| Meeting on the Mountain, Pt.2 (Ex.19:9-25) |
| 30 March 2008 | |
|
[To download the sermon, right-click on this link and select "Save As": Meeting on the Mountain, Part 2] The Word and the Cards Remember the setting: He’s about to speak to his people Who they ARE … in relationship with the LORD They HAVE BEEN Delivered from slavery They ARE BEING Delivered to the Promised Land, a place of rest Responsibility in relationship as… Treasured possession, Kingdom of Priests, Holy Nation But before they can fulfill their calling, they need to hear from the LORD And in order to hear from the LORD, they must meet him at the mountain They’re about to find out a little more about who God is! Progressive nature of Hx of Rdmpt, Like any relationship, understanding develops Engaged Married You don’t know if he WILL die for you, until he has the opportunity The forefathers knew him as Elohim He’s made himself known as YHWH … I AM Now, God reveals himself in a fuller way What is this passage trying to convey? We see a fuller picture of God’s Immanence and Transcendence IMMANENCE: “nearness, related” God’s intimate nature He who DESCENDS (God comes down!) in fire and smoke on Sinai Is He who led the people out of Egypt as … A pillar of fire by night and cloud by day The same One who passed thru the pieces (Gen 15) as…. Burning torch and smoldering oven to MAKE A PROMISE TRANSCENDENCE: “otherness, exalted” God’s unique nature The Awesomeness of God, His holiness, His might Not to be taken lightly >>>>>>>>>>>>> I’ve been in hurricanes, earthquakes, seen volcano erupt from a distance Lightening strikes many times near me, and it’s an awesome experience Seeing lightening when I was in high school Time stopped, and I felt so insignificant in the world Never experienced this kind of Divine Shakedown God touches his creation and it melts (Ps 97) Shakes, smoulders and burns Isa 6:4 shaking and filling with smoke Rev 4:5 thunder and lightening from the throne >>>>>>>>>> Israel is experiencing in MACRO what Moses did in MICRO at the mountain, the burning bush Seeing the outward manifestation of his presence Revealed and Concealed at the same time The most anyone could endure Not only nature that was shaken, but the people also get shaken they tremble (19:16, 20:18) Ryken: the more they experienced his immanence (nearness), the more they recognize his transcendence (otherness). And if you look at what he’s about to say as his sermon This is the most dramatic sermon introduction of history >>>>>>>>>>>> Meeting with the LORD, to be in His presence and hear His Word, requires Preparation (10-11, 14-15) Separation (12-13) Mediation (9, 17, 20-25) 20:18-21 >>>>>>>>>>>> PREPARATION of the people The people need to be “consecrated” to make holy: Set apart, belonging to God, made acceptable to be close When you adopt a dog, you clean it up, get it ready for being in close contact The God of Heaven comes to the people of earth, and the people must be “made clean.” Waltke … “none who walk on the earth can escape its impurities.” Not a come as YOU ARE Invitation by the Queen of England Mr. Bean: either a devil may care attitude or complete ignorance Dressing up isn’t so much about who you are as who the OTHER person is It’s not “come as you are” but… but a come as GOD IS! And the LORD is trying to convey that He is holy, awesome, beyond compare Our approaching him is to be God-centered, not me-centered 1.Wash your clothes: Get Cleaned Up Think about how you may normally get ready for a regular day Compared to how you prepare for a job interview, important meeting, date Time consuming venture Here are folks who have been on the run, slaves, scrounging And they only have one water source to share! They may wait days just to get the water to get cleaned up Outward appearance reflected inward condition Ps 24: who may ascend the hill? Clean hands and pure heart Mt 5: The pure in heart shall see God Think about that time of waiting and washing and re-washing Time for reflection and introspection and preparation cleaning was done by water graciously provided by God “These stains won’t come out!” 2.No sex: it’s not that it was sinful, but rather it makes the person “unclean” More importantly, it calls for self-denying attention focused on God A call to get God-focused Why do we, in our culture, take sex so casually? Probably b/c we take God so casually Our relationship with God is to be more intimate than our relationship with our spouses. To the extent that Apostle Paul, writing 1500 years later, will encourage people… “do not withhold yourselves from one another sexually … unless it’s in a time of fasting, a time in which you are seeking the Lord earnestly in prayer. Then, refrain and seek complete intimacy with the Lord.” 1 Cor 7 There’s a good time to FAST from good things, and seeking God is one of those times Coming before a holy and awesome God requires preparation, but also… SEPARATION: again reinforces the idea of God’s holiness Even at our “Best,” cleanest and most prepared, we’re not up to God’s standard there’s need for separation 1. God is no mere idol: reminder of the Creator-creature distinction The LORD is very different from an idol You handle and fashion and approach casually 2. God is no mere king: reminder of the Royal nature of the King of Kings You always approach a king with great care Esther: even the wife had to be invited and received Horn announces arrival of the King They were to approach only when they heard the horn Invited to God, but separated. WHY??? What happens when the unholy meets the holy? Those who have found themselves in God’s presence Isa 6:5-7 Woe is me! Job 42:5 Heard of you, but now I see you Result: I despise myself, repent in dust and ashes You approach a holy God in an unholy way: you get burned No coincidence people talk about getting struck by lightening when they are being irreverent His holiness is enough to melt mountains and Nazi’s faces So boundaries are set up, maintained, for the people’s sake 3 part division Base of mt; people On the mt: elders Top of mt: Moses Peter Ennes: Like the tabernacle and temple The outer courts were for the people of Israel, But into the Holy Place only the priests could come, And into the Holy of Holies, only the High Priest could come, and that just once a year! To be the mediator, bringing the sins of the people before God >>>>>>>>>>> Which points to the need for… MEDIATION To come before a holy and awesome God, a God-chosen representative is required Moses called up to God … Moses makes 3 trips up the mountain (3-7, 8-14, 20-25) Aaron called up as a Priest Prepares us for what is to come later in Exodus and Leviticus Moses role shifts from Deliverer to Messenger God wants to be heard, And so his mediator brings the word of the Lord to the people READ 19:9 >>>>>>>> But Moses was NOT the final, perfect mediator Dt 9:19 … even Moses fearful Nor was God’s appearing at Sinai the final and perfect appearing to His people Nor the most tremendous display of His holiness and transcendence 1 Tim 2:5 … One God and one mediator b/w God and men, the man Christ Jesus READ Heb 12:18-21 We come not to a mountain and stand back, but we come full on A King who conquered and has led us into his kingdom a better mediator, Jesus Once, coming to a holy God was dominated by FEAR of His holiness Ex 20:18-21 (19:16-20:21 take place on one day, the morning of the third day) So that you will not sin Motivation for holiness…fear of God’s awesomeness! BUT … READ Heb 12:22-24 We have a PERFECT MEDIATOR Because of Jesus, we come to a holy God in a dominant tone of GRACE Jesus is Immanuel, God with Us Completely Immanent and Transcendent Motivation for holiness: Grace will consume you >>>>>>>>>>>> Separation? READ Heb 4:16 … where once we were told “stay away,” now we are called to “come boldly” God is NO LESS holy READ Heb 12:10 God working holiness in you In Christ you are MORE holy You are the very righteousness of God! Picture coming in from the outside, from the outer ring of those gathered and making your way into the very center But you have come… to myriads of angels To God, the judge of all (He’s still there) But at the very center…JESUS Preparation? What is your attitude about coming before a perfect, holy, awesome, all powerful God Preparing to present yourself before one you would hope to honor Preparing for Sunday by preparing on Saturday Keep God’s holiness at the forefront of our relationship “Our Father in heaven (yes!), but “HOLY be your name!” Even in the briefest of interactions with the Lord, keep His holiness in view END: Just as in Exodus 19, the people were being prepared to hear the divine voice So too, READ Hebrews 12:25 … Listen to his word Do not refuse Him who is speaking! What is the Lord calling you to?
|