West Greeley Baptist Church
March 18th 2001
"Approaching God”
Exodus 20: 18-21
Pastor Mark Hensley
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was”
Introduction: The story is told that after Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God and tapped out the symbols for the name "God." Much to Miss Sullivan’s surprise, Helen spelled back, "Thank you for telling me God’s name, Teacher, for he has touched me many times before." Helen Keller knew something of God’s signature from nature, but it was wordless. Source Unknown
Transition: God can be known! He is personable. Yet we must know that while God is approachable, we must enter his presence with awe and humility! In the Old Testament book of Exodus chapter’s 19-20 we read about Moses and His encounter with God. God met Moses on Mt. Sinai. Moses was instructed to keep the people at the base of the Mountain. For them to come up would have resulted in their death! Why? You ask. Because God is Holy and to approach Him with no thought of his majesty is presumptuous and dangerous! Yet, they could have known Him, just as Moses did. God is approachable! In verse 18-21 of Chapter 20 we read these words.
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was”
People often remain at a Distance from God
Some avoid God, because they would rather sin.
God can be found
I. People often remain at a Distance from God
“ The people remained at a distance”
Why? If you could draw close to God, if His magnificence was so close wouldn’t you want to experience Him? The reason the people wanted to remain at a distance is found in verse 18.
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
To their credit the Israelites recognized the majesty of God! They saw God’s power and trembled, Moses saw God’s power and worshiped! They wanted…they needed a mediator someone to stand between them and God. A role filled by Moses, later to be filled by prophets, priests and kings…ultimately to be filled by the Lord Jesus Christ!
A small boy had been consistently late for dinner. One particular day his parents had warned him to be on time, but he arrived later than ever. He found his parents already seated at the table, about to start eating. Quickly he sat at his place, and then noticed what was set before him--a slice of bread and a glass of water. There was silence as he sat staring at his plate, crushed. Suddenly he saw his father’s hand reach over, pick up his plate and set it before himself. Then his dad put his own full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange. When the boy became a man, he said, "All my life I’ve known what God was like by what my father did that night." Homemade, May, 1989
Sadly so many stay away from God, because they think He is unapproachable they assume (wrongly) that He could never love them after all they have a sinned so many times.
The people of Israel had been delivered God, had supplied their needs! God had told Moses, in Chapter 19:4-5
“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles wing’s and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession”
His treasured possession! A God you can know! Is it possible? Yes! Someone asked a Pastor, this question? Does God have favorites? No, he answered but He has intimates!
You can know God! You can approach God! However we must realize his power, His majesty…He is the God who delivers! And we must be in awe of Him!
David McCullough in his book Mornings On Horseback tells this story about young Teddy Roosevelt: Mittie (his mother) had found he was so afraid of the Madison Square Church that he refused to set foot inside if alone. He was terrified, she discovered, of something called the "zeal." It was crouched in the dark corners of the church ready to jump at him, he said. When she asked what a zeal might be, he said he was not sure, but thought it was probably a large animal like an alligator or a dragon. He had heard the minister read about it from the Bible. Using a concordance, she read him those passages containing the word ZEAL until suddenly, very excited, he told her to stop. The line was from the Book of John, 2:17: "And his disciples remembered that it was written, ’The ZEAL of thine house hath eaten me up’" People are still justifiably afraid to come near the "zeal" of the Lord, for they are perfectly aware it could "eat them up" if they aren’t one of His. Our Lord is good, but He isn’t safe. David McCullough, Mornings On Horseback.
People remain at a distance from God for a variety of reasons. Some see His power and tremble…assuming that He can’t be known. Other’s stay away because they have a wrong perception of God. While some see His power and tremble; others see His power and Worship. There are some who avoid God, because they would rather sin.
II: Some avoid God, because they would rather sin.
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Moses tries not only to calm their fears, but to help them have an appreciation of their fear! God had come to reveal Himself, to remind them that to know God affects how a person lives! Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Moses knew that a proper understanding of God would lead to reverence, and changed behavior!
People haven’t really changed all that much throughout time. Too many still believe that a choice for God, leads to a predictable antiseptic existence. Moses tried as Pastors and parents have tried to help people see that the narrow road really does lead to life!
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
What is the “fear of God”? I believe the following definition is helpful:
The acute awareness of the presence of God’s power that produces in me a sense of awe and calls forth from me honor, respect and reverence.
Such awareness Moses asserts will keep one from sinning! Other Biblical passages say as much:
"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." Proverbs 14:27
"Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. Proverbs" 16:6
"The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble." Proverbs 19:23
Our Father is not only a loving Father, but He is also a caring Father. He knows the difficulties we face and wants to protect us, just as any loving father would. So He teaches His children the fear of the Lord for their protection.
"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD." (Psalms 34:11 NIV) The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Psalms 147:11 NIV) The Father knows His children must look solely and complete to Him for everything so, through Solomon, He makes this statement: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV) So then, the fear of the Lord is a scriptural principle. From Fear of the Lord websight
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Many people avoid God, because they don’t believe He can be known, others stay away because they don’t think they would like Him if they knew Him! Still others would rather hold on to the temporal pleasures of a sinful life, assuming that the way of God is less than fulfilling or meaningful!
In 1982, "ABC Evening News" reported on an unusual work of modern art--a chair affixed to a shotgun. It was to be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next hundred years. The amazing thing was that people waited in lines to sit and stare into the shell’s path! They all knew the gun could go off at point-blank range at any moment, but they were gambling that the fatal blast wouldn’t happen during their minute in the chair. Yes, it was foolhardy, yet many people who wouldn’t dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. Foolishly they ignore the risk until the inevitable self-destruction. Wake Up Calls, Ron Hutchcraft, Moody, 1990, p.60.
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
People often remain at a Distance from God
Some avoid God, because they would rather sin.
The good news is reverence and fear of God lead to life! I am so glad that in this world of 6 billion plus people there are still some who discover that:
III. God can be found
“The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was”
I can see Moses….eighty years old walking slowly yet deliberately toward God. His shoulders are stooped, not only from the weight of a long life but the burden of leading a people who often seemed to have spiritual amnesia. Forgetting all too soon the deliverance and provision of God! He is walking toward God. The people behind him look at his assent with wide eyes, and faces hidden behind the shoulders of the crowd. “The people remained at a distance”
People still do…. “ Moses approached the thick darkness where God was”
Will you? Are you running from God or running to God?
“The reason God gave Moses the Ten Commandments was to clean up their act so He could do more than see them from a distance. He wanted to walk with them in the cool of the desert day. He wanted to sit with them and share his heart in intimate communion. Nothing has changed! He wants to do the same thing now with you and me. Our proper response is: Please God speak to us!
The sad reality is that many Christians in America don’t have a real sense of the abiding presence of God because they refuse to clean up the clutter in their lives.” Tom Tenney “The God Chasers” pg 76
"An elderly Christian lady, who was crippled with arthritis, used to hobble to the services of the church on crutches. It was a great ordeal and required of her a considerable amount of toil and pain. A friend of hers observed her regular and faithful attendance and asked, "How do you manage to be at every service?" Her answer was, "My heart gets there first, and my old legs just follow after." Ross Mitchell
Appeal: People often remain at a Distance from God - Draw near
Some avoid God, because they would
rather sin - Forsake sin
God can be found -“ Moses approached the
thick darkness where God was”
