Finding and Living in Grace!

 19^th Sunday after Pentecost!

World Communion Sunday!

 Focus Statement:    In these verses, Moses goes before God for

                     the people finding grace and assurance that

                     God will go with them after they have been

                     unfaithful to God in worshipping the golden

          calf, and Moses tells God that they will

only be different if God is with them.

 

Function Statement: As a result of this sermon, the congregation

                     will more fully embrace God's grace,

                     realizing nothing they have done is too bad

                     for God's forgiveness and they will realize

                     we are different because of God's grace!

 

Introduction:

     A.   Have you done something as a child and thought there

          was no way your parents would ever forgive you?

 

     B.   Have you ever done something and thought there is no

way your friend of spouse would forgive you?

 

     C.   Have you ever known someone who seemed to think they

          were too bad to become a Christian: God could never

          forgive them for what they had done?

 

     D.   That is the situation of our scripture this morning.

          1.   Read Exo. 33:4-5. 

               a.   They had worshipped the golden calf!

Chapter 32

               b.   The Lord had told them, "I can't come among

                     you or I will destroy you!"

               c.   So they are mourning because they have

messed up grandly and see no way of ever

coming to God again.

          2.   That brings us to our scripture for today!

 

                              Prayer

                          Exodus 33:12-17

 

I.   A look at the scripture:

     A.   Moses is kind of sneaking up on this issue; he is not

          too sure where he and the people stand either!

          1.   He says, "Lord you've sent me up to do this, but

               you haven't said who is going to go with me!"

 

               a.   We don't need to get this confused with the

                     fact that he asked the Lord to let Aaron go

                     with him!

 

               b.   That isn't what he is talking about here.

 

               c.   He is wanting to know if God will go with

                     him!

 

          2.   "Lord, you have said you know me by name and I

               have found favor in your sight!"

 

               a.   He is warming up to his question.

 

               b.   He is reminding God what God has said!

 

               c.   Can you feel Moses' reluctance?

         

          3.   "Now if I have found favor in your sight,

               (remember you said I have) show me your ways, so

               that I may know you and find favor in your

               sight."

 

               a.   Moses makes a very intimate/sincere request:

                     that I may know you!

 

               b.   That was Paul's desire in the N.T. Remember?

 

                     "I want to know Christ and the power of his

                     resurrection and the sharing of his

                     sufferings by becoming like him in his

                     death, if somehow  I may attain the

resurrection of the dead."  Phil. 3:10-11

 

               c.   That should be our desire too!

 

                     1)   To know God in Christ!

 

                     2)   Not just a head knowledge, but an

                          intimate knowing!  Friend/companion!

 

               d.   Then Moses, still sneaking up on the issue,

                     says, "Consider too that this nation is your

                     people."

     B.   God knows where he is going and meets him there.

 

          1.   Don't worry Moses I will go with you!

 

          2.   I will give you rest!  Vs.14

 

     C.   But Moses still can't believe it!

 

          1.   Now if you don't mean this, don't take us a step

               further! 

 

          2.   I don't want to go without you!

 

          3.   We will only be distinct if you go with us,

remember that word!

         

     D.   God reassures Moses, "I will do everything you have

          asked!"

 

TWO POINTS WE CAN GET FROM THIS SCRIPTURE:

 

II.  God's amazing grace!  (Found even in the Old Testament!)

 

     A.   The people had messed up royally!

 

     B.   We have done that!

 

          1.   We all have past sins that we regret!

 

          2.   We can't believe we acted like that!

 

          3.   Paul calls himself the chiefest of sinners!

 

     C.   We still do that! 

          1.   We aren't perfect even yet!

 

          2.   The scriptures say, "If we say we have no sin, we

               are liars!"

 

     C.   But God was/is ready to extend grace!

 

          1.   God was anxious!

 

          2.   God didn't even wait for Moses to get out the

Full question!

 

          3.   God knew where he was going!

 

          4.   God looks for the heart that is ready to receive!

 

               a.   There isn't a special thing we have to say!

 

               b.   There isn't a special thing we have to do!

 

               c.   We just open the door of our heart and God

                     comes in!

 

     D.   That is God's amazing grace! Wow!  Amen!

 

III. God's presence makes us distinct!  There is that Word!

 

     A.   God makes a difference in our lives that can be seen.

          Moses realized that even here in the Old Testament!

 

     B.   This is a powerful statement!

 

          1.   They will know us by our love!

 

          2.   They will know us because we are fair with

               others!

 

          3.   They will know us because we hurt when others

               hurt!

 

          4.   They will know us because we live like we have a

               purpose!

 

          5.   They will know us by . . . . . because we are

distinct!

 

     C.   How are we different than others?  Because of God!

 

          1.   What is the difference between us and a sniper?

               (Besides the obvious that we are not shooting

                people)

 

               a.   God!

 

               b.   God's grace; it is God that makes the

                     difference in our lives!  By God's grace we

                     live differently!

 

               c.   When we forget that, we become proud and

self -absorbed!

 

               d.   When we remember that, we are able to accept

                     others and extend God's grace!

 

2.   What is the difference between us and a Terrorist?

 

               a.   God!

 

               b.   A Terrorist thinks he has God!

 

               c.   We think we have God!

 

               d.   How will the world know who is right?

 

                     1)   Will it be because we have built the

                          biggest bomb and the greatest military?

 

                     2)   I suggest it will be when we have gone

                          the extra mile in seeking peace and in

                          helping others & in loving people.

 

                     3)   They will know us by our Love!

 

Conclusion: 

 

A.   God's presence makes us distinct!

 

                         Thanks be to God!

 

     B.   As we encounter Christ at the table today with

Christians all over the world on this World Communion

Sunday, come receive that grace, fully embrace that

grace, that makes us distinct! Realize nothing we have

done is too bad for God’s forgiving grace! Realize we

are different because of God’s grace! Yield to that

grace today!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

Is the Lord Among Us or Not?

 18^th Sunday after Pentecost!

                            Exodus 17:1-7

 

Focus Statement:   The Lord told Moses how to get water for the                         Hebrews because they were quarreling and                              saying, "Is the Lord Among us or not?"

 

Function Statement:    Because of hearing this message the                           congregation will remember/realize that they                         have had/will have times when they will                      wonder if the Lord is there, they will                               realize it is alright to question the Lord at                     these times, and they will realize the Lord                           will always come through for them!

 

 

1st Movement:

     Just before I was sixteen, my family moved to Corning.  We selected a church to go to that wasn't even the denomination that we had formerly attended because when we visited there and the church that was the denomination we had attended, we kids really wanted to go to this church.  It had a good youth group and they were doing things with the kids.  The lady that taught the youth had such an open spirit about her.  She gave you the feeling that you were wanted and that she was really glad you were there.  She had a way about her that she could joke around, yet she could be firm and let you know her expectations.  The Sunday School class was one of anticipation about what we were going to learn about today; the kids liked being there.  There was a young couple in the church that also worked with the kids; he later was named the youth director.  They had the youth over to their house on Thursday nights for cottage prayer meetings.  We gathered for refreshments, and there was always plenty of them.  He really had a heart for influencing the youth.  We would have a little lesson and then share concerns and have prayer.  These folks really became special and influential in my life!  I went to camp during this time and at camp went to the altar feeling that God was calling me into some special service but not really knowing what that service was yet.  Things were looking good, and I was excited spiritually! 

     Then, our church was doing so good that they had to start trying to decide what to do; we were running out of room!  They didn't work together in this, and the church ended up splitting over what to do.  Some stayed at the old building and continued on there, and some went to another location and built another building.  My parents wanted to stay.  They didn't feel right by leaving!  The problem for me was that all the people I had grown to love and who had been so influential for me had gone to the other church!  Besides that, the ones who were left in general were bitter and said things about the other folks assuming that we all felt that way or we wouldn't be there!  My family stuck it out for two years, thinking it would get better, but it didn't.  It was dragging us down, listening to all the back biting, so we finally left and went to another church where the Lord healed our brokenness! 

     During the two years while I was dealing with missing those who I had grown to love and listening to everyone at church run them into the ground, I was doing a lot of soul searching.  At times, I would wonder if the Lord was really there or not!  Is the Lord going to take care of me or not?  I asked the Lord a lot of questions.  I lashed out at the Lord a few times; I couldn't believe what God's people were doing and saying!  I couldn't believe what God had let happen!  I was wondering, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

 

2nd movement:

     That is exactly what the Hebrew people were asking in our scripture today, "Is the Lord among us or not?"  They had come to wonder this because they were running out of water.  We get down on them because they quarreled when they were hungry and they quarreled when they were thirsty, but I'm not sure that is the real point of these scriptures.  These stories were remembered told, and later put into scripture for a reason, and I doubt it was to show how much the Hebrew people had quarreled!  I really doubt it is a lesson against quarreling because, after all, God gives them what they ask for!  God doesn't strike them down or anything!  I think they were just being human just like I was being human when I was asking God questions, just like I was being human when I asked if God was there, just like I was being human when I wanted to know why God had allowed this to happen, and just like I was being human when I would at times lash out at God!  I think the Bible is just being very truthful about how we are at times!

     The neat thing about this scripture is that God didn't strike them down, but instead, God met their need!  God heard their complaints and did something about it!  I think this story is here to show us some things about God!  God is approachable, even with our complaints!  God is not a God that is out there somewhere and unreachable!  God "is" there!  God "will" hear!  God cares!

     ^14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the

Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ^15 For we do not have a high priest who is

unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been

tested^d as we are, yet without sin. ^16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with

boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.^[1]

                                                                                                Heb. 4:14-16

God is a God who came to us incarnate in Jesus Christ and knows what we need.  God is not a God who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses!

 

3rd Movement:

     What are you going through in life?  What are you going through today?  What are you asking of God?  Or have you felt that God was beyond your approaching with the needs of your heart?  What does this scripture say about God that concerns where you are today?  Are you questioning?  Are you hurting?  Are you asking why?  God cares!

     What about us as a church?  What do we want to ask of God concerning our church?  Do we understand all things?  Are we always happy how things are going?  Do we say anything to God about it?  Do we ever wonder if God is there or not?  What does this say to our church today?  Shouldn’t we as a church trust in a God who cares and knows all things? Shouldn’t we share that kind of God to the people we love?

     I think it says many things to us. Are you questioning God? Are you hurting? As we encounter Christ at the table today, come to a God who cares! As we encounter Christ at the table today, allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into those things and the understanding that God has especially for us.  If you are burdened or heavy laden, bring that to God too.  Come as you are! Come and encounter a God who really, "is" there, is approachable, hears, and cares!  Come to a God who will always answer, although the answer may not always be what we think we need.  You can rest assured it will be what is best for us! Thanks be to God!

 

                       Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

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d Or tempted

^[1]The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville