God Is Not Mocked

“GOD IS NOT MOCKED” (Outline)

August 6, 2023 – Pentecost 10 – EXODUS 32:7-14

INTRO.: There are various opinions about God. Is he a grandfather? One who sits in his rocking chair looking down on his children with only kindness and love. Or is God an angry judge? One who seeks only to carry out justice. To get revenge. Or is God even real? To be sure, God is real. The Lord is our loving, perfect heavenly Father. “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. To be sure, whatever a man sows, he will also reap” (GALATIANS 6:7). (Galatians 6:7 here and at end 6:8.) “GOD IS NOT MOCKED.”

I. The Lord is serious about sin, judgment. II. The Lord is gracious with forgiveness, mercy.

I. THE LORD IS SERIOUS ABOUT SIN, JUDGMENT.

A. Moses and the children of Israel were beginning their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

1. Moses was on Mt. Sinai with the Lord. The Lord was giving Moses the laws for Israel.

2. Moses was on the mountain 40 days. God’s children were wondering if he would return.

3. Just in case he did not return they made an idol for themselves. A golden calf.

B. Verse 7. The Lord tells Moses to hurry back to your people whom you brought out of Egypt.

1. The Lord wanted to separate himself from these sinners who mocked God with a metal idol.

2. Verse 8. They have made a metal calf. False god. Worthless idol. They worshipped it.

3. Even worse: Sacrificed to it. Called calf your god who brought you out of Egypt.

C. Verse 9. A stiff-necked people. Reference to beasts of burden. Stiff necks only go in one direction.

1. Verse 10. The Lord’s anger was very hot. The Lord serious about sin. Destroying judgment.

2. The Lord ready to carry out his righteous wrath. Ready to judge with destruction of sinners.

D. Our world cares little about the Lord in respect to sin. Our society has decided to exchange God’s truth for the lie. The lie for the truth. What is good and right in God’s sight is considered as bad and wrong. God is not mocked. Our loving, heavenly Father is serious about sin. We cannot ignore sin. We dare not redefine God’s truth. Breaking the law, any law, is sin. Not doing what is right is sin. There are consequences. “Vengeance is mine. I will repay says the LORD. And again: The Lord will judge his people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (HEBREWS 10:30b, 31).

E. It is good and right for us to be reminded of the seriousness of sin. We might want to downplay our own sinfulness. One small sin isn’t so bad (i.e.: little white lie). The Lord does not differentiate between sins or sinning. Sin is sin is sin. There are no big sins. Little sins. All sin is dangerous. We daily sin. We sin much. Satan wants us to sin and to underestimate the danger of sinful living. “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and temporary residents in the world, to abstain from the desires of the sinful flesh, which war against your soul” (1 PETER 2:11). Thankfully our gracious God has given us faith to know right from wrong. Our loving, heavenly Father gives us the strength to know and do what is right in God’s sight!

F. We all know how easy it is to point our accusing fingers at others. All too easily we think we are not as bad as our neighbor. Or those worldly. At least we would never, ever forget about the Lord. We also do have a sinful nature. Our Christian nature constantly battles against the desires of our sinful flesh. Against Satan. And against the temptations of this world. Sometimes, even believers live as enemies of the cross of Christ. “Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite, and their glory is in their shame. They are thinking only about earthly things” (PHILIPPIANS 3:19). All too often our thinking and our actions focus only on earthly things rather than heavenly. We want to take sin as seriously as the Lord does.

“GOD IS NOT MOCKED.” The Lord God is serious about sin and his righteous judgment.

II. THE LORD IS GRACIOUS WITH FORGIVENESS, MERCY.

A. Verse 10b. The Lord was ready to judge Israel. Offered to give Moses all of Israel’s blessings.

1. Verse 11. Moses refused the Lord’s offer. Instead, he begged the Lord to spare Israel.

2. Moses to the Lord: your people whom you brought out of Egypt.

B. Verse 12. Moses: Lord you did not plan evil for Israel. Destroy them, nations think only for evil.

1. Moses: Turn from your fierce anger. Do not bring judgment on Israel. Do not bring disaster.