God’s presence. WBC 2 April 2006pm. Exodus 33:1-3, 12-23
Read Ex 33:1-3
Here Moses is promised the presence of an angel to guide them as they journey towards the promised land
- not a bad offer! Firstly because many would have craved an angelic guide in those days. Secondly- because if God Himself went with them His holiness might destroy them… so this was a safer option!
- Nowadays many would crave this. In fact- angels are all ’the rage’. Stacks of bestselling books on contacting angels, your guardian angels… ’spirit guides’
o There are such things as angels, of course. But we are not to contact them. If God sends them to contact us, that’s okay
" We are to crave another Presence
o But I wonder if people seek angels for the same reason as those here might have been content with one
" Less moral impact, obligation?
But listen to this:
- Read from John White’s ’When the Spirit comes with power’ p 87
- Exodus 33:12-23
WE NEED THE PRESENCE
We need the presence of God. Himself. Intimate. Powerful. All consuming. Not just an angel!
- v15 ’don’t send us out from here unless your presence goes with us’
- this is all about YOU. Without you it’s worthless
And what Moses pleads for is that God’s presence will go with THEM. All of them
- in v14- God has promised to go with Moses. ’My presence will go with you and I will give you rest’
o but it’s ’you’ singular
Here’s the thing- putting it in the church context- what’s the point if God’s presence is for… or experienced by… ’the few’?
- the elite. The keenies
It’s no good one or two standing out. They are just seen as ’the keenies’, ’the spiritual lot’
- we need to be a people who know God intimately, in power
- It’s what God has always wanted… it’s what He designed us for: to be a kingdom of priests showing His shekinah glory from our faces (like Moses did)
It’s funny how folks read Moses’ story… the power… the ’talking with God face to fact’… the shekinah (which you find in 34:29, as a result of this passage here) and see him as
- a marvellous man! Oh if we could have a pastor like that! I wish… in fact ’pray’ we could have some more people like that
… when in fact- it’s the pattern for all of US. YOU.… not just the elite
What’s the point if it’s the few? How is that going to change the world? You KNOW people in today’s culture will always take on the lowest, easiest pattern they see modelled. If you’re a slug for Jesus they will model YOU rather than ’the higher path’
- Lord- if you don’t go with US. Don’t send us out!
Is God speaking to you? Are you all ’for it’- but as long as ’it’ is for other people?
- we need God’s presence. You need it. Him. Get it
WHY GOD’S PRESENCE?
But why? Well- how are you going to survive and grow without it?
But also… here… how will anyone else know that we are your people (v15)? What will distinguish us from anyone else (v16)?
- truth is there are nice people… world changers… movers and shakers.. in every social group
o so how are we any different unless we are all on fire, changed?
- No wonder the world hasn’t come to believe, yet, (Jn 17:21) when we don’t all have and show this life-transforming loving power in our lives
Lord, we need your presence then others will see. We will be distinct. We will be magnetic to others.
- some think: worship will draw others. (by this they mean ’singing’)
- anointed preaching will draw others
- healing will draw others
- testimonies will draw others
- God’s power will bring in the prodigals
- Prophecy will convict and convert
How wrong they are!! How foolish… and hence why folks spend their time chasing these things (with the best of intentions)
- no! God’s presence is the thing that matters… and then these things happen as a by product of that
o electric ’worship in song’ happens. Otherwise it’s just ’singing’
- and when God’s presence is there- you get the people
o get the cloud and you’ll get the crowd!
- …. And these other things… symptoms… will just happen in their right place. They aren’t the issue. Jesus’ presence is! Get His presence and you get the outworkings, consequences of it!
We must have God dynamically present among us by His Holy Spirit
- and I’m telling you: worship leading, preaching… doing anything is so different when that is the case
- even ’crying’/grieving. (Discussing with someone recently about ’grieving in the presence of God’. When the anointing is there)
Look at the gospels. Can you see how magnetic the presence of Jesus is. How the crowds flock around Him.?
" Luke records fantastic catchphrases to describe this: the crowds saying ’we’ve never seen anything like this before’. ’And the power of the Lord was present to heal the sick’
- it wasn’t necessary safe to be there in Jesus’ presence. Might get the roof ripped off your building to let the crippled and keen in. But there’s nothing like it! It brings the people!
- And it’s not going to be safe as the presence of God increases, here. It could be downright messy and inconvenient
o When the prodigals are drawn back by the Father’s heart- they come covered in mud!
o Are you ready for that? Consequences of God’s presence? THEM? And the others the Lord brings in? Or do you just leave the ’cleaning of them’ to the few, the keenies?
I suspect many of us think it is the job of others
Maybe we want the lost, the ’muddy’, those ’with a past’, the broken among us. Plus those ensnared by addictive problems
- but if you see it as the job of others to welcome, talk to, care for, wash and clean for them- it’s mere sentimentality! Sentimentality not a work of the Spirit. God’s presence is with the few, not ALL
- it’s ALL our jobs the job of all of us to welcome the people the Presence brings. The crowd from the cloud. Be ready for them. Sensitive to them. Involved in cleaning them
Lord! Don’t send us up from here unless YOU go with US. We need your presence
HOW DO WE GET GOD’S PRESENCE?
So- how do we get God’s presence?
- well: there’s no guaranteed formula in this
- but there is the promise that you will get what you ask for and what you seek.
o and if you seek nothing- you’ll certainly get that.
o Why are we surprised if we feel devoid of His presence- when we have done nothing to show we want it/Him?!
How do we get God’s presence?
1) Count the cost. Prepare a habitat
There is something in here about God not being able to draw near to them because of the quality of their lives. Holiness.
- it says ’without holiness no one will see the Lord’
Want God’s presence? With you? Us?
- you’ve gotta be prepared to let go of those things that offend Him
- and (v13) learn His ways. Be teachable
2) Ask- like Moses did
Intercessors:
- There is the role of the intercessor. Boy how we need them! Maybe you are being called to that this evening.
- Moses is the example. God promises here (and just earlier 32;10) just to do a special thing with him, alone- but Moses pleads "no- please go with us. Let your presence be with US. All of us! Lord- bless these folks… the people of this church. Where they don’t even want blessing- bless them
- There is such power in intercession. Look here- Moses gets a blessing for the whole nation: v17 "I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with YOU (s) and know YOU (s) by name"
But there is the role and need for each of us to ask for this, as well.
- you need to ask. Ask and you will receive. We will receive. God DOES give what we ask for (if it is good)
- He might test our mettle and make us wait- but He will give
3) Persuade and plead
Moses wouldn’t take ’no’ for an answer. A number of times
- because he knew God’s nature- and His desire to bless more than we could imagine "the Lord, the Lord, abounding in love and faithfulness"
Jacob wouldn’t let God go until He had blessed Him. He wanted to keep and live in the presence of God
Ask for God’s presence in your life and HERE
4) Put yourself where God can meet you
Interestingly enough- Moses prayer was answered, but he hadn’t received at v18
- He had to go to a place where God was going to visit Him. A rock
Where do you need to go to find God? (Illustr: me. I’m just going and soaking. Well- trickling, if not soaking!)
5) Believe and receive
God is always more willing to give than we are to receive
- be expectant. Come expectant. Come here expectant
- here, knowing God will/has said "yes", Moses is quite gun-ho and greedy about it.
- "Now show me your glory!"
Too many folks in the church attempt to serve out of their own strength and wisdom. That leads to burn out. Often times we’re still trying to impress someone else. One of my instructors told us to look at our spiritual lives like a pond. The time that we spend with God adds water to it. The more time we spend in secret with him, the more he fills the pond up. Eventually there’s so much water that it begins to overflow. It seeps out at first like a stream. As more water is added it moves with the force of a river. Eventually it cascades into a mighty water fall. That’s ministry from an overflow - spending so much time with him in secret that his presence gushes out of us. Too many of us are trying to create waterfalls by scooping bucket load after bucket load from a nearly depleted pond. Power comes from the practice of private piety.
Series: A Revolution of Grace: Christ’s Plan to Change Your World
Today’s Message: Losing My Religion , by Joel Smith
Wellspring Community Church 10.06.02
