Living in His Presence
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Good Morning
You can turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 12
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and then Deuteronomy, the fifth book of what Jesus would call the law or the Books of Moses, Deuteronomy chapter 12
Some of you already know this but my wife and I recently drove across the country back in May
A roughly 2400 mile trip, that takes around 34 to 36 driving hours, depending on the route, from Peoria Arizona to Hockessin Delaware, or vice versa
We’ve done this before, in fact this was our 6th time.
The first year coming here from AZ, we took our time, didn’t want to come out of the gates too hot and then burn out on day 3
So we only drove 7 hours a day and it took 5 days to get here
We stopped for decent dinners, saw the Ark outside of Cincinatti, some people along the way, it wasn’t too bad, we enjoyed it.
But then going back to AZ, I had just come back from a work trip and Nicole wanted to get back to AZ for a Lauren Daigle concert, we prepped for two days and then drove back in 3 days, averaged 12 hours of driving per day
It helped that we were driving west, extra hours of daylight.
We were up early, drove late, ate quick meals, it was nuts, not recommended, but that’s where our house was, we had plans, so we just wanted to get home.
But that fits more into how I view long distance driving, getting from point A to point B as fast as you can, maximizing every stop so no time is wasted. The trip becomes a mission that I must execute effectively and efficiently.
Anybody relate to that??
Get up, get breakfast and gas, then drive for as long as possible, preferably for 4 hours or so, get that gas just below 1/4 tank, then get gas again, go to the bathroom, at the same time as gassing up, grab a quick bite for lunch, then get back on the highway.
Unfortunately, that isn’t how Nicole views long distance driving
She would rather sleep in, have a good breakfast at Cracker Barrel, maybe get an Ice-T to go, pee at Cracker Barrel, then we get gas and she pees again, smart, I’m good with that.
But then around 2 hours in, still got plenty of gas, she says something like this, “You’re gonna kill me, but I gotta pee.”
As soon as she starts I know it’s coming, and yet I still respond with surprise and frustration, but I pull it together.
We negotiate, how long can you hold it I ask?
She says maybe like 20 mins. I look at the gas tank, check apple maps on what exits are coming up, look at the clock and try to see if maybe an early lunch is in order.
How about 30, I ask? Hoping to maybe miss an exit and help her push the limits of bladder control?
In the back of my head, I’m thinking, why do you get the tea, you know it makes you have to pee.
Who am I kidding, that’s come out of my mouth, mini argument ensues.
Ok, not going to kill us, we pull off at a truck stop right off the highway, if I’m less than half a tank I fill up, if not we just pee and go knowing we’ll have to stop again in two hours, hopefully.
But then it’s lunch time, no problem, I usually need gas, so now we can combo stop, gas, lunch and pee, perfect, only one problem,
Nicole isn’t eating Carl’s Jr or at the Flying J, oh no, she wants Panera, I’m in the mood for Panera, she says, like that should have anything to do with what we eat.
I’m sure you’re aware of this but
very rarely is there a Panera, or a Chick-fil-A, or a Chipotle, right off the highway, those are the other one’s she’s usually in the mood for.
Mini argument ensues, but she ain’t having it. I’m not winning this one, so I just give in, bottle it up, all that frustration, just shove it down, nah, she’s killing my drive time, we were making good time, so I let her know.
Hitting one of those places is like a 45 minute to an hour delay to the trip, 15 mins off the highway, another 20 mins to order and eat, in the restaurant, then we gotta get gas and pee twice.
Did I forget to mention she gets another tea for the road,
Nah, but seriously, we’ve really grown to enjoy that time, out in the middle of nowhere, together. We actually do like each other.
Being with each other, out of the chaos, out of the hustle and bustle, free from all the distractions, appointments, just with each other, we realize that we’ve needed this trip, it’s good for us.
We’ve also grown to appreciate God’s vast and diverse creation, how the landscape changes on this drive, from desert vistas, to mountainous areas, barren wastelands to lush green forests. We’ve seen sunrises and sunsets, thunderstorms and rainbows.
We talk and pray, we do crosswords, listen to podcasts or sermons, sometimes we each put on head phones and do our own thing, but we’ve got it down pretty good.
As much as we’ve grown to really enjoy that time together, in each others presence, it’s hard to not think about where we’re going.
How good it’s going to be once we get there, the things we’re going to do, people we’ll see, always a growing anxiousness to get there,
In fact, being with each other, isn’t as important, all that other stuff is
We have to be intentional, carve out time, remember how good that time is,
so, that being said
Where They Were Going
Where They Were Going
let’s look together at Deuteronomy 12, starting in verse 1
what God has done is what God does, what God does He does because of who He is
What the people of God have done is what the people of God do because of who the people God (are) but not supposed to be.
The Promise was foundational for the Rescue, the Rescue was foundational for the people to live in the Promised Land.
The Law is foundational for the people so that they can live rightly in this land, but not alone, no
The The Promise, the Rescue, the Law are all foundational for the people to live in the land with God, in the Presence of God.
Land Law Life, woven together, this is the plan, it was then, and it is now,
To be with God, our God is a God who desires to be with His people, dwelling with His people, living life with His people
We see this first in Eden, Adam with God is His new creation, sitting on a log together as God parades the animals one by one in front of Adam so Adam can name them.
What did this look like??? Have you ever wondered?
My good friend and co-worker describes the scene sometimes, God brings an animal, it’s big, walks on all fours, has black and white stripes, a big head, small tail, “What do you want to call this one?” asks God. “I’m thinking, Zebra,” says Adam.” I love it, says God!!
“How about this one?” It’s tan, really long neck, bigger than the last, “I’m gonna go with Giraffe” That’s great, so great
Or how about Adam and Eve walking in the cool of the day with God? The Bible seems to indicate God took on a tangible form, personified to a degree, enough so Adam and Eve could hang out, walk, talk, so they could spend time with Him, and He with them.
now in the wilderness, soon in the Promised land
The Law is good, given by a good God, a good King, so we can live rightly by Him and with each other
There was no aspect of their life that didn’t have God’s imprint, a word from Him, there was no part of their life separate from God, this is the “Law” it governed and guided their entire existence
The location was irrelevant, God with His people, and His people living for their God,
This journey, they were not alone, He didn’t send them, He led them, Moses made sure of that
God with them, tabernacled, John used that word of Jesus, and you shall call Him Emmanuel, God with us.
pillar of fire, a cloud, a tent, leading and resting
in numbers 1-3 were given a picture of the camp, set up, if we had a drone do you know what we’d see? Here I’ll show you
What does it mean to live in His presence? Can I flee from His presence? Is there a time and place that I’m not in His presence?
How do we do it?
If you love me you’ll obey me, if you obey me you’ll seek me, if you seek for me you’ll find me, when you find me we will come to you and dine with you (this needs work)
Can we do it?
What they were asked to do, we are asked to do. Destroy all places of idol worship. Completely erase the names of their gods. Ba’al, Molech, Asherah, who are they really
Why destroy? Not good, can’t serve two masters, only one is good, these false gods and their worship system had the imprint of the destroyer
Verse 4, do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.
But we have to try, right?
Our natural bent is to do wrong, would you agree?
Lazy vs motivated, binge vs diet, it’s easier to form and keep a bad habit than it is to create and maintain a good one
New Year’s resolutions, need I say more.
But we have to try, right?
Discipline accomplishes more than good intentions, way more than letting your feelings dictate.
The word discipline may not sit well with you, especially if the discipline you received was harsh, disproportionate, done in anger
We will say habits or practices.
So what does this look like for us? Where do we see God’s imprint, His word or say, His footprint in our lives??
Is it obvious in how we spend our time? Or how we spend our money? Or what we watch? Or how we treat our wives or husbands, or kids, or family members, or friends, neighbors, strangers???
Jesus fulfilled the law in that He did it all and perfectly, He also paid the penalty for our inability to do it all and perfectly, but He didn’t come to abolish the law, to do away with it, we are still called to this high and holy standard. Read the Sermon on the Mount
Psalm 100 our experience of God’s presence
James 4:8 our experience
Psalm 114:7 God’s manifestation in fresh new way
Psalm 73:28, 145:18
The evolution of His presence
God creates then allows Adam, in a partnership with God, clearly demonstrated in Adam naming the animals, I picture them sitting on a log together, as Adam names each one to God’s delight. His “work” was a form or appreciation and worship of God, time together. Gen. 2
Adam and Eve will enjoy and rule on His behalf
Adam and Eve “walking” with God Genesis 3:8a
Present in a form to Cain and Abel Genesis 4:3-6
Noah “walked” in close “fellowship” with God Gen. 6:9, same Hebrew word, “halack”, builds an altar 8:30
Abram, Gen. 12:1, the Lord said, Abram obeyed.
Gen. 12:7, the Lord appeared, Abram builds an altar
12:8 another altar, dedicates it and worships
13:4, leaves Egypt wealthy, but returns to Bethel to worship at altar again
13:18, builds an altar in Hebron
Gen. 14:17-20, “Melchizedek” King and Priest, bread and wine, blessed Abram, gives a tenth
Gen. 15:1-6, The Lord speaks to Abram in a vision, and he speaks back, O Sovereign Lord, questions Him, states how he sees it, the Lord responds, brings him outside to look at sky, Abram believed and is counted as righteous.
Gen. 15:7-8, Abram asks for evidence, right after his belief is counted as righteous, God then “cuts” covenant, 17, fire pot and flaming torch
Gen. 17, the Lord appears again and speaks, circumcision, which Abram doesn’t question, then a son, Abraham falls on face and laughs, questions the absurdity, pleads for Ishmael, God says “No”, then Ab obeys, circumcises
Gen. 18, the Lord appears in human form, 3 men, addressed as Lord, them, was feet and rest yourselves, so they said, they ate, they said, the Lord said, I will surely return, the men set out, they looked down, Ab went with them, The Lord said, “shall I hide what I am about to do?”
Gen. 18:22-33, a negotiation ensues between Ab and the Lord, Ab stands before Him, approaches Him, and negotiates for Sodom, but questions God’s justice up front, Will you then sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Gen. 21, Isaac, no mention of an altar or worship??
Gen 21:33, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord in the land of the Philistines.
The next altar Abraham will build will be the one he will sacrifice Isaac on, Gen. 22:9, names it The Lord will provide, which He did, a ram, Abraham sacrificed it to the Lord, a burnt offering.
Gen. 22:16-18, because you have obeyed My voice
1. We’ve seen that the Promise was foundational to the Rescue, they’re rescued because God made a Promise
1. We’ve seen that the Promise was foundational to the Rescue, they’re rescued because God made a Promise
2. We’ve seen that the Rescue was foundational for the people to get and live in the Promised Land
2. We’ve seen that the Rescue was foundational for the people to get and live in the Promised Land
3. But God doesn’t just turn them loose, no, we saw last week that the Law was foundational for them to live in the land, because
3. But God doesn’t just turn them loose, no, we saw last week that the Law was foundational for them to live in the land, because
4. Because God was going to live in the land with them, the Law is foundational for them to live in the land with God, in His presence.
4. Because God was going to live in the land with them, the Law is foundational for them to live in the land with God, in His presence.
To say that you worship God but don’t like to do it with other believers is ludicrous.
God instituted corporate worship, He ordained it, think about it, we are His body, how can we exist apart from the body??
The Church has its flaws, but so do you, that’s who we are, flawed individuals that come together to form something so beautiful, the Bride of christ.
Saying you don’t like the Church is an insult to Jesus, it would be an insult to me, my bride and I are one.
Get over yourself, there are no perfect people, no perfect Churches, our coming together in spite of our differences, in spite of the things I would change says more about our love for God and our obedience to Jesus, and it’s a testimony to the world.