Exodus: A Story of Redemption
Blessing or Relationship?
Exodus 33:1-11
QUESTION 1: IF YOU COULD HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD WITHOUT HAVING GOD HIMSELF… WOULD THAT BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?
GOD’S GREATEST BLESSING FOR HIS PEOPLE IS HIMSELF
BELIEVERS NEED TO “stop acting like God wants to protect “our way of life” that has mostly been idolized by us more than a love for God.” - Curt Allen
QUESTION 2: IF YOU REALIZED THAT YOUR SIN WAS KEEPING YOU FROM EXPERIENCING THE TRUE JOY OF GOD’S PRESENCE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DIDN’T WANT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD WITHOUT GOD HIMSELF!
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE DEVASTATED BY THEIR SIN AND ITS EFFECTS –
1. THEY WERE DRIVEN TO MOURN
2. THEY WERE DRIVEN TO REPENT
3. THEY WERE DRIVEN TO CONTINUE IN REPENTANCE
WE SHOULD MOURN THE FACT THAT WE OFTEN FEAR TRIALS AND PERSECUTION MORE THAN WE FEAR GOD’S PRESENCE LEAVING US.
WHICH BLESSINGS WOULD WE RATHER CARRY WITH US THAN TO KNOW THAT GOD IS WITH US?
QUESTION 3: IF YOU KNEW THAT GOD’S MERCY AND GOD’S PRESENCE WERE THE SOURCE OF ALL JOY AND ALL LIFE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
SEE THE MERCY OF GOD IN HIS MEDIATED PRESENCE – (verse 9)
A REPENTANT LIFESTYLE WILL LEAD US TO BE DESPERATE FOR GOD’S PRESENCE
WHENEVER WE REMEMBER GOD’S MERCIFUL PRESENCE WITH US, WE SHOULD WORSHIP HIM!
WOULD WE REPENT OF TRUSTING IN OUR BLESSINGS MORE THAN THE BLESSER TODAY? AND WHEN WE REMEMBER THAT GOD IS BLESSING US BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE LOVEABLE… WOULD WE THEN DESPERATELY WORSHIP HIM! HE IS WORTHY AND WE DESPERATELY NEED HIM! WILL YOU MAKE THAT YOUR CRY TODAY? LORD, I NEED YOU!
Psalms 16:2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
Psalms 16:5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Psalms 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.