GOD’S GREATEST SERMON: Judah Smith at Catalyst 2011
Exodus 33
Consider the glory of God. its implications in your life.
12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
Possibly the most intimate question in the OT?!
19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
21 Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Then compare that with this (John 1)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Jesus is the glory of God.
If that’s true, you can have a SURPLUS. You have everything you will need for living, leading and loving.
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Did you know women have RULES. Verbally declared or not. And you are to somehow read their mind. figure out their rules – and obey them, then hey’ll feel love. And they are under no obligation to let you know the rules or that they’ve changed at any time.
On date night, there’s always a score.
And if you score high enough, you score at the end of it!
His idea of the best date night ever? Go and see a great action movie, then make love. That’s whe he feels most loved!
But she says, ‘It’s when you ask questions.’ men don’t like that, because it feels like an interrogation!
But what she’s trying to communicate is, ‘I want to KNOW you. I don’t just want to do stuff with you or for you.” And she’s right. Because marriage should be about KNOWING each other.
And Moses has known God. he’s seen him do stuff. But he’s on a roll… he asks for more.
I don’t just want your power
or your promises
or your presence with me
I want to see your GLORY. I want to know you.
And God says, ‘Well it’s a bit early in the game. I need to work something out. Don’t peek till I tell you. Then you get a glimpse – of my back!’ And he hides him. Covers him. ‘Now you ca look.
God is so radiant in glory and righteousness, and all that God is, was revealed. And that glimpse made Moses face glow in the dark for days.
Moses only got a glimpse in passing.
It was not until JESUS that God could fully answer Moses question.
That’s when Jesus showed us God’s glory.
I want to look FULLY in the face of Jesus. I don’t need what Moses saw, I’ve got JESUS. Moses wished in his day he could see what is ours.
Hebrews says Jesus is God’s greatest sermon.
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he’s asking to see his ESSENCE. What makes you GOD? And Jesus comes and he displays FULLY for us the divine radiance. You don’t have to beg for it. You don’t have to wait for goosebumps. You have all you’ll ever need, in Jesus.
All the sermons you’ll ever have to write.
Have you ever taken inventory – of yourself? And felt pretty empty and out of stuff?
Well, do I actually know what I have in Jesus.
Why do I go looking for some potion or magic potion? NOTHING can supplement what is available to us – JESUS! He’s available to you.
Jesus meets a scandalous woman at a well. A bad woman. He wants to talk to her.
Do you know who I am? I’m a Samaritan woman!
Then they have a conversation…it gets deep.
Then he says, ‘Woman – i am HE – you don’t have to wait any longer, or look any further.’
(Message version).
We don’t have to wait or look any longer.
It’s Jesus.
He IS what we need. Counsellor, Pastor, Friend, everything you’ll ever need.
God loves your city more than you do.
His name is on the line.
It’s just about Jesus
And if I come to him, he’ll do what I can’t ever do.
SINCE WHEN IS JESUS NOT ENOUGH?
Has the information age brought us to this heretical place where we have to ad, to his all sufficiency. To look further than Jesus for what we need.
Jesus has been trying to catch your eye, saying, ‘My grace is sufficient.’
You lack NOTHING.
Jesus says, ‘Come to me! Pastor, Mum, CEO, if you feel empty, like you don’t measure up. I’ll give you REST. Take his burden.’ Simple message. Come again. In honesty and humility.
YES!
All I ever needed – was you.
