Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

I want you to take a little survey with me this morning

How did you get where you are right now?

How did you get where you are right now?

“Wherever you are is where your at!”

In other words, like it or not, for today, you have arrived.

But is it all just an accident — with no rhyme or reason?

Did you just stumble into this point in life or did you carefully plan it out so that you are exactly where you planned to be?

Did you just stumble into this point in your life or did you carefully plan it out so that you are exactly where you planned to be?

What about God’s plan?

It’s important to remember this: there is always a bigger picture.

God knows where you are and how you arrived there.

A lot of it has to do with your own decisions (good or bad) and much of it has to do with the sovereign hand of God at work.

Let’s go back in time to ancient Egypt — when the Pharaohs ruled — during the time when the children of Israel lived as slaves to Pharaoh.

How did they get there?

That’s a long story but I want to point out one thing: God foretold it to Abraham many years before it actually happened.

To make a long story short, the descendants of Abraham suffered under Egyptian slavery for 400 years, until God called Moses to lead them out of bondage.

Moses was an unlikely choice, but he was God’s choice (80 year old fugitive).

When God spoke to Moses out of that burning bush, Moses could do nothing but listen, in awe and wonder.

God said to Moses “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob (3:6).”

Moses was terrified and hid his face.

God said that He had heard the cry of His people — to be delivered from their bondage.

“I will deliver them and bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey (Canaan).”

Moses responded, “God are you sure you have the right guy?”

The book of Exodus recounts the story of how God used Moses and Aaron to ultimately lead the Hebrew people out of Egyptian bondage.

It wasn’t easy…the Pharaoh was stubborn, but after God caused the Egyptians to suffer through many plagues (frogs, boils, locusts, darkness…all the way to the death of the first born), Pharaoh finally gave in and allowed the people to leave.

Exodus tells how God provided for His people in the wilderness after they left Egypt (parting the Red Sea, manna, water, cloud, fire, etc.).

Exodus is all about the Living God interacting with His people in very real, undeniable ways.

Exodus tells how God provided for His people in the wilderness after they left Egypt (parting the Red Sea, manna, water, cloud, fire, etc.).

Exodus is all about the Living God interacting with His people in very real, undeniable ways.

Exodus is the book of God’s presence among His people

Passage

Exodus 19:1-

Prayer

It wasn’t an accident that the Israelites ended up at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Remember what God told Moses at the burning bush?

And God said, “I will be with you.

And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

(Ex 3:12)

About 500 years earlier, God made a covenant with Abraham, to make a great nation out of him.

He believed God.

Now, with Moses leading them, that nation is born at the foot of Mount Sinai.

And God would make a covenant with them, as His treasured possession.

“Now if you obey me and fully keep my covenant...” (Ex 19:5)

About 500 years earlier, God made a covenant with Abraham, to make a great nation out of him.

He believed God.

Now, with Moses leading them, that nation is born at the foot of Mount Sinai.

And God would make a covenant with them, as His treasured possession.

Two Hebrew words commonly used together — “make a covenant.”

berith: covenant

karath: to cut off, cut down

Used together in the context of making a covenant: “to cut a covenant”

(def.)

A solemn agreement or promise, sometimes confirmed by sacrifice or by sharing a meal, by which two or more parties commit themselves to the rights and responsibilities demanded by their relationship and their agreed course of action, and accept the serious consequences of breaking faith.

— M.H. Manser

As His bride, His Body, His Building, His people, let us pursue a deeper understanding of and commitment to the covenant life to which Jesus has called us.

God is a covenant God.

This fact is displayed from Genesis to Revelation.

Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at Covenant Community and the importance of loving God heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Today let’s zero in on another essential ingredients in any covenant: ACTION (obedience).

The best response to God's covenant faithfulness is faithfulness to Him.

How can imperfect people like you and I live as faithful covenant followers of God?

Remember what God has done()

Exposition: The Israelites made camp at the foot of Sinai — this was not accident or happenstance…or a plan “b”.

Sinai was the primary destination of their journey out of Egypt.

This place was God’s place for them.

God’s people had to be brought to a the place where they could hear and receive His laws

From through the end of the book, Israel was camped out at the foot of Mount Sinai…about 1 year.

Moses ascended that mountain 7 times to hear from the Lord.

So…how can imperfect people (like us) live as faithful covenant followers of God? First…we need to remember what God has done.

Remembering brings perspective

Remembering brings perspective

In chapter 15…the Israelites grumbled because the water was bitter (Pure water is important) — we would have probably grumbled too

In chapter 15…the Israelites grumbled because the water was bitter (Pure water is important) — we would have probably grumbled too

God made a decree: If you listen carefully to my voice and obey my instructions, I will not bring on you the diseases I brought upon the Egyptians

At his point, I’m sure they remembered clearly what had happened to the Egyptians because of all the plagues.

* In chapter 16…they grumbled against Moses again

In chapter 16…they grumbled against Moses again

You have brought us out here to starve to death!

At least in Egypt we sat around pots of meat and had all the food we wanted!

Their perspective was messed up

So God provided quail and manna —

Exodus 15

In chapter 17…they quarrelled with Moses — “give us water to drink”

They grumbled against Moses and tested God — yet in His mercy, He provided another miracle, in spite of their lack of faith and thankfulness

God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff…when he did, water came out

Remembering brings perspective

Remembering brings the truth to light

In , God instructed Moses to remind the people...

On Eagles’ wings — caring, safeguarding, the constant company of the Lord

They knew from experience what God could do

They were witnesses to what God did to Egypt

They saw God’s deliverance when the death angel passed over their houses

Water, Manna, Quail

They people had personally experienced the loving care of one infinitely stronger and more able than themselves.

Now they had been welcomed into His presence and brought into intimacy with Him, not by their own merit or goodness, but because God’s desire was to “bring them to Himself”

Transitional: God is perfect in all of His ways…always keeping His Word.

How can we become faithful covenant followers of Him? Remember…and...

Recognize what God Promises (Exodus 5b-6a)

God’s promises are beyond our comprehension — “Be faithful covenant followers and I will cause you to be my...”