I am God’s favorite Exodus 20:18-26
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was. 22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I [a]record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. 25 And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. 26 Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’
- I grew up loving the Lord – My grandmother taught me the power of God
- Provision, The Holy Spirit and much more
- As a young kid, How Big God was, was a concept that I understood but didn’t fully comprehend what that meant
- And I fell in a camp that a big group of people do. Camp God is our provider however He is in heaven judging everything that I do and just picking out my mistakes and if I didn’t change and confess my sins then I was doomed for hell – I found myself confessing my sin throughout the day
- Punishment was heavier than love in my mind – I didn’t get to understand Gods love until way later in life
- I couldn’t tell where mercy, grace, provision or punishment started or ended – All I knew was that I had a God who seemed to provide when we prayed and also needed me to be “perfect”
- There was no actual concept of “IF” one of the most powerful words in the Bible
- Unfortunately I still feared the Lord out of what he would do to me and not the love that He represented,
- And “my love” for Him (or what I thought was love) was not strong enough to keep me from sinning – and Man did I fall (Salvation at 14)
- I would go into the world and the world would wild me around – when I was enjoying life, God was small in my life, when I got into trouble, He was big– I came running back to the rescuer and I need His powerful hand to rescue me
- And unfortunately, this is what we see with quite a few people – “The Garage God” – Restore me, then send me out, then when I abuse myself over and over again– I can always come back for a tune up- then back to the world and repeat
- All this time, the word “relationship” never came to mind
- Revelation 3:20 (Nkjv)- Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
- Little did I know that His love was on course for me – and if I could turn away from my sins and call upon His Name He would hear me and rescue me
- All this time He was searching for me
- Ezekiel 34:11(Nkjv)For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.
- And at some point, in my life, my eyes were open to this God, who loved me, had love in His character, His words and His actions
- And when I did, I was like, Oh God, you do love me, you truly and honestly love me. I am special in your eyes.
- I jumped into the Word and started seeing the truth; Billions of people, billion and billions of trees, wildlife, water life, stars, galaxies …yet you my God:
- Created me in your own image (Genesis 1:27 Nkjv),
- You long for a relationship with me (Isaiah 30:18 Ampc)
- Even when I was a sinner, you still loved me (Romans 5:8 Nkjv)
- You sent your son to come die for me, making a bond that restored me as an heir to your kingdom (John 3:16 Nkjv)
- It blew my mind, that God knew every hair in my head (Luke 12:7 Nkjv), – How do you even find time for that?
- And even more so, I am not meant to just exist, He had plans to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 (Nkjv),
- He actually sat down and wrote out a plan for my days (Psalm 139:16 Nkjv)
- Right there I realized that I was God’s favorite
- I was blown away that even right then while still living a sinful life doing thing that were against Him, He was still consistent in His love for me
- This brew my mind even further – and my response was- ooh Lord I offer my life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1Nkjv)
- My utter response was – I need to know you more – I need to hear what you have for me Lord
- I had tried the worlds love, but it always came short – In the world there was a requirement to keep certain relationships, other relationships were based on evil behaviors, other relationships just used me, others were lost, and we were all blind leading the blind
- #ButGod, and here comes Jesus, He is asking me to cast my burden to Him, that the weight I carry – mostly of which I had engineered myself – I can still come and lay it at the Cross
- The song cast your burden unto Jesus had a different meaning – He cared for me and still does
- This brew my mind even further – I could not comprehend this.
- I was raised by a single mother and my father was not in the picture- So the idea of a father’s love, was nonexistent
- Yet This Father was different. I didn’t have to earn my son’s status with Him, He already called me Son, I didn’t have to fight for a position, He had already set that up for me
- This changed my mind, and I started seeing myself differently. (Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change)
- Th evidence was so strong there was no denying that I was indeed I was God’s favorite – I know that the Bible says that God shows no favoritism (Roman 2:11 Nkjv) – However, His Word tells me that against all His creations, I am His favorite
- I was created in His own image (Genesis 1:27)
- I do not need any more evidence because I know that He thought out my days before I was born- He had plan for me, He then knit me the womb, then He orders my steps, and when sin stepped in to separate me, He sent His only son to die for me to guarantee that His Favorite son/daughter would living with Him for eternity
- The evidence of how God see us is overwhelming – That you and I are son’s and daughter’s that are loved beyond your wildest dream
- And this I know- that I am loved, I am cared for, I am protected, I am set apart for His Glory, And I meant to receive this love from the Father – My only response is to submit to this love
- I now find myself wanting more and more of Jesus. The more I do, the more I discover that its was just a scratch compared for what He has for those that love Him
- I Corinthians 2:9 (Nkjv) – But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- I want to hear from Him, I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and I just want more of Him
- I started to comprehend what Paul was speaking of in Ephesians 3:17-19 (Nkjv) – that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God
- I pray that we can start to understand the magnitude of how much you are loved
The mountain
- Why do I share this – Because I believe that this is what the Israelites missed
- vs18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
- As I read this text – Previously I had only seen this from one point. People didn’t want to hear from God but then I asked myself why they didn’t want to hear from God.
- Here is the answer: Vs 19: Don’t let God speak to us or we will die. Don’t be afraid – test you that this will keep you from sinning
- People were afraid to die because they fell in one of this category:
- Those who were scared because they did not know this God – Even though He has delivered them and walked with them this far, they still didn’t know Him
- Others just like the old me, they thought of Him as a Judgmental God, authority looking for every little thing that we do wrong and punished – Opportunity to Kill them
- Others it was because of the past stories they may have heard, maybe what they have seen and concluded without enough evidence of His love
- Maybe others have been hurt by someone who spoke of God’s love but the evidence was fraud leaving them confused about God
- Others may have been scared because they were in sin. Just like a little child that was told not to do something but ended up doing it – Now they are scared to approach the parent and are in hiding
- Others didn’t do it because of the fear of others, they wondered what they would think of them, or they followed their friends closer than they followed God -hence their decisions were influenced by man and not God
- This morning, I don’t know which category you fall into – These are self-imposed and not of God
- The Israelites viewed God as I did when I didn’t have a relationship with God
- That His Power was to “Kill them” -lest we die
- The opposite is very true, that the one (Moses) who has a relationship with God went toward the mountain while everyone else retreated
- One (Mose) wanted to speak to God, while the rest that didn’t have a relationship did not
- What’s the reason that you don’t want to go towards the mountain
- This morning, I want you to change the way you look at the mountain. But in order to do that you have to look at God in a different way (to see Him as He truly is), and then you will end up looking at yourself in a different way – As God’s favorite son or daughter
- Psalms 121(Nkjv) 1 I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!(Power) 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber (Protection). 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps(24/7). 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade (Personal). 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.7 The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.( Relationship) - This is who is coming to you today and wanting to speak with you – You need not be afraid
Our response
- Our response should not be that of my old self, where punishment is heavier than love
- It should be the opposite, that we run to the Lord because that’s where refuge is
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- Vs 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
- That His fear may be before you: This distinguishes between two kinds of fear. Do not fear: Speaks of the tormenting fear that comes from both guilt and danger. That His fear may be before you: speaks of the attitude of honor and reverence that leads to respect and obedience.
- Vs 25 And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.
- It means you have to choose to go to Him, towards the mountain, to sacrifice – How do we do that:
- We read His word daily
- Joshua 1:8 (Nkjv)This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[a] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
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- We pray, we spend time with Prayer daily
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (Nkjv) Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- Proverbs 15:8 (Nkjv) – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
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- We worship daily – Worship is not just about singing songs – it’s an echo of what’s in our hearts
- 1 Chronicles 16:23 (Nkjv) Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
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- Jonathan – that worship helps the word to go from the mind to the heart easier
- Everything in you and around you is going to discourage you from going towards the mountain, but the opposite is true- You have to run towards these things
- Run to spending time in the Word, run to Pray continuously, Run to worship God every moment you can
- This is the will of your father and it’s for your benefit
- And this: When you choose to worship – don’t worship (Build) with Hewn stone – Hewn rock in Hebrew is gazit which are costly carefully cut stone meant to not only to build a secure fortress to show off one’s wealth
- Unfortunately, some of us work so hard to chisel ourselves by speaking the right Christianize, raise our hands in the right position, jump in a way that shows others that we are indeed Holy, praying as a showoff, reciting words
- Others don’t think you are good enough to approach Him
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- But God is saying, you are wonderfully and beautifully made
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- God doesn’t want you to offer sacrifice on “bases” I base my sacrifice, approach on this
- His Love is enough to see you as you are and still be accepted
- Your mere obligation is to draw near to Him – Draw near to me and I will draw near to you says the Lord
- Isaiah 1:18 (Nkjv)Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
- You don’t have to be put well together; you only have to be willing
- Otherwise, you end up profaning your offering
The Reward?
- No one wants a weak protector. From your homes to the government -no one wants anything weak
- The interesting thing is that the Israelites saw God rescue them with Power and authority
- The same power they are seeing as He comes to speak to them
- Lead them by cloud and fire, part the red sea – They enjoyed the fruits of this power
- Yet there is a disconnect when something is needed from them – “Come to me”
- They should be running to Him, Him that they have seen what He can do and now they have an opportunity to talk with Him one on one
- His protection should translate to a relationship
- His weapons are not directed against you, they are directed towards your enemies so that He can show Him self strong
- Do you want this protection, then love the Lord with all you heart mind and soul
- John 21:15-17(Nkjv) So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of [a]Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [b]love You.”He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of [c]Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [d]love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of [e]Jonah, do you [f]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, you know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
- Love for Jesus was the one thing that would enable Peter to Feed and tend Gods sheep
- Do you love me?
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