain. That idea of wanting what God wants of doing what God does of reflecting his character into the world. That's what we're called to. That's what a person who rules on another's behalf does, right? If you're an ambassador for someone, you want to say exactly what that Authority tells you to say. You want to be able to speak for them. And not not miss, because I've been reading a book recently about Pearl, Harbor and conversations between the Secretary of State and the Japanese Ambassador in this moment where the Japanese Ambassador feels differently from the Japanese government. You can tell and he hates doesn't like the position he's in. So, there's that there's tension. And in that case, What is when we are God's Ambassador. The goal is for us to be able to represent him accurately with her, not to be a tension between what we're saying, and who we are speaking for right? That's our goal to reflect God's image that clearly. When we are in Covenant with God. It's what that leads us to the question. When are we in Covenant with God? Because the this coming we been talkin about with Moses? It's done. It's broken. It's gone. We're certainly not in it. So what hope does that give to us?

Well, here's the spoiler. There's a we jumped forward in the story because there comes a moment when Jesus Christ opens up a new covenant and invites. His people into a new covenant at the Last Supper, while they were eating, Jesus Took bread, and when he had given things he broke it and gave it his to his disciples, saying, Take and Eat, This is my body. Then he took a cup. And when are you giving things? He gave it to them saying, drink from it? All of you. This is my blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many, for the, for the Forgiveness of sins. You hear the echo of the moment when the Israelites? Accepted the Covenant that call back. That Jesus is making. That's because he's speaking to these these his Jewish followers who are raised on that kind of stuff and they understand what is happening that Jesus is inviting them into a new partnership. Into a new opportunity. Jesus invites us into a new covenant, which is my new chance to rule on God's behalf and the differences and Jesus really lazy ass out in the Gospel of John. There is a difference now because not only does he forgive our sins. He intercedes just like Moses did but also he sends the holy spirit that can transform us and actually make it. So we have a better hope of participating, the Covenant, in the Israelites did that. I've got transforms as we are able to be the people, he has called us to be. Also, in that conversation. Jesus talks about how he says, he says anything you ask in my name. God will do. He's talking about the same relationship, this Authority, because doing asking for something in. Jesus, name means you're asking for the kinds of things that Jesus. Once it doesn't mean that you said in Jesus name. Amen, as an incantation to get what you want. It means that you asked for the things that Jesus would ask for, and when we get to that place, God answers our prayers. God does what we ask? When it is in his name Jesus laying out this exact same relationship. And that means that as Christians when we come to God, he offers us that same that that same kind of Covenant that partnership. Where we can be his people for filling his purpose, and he gives us to see the table. Where we choose our prayers matter. Because God cares, what we pray he cares what we have to say. And also we have that responsibility of representing God to those around us.

It. So, as when were invited to the table, when were invited into partnership with God. That's what it means. That's what we take on me, take on this amazing gift from God, the Holy Spirit to indwell, nothing to transform us and this authority to, to speak on God's behalf and responsibility to speak on God's behalf. It's open to everyone of us. And it's an amazing privilege. So as we close, I ask you to consider. Where are you in this partnership with God? What does your next step look? Like? Maybe you haven't taken any steps into partnership with God. Maybe you are not, you haven't given your life to him in that case. Today is the best day for you to give your life to Jesus to enter into that partnership in to receive that transformation. Today is the best day to make that decision. And if that's where you're at, we encourage you to come down during our final song to talk to one of the ministers. Afterward. If you're online, you can contact the church. You can talk to a Christian that you trust me. Love to talk you through committing, your life to Jesus. If you're looking to connect with a church home. Be part of it, a community of Christians. I encourage you to sign up for our connect class on the first Sunday of every month. We have a connect class. That's at 12:30 to 2. So next Sunday, when we talked about who are churches, what we do, and how you can be a part of it and you can check the box on your, on your connect card, to let us know. Do you like to be a part of that? We got also causes it not just to to attend part of a congregate to attend. Two countries would also to go deeper in a relationship with others into supporting each other. So if you want to be part of a small group, that's what those small groups. Do you check that box on your connect card? If that's the next that the God is calling you too and ultimately God calls us to serve him. To help others. And so if that's the next step for you to encourage you to check that box on your connect card and we, cuz we have plenty of opportunities for you to serve God through our congregation. So ask you to consider what the next step is for you, as we stand and sing our final song.