Keeping His Covenant (Exodus 19:1-9a)

Turn in your Bible now. To Exodus 19 or in your

bulletin. I do encourage you to bring your

own Bible as we are often moving around through different parts.

We're in the midst of a series. On the life of Moses, which has

this moving quickly through the book of Exodus.

Selecting different places to sit and soak and this is one,

that's very powerful. I want to remind you of what you

just saying from verse 2 of Amazing Grace.

Twas Grace, that taught My Heart To Fear.

Well, you're about to hear in the word of God, is his people.

Over a million of them and followed him as he led them

through the Red Sea, and now they're at the foot of a

mountain Mount Sinai and God is descending on that mountain, and

it's terrifying. We know the end of the stories

of sometimes we move. So, quickly through things

without pausing to think, about what they really saw.

In the truth is we can only imagine But they saw not just

fire. They heard not just Thunder.

They were witnessing. The very physical presence of

God. As we read this.

Think about those words that John Newton wrote was Grace that

taught my heart to fear and Grace my fears relieved.

The fear of God. Understanding it so much.

So that the only place you know, you're safe is in the hand, the

gracious hand and grip of the one, we rightly fear with

reverence and all on the third day on the sorry, the third New

Moon. After the people of Israel had

gone out of the land of Egypt. On that day, they came into the

Wilderness of Sinai they set up from rephidim and came into the

Wilderness of Sinai. And they encamped in the

wilderness, their Israel and camped before the mountains

while Moses went up to God, the Lord called, to him out of the

mountain saying, thus, you shall say to the house of Jacob and

tell the people of Israel, you yourselves have seen what I did

to the Egyptians and how I bore You On Eagle's Wings and brought

you to myself. Now, therefore, if you will

indeed obey my voice and keep my Covenant, you shall be my

treasured. And among all peoples for all

the Earth is mine and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests

and a holy nation. These are the words that you

shall speak to the people of Israel.

So Moses came and called the Elders of the people and set

before them. All these words that the Lord

had commanded him. All the people answered together

and said all that. The Lord has spoken.

We will do and Moses reported the words of the people to the

Lord. Lord and the Lord said to Moses

behold, I am coming to you in a thick Cloud that the people may

hear when I speak with you and may also believe you forever.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks.

Be to God, please be seated. Monday night, we had our session

meeting and at the beginning of our session meeting, we prayed

over all the teams and individuals who are going on

short-term trips, many have left now.

High school students arrived in Africa, family trip to Africa is

going soon. Then the Bahamas trip local

missions happening every day. And one thing that's the danger

is that we think we're just sending in there for our mission

responsibilities are done. We pray for them.

We remember we believe in the priesthood of all believers were

all to be Engaged. Then we had three of our home

Church missionaries. Share a bit of the life that

they're living in one of the home Church missionaries.

I'll keep his name out for security reasons.

Said, I was teaching a student and a country where you can't

Proclaim Christ. I was teaching English as a

second language. And his students said, to me, I

love Jesus pointing to the New Testament and then he said, but

I hate God. Pointing to the Old Testament.

Now, it's easy to see, just doesn't understand that.

It's the same God God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit from all

eternity. The god that's present on this

mountain. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

the trinity. But it's easy to not understand

the connection between what's happening in the Old Testament

and what's happening in the new with the Old Testament is

anchoring is sin and pointing towards, I would guess that many

of you would struggle, if you're honest, to make sense of that.

And sometimes churches will even say it's not that important to

preach these Old Testament, things just get to Jesus, but

that's not what we're supposed to do.

Because there's power in all the I love God's word but it's a

fair question and it's one of us often.

What does this have to do with me today?

So, I want to tell you about my week in some of you as I tell,

this are going to know. You're the one I'm talking about

and don't laugh at something to be funny.

I want you to know, I'm not going to call you out and I'm

gonna ask the congregation when I say some of these things to

stop looking at wondering. I wonder who it is.

I knew it, it's them. Really go back to the public

confession of sins morning then and just sit there for a while.

We have all fallen short but my burden in doing this is to show

you that no matter the break in your life, no matter the pain in

your life, no matter the loss in your life, no matter the fear in

your life, what we have just read that happened thousands of

years ago at the foot of Mount Sinai and all Mount Sinai

matters. Just before the session meeting.

Me and another man met with another man, who's in a profound

relapse? His alcoholism has surfaced the

havoc in his own life and the wake of Destruction and that of

his family is tremendous. We pray with him.

What does this have to do with his struggle?

On Tuesday, I meet with a pastor that I know who's saying.

I'm struggling to even know if I'm called anymore because my

family is in such turmoil later. I meet with a friend who says,

we're just waiting to see what the results will be from another

scan to see if the cancer is gone in remission, and being

sober about that, not knowing what they will see, what does

this have to do. With that scan, that's coming in

the next week or so. Two parents call me.

One has an adult child one, as a young child, the issues of the

same Rebellion. One Rebellion seems a lot worse,

because it seems to be a lifestyle choice.

That is now going to be made and Conformity to the pattern of the

world, which is so dark and decaying The other is just how

do we protect our little one from becoming person who no

longer is clinging to Christ who never cries out for Christ.

I meet with the man. Who's lost his job.

More than that, he's wondering if he's lost his sense of

calling if he's missed it. I talked to a woman who's in the

midst of infertility. And I cry with a young Covenant

child in her church. Who's now in her late 20s.

Who's so immersed in the Brokenness of our city in the

injustices that she sees all around and she just looks like,

what can we do? Are we doing what we should be

doing? I hear about Nick Sloan has been

battling iOS and that he's unable to fight anymore and the

decision will be made. To move towards.

No further assistance except pain management and then I

talked with his wife yesterday because he's now in the presence

of the Lord, praise God, but the wake of that grief is very, very

real. What?

Can Exodus 19. Say and speak to her and their

children. My own life, my wife and I have

a wonderful date. It's an hour and 45 minutes of

some of the best conversation. We've had in a long time.

And then she asked me something that reveals a weakness.

Something I have failed to do, which I said, I would do in the

next 20 minutes turns into something very different than

what the first hour and 45 minutes was like, and I wish I

could tell you, I said, oh, honey.

Let's just run to the word and it's open.

It's and we'll be okay, but we didn't.

I was angry. And so is she?

We're real people and so that night we slept in the same room,

but there was a great distance between us until the Lord

overwhelmed us with his humility.

What does this have to do with that?

Some of you might say nothing, would you get on with a sermon?

I am in the sermon. I'm in the sermon, literally,

I'm living in the sermon. You see God didn't give us these

stories, Just for information. He didn't give us these stories

just for inspiration be like Moses lead like Moses.

Here's the rules that Moses used.

They're there and they're helpful but it's more than that.

It's the transformation of the presence of God in our lives.

That changes us Not just information about the one who

can transform us the real presence and that's why this

matters and it fits to any level of Brokenness.

You've brought into this place today or will next week.

It meets you in your doubt and your despair in your

discouragement. It meets you in the broken

relationships that you have with the fears that you have.

It meet you there. Because God is there the same

God, that was on Mount Sinai is the same God who's living

inside? All who profess faith in Jesus?

That's amazing. So, it matters.

But why? It's centered on the idea and

the reality. Of Covenant.

Go back with me. 2 verse 2. They set out from rephidim and

came into the Wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the

wilderness. Now, just to give you some

typography, this is a desert, this is not Lush Evergreens with

streams rolling, where you're going to enjoy trout.

Fishing. This is a desert.

It's rough. They're at the foot of this

mountain and camped and they're going to be there for a long

while. They're Israel and camped before

the mountains. Now, verse 3.

I wonder how fast you fast. You just read through.

This says, the Israelites were in Camp before the mountain

while Moses went up to God, while Moses went up to God,

okay? I want everybody to think about

this for a minute. God is revealing himself on this

mountain. And he is not some kind gently.

Gentle Mountaineer. That's ground his own coffee,

beans, and is waiting for you to come and sit down and enjoy the

nature. He's created The people are

seeing smoke and they're seeing fire and they're hearing Thunder

and they're hearing trumpets. Verse 16.

You don't have this in the bolt and if you open your Bible, it's

there. Just listen though, on the

morning of the third day, there were Thunders and lightning

lightning is plural and a thick Cloud on the mountain and a very

loud trumpet blast. So that all the people in the

camp trembled. They were trembling.

And by the way, this is not Subjective everybody saw it.

Everybody heard it. Everybody trembled people were

saying that's not that impressive.

It's God. And if this is how God is going

to reveal himself to the people of Israel, then after he's LED

them out. What's it going to be like when

he does return, it's not going to be subjective.

Nobody is going to say, it might be Jesus.

It's going to be objective and it's going to be terrifying and

it's going to be all inspiring in the word of.

God tells us every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord, God is awesome. He is awesome.

But Moses is going up to meet with him.

What should a picture that if you were one of the million plus

people who were there? Depending on how close you were

to the mountain and you couldn't get too close or you be Zapped.

It's an awesome. God, Moses is walking some wood.

Been able to watch as he goes up.

If you ever seen a man, how tiny they become, as they move up,

he's going up the mountain. He's ascending to be with God.

Why? Because God is going to reveal

to him. His covenants.

Look with me again, at verse 3, while Moses went up to God

period. The Lord God Called to him out

of the mountain saying, 'The us you shall say to the house of

Jacob and tell the people of Israel you yourselves have seen

what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore You On Eagle's Wings

and brought you to myself. Verse 5 now, therefore if you

will indeed obey my voice and keep my Covenant, this is the

first time this is used in the Bible that phrase and keep my

Covenant. It's not the first Covenant but

it's the first time. It's been spoken this way.

You shall be my treasured possession.

Among all peoples for all the Earth is mine and you shall be

to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of

Israel. Moses is a prophet, what our

Prophet supposed to do, what our pastors supposed to do, preacher

supposed to do, teach, and preach, and proclaim the word of

God. That's what Moses does. 47?

So Moses came down and he called the Elders of the people.

This is significant, it is a Leadership Model.

He calls the owners to himself and says this is what the Lord

said, now, spread that word and they did, they set before them.

All these words before them. Means all the people of Israel.

There's over a million of them set before them.

All these words that the Lord had commanded, all the people

answered together and said all that.

The Lord has spoken. We will do.

So, Moses goes back up. The mountain reports, these

words of the people to the Lord This is Moses life.

We're studying the life of Moses.

He is moving up this mountain where God has made his presence

real. Here's what the word wants him

to say in faithfulness, he brings it to the people and the

people of said, we will do it. We will do all of it and don't

you believe that they meant it? You know how the story is going

to go but they meant it we will do it.

And what is before us is a covenant and the Covenant, in

this time period, in this particular part of the earth,

the way these covenants were built was a covenant that had

these things first. It had a preamble in the

Preamble would list simply who are the people involved in the

Covenant? In this case it is God himself

and it is the people of Israel. Covenants were a contract but

they're not like the contracts we have today.

They're quite different for one, the contract wasn't to equal

parties. There was one who was the

Conquering King The Sovereign, the all-powerful who then was

making a covenant with one who has been conquered.

That's the way it worked. The Preamble is God, and the

people of Israel, the Preamble then moves into and historical

prologue. Where the Sovereign says, this

is what I have done and this is why you should trust me and you

see it right here. Go back with me to verse 4.

This is God. Speaking to Moses, you

yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore

you. Are You On Eagle's Wings and

brought you to myself? That would have been an

illustration that they could have understood Bore You On

Eagle's Wings. You know, when we go to Lake

City, Colorado almost every year at this wonderful, beautiful

lake Lake San Cristobal. At the top of this massive pine

tree, there's an eagle's nest now.

Eagles win their babies, they had to stay in the nest usually

for over 100 days. They're so fragile.

And when it comes time for them, To get out the mother, messes

up, the nest, and they've got a fly.

But if they struggle, what does the mother do?

She swoops underneath them and carries the baby to safety until

it's ready? What a picture God did that for

the people of Israel. He is doing it for us.

The prologue continues, he speaks of the history of what he

has done. I bore You On Eagle's Wings and

brought you to myself. Elf.

The prologue is meant to show the one who is in Covenant

relationship. This is why I'm worthy of your

trust and worthy of your honor. Next after the Preamble Who's

involved in the Covenant after the prologue.

This is why you should trust me and remain in this Covenant

comes. What is required?

And what God is. Requiring here, is their full

obedience to his revealed word. And he's about to Out to give

them the Ten Commandments. I want you to miss not miss

something. How gracious is it of God that

he rescues them first from the oppression of the enemy and

brings them out from the oppression of the enemy.

Before he gives them the law, he rescues them.

What if he had said, while they were in Egypt, here's my Ten

Commandments. If you obey them perfectly

forever, then I'll rescue you We wouldn't have this book.

God's grace is the rescue comes first.

Then there is the enabling by his spirit in the hearts of new

creatures that we, by his power and presence can seek to obey

his word. And to be forgiven constantly,

when we fall short, the Preamble, it lists, the parties,

the prologue. This is what God has done.

Here's what is required of you. Lastly, the blessings and the

curses that come in, did you hear them as I read them?

What the Lord says to Moses. He says, tell them verse 5, if

you will indeed obey my voice and keep my Covenant, you shall

be my treasured possession to being the treasured possession

of the God, who is on that mountain.

Amazing, among all the peoples for the Earth is mine and you

shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

We're going to pick that up next week.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people.

Their identity is transformed. If they obey these things, they

will be God. Almighty's treasured possession.

Athena Treasures. Most they will be a kingdom of

priests. They will be a holy nation, a

holy people. The parties involved were God.

Moses is playing the role of profit.

And the role of mediator. Listen to this.

Just after the Lord gives the Ten Commandments, the people of

Israel speak. They speak to Moses.

Listen to what they say. You speak to us and we will

listen but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.

Moses said to the people do not fear for God has come to test

you that the fear of him who may be before you that you may not

sin. The people stood far off while

Moses Drew near to the thick. Darkness, where God was.

Moses was the mediator. And we know what happens.

Next week, we'll be looking at the chapter, where the people of

God because Moses hasn't returned soon enough.

Make idols and worship idols, they will not keep the Covenant.

And what happens? God.

Who in verse 3, it says drew them to himself.

The God Who said, I want you to be mine forever.

Is going to provide a better profit, a perfect Prophet.

The word himself in the beginning was the word and the

Word was with God. And the Word was God.

The God on the mountain of Mount Sinai.

Father, Son. And Holy Spirit is the same God

born in the manger. A better profit, the perfect

Prophet. A better mediator, the perfect

mediator. It will be Jesus.

In the Old Testament is God was on that mountain, his presence

and Power in his word being revealed.

Now becomes a man. First, the baby 100% man. 100%

God who's going to enter into this world to this Darkness.

Why? Because the Lord desires to draw

his people to himself. How does this connect to the

long list of fears and pains and burdens that we experience the

Side of Heaven? This way.

These same God. In that storm, in that fire in

that thunder. In that trumpet, the one who

spoke to Moses and Moses spoke back to on behalf of the people

that same God came to this earth.

Jesus. To live the life that we could

never live because we could never none of us perfectly obey

that law. The reason why I could pause

right now and say let's go back to the Ten Commandments and

let's do it again. It would be appropriate because

we know we're going to fall short and so did God and so God

gives us the man who lives perfectly who never sins.

He's the second Adam, the new Adam. but that God, That just

God, the perfect righteousness, and holiness.

Ordained that there would have to be a sacrifice just as the

people were saved and Israel by the Passover Lamb.

Now, we are saved by the lamb. The Lamb of God.

In Jesus Christ doesn't descend upon a mountain, but he is sins

onto a cross. and as he is lifted up, He does everything.

That is necessary. all the way to the end so that God Father,

Son and Holy Spirit can fulfill his Covenant promises to make a

people for himself and to draw them near After Jesus spoke his

final words. And breathe his last.

The Centurion said, truly. This is the son of God.

What we can take from Exodus 19. Is that the very same God who

descended on that mountain and fire and smoke and thunder and

trumpet and word that very same God.

Is very present today in the lives of all, who trust in him.

The spirit of God, God himself is living in US.

His word is still being revealed to us and what his word is

seeking to say to us all the way through is that he is faithful

to keep his Covenant. He is Lord, he is Lord, he has

and will fulfill every promise he's made. and for those who are

in Christ, we recognize the fear and wonder and Transcendence of

God, but we live in the freedom being in the grip of the one who

has drawn us to himself. So, in every conversation I had

last week and the ones I'll have today and the rest of this week.

I will have the privilege and you do too as the priesthood of

all believers to tell the story of the God, one, true God,

father son. Holy Spirit, who is doing all of

this and has done all this. To draw his people to himself.

That you might know. If you're in Christ, you're his

treasured possession. We're going to close after I

pray. And I want you to really think

deeply about the words that were singing because they're about

that God. And they're about that.

God, who is living in us right now.

Father, is we in this time together?

We thank you for the blessings, the richness, your word, our

eyes being opened our hearts made new, and father of there.

Any who have come here today and have never even heard such

things as I am preaching and they sense that there is a need,

they have for Jesus. I pray that they would Trust in

you right now, even as I pray, friend cry out to the Lord.

Tell him that you are a sinner in need of a savior that he you

have revealed as the only one asked him to rescue.

You tell somebody that you came with or come see me or Robbie

Father for all who know by your grace that they are in Christ.

Let us not quickly move to the next thing but let us absorb

what it means to be the treasured possession of the

Living. God Immortal invisible.

God. Only wise, we pray in.

Jesus name. Amen.

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