New Commandments And A New Covenant- The Story Chapter 5

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• We have seen thus far in the Story that since the fall of mankind in the garden, God has been in pursuit of us. He loves us more than we can ever know and He has gone to great lengths to try to bring us back into His family.

• As the Israelites approached their third month of freedom, they approached Mount Sinai. God calls Moses to the mountain in order to share His heart.

• SLIDE #2

• Exodus 19:3–6 (NIV) 3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

• After God speaks with Moses, Moses returned from the mountain and explained to the people what God had just shared with him.

• Then the people respond.

• SLIDE #3

• Exodus 19:8 (NIV) The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

• WOW! So God’s chosen people will walk with Him forever! They will never struggle, they will never defy God! WELL, NOT REALLY!

• The sin in the garden kind of summarizes the streak of rebellion we all possess.

• It is like the little girl who was sent to the sit in the corner for misbehaving.

• She is sitting on the chair with arms folded and a pouty look on her face when she proclaims to her mother, I am sitting down on the outside, but I am standing on the inside!

• The spirit many times is willing but the flesh is weak. We tend to want to think we are in control and therefore we do not need God. We are a bit at war with God, yet we think we are winning the fight.

• It is like the two guys at work on day when one guy said to the other, I heard you and the wife had a big argument last night.

• The other man responds, yes we did. Then he is asks how it turned out.

• The man responds proudly, SHE CAME CRAWLING TO ME ON HER HANDS AND KNEES!

• The other man asks what she said. The response, was, she said to GET OUT FROM UNDER THE BED AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!

• The key to this chapter is understanding what God says in verses 5-6 of Exodus19.

• God wants to dwell with His people, but in our message today we will see three things that needed to change for that to happen.

• This thought GIVES us the starting point for today. Let’s begin by first examining…

• SLIDE #5

SERMON

I. God gives guidelines for how we treat God and each other.

The Ten Commandments

• Our desire to get what we want when we want it tends to cause us to treat one another poorly at times.

• For a society to function it needs some laws and guidelines. From our lower story perspective we can look at God’s laws as just being punitive. That God gives them to us so that we cannot have and fun or freedom.

• I remember a few years ago we were at Yellowstone then we drove up the Bear Tooth.

• This 68 mile byway winds its way through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance. It peak elevation is about 12,500 feet.

• The winding mountain road is protected by many guardrails, and if you are in the passenger seat of the vehicle, you can see why they are there.

• As we were climbing to higher and higher elevations, I did not think, those stupid restrictive guardrails, they are keeping me from enjoying a fast track down the mountain.

• I was praising God for their presence. I did not see those guardrails as restrictive, but rather protection!

• God gave us the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-7 to help us to better understand how we can better treat God and one another!

• What God wants and it is for our betterment is a community of love that reflects the relationships of the Trinity!

• The relationship and communion between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the model in which God wants His people to follow and model.