Prepared To Worship

Prepared to

Worship.

Exodus 19:1-19

Welcome and good morning. As always it’s a honor and a privilege to stand before you, to speak a portion of God’s word.

My hopes and prayers are that you can apply these words to your life, and use them in your daily walk with the Lord.

We’re going to take a close look at Exodus 19:1-19, these people will be pledging their faith to an invisible King. Their very creator, and promising to obey the many stringent laws which are a part of the covenant.

It’s been approximately 635 years since God promised Abraham that he would make a great nation of Abraham’s descendants and bless that nation as his chosen people.

They have just been delivered from bondage in Egypt, they witnessed the plagues, they witnessed the parting of the red sea, and saw mosses strike the rock and drank the water that poured forth from it.

These people are now instructed to purify themselves and prepare to meet God.

Now, Exodus 19:1-19

1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain.

3And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

7So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. 9And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever."

So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.

10Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, "Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain."

14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 15And he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives."

16Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain[a] quaked greatly. 19And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.

Throughout this account of events God instructs Moses to prepare this group to meet him. They are prepared spiritually, mentally and, physically. And that’s what I want to talk about today, because we also must prepare to worship God.

When preparing to do something we must understand exactly what it is we are preparing to do, so before we get into our lesson let’s look at the definition of worship. Our word worship from the old English word worth-ship which means worthiness

To worship is to declare God’s worth.

Webster’s dictionary shows 3 definitions of worship; #1 is, reverence for God #2 is admiration of love and #3 is to show religious reverence.