A Passionate Pursuit Of God Part 1

A passionate pursuit of God

1/6/02

By: Pastor Ron Crandall

Ex 19:11,13&14,16&17,20

11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

13 There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Text:

Exod 20:18-21

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

In the last couple of weeks I have brought out that God was leading the children of Israel to a rendezvous or a place of meeting in the wilderness.

And that there was 3 million people God was taking care of, 3 million that God was sustaining, there was 3 million that God had delivered from the hand of the enemy, enough mana was falling to feed them, enough water was flowing to give them drink.

The cloud showed up every day, the pillar of fire was there every night.

Now they have come to the base of the mountain, God has brought them to the place it is the epitome of the reason, by which God has brought them out of the tyranny of Pharaoh

It is the reason of the wilderness experience,

It is the reason that God was taking them towards the promise land,

But the promise land was a mere deposit geographically.

If they were not to enjoy this moment that God was bringing them to

He brought them to the base of the mountain, you’ve seen my lighting’s, you heard my thundering, you’ve ate my manna, you have eaten the quail, and you’ve drank from the river out of the rock that I have provided for you.

God was saying to the children of Israel I have something for you though.

But when you come up to me, you¡¦re gonna have to have to die,

Something that you are is going to have to stay down at the base of the mountain.

You see there are lots of people in the kingdom of God satisfied with going round and round the base of the mountain.

They are happy, hearing the thunder, seeing the lighting and smelling the smoke.

Just knowing that God is out there, but never desiring a relationship.

Not willing to go up the mountain into the presence of God for themselves but merely satisfied with coming to church and doing the religious thing.

They are unwilling to crucify the flesh, in order to see and be with a Holy God.

Paul wrote in:

Gal 2:20-21

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

(NIV)

Many this morning are very satisfied coming and hearing what Pastor has to say to them, but, are unwilling to climb the mountain for a deeper relationship with the Father.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

Oh we will wash our clothes and we will make the necessary preparations and it appears that we want a relationship and a tabernacling with God.