Exodus 35-40
Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.
Transcript
Well good morning my name is Chet I'm one of the pastors here grab your Bibles and go to Exodus chapter 35. we are working our way through the book of Exodus we have six chapters left and we are going to go through all of them today so I hope uh we did send you an email to pack your lunch right um now here's what's happening in the book of Exodus we have walked through and we've made it to the place where in Exodus chapters 25 through 31 Moses was on the mountain.
God said you're going to build a tabernacle and here's how you're going to do it and so chapter 25 26 27 28 29 30 and 31 is God explaining to Moses in detail how to build the Tabernacle what they're going to do to accomplish this and then chapters 35 36 37 38 and 39 is them building in detail the Tabernacle so in chapters 25-31 God says this is what I want you to build and in chapters 35-39 they build it and it's this picture of this culmination of God's plan coming together from start to finish in the book of Exodus where ultimately what he's rescued them out of slavery.
For is going to be accomplished and so it's a little bit like if we went and watched a fireworks show they're shooting off fireworks the whole time but then at the end they shoot off about as many as they've already shot off it's all coming together to kind of finish it off that's kind of where we are is that we're in the the crescendo of the book of Exodus and so we're going to take all six of these chapters together so let's pray.
And then we will study through this together this morning as we try to take in the full picture of the book of Exodus God we're thankful for your word we're thankful that we get to gather and study it together we ask Lord that you would help us to sit under the weight of the authority of your word that we would believe you more than we believe culture that we would believe you and trust in you more than we believe and trust in ourselves that.
Lord where we need to repent we would repent where we need to Rejoice we would Rejoice we ask the Lord that your spirit would teach us work through your word this morning and help us to see the glory of Christ reflected in the book of Exodus in Jesus name amen so we're going to be in Exodus chapter 35 and that's why I'd like to begin by reading something from Exodus chapter 25 it'll be on the screen Exodus 25 because this is where.
God on the mountain begins to tell Moses this is what you're going to do this is verses 8 and 9 it says and let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the Tabernacle and of all its furniture so you shall make it okay the Tabernacle is a movable tent it's a big tent that they're going to use particularly for worship and it's this place where God is going to dwell in a particular specific way among them he's not entombed in it he's not imprisoned in it.
But he's choosing to place his glory there in a specific particular way to be a blessing and a sign for the people of Israel but the word Tabernacle literally just means Dwelling Place so he says I'm going to show you a pattern that you might make a dwelling place for me that I might dwell among you and that's his plan that he would rescue them out of slavery and not just say okay you're free best of luck but that he rescues them out of slavery and says.
Now I'm going to dwell among you you're going to be my people I'm going to be your God we're going to Delight in one another there's going to be Joy here and so that's that's what he's doing is that he takes them out of slavery that he might dwell among them and so here's what happens in chapters 25-31 God says this is what it's going to look like and then in chapters 35-39 they do it it should be chapter 25 through 31.
God says this is what it's going to look like and then chapters 32 is when they begin to accomplish it but that's not what happens in chapter 32. Moses comes down the mountain the dust isn't even out of the grooves of the stone that all of this is carved in and they have rebelled against God and broken the Covenant they immediately destroyed it I remember when my wife and I had first got married we were renting a house in Clinton South Carolina and the there was a guy who had come over to fix something and he knew the lady we were running from and he had helped fix something he's an older gentleman and he.
While he was there he got to talking to me and he whittled and he handed me a little whittled figure and I cannot remember if it was like a dog or a horse or a boat I don't remember but he handed it to me and I was looking I was like that's neat and he said it's made out of teak wood antique wood is one of the strongest Woods that's why he was talking to me as soon as he said that I just oh strong wood I just kind of did this and I snapped it in half.
And so I just quickly put it back together and I looked at him and he had not noticed and so for about two minutes while I held it like I was still looking at it but I'm really just you know holding it together formulating a plan he told me that Teakwood is very strong it's kind of expensive hard to get hard to carve they make ships out of it like he was going on and on about how great Teakwood was and I was like it's not as strong as you think.
So when he got done I just handed it back to him and said I broke it and he just went hmm I think he said something about it broke along the grain because I tried to explain what you said it was strong I was just but I wasn't trying to put too you know I didn't try to break it and then he just left and we didn't talk anymore after that that's somewhat what chapter 32 feels like is that God has designed this beautiful Covenant he's made this plan he's going to dwell among them and he says this is what it's going to.
Look like and they're like great we broke it that's immediately what they do it falls apart and so we hit this moment in chapters 32 33 34 where we're going what's going to happen and God in his grace and in his goodness Works to redeem and overcome their sin and he renews the Covenant which he does not have to do but he does and we get to see Moses in this intercessory role and so in 35 we pick back up with a renewed Covenant and they're going to build the Tabernacle.
So go to 35. Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them these are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do six days work shall be done but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest holy to the Lord whoever does any work on it shall be put to death you shall Kindle no fire in all your Dwelling Places on the Sabbath day Okay so Moses about to tell them we're going to build the Tabernacle he's about to give them a whole lot of work to do.
But all the time in the book of Exodus whenever that's happening is that there's this reminder you're not slaves anymore and one of the primary ways that we're going to worship and enjoy the Lord is in rest so we've got a lot of work to do but we're going to work for six days and we're going to rest for one it's actually interesting in the book of Exodus one of the words that's described for their slavery is the same word that's described.
For their worship so that they used to slave and serve and worship Pharaoh and now though slave and serve in Worship the Lord but it's going to look different their their value doesn't come from their labor anymore it comes from him and so this service to Pharaoh becomes service to the Lord but there's always this reminder of a Sabbath so verse 4. Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel this is the thing that the Lord has commanded and that was in 25 through 31.
Take from among you a contribution to the Lord whoever is of A Generous Heart let him bring the Lord's contribution gold and silver and bronze blue and purple and Scarlet Yarns and fine twined linen goat's hair and tanned Ram skins and goat skins acacia wood oil for the light spices for the anointing oil and for The Fragrant incense and Onyx stones and stones for setting for the ephid and for the breast piece so everyone whose heart stirs them they're going to take a collection.
For this purpose let every skillful Craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded the Tabernacle its tint and its covering its Hooks and its frames its bars its pillars and its bases the ark with its poles The Mercy Seat and the veil of the screen the table with its poles and all its utensils and the bread of the presence the lamp stand also for the light with its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the lie and the altar of incense with its poles and the anointing oil and The Fragrant incense and the screen.
For the door at the door of the Tabernacle the altar of burnt offering with its grading of bronze its poles and all its utensils the Basin and it stands the hangings of the Court its pillars and its bases and the screen of the Gate of the Court the pegs of the Tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their courts the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy place the holy garments for Heir and the priests and the garments of his sons.
For their service as priests that's why it's multiple chapters because he tells them specifically how to make all of that how they're going to build it what it's going to look like how it's going to be designed how wide how he doesn't just say make a table he says make this table and so that's why it works through slowly to build all of this for the Tabernacle and now they're taking a collection for it verse 20. then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses and they came everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose Spirit moved him and brought the Lord's contribution to be used.
For the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments so they came both men and women all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and Signet rings and armlets all sorts of gold objects every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord and every one of them who possessed blue or purple or Scarlet yarn Yarns are fine the linen or goat's hair or tanned Ram skins or goat skins brought them everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord's contribution and everyone who possessed Acacia would of any use in the work brought in and every skillful woman spun with her.
Hands and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and Scarlet Yarns and fine twine linen all the women whose heart stirred them to use their skill spun the goat's hair and the leaders brought Onyx stones and stones to be set for the aphid and for the breast piece and spices and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for The Fragrant incense all the men and women the people of Israel whose heart moved them to bring anything.
For the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a free will offering to the Lord so they respond and we're told in later in the next few chapters that the everybody who's working on stuff has to come to Moses and say tell them to stop we have enough tell them to stop giving we have enough and it's all those whose heart stirred them whose spirits of them he didn't say we need x amount of pounds per woman and x amount of pounds per man and this much gold per tribe it doesn't do any of that he just says.
If your heart moves you give and they respond in this generous way one of the blessings that our Church has gotten to participate in over the years is at the end of the year we have a give series where we intentionally pick something where we're going to try to bless and be generous and help fund a missionary or give some money to a Church plant or work in some sort of service area in our city and it's just so much joy.
When we all collectively as the spirit moves in our heart stirs give and the times that we get to to acknowledge that we were able to raise more than we needed to accomplish this thing and that's what they're getting to do here where they just respond in joy and delight and generosity to who God is then it's going to talk about bezalel and a holy AB that's the bulk of our reading so if you were thinking we were about to read all the stuff we're not just to help you out a little bit.
But it talks about bezel and holy ABS two of the ones that the Lord specifically sat apart for the work it tells us that they ended up bringing one ton of gold four tons of silver and two and a half tons of bronze so they have plenty and this thing is going to be decked out in Beauty and glory for God's Tabernacle in chapter 36 they make the frame and the tint of the Tabernacle in chapter 37 they make the Ark of the Covenant the table the lamp stand and the altar of incense and one of the things that happens in this is that much of what is built is designed to represent something to.
Display that God's going to dwell among his people that he's going to share meal with them that he's going to eat with them to display that he's their provision to display they have a a lamp a lantern that that won't ever go out and it's to burn continually and it's it's to display that God is their light and their life continually and this is what he does and there's all these pictures that are woven into this in the Tabernacle what's around the ark and the most holy place a lot of it has pictures that are meant to bring to mind the garden.
So there's blossoms there's blooming there's pomegranates there's cherubim and it's meant to be that God's original design in the Garden of Eden was that he would dwell among his people and y'all I just learned this this week the word Eden is just the Hebrew word for Delight or pleasure I didn't know that I thought Eden was a name The Garden of delight that is what he originally placed them in the garden of pleasure that that's God's original intended design was that we would Delight in him that he would Delight with us that there would be pleasantness with him.
And then when they build the Tabernacle that's some of what his image what's pictured here is that he's restoring that but also they're a cherubim there and the cherubim were placed at the Garden to keep them from entering and so there's still this picture of not only is he seeking to restore some of Eden but he's also picturing again that there still is some separation between them and him and that's why there's so much that goes into sacrificial system in the Tabernacle where they have to atone.
For sin to approach God in chapter 38 they make the Altar for the burnt offering the bronze Basin the court that's its hooks pillars bases and hangings but there's this one verse in chapter 38 that I want to draw your attention to because it just gets buried in here it's one verse but I want y'all to see this and I think it's beautiful chapter 38 verse 8 we'll have it on the screen but if you've got your Bible in front of you it's on page 45 of the blue one I don't know what page it's on.
If you brought your own Bible but I'm glad you brought your own Bible chapter 38 verse 8. he made the Basin of bronze and its stand of bronze from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting now you might be inclined to say who because that's the first and only time that they're mentioned this isn't the tent of meeting that's going to be a part of the Tabernacle when it's finished it's the tint of meeting that Moses used to set up outside of the camp where Joshua would stay in it Moses would meet with the.
Lord and that was also the place where people who wanted to seek wisdom from the Lord or from Moses would go and so apparently there were some women who served there that's what ministered means they served and when it came time to build the Tabernacle those women had bronze mirrors which means a solid sheet of polished bronze uses a mirror because they wouldn't have had glass and mirrors the way we have glass and mirrors this is one of the only ways you would have a mirror you could.
Look into some water or you could have some kind of a polished metal and so these ladies had polished bronze mirrors and I love this verse because I think it's such a beautiful picture of when you actually begin to see who the Lord is like they got to minister near the tent of meeting they got this glimpse of the glory of the Lord and he's going to come dwell among them and they turned their bronze mirrors in so that they might make the bronze Basin I think it's intentionally told us here.
So that we might hear the sacrifice that is involved in this I don't think mirrors were easy to come by and what do you use a mirror for looking at yourself and it's just a beautiful picture of when we get a glimpse of him we want more of him and less of us when we get to see what he's like and who he is and and the idea that he would come there they just turn this in there like I don't I don't want to.
Look at myself I don't want this to be about myself I want it to be about him and isn't that a beautiful picture of the Gospel for us that when you're trying to follow Jesus and so much you're thinking here's what I'm good at here's what I'm bad at here's why I'm succeeding here's why I'm failing y'all turn the mirror in quit looking at yourself it's not about you it's about Jesus when we say Jesus is better than everything else it's about what he's done what he's accomplished who he is it's about his glory and not yours.
When we show up in glory to Worship the Lord we will have our eyes transfixed on him there won't be a big line where they say welcome to Heaven here's your mirror now go sing stare at your face and sing about your it's not how it's going to work and I love this picture a sermon I could get amped up but I can't it's just one verse we gotta move on but it's a good verse just remember that we get to turn in our mirrors we get to.
See it set our eyes on him and some of you are spending right now a lot of time in Pride or despair because you're looking in a mirror I just want you to know the Gospel is way better than that chapter 39 they make the Priestly garments and in chapter 39 they repeat this phrase over and over again as the Lord commanded or as the Lord had commanded and it's this picture repeated over and over again that they they did this just the way the.
Lord told them so that phrase as the Lord of commanded is in verse 1 verse 5 verse 7 verse 21 verse 26 verse 29 verse 31 verse 32 verse 42 and verse 43 as the Lord had commanded and there's this beautiful picture of obedience and that they're doing exactly what the Lord called them to do now much of chapters 35 to 39 is repeated almost verbatim from chapters 25. 31. I picked one example we're going to look at the making of the table.
So this is chapter 25 verse 23 you shall make a table of acacia wood two cubits shall be its length a cubit its breath and a cubit and a half its height chapter 37 he also made the table of acacia wood two cubits was its length a cubit its breath and a cubit and a half its height chapter 25 you shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it chapter 37 and he overlaid it with pure gold and made a molding of gold around it chapter 25 you shall make a rim around it a hand breath-wide and a molding of gold around the rim chapter 37 and he made a.
Rim around it a hand breath wide and a molding of gold around the rim chapter 25 and you shall make for it four rings of gold and fasten the Rings to the Four Corners at its four legs chapter 37 he cast for four rings of gold and fastened the Rings to the Four Corners at its four legs 25 close to the frames the ring shall lie as holders for the poles to carry the table 37 close to the frame were the Rings he's going a little off script here asshoulders.
For the polls to carry the table it's like when you're cheating off your friend for their homework but you just mess some of them up you make it look like you did it okay chapter 25 you shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold and the table shall be carried with these chapter 37 he made the polls of acacia wood to carry the table and for a second you're like oh no and overlaid them with gold it just flips it he builds some suspense this is much of how these chapters read and one of the things that happens.
While you're reading through them at least for me is my mind goes kind of numb and I'm just like okay okay okay yep okay okay hand breath got it polls got it gold and if you've already read through like if you sat down to read through the book of Exodus and you read through chapters 25 through 31 unfortunately you're a little excited that it doesn't immediately go into 35 you're glad they go off the rails and something gets to happen it doesn't immediately go into 35 where it just repeats the same stuff and you're reading it.
Now when you're back in 35 you're going okay okay and there's a little bit of you that's like why didn't they just say they did it the way that he said to do it that's like a sentence and I would have believed him why does it go through the process of repeating all of this what I'm about to offer is some speculation because it doesn't tell us but I have some I've thought about it I have some guesses I'll share with you I think one of the reasons is intentional thoroughness and a desire to show the strict adherence to God's instruction and their obedience beautiful walkthrough of obedience of taking God's word seriously honestly it.
Would be delightful for us if all of us could live our lives with the same amount of rigor and seriousness to the word of God that chapters 35-39 take in the book of Exodus that we knew what he had instructed and we followed it your life would be better if you did that and so there's this display of thoroughness but there's also and and obedience but there's also this display of God working out things according to the purpose of his will that.
God tells Moses on the mountain this is what you're going to do and then it happens and it happens after everything falls apart where God works to redeem and to forgive and to help accomplish what he's set out to accomplish and it's a beautiful picture that When God says this is what I'm going to do he does it and so it's this picture of human obedience and God's will together so I think there's obedience I think there's thoroughness I think there's the Fulfillment of God's will that he accomplishes what he set out.
But I also think there's something that we miss y'all there's delight and excitement in these chapters I don't know when you've had the opportunity to prepare for the arrival of a loved one I don't know if you've ever gotten to prepare a house where you'll move in with a spouse you're not married yet but you're going to be I don't know if you've had the opportunity to to labor away at that I don't know if you've had the opportunity to to prepare a room where a baby's going to dwell I don't know.
If you've ever had the chance all your grandkids are coming home or a friend you haven't seen in a long time is going to come to visit and you have a week to prepare and you're thinking about what you're going to cook you're getting the place ready you're washing the sheets you're getting the room ready you're setting it up you stand in you think okay like I don't know if you've had these opportunities but that's what chapters 35-39 are when we get done building this he's going to dwell here our.
God is going to dwell Among Us the one who rescued us out of Egypt is going to come be here you know there's Delight this these were slaves who slaved away with endless toil and the only thing held out in front of them was death I bet there are days when they still wake up and have to remind themselves oh I'm not a slave anymore I bet some of them are just now getting to where they walk a little taller getting over some of the the beatings that they had taken loosening up a little bit learning how to to be a little Freer.
When they wake up and they labor towards this it's in Delight of the God of the universe who has specifically rescued and chosen them to come dwell among them they're preparing diligently for something wonderful and if you ever talk to a person who took the time to build a table for the house they're going to move into to make a recipe for their grandchildren that are going to come visit to paint a room and prepare it for a baby if you ask them about it I'm willing to bet that they will joyfully go into about as much detail this chapters 35-39.
Well you know what I went and I went and I was looking at two different pieces of wood and I decided to go with Oak now your Pond's good but and I've got laughter I mean they're going to go into it it's just a Sprinkle of cinnamon now don't you don't want to do too much cinnamon but you're going to want to just a pinch like just you know maybe just two fingers if you do too but you got to get it it's like oh yeah I bet it was good that's what's happening here.
Because there's delight and joy and in preparing for the Lord to come this is a refrain it's a crescendo it's all coming together and it's work to prepare so move to the end of chapter 39. verse 42 and 43. according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses so the people of Israel had done all the work and Moses saw all the work and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded so had they done it so Moses blessed them there's a little Echo at the end of creation here where.
God views all that he made and he sees that it's good and then He blesses the man and woman to be fruitful and multiplying to have dominion over the Earth like there's a little a little echo of it now God is able to discern on his own that it's good Moses has to just see that they did what God Said So it's still God's standard it's not Moses standard but he looks and sees it it's all done that it's been done the way.
God told them to do it and He blesses them chapter 40 verse 1. the Lord spoke to Moses saying on the first day of the first month you shall erect the Tabernacle of the tent of meeting so on the first day of the first month you'll erect it and then it goes through you're going to set this up this up this up in this way and it goes through a big list of some of the stuff that we read earlier that they were getting everything together go to.
Verse 33. and he erected the court around the Tabernacle on the altar they've gone through the process of setting the stuff up and um consecrating it for the presence of the Lord so they didn't just throw it up but they went through a process of getting it ready and marking it with oil and doing some sacrifices and he erected the court around the Tabernacle on the Altar and he set up the screen of the Gate of the court so Moses finished the work you read through chapter 25 through 20 through 31.
And then you read through 35 and 39 you'll appreciate how much fun it was for Moses to write this I think when he got to write so Moses finished the work because it was a lot of work then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle y'all that's what we've been working towards that these people who were slaves would have God dwell among them and all the stuff that we've gone through where he's shown signs and wonders where he's rescued them where he brought them out or they wandered and argued and he had to provide.
For them with Manna and he had to work through all of this and when he gives his instructions on how to do this and he gives the Ten Commandments and he sets up a covenant people and they rebelled and he has to work to restore and to renew this Covenant and then they work to build all this it's all so that he might dwell among them that he desires to have his people in his presence in his place where they belong to him and his desire is like a.
Father who's trying to adopt and fill his household the children that he loves and it says the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle we shouldn't move quickly past that we should enjoy and Savor how good that is for the people of Israel that he desired to have them belong to him verse 35 and Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle throughout all their Journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from Over the Tabernacle the people of Israel would set out.
But if the cloud was not taken up then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up for the cloud of the Lord was on the Tabernacle by day and fire was in it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their Journeys now if you'll remember the pillar of cloud and fire was leading the people of Israel but at a distance and they had attend a meeting that was set up outside of the camp.
Now the pillar of clown fire dwells on the Tabernacle in the midst of the camp he's surrounded by them and he told Moses if I show up like that I'm going to kill everybody because they're Wicked but Moses intercedes and God gives Grace so that this might happen the way God's designed it to happen but there's this whisper there's a whisper in this text that shows us that it's not done God's full final realized version of what he set out to do is not done I want you to.
See it it let's look back the 34 and 35. then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the clouds settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle picture of God's glory his holiness the Moses Moses to just walk in it's not like God walking with Adam and Eve in the garden there's a separation from God's glory and there's this whisper in the midst of this Crescendo and this delight in this Wonder there's this Whisper of not yet not exactly it's not fixed just yet.
And so Exodus points us to the glory of the Lord but it also in a very specific and real way points us to the glory of Christ that the story of The Exodus is meant for us to see how good our God is and then as it unfolds more to see how good the Lord Christ is because Jesus is the one who redeems us out of slavery to make us his people my wife watches these um murder shows True Crime stuff I have to make sure she's not like taking notes you know like on how to get away with things.
But she she watches these and one of the things that police will often ask people when something really terrible happens and they're doing investigations is they'll say is this the sort of thing that this person would do they'll interview friends and say is this something does this seem like something they do does this seem out of character does it seem in character I read the book of Exodus and then we consider that we were lost that we were rebellious that we were Wicked that we were dead in sin that we were slaves to sin that we desired to go back to our old Masters is is rescuing a people like that overcoming their sin.
When they work to actively break the Covenant so that they might belong to him and he might dwell in their midst is that the sort of thing Our God would do yes it's exactly the sort of thing he'd do when we read the book of Exodus we're meant to be able to see that's exactly the sort of thing he'd do that's exactly the type of God he is that's exactly when you look at the times that they sin and you think he's just going to eradicate them and he doesn't like that verse we read earlier that in his Divine forbearance he overlooked former sins.
So that he might be just and Justified that there's this moments where God carries it forward to pay for it in Christ so that he might be gracious so that he might be loving so that he might redeem a sinful people and Jesus is the one who rescues us out of slavery Jesus is the one who shows Mighty signs and wonders Jesus is the one who is our Passover Lamb whose blood is painted on the door that we might not have judgment fall on us.
Jesus is our bread from Heaven that comes down to to fulfill us and to give us life Jesus is the one who not only teaches us about the law but fulfills the law on our behalf so that the weight of the law does not fall on us but it falls on him and then the righteousness of the law is carried out in him and fulfilled in us because of his work Jesus is the one who in the midst of our Rebellion intercedes.
For us who goes up the mountain and says to God take me instead and who God accepts his sacrifice Jesus is the one who Tabernacles among us as the Incarnation of God in human flesh Jesus is the one who by his sacrifice makes it possible to where the spirit dwells inside of us that God would be surrounded by Wicked people is exactly what he's done when he renews us and restores us and his Spirit dwells in us in a specific and beautiful way just as he was intending to do with the whole nation of Israel he.
Now does inside the hearts of Believers and he does it in the Church to his great glory and credit of the work that Christ has accomplished and Jesus is the one who can enter into the tent where even Moses is cast out because of his Holiness and his righteousness and so as we studied the book of Exodus I hope that you grew in your love for Christ who is a better Moses who leads a people to the promised land fully and forever through his glory not ours in a way that resounds in the praise to our.
God let's pray God we're thankful that you're the type of God who saves rebellious slaves and we're thankful that you're the type of God who overcomes sin so that we might belong to you and we're thankful that you're the type of God who Delights to dwell among your people to get rid of their sin without getting rid of them so that we might have pleasure and Delight with you well we're thankful that you fulfilled the Covenant that you fulfilled the law that your blood covers Us and that ultimately we can trust you to be at work in us and to lead us to the Fulfillment of all things May there be great Glory given to.
Christ amen Matt's going to come back up we're going to take a moment together as a Church to take communion communion is a tangible reminder in Celebration of what Christ has done for us on the cross it's us proclaiming his death until he comes it's us remembering his sacrifice and so that when we take communion what we're acknowledging is that Jesus died for us he literally died to pay for our sins that he's our propitiation that we deserved death and wrath.
But that Jesus paid for and we're celebrating that that covers us and so that when God looks at you he does not see you in his sin but he sees you in Christ and so when we walk in Repentance we're moving ourselves into Delight in the Lord but we're not oscillating out of his salvation and back into it for we are covered by Christ and so you get to take seriously a moment to repent and to confess and then you get to come forward and Delight in and rejoice in that.
Jesus Christ and that our hope is in him if you are not a Christian communion is not for you can trust in Christ you can place your faith in him and he will save you he will not put the shame any who call on him but if you have not blessed your faith in Jesus we would ask for you to refrain from taking communion we have communion set up in the front and in the back and there's gluten-free communion elements at the back as.
Well so take a moment to pray and confess to remember our glorious Lord who redeems Sinners and when you're ready we'll take communion and then we'll sing together.
The Glory of God, Pt. 3 (34:10-35)
Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.
Transcript
Good morning so Fall allergies have hit me in full effect so you're going to hear some earthier tones this morning as we walk through the text today we are in the Book of Exodus chapter 34. verses 10 through 35 is on page 43 in the blue bibles if you want to grab one of those you can follow along the text will also be on the screen the past few weeks we have looked at the glory of God that Moses made this bold request to.
Behold the glory of God Show Me Your Glory and we saw that glory in God's goodness are are the same terms that in asking to see the glory of God his wonderful goodness would be uh displayed and we looked at that as God's uh Fierce love and his Fierce Justice held together to displays the character and the goodness of our God and then last we we looked at that the really the centralized aspect of God's glory some of the most powerful aspects of who he is and his goodness is displayed in his revealed face and that what Moses was asking was actually too wonderful.
For him to behold that as a sinner beholding God in this in his face which would lead to certain death that Sinners cannot gaze upon the glory of God because of our broken sinful natures and our broken sinful bodies and we looked at that bold request with the hope that one day we will behold the face of God that the end of the story for Christians is beholding the face of God in eternity forever and ever amen that we will get to gaze upon the Perfection of beauty and who he is forever and that's where we are going.
But there's also another aspect of God's glory to begin to look at today that as we finish out chapter 34 we're going to look at that what that means for us as Christians as we still get to meditate on the glory of God so let me pray and we'll want to this together heavenly father I pray that you would open our hearts to receive your word that with glad and generous Hearts we would receive it that it might shape us to be a people that are.
So in love with you and so in love with your glory that we would seek you and that comes through the initial step of faith that comes through daily enjoying you that comes through repentance that comes through worshiping you like we just got to do and I pray that you'd give us a wonderful vision for them in Jesus name amen all right so Exodus 32-34 we've been in this for a couple of months now and what's happening in these chapters is the people who were had received the Covenant of Moses they'd received the Ten Commandments.
And then they immediately rebel against God they reject him and worship a golden calf instead Moses coming down the mountain sees this and then he goes and he pleads with God do not destroy this people and then and then we get to see in the coming chapters there's this lingering is the Covenant going to be restored is God going to restore his Covenant with his people and then the past couple of weeks we've seen yes this Covenant will be restored and the rest of this chapter in 34 is kind of repeated language bringing up different uh passages that we saw on in Exodus 23 different aspects of this Covenant as it's being renewed.
So a lot about what to walk through is going to sound very familiar you've been walking with us through Exodus so we're going to start off in verse 10 it says and he said behold this is God speaking behold I am making a covenant before all your people I will do Marvels such as have not been created in all the Earth or in any Nation and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you and I just I.
So appreciate that verse before we walk through some of this repeated aspects of the Covenant being renewed that they rejected God they rejected him for a golden calf and God not only is granting forgiveness and restoration he says I'm going to do Marvels with you such have not been seen which is incredible if you've been with us through Exodus because you've seen God's Marvels poured out on the Egyptians you saw them cross the Red Sea we've seen God provide daily Manna.
For the people these are wonderful Marvels and God's saying I've got more that I want to do with you that I'm gonna do awesome things with you which is an incredible statement if you work for a big giant wonderful company I mean lots of employees a wonderful CEO and all of a sudden you at the break room for lunch and like a like a like a thoughtless child you took your tinfoil burrito and threw it in the microwave hit five minutes.
And then walked away and then came back and the microwaves on fire and the rooms on fire and the whole business Burns to the ground and it's all caught on footage backed up to the cloud and your boss invites you to your house and his house and shows the footage of you thoughtlessly throwing the Brito in hitting and walking away and you're waiting for the pink slip you're waiting like this is it I'm done and he looks at you and he says you messed up.
But I'm still gonna do awesome things with you you're gonna you're gonna stay on board here we're gonna rebuild this thing and I'm gonna do awesome things with you you'd go what I burnt your business to the ground what and now I get to do awesome things with you our God is wonderful y'all this is what he does he works with Sinners who Rebel all the time and he looks at us and he says I'm going to do marvelous things with you it's wonderful.
And then he continues in verse 11. observe what I command you this day behold I will drive out before you the amorites the Canaanites the Hittites the parasites the hivites and the jebusites take care unless you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go lest it become a snare in your midst you shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their ashram for you shall worship no other God for the Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous.
God lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and when they hoar after their gods and sacrifice their gods and you are invited you eat of his sacrifice and you take of their daughters for your sons and their daughters after their gods and make your sons after their gods this is repeated language from Exodus 23. God when we walk through that section we got to see how God has judgment coming to the people of the land the the jebusites the Hittites the Canaanites this people who have committed all types of atrocities and Abominations they've done things like sacrifice their own children to foreign Gods they've done all these things and judgment will.
Fall upon them and he's saying do not make covenants with them lest you fall into the same trap of worshiping therefore in Gods don't in a marriage don't know this judgment will be upon this people don't do it we saw that in Exodus 23 and God is bringing that language back to remind them don't do this lest you chase other gods which by the way just happened and we see this more directly in Exodus verse 17. it says you shall not make.
For yourself any gods of cast metal now some repeat language from the second commandment in Exodus 20 but there's there's a phrase in there that wasn't there before that is very much a reminder of what just happened the word the phrase cast metal that comes right out of Exodus 32 the same language when Aaron is making a cast metal calf of gold and that's kind of thrown in there to help them see don't don't break the second commandment in this way that you just did be like showing up to the new business show up to the new break room and all of a sudden above the microwave is do not microwave burritos in this microwave.
And everyone knows it's you Jason that that notice is for you bro that's a reminder you you worshiped this cast metal object don't worship foreign Gods especially the one which you just did continues this renewing Covenant language in verse 18 you shall keep the Feast of unleavened bread seven days you shall eat unleavened bread as I commanded you at the time appointed the month of Eve for in the month of bib you came out of Egypt all that open the womb are mine all your male livestock the firstborn of cow and sheep the firstborn of a donkey shall be Dean with a lamb or.
If you will not redeem it you shall break its neck all the firstborn of you all the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem and None Shall appear before me empty-handed so again this is language we've already seen we've seen it in Exodus 13 when they Institute the Passover and and the Redemption rights for the firstborn it's a reminder that I your God your Redeemer redeemed you out of Egypt by striking down the firstborn of Egypt I redeemed you from slavery and you will.
Remember this through Passover through Redeeming the firstborn over and over again this language being brought back into the Covenant again and it keeps going with language on resting and feasting in verse 21 it says six days you shall work but on the seventh day you shall rest in plowing time and in Harvest you shall rest you shall observe the Feast of Weeks the first fruits of Wheat harvests and the Feast of end gathering at the Year's End three times in the year shall all your mouths appear before the.
Lord God the God of Israel for I will cast out Nations before you and enlarge your borders no one shall covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in a year and it's this language if you're going to rest that you were slaves in Egypt you recogn the machine where you work seven days a week and did not rest and I redeemed you and I'm bringing you back into this rhythm of working six days and resting on the seventh it goes back to Creation you're not a slave to a foreign Pharaoh you belong to me and you will rest and you will feast you'll.
Remember we walk through this in Exodus 23 the keeping of the feasts that help the people regularly celebrate that they are the people of God and they get to do that through their whole Feast calendar which if you if this is if you weren't with us for Exodus I'd encourage you to go back and listen to some of these sermons where we walk through these different aspects of the Covenant that's being renewed again in verse 25 it continues you shall not offer The Blood of My Sacrifice with anything leavened or let the sacrifice of the Feast of passive remain until the morning the best of the.
First fruits on your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God you shall not boil a young goat at its mother's milk which we saw this language in Exodus 23 but it's instructions on in this Covenant you're going to keep the sacrifices in the way that I tell you to do and you're not going to mix them in a way with some of the Pagan ways of offering Sacrifice from the Pagan practices like boiling a young goat in its mother's milk you won't do what the people of the land do you are going to do what I am telling you to do as my people separate from the Nations.
So this covenant's being renewed with some summarized language from before and it's getting wrapped up here in verse 27 and the Lord said to Moses write these words for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel he's like write these down bring them back to the people and and he's he's he's summarizing that bringing it to a to a conclusion here you you are my Covenant people I'm still going to walk with you still gonna be with you I will be your.
God you will be my people Moses has to be joyful at this point knowing yes we're back in favor with God and in verse 28 it says so he was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights he neither ate bread nor drank water and he wrote on the tablets the words of the Covenant the ten Commandments so he spends the next 40 days and 40 nights with God supernaturally sustains him with complete dependence upon him during this period of time through an absolute fast from both bread and water and he spends this 40 days and 40 nights with.
God ready to bring down the good news of this renewed Covenant to the Israelites and then when he comes down the mountain there's something different about Moses and that is because you cannot experience the power of our God like Moses did and leave unchanged you don't experience the power of God like this and leave unscathed in the best way possible he Journeys down the mountain we pick it back up in 29. when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone.
Because he had been talking with God Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses and behold the skin of his face Shone and they were afraid to come near him but Moses called to them and Aaron all the leaders of the congregation returned to him and Moses talked with them so Moses tablets in hand joyfully excited to tell the people you're not going to be abandoned God Is With Us starts coming down the mountain and then all of a sudden the people who are at the base.
See this light in the distance approaching and this isn't like a flashlight in the darkness or something different about this light and and this light has power in it and all of a sudden it's getting closer and it's getting closer and people are starting to to cringe a little bit they're starting to Shield themselves it's too much they're starting to be afraid and then at some point they piece together this is Moses and there's something about him his face is shining.
Now at some point as the people are stirring and Afraid witnessing Moses's face shining at some point someone has to tell them Moses you face is shining like get him a mirror get him a pail of water let them see this but your face is glowing there's uh one Theologian some or one commentator I think nailed it he said Moses glow is actually an Afterglow from being in God's presence this is Afterglow somewhere between Moses's profoundly wonderful experience with God when he asked to.
See his glory somewhere between him God covering him in the cleft of The Rock and passing by and in the next 40 days and 40 nights that he spent with God somewhere in that time Moses is very complexion changes his face begins to Glow with the glory of God there's Afterglow shimmering from his face displaying emanating the glory of God and that is because Moses experienced his glory and his power in a way that no one really has since Adam and Eve and you don't get to experience.
God like that and leave unchanged he has this intense experience and now Moses who's the the mediator he's the one in the middle between the people and God needs an intermediary for himself because the people can't stand in his presence and they're they're scared so he needs something that's going to kind of Shield a little bit this Glory verse 32 afterward all the people of Israel came near and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.
And when Moses had finished speaking with them he put a veil over his face so now Moses in order to be with the people and them not be fearful he has to put a veil of his face I mean this is very similar to the Tabernacle and we spent some time looking at the Tabernacle that in the innermost part of the Tabernacle was a place called the holy of holies this room is where God ruled and reigned from and there was a a curtain a veil that separated the holy of holies from the rest of the Tabernacle and this veil was needed.
Because God and His glory is too wonderful for Sinners to Behold Him so this Veil separates God from the people and in the same way there's an Afterglow of Glory bound up in the face of Moses and there's a veil that is needed so that the people can be in his presence so that Moses can be amongst his people which I just for a moment this isn't the main part part of the story but I just I appreciate if you've been with us long enough in Exodus just Moses as a person to study as a character study with things helpful to do sometimes we want to be like Christ.
Okay doesn't mean that you know you study David so you can slay Giants I'm not arguing for that but I'm saying is that sometimes it's helpful to look at different people in the Scriptures and notice things about them one of the things I love about Moses is that he is Meek he's Meek he is mild and God uses the meek and the mind to do wonderful things the meek shall inherit the earth for a reason so sometimes we just get it twisted we get in our ideas that strength is this idea that is not biblical.
But actually meekness is strength and God uses his meekness to the point now where he has to he's so powerful he has to keep his face bound up again it's not the main point of story but it's worth examining its own so verse 34 it says whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him he would remove the veil until he came out and when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded the people of Israel would.
See the face of Moses that the skin of Moses face was shining and Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went in to speak with him and this is the pattern of ministry going forward after Sinai in fact this Mark's really the pivot in in the wilderness narrative where they're leaving Sinai and the ministry is going to be this point for going forward in the wilderness with Moses and his people and Moses is going to regularly enter into the tent of meeting he's going to meet with.
God and that is going to come out and teach them more about his laws where we're going to get the Book of Leviticus and numbers in Deuteronomy he's going to teach them more about who their God is and his face is going to continue to Glow and that's just what is going to continue to do and I just one commentator he talks about Moses and I'll summarize what he said but basically he just said this is really Exodus 32-34 this really does establish Moses as he's the goat the prophets he is the greatest I mean he just he's just amongst all the prophets in the Old Testament he he stands apart I mean even the.
Last few chapters when the people rebel and Moses comes down and he stands between them and God and he pleads with God mediates for the people and then when God says all right you can go to the promised land but I'm not going and he says God I'm going to go where you go I don't want the promised land without your presence God if you're in the wilderness that's where we'll be from that all the way into asking to see the glory of.
God we've got to spend some time looking at that to coming down the mountain and now the rest of his ministry he's going to have this these these intensely wonderful experiences with God where he leaves with some glory on his face just shows who Moses is as a prophet the reason why he was so revered and so rightfully respected for centuries to follow and Judaism I mean that and just what he brings to them which is something that is the foundation.
For their belief it's the law it really does help us see the ministry of Moses going forward how wonderful it is now that's the end of chapter 34. we this this hint of what's what's going forward is that he's going to regularly go into the tentative meeting he's going to meet with God it's going to come out he's going to have glow on his face he's going to teach the people the law now when we try to understand the Old Testament.
Okay when we're studying the Old Testament we're studying these stories one of the difficult parts of interpretation is that I understand these stories isolated by themselves but to actually understand these stories in light of the bigger message of the Gospel from Genesis to Revelation what we're trying to do is understand these stories in Light of Christ and that takes work it takes slowly reading passages like this and trying to understand like What's Happening Here how does this correct to this bigger story of God's Redemption.
And then every now and then we get a wonderful gift from the New Testament because every now and then the New Testament does the work for us and that's what we have for this story right here that second Corinthians 3 is that chapter that helps us look back at this story and understand it in Light of Christ for the rest of our time that's what we're going to be we're going to be in second Corinthians chapter three on your blue in your blue Bibles that's page 561.
If you want to follow along but we're going to the text will be on the screen as well second Corinthians 3 is really interpreting Exodus 32 through 34 in light of the New Covenant of Christ it's looking back at the event that we've been in the last few weeks that really find their ending in the story that we went into today it's understanding that in Light of Christ now let me give you some context for second Corinthians because we're jumping into a book.
Second Corinthians is a defense written by Paul who's an apostle it's a defense of his ministry of the Gospel and his apostleship to the Church at Corinth who at the time was Wayward in sin but also being led astray by people who were coming in and teaching a different message so Paul is having to defend his apostleship and defend the ministry of the Gospel that he established when he planted this Church so but he's going to use Exodus 32-34 to make that bigger Point pick it up in.
Verse 1. are we beginning to commend ourselves again or do we need as some do letters of recommendation to you or from you which by the way that's rhetorical and I think it's sarcasm he's like do we need a lot of recommendation answers no you verse 2 yourselves are our letter of recommendation written on our hearts to be known and read by all and you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the Living.
God not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts so Paul says that I don't need a letter of recommendation to be able to justify the ministry that we established here the letter of recommendation is your changed Hearts it's the Holy Spirit changing your heart and that didn't come through reading the law so he says tablets of stone that's what he's talking about that didn't come through your interactions with the law which we catch a hint of what teaching has been weaving its way into the Corinthian Church it's at the same teaching that's weaved its way into many churches at that time and that was uh Jewish Christians who were upholding the law.
Saying you can have Jesus but you also need to obey the law so we see hints of that teaching that it's weaved its way into here and Paul is establishing no it is the Holy Spirit that changes Hearts verse 4 such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything is coming from us but our sufficiency is from God who has made us sufficient to be Ministers of a new covenant not of the letter.
But of the spirit the letter kills but the spirit gives life so he highlights here's the difference between the old Covenant and the New Covenant the old Covenant of the letter it kills it highlights the death that we deserve because we cannot uphold the law because of our sin the letter kills the spirit on the other hand gives life as one commentator puts it he says the spirit alone gives life because only the spirit can change the heart thereby enabling God's people to keep his commands.
So he says the law wasn't what changes your heart it's the spirit of God that changes your heart you know how we know this Exodus 32. the people receive the Ten Commandments and then 10 seconds later say you know what golden calf disregarding the second commandment let's worship this instead if the letter was sufficient at changing the human heart the Old Testament would read radically different because I don't know if you've read the rest of the Old Testament it goes poorly.
For the people over and over and over again it feels like watching a train wreck in slow motion on repeat the letter does not change it only brings death it only highlights the death that we have because we cannot be changed through our good works and Obedience of the law the change that happens that truly matters in the human heart it's by the power of the Holy Spirit he continues now if the ministry of death which I just appreciate it's like we're talking about the law right the law is wonderful and good he's like New Covenant the help the ministry of death carved in letters on Stone came with such Glory that the Israelites could.
Not gaze at Moses face because of its Glory which when we read the Bible we should go wait a second I know that story which was being brought to an end will not the ministry of the spirit have even more Glory for if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory I don't want us to miss what he just said there the old Ministry the old Covenant was a Ministry ultimately of death highlighting the condemnation that we deserved.
And if that came with this glorious picture that we just saw of Moses coming down the mountain face glowing if it comes with some Afterglow how much better is the ministry of the New Covenant that we have it's so much better because we have the Holy Spirit verse 10 indeed end this case what once had Glory has come to have no glory at all because of the glory that surpasses it four if what was being brought to an end came with Glory much more.
Well what is permanent have Glory so he finishes off this this first part is really interpreting those that story Exodus 30-34 and he says boy oh boy that which came to an end at glory in itself how much more glorious is faith in Christ and the spirit changing our hearts in a way that never ends has so much sweeter that's so much better so he makes a pivot there and interpreting Exodus 32-34 now he's about to apply it to the people.
Verse 12. since we have such a hope we are very bold not like Moses who were put a veil over his face the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end but their minds were hardened for this day when they read the old Covenant the same Veil remains unlifted because only through Christ is it taken away yes to this day whenever Moses is read a veil Lies over their hearts he says those who put their hope and the law those who put their hope and their own good works and their own good behavior through obedience and law he's talking about the Jewish people he says that Veil still.
Covers their hearts they can't see and behold God they don't know him they're looking for life but they're actually only receiving death because obedience to the law doesn't save and it never will and they're missing out on the glory of God there's a wonderful picture we've looked at for weeks now they're missing out on his glory their hearts are hardened their eyes are darkened they cannot see and behold God for who he is the veil Still Remains the only way that Veil is removed.
So that so that you can behold God but trusting and the finished work of Christ it's about trusting that he fulfilled the law on our behalf it's by trusting that he went to the Cross to die for our sins by trusting that he conquered death of the Resurrection it's by putting all of our hope in Christ and not the law because if your hope is in the law and if your hope is in good works the veil remains verse 16.
When one turns to the Lord the veil is removed now the Lord is the spirit and we're the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom he says that when we turn from our sin and from our hope in the law from our hope and good works and obedience and we turn to Christ the veil is removed and when that happens there is freedom there's wonderful freedom freedom from condemnation to sin freedom from a need to be good to be good to obey the law to do all the right things freedom from this ministry of death and freedom to Christ Freedom 2 beholding.
God Freedom two not having to go back to the old yoke of obeying the law but trusting the finished work of Christ as our holy hope there is freedom that is found in faith in Jesus alone there's freedom to enjoy him and to worship him and to Behold Him with this freedom we get to Behold Him and as we Behold Him we are changed and this is where the argument ends Verse 18 and we all with unveiled face behold the glory of the.
Lord beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of Glory to another for this comes from the Lord who is the spirit just as beholding God changed Moses it's literally it changed his complexion so beholding our God through faith transforms us and it lifts the veil off the heart so that we can actually Behold Him so that we can experience more of his glory but it's continual it's one degree of Glory to the next one degree of Glory into another degree of Glory which I don't fully I can't fully picture what he's getting up there.
But it sounds incredibly awesome this idea that will conform more to the image of Christ from one degree of Glory to the next last week we sat in this picture of the end state of reality for Christians that's beholding God's face with new eyes and that's it that's where we're going and I want us to miss that that should be so like ingrained in the fabric of our being that we would look at this life and say I don't want what this life has to offer.
Because what what what what awaits me for eternity is is infinitely better but don't miss that that's not the only picture of Glory that we give because there is a regular daily aspect of beholding God from one degree of glory to the next and to the next and to the next and to the next and that's called sanctification that's called becoming more like Christ don't miss that right that we get to behold God regularly in Daily and when we do that it changes us from one degree to the next and to the next into the next some of you all have known Christians who have walked with.
God for decades I mean you've got you've gotten to see someone up close change the spirit work in their heart daily and daily through the decades and it's wonderful when you get to see that and if you have it if you haven't got to see this long-term play out I encourage you to spend some time with some of our older Saints in this Church get to know them in their stories and I'm sure what they're going to tell you is is that yeah they're not perfect at all far from it.
But they are different than what they were 50 years ago are different they were 40 years ago and that was through daily beholding God from one degree to the next to the next to the next in a way that they're not as anxious as they used to be they're not as angry as they used to be that there's this peace there's this love there's this Joy there's this faithfulness there's this gentleness there's this kindness there's this self-control that they've grown into.
Because the fruit of the spirit has been shaped in them because from one degree of glory to the next they have taste it in seeing that the Lord is good and they found their refuge in him and they've seen that he's actually truly better sometimes trying to take in faith just feels like I just don't know what I got you I mean I'm just so broken I'm so messed up I don't know if I'm gonna get this that's a great place to be in.
Because that's the best that's the beginning the Genesis of faith is recognizing that I'm broken and I need Jesus but boy oh boy faith is a lifelong journey from one degree to the next and the invitation is there you want the glory of God do you want the glory of God do you want to behold his face forever one degree at a time to the next and to the next into the next this comes through the things that we talk about all the time and we won't stop talking about them.
Because they're wonderful that comes through beholding God and his word this comes through growing in prayer this comes through repentance this comes through being open and honest at your community groups on care nights this comes through walking in the light with brothers and sisters this comes through uh Faithfully following Jesus every day from one degree of glory to the next so the invitation is there it's waiting for you you want Jesus believe in him you want more of them taste.
See every day and you're going to experience them from one degree of glory to the next into the next to the next and to the next and to the next and boy oh boy we won't even come close to the finished product not a chance but every degree of Glory ends up being better every degree of Glory is the spirit changing us until one day we will actually Behold Him and there will be no degrees left it'll just be Jesus let me pray Heavenly.
Father we pray that you would help us behold you and worship right now and when we leave here we pray that we be a people with veils off for hearts beholding you every day because you are beautiful and you are wonderful and you're better than anything this world has to offer and I pray that you would help us believe that with everything in us we would Bank Our Hope on that reality Jesus name amen band's going to come up so so much of the message sometimes gets mixed up especially in southern Christianity that following.
Jesus is about cleaning your life up and it's about getting your life together getting your stuff together so that you could be back in Church that you can so you can be around the Christians and I just want to say that's Moses y'all if you came looking for Moses and trying to clean your life up that's that's a Ministry of death don't do it some of y'all I just want to extend the invitation of Faith to actually behold God for who he is and that doesn't come through cleaning your life up doesn't come through a bunch of good works that comes through surrendering to our.
God so believe and surrender to him and behold him for who he is and then walk the journey with us as a group of broken Christians that are seeking to grow to be like Jesus one degree at a time.