God & Nothing Less

God & Nothing Less

Text: Exodus 33:12-23

Introduction:

Good new/bad news — they were going to the Promised Land but God wasn’t going with them (not in the midst)

Exodus 33:3 “3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.”

The people reached a turning point after hearing the Lord’s decision.

Exodus 33:4 “4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.”

We left off at a very suspenseful moment; the people were waiting to see what God would do after meeting with Moses outside the camp.

We not are entering in the tent of Moses to hear the dialog between Moses and God. Moses continues with his ministry of mediation for the people.

THREE REQUESTS: 1) Regarding him being the mediator; 2) For the people; 3) For himself.

1) I Can’t Do This Alone

As God was speaking to Moses as to a friend, Moses was reply in like manner.

A. Moses’ purpose as leader remain the same.

Moses proceeded to point out that there is now a discrepancy in the job he had to do and the means he had to do it.

God never gave him specifics.

Moses WOULD NOT SETTLE for anything less than the very PRESENCE OF GOD.

Not just any angel.

He wanted the Almighty’s direct guidance.

He BEGGED God to stay with him.

B. Moses wanted God

Notice verse 13

Moses is a leader I admire. He was not satisfied with his own wit and creativity. He needed the POWER OF GOD!

He didn’t just want orders sent from Heaven, He wanted the God of heaven.

He wanted more than the plans, he wanted to know the mind of God when leading.

Moses knew constant communication with God was Key to spiritual leadership.

“if I have found grace in they sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee...” (v13)

Moses prayed according to God’s promises!!!

Here again Moses sets the agenda for our own prayers. To serve God effectively, we need to know his ways. Often we want his guidance for specific decisions we have to make. But more than this, we need to know his divine character so that every day we can live in a way that is pleasing to him.[Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1030). Crossway Books.]

APPLICATION

As we seek to do what God has called us to do, we should pray the way Moses prayed. We should ask God to go with us and to give us intimate knowledge of him [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1029). Crossway Books.]

What we do will only be successful if God is in it. So whenever we do something God has called us to do—whether it is obeying our parents, serving him in our singleness, learning how to be married, working a job, or getting involved in ministry—we need to pray that God will go with us to bless us. Otherwise, all our efforts will be in vain. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (pp. 1029–1030). Crossway Books.]

Anyone who prays the way Moses prayed will do great things for God. Ask God to be with you.[Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1030). Crossway Books.]

Pray that he will teach you his ways. Seek to know him more intimately. These are prayers that God loves to answer. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1030). Crossway Books.]

John 15:5 “5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

2) Your People Need You

Let us never conclude that God somehow FORGETS His people and His purposes for them to carry out a plan to glorify Himself.

This is another moment when God is bringing the understanding to the people of their need for Him and what salvation is all about.

“Consider that this nation is thy people”

Moses was requesting not only for God to go with Him as he leads, but to go with HIS PEOPLE.

Notice how God only promises He would go with Moses, but not in the midst of the people (vv14-16)

Moses was saying, if you don’t go IN THE MIDST of the people, we are not interested in going.

Moses learned that the people needed God as much as he did.

APPLICATION

We can follow their example by making a commitment not to go anywhere without God. We should not set even one foot in a new direction unless we are certain that God will go with us. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1032). Crossway Books.]

Now, Moses was not resorting to some kind of blackmail. He was understanding more about God’s plan to save sinners.

Moses understood that this plan would only work if God was in the CENTER of it.

Notice verse 16

Think about it.......what exactly was going to cause them to stand out about the rest??? (land, wealth, their righteousness, culture…)

They only thing they had going for them was their RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!!!

Moses’ and the people’s relationship was linked to their salvation.

Notice verse 17

The Israelites were saved by the merits of their mediator. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1033). Crossway Books.]

APPLICATION

This takes us to the very heart of the GOSPEL!!!

God did this so that we would understand the true basis for our salvation.[Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1033). Crossway Books.]

We cannot be saved by what we have done. No one can. We are too sinful to merit salvation. So how can we be saved?[Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1033). Crossway Books.]

Our salvation depends on the pleasure God takes in our mediator. That is to say, our salvation rests on the delight that God takes in the person of his Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1033). Crossway Books.]

Matthew 3:17 “17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Have you ever wondered how God could ever be pleased with you? Especially if He is not pleased with our sin?

He is pleased in His Son.

It is not that WE are accepted, but that Christ is accepted. If we have recieved Christ by faith, we then are the benefactor of Jesus’ acceptance.

The only way God will be pleased with anyone, is if they have turned to Jesus and trusted only in Him as their Savior.

3) Give Me More Of You

For whatever reason Moses wanted to see God in His glorious majesty, we can conclude he wanted a PERSONAL ENCOUNTER with Him.

God gave a YES & NO answer.

Not His full glory.

Only the after-effects of God’s presence.

God would not allow himself to close scrutiny.

Some things are beyond our capacity to know or at least not at this time.

Notice how God protected Moses from God Himself.

Many have desired to “see God”

Job 19:26-27 “26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And mine eyes shall behold, and not another; Though my reins be consumed within me.”

Psalm 17:15 “15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

This is exactly why the Father sent the Son to be our Savior; so we could see God.

John 14:8-9 “8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

Quote: The Father and the Son are one. Jesus is God every bit as much as the Father is. So to know him is to know God; to love him is to love God; and to see him is to see God. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 1037). Crossway Books.]