2019-12-08-LIVE OAKS - Part 2

Preparation and my prayer is Holy Spirit. Please don't let me mess this up. When it's proclaimed an end this morning, I'm going to have to ask that you all would just give me a bit of Grace and most of what I feel the Lord pressing on me to share this morning is just right from the patient. I'm going to have to read it and I'm just going to have to read it breaks all kinds of rules of public speaking and whatnot. I want to be engaging. I want to make eye contact all that stuff, but I just I just felt pressed at these were the words. So if you could dumb. Let's just pray again.

Lodi I know I'm not technical. I'm just I know a thing or two about microphones and sound equipment. But I mean your Sovereign over everything or your Sovereign over nothing. So we're going to trust you and and ask that you would leave the reading lead the the the speaking and lead the hearing we trust you. We're trusting you are our our hope is in you. to speak word of God Speak I don't fall down like rain. That's what we're asking this morning. Speak in your name. We pray. Amen.

God has never been absent from creation. God's work of creation from before the beginning has been for the creation to know he who created it. He has always been close. but he was closing the garden. He walked with our first parents in the cool of the day. He was close, but clearly not close enough for them to know the true character of their cool of the day Creator companion. Before the fall they surely didn't know his Justice or his Mercy. And as soon as those two infinitely important facets of the Signet ring of God's godhood Shone brightly in their stay of execution in the just cursing of creation. They were expelled from the garden never to return to the foot and spirit worn paths through Paradise. So his Justice and his Mercy were then known that it was knowledge.

head broken from heart touch or intimacy when my youth ministry Mentor collapsed at 39 talking to his wife on the couch one evening only to live several more days on machines. post-mortem showed that the connection between head and heart simply stopped Man cannot long live with head separated from heart. After the garden severed completely from a walk with him the knowledge of him went from secondhand two-story to Legend to myth and Mankind showed his true D Garden two colors. From Genesis 6:5 through eight. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

An electric credit that he had made man on the Earth. And it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said I will blot out man. Whom I have created from the face of the land man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis says that Noah walked with God. So perhaps this would be the reunions creation long for Genesis tells us that God Favored the man Noah to favor man threw him. A man through whom to preserve Mankind and threw that favor gave him instruction. To build an ark so that some of creation would live through the coming judgment. and the flood of judgment Shirley came and after the flood came the Sun. And as his grace Shone brightly through the vapors of his judgment. He said this in Genesis 9 11 through 17. I establish my Covenant with you that never again shall All Flesh be cut off By the Waters of the flood and never again, shall there be a flood to destroy the Earth. And God said this is a sign of the Covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you for all future Generations. I have set my bow in the cloud and it shall be a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth when I bring clouds over the earth and the bow as seen in the clouds. I will remember my Covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of All Flesh and the water shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh when the bow is in the clouds. I will see it and remember the Everlasting Covenant between God and every living creature of All Flesh that is on the Earth. God said to Noah this is the sign of the Covenant that I have established between me and All Flesh that is on the Earth.

So no one knew that justice of God in flood. You know the favor of God and the salvation of God through the ark. And in the rainbow of God, no one knew the Covenant keeping grace of God. The rainbow a symbol of the patience and love of God a symbol to remind us of God's forbearance towards man not a flag from man to bear and Defiance of him.

So Noah was made to know his patients. Is trustworthiness and his favor? So God was closed. but

and the Tower of Babel God was close. but in Abram. Was close enough to make a New Covenant. He was close enough to talk and visit with even break bread and find shade from the heat of the day. God was close enough to declare a promise to Abram change his name. And make him a father of fathers. That's Autumn. Abraham came to know God's ability to bring fire from heaven and Sarah. He learned that fresh water could come from a dry. Well. I didn't Isaac.

And Abraham. God was close. but

and I said God was close enough to provide for himself a lamb for the offering. Close enough to hear his voice and see his hand. And Isaac. God was closed but And Jacob got was close enough to wrestle with him. But not without Jacob limping away from the encounter. and Jacob God was closed, but

and today in Moses

Moses it said of Moses that he was a friend of God.

friend of God surely in and through Moses. We will see that God was close enough.

from Exodus 33 7 through 11 No Moses used to take the tent and Pitch it outside the camp far off from the camp and he called it the tent of meeting and everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp whenever Moses went out of the tent all the people would rise up and each would stand at his tent door and watch Moses until he'd gone into the tent. When Moses enter the tent of pillar of cloud with the send and stand at the entrance of the tent. And the Lord would speak with Moses. Emmental the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent all the people would rise up and worship each at his tent door. That's the Lord used to speak to Moses face-to-face. As a man speaks to his friend.

Maybe in Moses God would just simply be close enough. No butts. Moses saved from the infanticide of pharaohs wrath brought into the very household of that Faye rope only to be used by God to bring the roof down upon that household and that Kingdom of that failed God imposter and usurper. Moses spoken to by God through a bush that was not consumed. Foxfire but spoken through

who heard in his own ears the very words of God to Claire from Genesis 3:7 through 12. I have surely seen the Affliction of my people who are in Egypt and I've heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know there's suffering and I have come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and Broad land a land flowing with milk and honey to the place of the Canaanites the Hittites amorites the perizzites the headlights in the jebusites and now behold the cry. The people of Israel has come to me. And I've also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come I will send you to whero. That you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, who am I that I should go to pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?

God said I will be with you.

And this shall be the sign for you that I have sent you when you have brought the people out of Egypt You Shall Serve God on this mountain.

Moses the strong Staffing marble mouth

the strong staff and marbled mouth of God on Earth. Moses the man on first-name basis with the Great I Am who created man? Moses the conduit of God's righteous judgment upon Egypt in great plagues and an angel of very unclad tidings. Moses the man through whom God poured out a deluge of salty red seed Justice upon his enemies and a lamb's stained door of rescue for his children. Moses the man who led Israel with a sheer wall of water of gods might to their left and his grace to their right walked across the dry land of Covenant into the land long promised by the God who carried them.

Surely in this time and through this man Moses. God would finally be found close enough. Perhaps even in this land of milk and honey the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve could find a garden with the Cool Wind of God's footsteps again. But we find that in Moses. on the path to the threshold of that Promised Land at the foot of yahweh's mountain we signed a god whose close.

from Exodus 19 starting in verse 1

on the third New Moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt on that day. They came into the Wilderness of Sinai. They sent out from rifadin and came into the Wilderness of Sinai and they can camp in the wilderness there Israel in Camp before the mountain while Moses went up to God the Lord called him out of the mountain sing us you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel. You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore You On Eagle's Wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my Covenant you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples. For all the Earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. So Moses came and and call the Elders of the people.

And set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him all the people answered together and said all that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words at the reported the words of the people to the Lord and the Lord said to Moses behold. I am coming to you in a thick Cloud that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe you forever. When Moses told the world words of the people to the Lord the Lord said to Moses go to the people in consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash their garments and be ready for the Third Day from the third day. The Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people and you shall set limits for the people all around saying take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot. Will there be storm and he shall not live? When the trumpet sounds a long blast they shall come up to the mountain. So Moses went down from the mountain to the people in consecrated the people and they washed their garments and he said to the people be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman. Meaning now is not the time for distraction pleasure or procreation now is a time of presents.

On the morning of the third day. The responders and Lightnings and a thick Cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast so that all the people in the camp trembled. Did Moses write the people out of the camp to meet God?

And they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. The Mount Sinai was wrapped in Smoke. Because the Lord had to send it on it didn't fire the smoke this movement went up like the smoke of a kiln and the whole Mountain trembled greatly. And that's the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses. Spoke and God answered him and Thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain and the Lord Called Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went up. And the Lord said to Moses go down and warn the people less they break through to the Lord. To look and many of them perish. Also, let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves less the Lord break out against them. And Moses said that the Lord that people cannot come up to Mount Sinai for you yourself warned us saying set limits around the mountain in consecrated. And the Lord said to him go down and come up bringing Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people breakthrough to come up to the Lord lest. He break out against them. So Moses went down to the people and told them.

And on that mountain God delivered to Moses the decalogue the great 10 points of God's law.

I grew up in the scouts. The Boy Scouts I'm an eagle scout. And I know the 12 points of the Scout Law a scout is trustworthy loyal honest helpful chirpy cheerful helpful if I hadn't written them down I could do it. Scout is trustworthy loyal helpful friendly courteous kind of being cheerful Thrifty Brave clean and reverent.

If you broke one of the points of the Scout Law. You broke the Scout Law. Know where would they get an idea like that?

James tells us James 2 10 through 12 for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point. Has become guilty of all of it for he who said do not commit adultery also said do not commit murder. If you do not commit adultery, but do murder you have become a transgressor of the law.

They're Moses as a representative of the people on the mountain received the 10 points of God's law.

And if you were to break one of them you were to break all of them.

What were the Ten Commandments you shall have no other gods before me you shall not make for yourself a carved image. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain you shall observe the sabbath day to keep it. Holy honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal and you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

What are those Ten Commandments tell us about God? What did God tell Moses? about himself for Moses to deliver to the people

We're talking about closeness to God and not just obedience towards him. What can we learn about the character of God through them? What first-hand knowledge did Moses receive? About the heart and character of God in those Ten Commandments. Because surely the rules one makes says something about the one who makes the rules.

You cannot chew near my ears. That is a commandment of Tommy Shelton. If you chew near my ears. The unsanctified Raging me. Comes out I can't explain it. It does not make sense. I am not claiming that it makes sense nor am I claiming that it is right for me to Hulk out at the sound of chewing near my ears. What is that law tell you about me? I'm partially crazy.

You have laws to and if I knew them I would know more about you.

God's law was too was delivered to Moses to deliver to the people to tell the people about God. To tell the people more about his heart and his character.

I've heard it explained that Commandments one through four teach us love for God and Commandments 5 through 10 teach us love for others.

To that I say bull sacrifice. I thought that was clever.

Alton teaches that to Faithfully image God as God's image bearers. We cannot be whores of faults worship cursing God's name as Restless brats committing murder and adulterous thieving dishonest discontent because that's not who God is

We are not called to be God's rule-followers. We are called to be his image bearers.

God doesn't follow rules rules follow God. the rules Flo from God's heart and character The Little Mermaid Jiminy Cricket Pocahontas, Anna and Elsa are all dirty ligers. We do not follow our hearts.

Because our hearts are worse Liars than they are. The only heart we are to follow is God's and those Commandments are an outpouring of his heart. We follow his heart.

So there's our answer. It's Moses Moses was close enough.

but

Exodus 19 17222 I have to read it again. Did Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain Mount Sinai was wrapped in Smoke? Because the Lord had to send it on it in fire. Benny the mountain is being consumed by the presence of God. Do you understand?

The smoke of it went up like a smoke of a kiln in the whole Mountain trembled greatly and that's the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses. Spoke and God answered him and thunder the Lord came down to Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain in the Lord Called Moses up to the top of the mountain Moses went up and the Lord said to Moses go down and warn the people less they break through to the Lord to look. And many of them perish. Also, let the priests to come near to the Lord consecrate themselves less the Lord break out against them.

They couldn't even look. The people couldn't even look.

The man of God Moses was allowed to ascend the hill. To see the face of God and a fleeting glimpse of God's glory.

And then come back down. radiating

radiating

the presence in glory of God but the people the people

even knowing more of who God is cannot be where God is.

They knew more about him. But they weren't one step closer to him.

Jobe understood this Joe from chapter 9 verses 32 33 says this in his wrestling with God and trying to understand jokes on suffering. not questioning God's sovereignty but wrestling Trump says if I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye. Yet you will plunge me into a pit. In my own clothes will abhor me. For he is not a man as I am that I might answer him that we should come to trial together. There is no Arbiter between us who might lay his hand on us both.

Was Moses that arbiter? Could Moses bring us close could could Moses lay a hand?

almost both could the law of God given through Moses make our hands clean enough to touch the very ground that God touches. No. Moses was a conduit of the knowledge of God's character. But not the Arbiter of God's presence.

In the shadow of the Mountain of Gods thunderous white-hot presents God's people could gather near but not even touch not even look. The very hand chosen people of God. We're not even allowed to use their hands to touch his presents. The ground was cleaner than their hands. So they were kept at a distance.

Through Moses. God was closed.

but

not on this mountain.

Maybe a different place maybe at a different time maybe God himself. Could Ascend the hill?

Maybe

the gods people have to keep waiting. because clothes it's not close enough. osprey

God is not enough just to know more about you.

It's not it's not it's not enough just to know facts about you.

Cuz here's a fact.

You Are Holy and we are not

What makes clean enough?

Could the following the law close enough? Make us close enough to you.

Is there a certain of scrubbing? It is their powerful enough to fly to cleanse the sin from our hands so that we might even touch the ground. Where you stand?

It is the East is there is there good enough is the righteousness on our own to shade our eyes from the radiance of your glory. without being blinded and burned

what could what could make us pure enough? What could make us clean enough what could preparest wood could cover us. So that we could be with you.

teachers show us speak to us We ask in your name by the power of your spirit.

Father son Holy Spirit we pray amen. You may sit you may stand and let's let's leave this place in worship.