OBEDIENCE OR DEATH
Exodus 19:16-25
MEETING GOD
V:16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
A. The very first action of a Christian is death.
The very moment you accept Christ as your Savior, death occurs.
It is death to the old man and the birth of a new man in Christ.
Throughout our Christian experience, it is death to the flesh and life in
the spirit.
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
us the ministry of reconciliation:
There is death to the old way of thinking.
There is death to the old way of living.
There is death to idol gods.
There is death to the flesh,
There is death to selfishness.
There is death to the life of sin.
Then there is life in Christ Jesus
There is life in righteousness
There is life in God’s Love
There is life in obedience
There is life in freedom
2. For three months, Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt and headed toward
the promised land.
They were a grumbling, complaining group. Their feeling was hurt because
of all the slavery stuff they left behind in Egypt.
They minimized the pain of slavery and maximized the food and dwellings
of Egypt.
3. Freedom brings pain.
4. Freedom calls for responsible actions.
5. Life in the desert was new to them. It was a new way of living.
6. They couldn’t see the joy of freedom because they kept looking
back at what they left.
GOD IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS
TRUE LOVE WILL OFTEN HURT YOUR FEELINGS
GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR OBEDIENCE
A parent who disciples a child cannot be concerned about his/her
feelings. The parent's concern is to change the child's behavior to do
what is right. It is our unchecked feelings that get us in trouble.
God gave commands of how the nation was to meet Him.
The Israelites were commanded to wash their clothes and consecrate themselves.
They were instructed to come to the base of the mountain, but not touch it.
The mountain was declared holy. Anyone who touched the mountain
would be stoned or shot with arrows to death. God was not concerned about
their feelings, but their obedience.
As a chosen nation, Israel was to be an example to the world. To be that example,
obedience to God’s commands was required.
God presented Israel with a simple ultimatum, stay behind the dividing line
at the base of the mountain and live, breakthrough, touch the mountain and die.
This was a direct test of obedience.
God gives us the same ultimatum today. Come to Christ and live, stay in the world
and die. Unfortunately, most of the world chooses to stay in the world and die.
Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
To have a relationship with God requires a change from sin to righteousness.
THE AMAZING PRESENCE OF GOD
V:18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in the fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
A. God demonstrated His presence, power, and authority using the familiar
in extraordinary ways before the nation of Israelites.
1. We are familiar with smoke, but smoke covering a whole mountain!
2. We are familiar with fire, but fire covering the top of a mountain!
3. We are familiar with thunder causing the ground to tremble, but a whole
mountain trembling violently!
4. We are familiar with the sound of trumpets, but the loud sound of trumpets
with no musicians or instruments!
5. I can imagine the freight with all of this happening at one time.
B. What would be close to this in my experience is being in the middle of a hurricane
with 130-mile-per-hour winds, violent thundering, lighting, rain, and the sound of
trees snapping into all at one time.
1. Add to that the voice of God in the middle of extraordinary events.
2. I have prayed to God doing a storm, but I have never heard His voice
in an audible way.
3. It is good that God puts fear in our hearts from time to time
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
4. God has a way of reminding us that He is in control.
THE CALL TO TEACH
V:20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them."
A. God sent Himself in form of His son to meet with us on the mount of Righteousness.
1. God called us out of the world to meet with Jesus.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to
God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light
2. Once we have met, Jesus we have the continuous job of teaching others God's
commands.
3. People who don’t know God have to be taught how to approach Him.
You can’t go to God in pride or to fulfill your lustful desires.
You should approach God in fear and humility.
B. The Israelites had witnessed the power of God and did not fear Him or reverence Him.
1. God knows our desire to sin before we sin.
2. There are times when God protects us from our sins.
The Israelites made up their minds to ignore God’s command and rush up
the mountain to see Him.
God sent Moses back down the mountain to prevent the Israelites from destroying
themselves.
C. We need preachers who know the Word and are committed to God’s commands.
1. The priest who had the responsibility of making sacrifices to God failed to
encourage the elders to follow God’s command not to rush up the mountain.
2. Even though leaders don’t follow God’s commands, it is up to each individual
to follow God. Your salvation is in your hands, not the leaders'.
DON’T ASSUME, KNOW
V:23 Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"
24 The Lord replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them."
A. You cannot assume that just because people know the Word of God, they
will be obedient.
1. Moses had given the people God’s command and assumed the people would
follow them.
Not everyone who hears the Word understands the importance of following
the Word.
2. There are some who believe that God loves us enough not to punish
us for our sins.
3. There are some who ignore the Word regarding the consequences of sin.
Some people know the Word, but do not apply it to their lives
B. The God we serve loves us enough to remind us of His Word.
1. It is the grace of God to close doors to keep us from harming ourselves.
2. We are blessed to have dedicated preachers and teachers.
TEACH THE WORD ACCORDING TO THE WORD
V:25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
A. Leaders must be ready to act on God’s Word regardless of their beliefs.
1. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but God does.
2. We don’t know what people will do, but God does.
B. It is important that we follow the directions that God gives.
1. You don’t want to look back and say if I had followed God’s
command this situation would not have happened.
OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS AND LIVE
Rev. M. Mitchell
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