The Moses Legacy: Exodus

In this sermon series, we will be looking at six key events in the life of Moses. Moses is one of the central characters in scripture to whom Jesus is regularly compared. By looking closely at how God interacted with Moses, we can get a better sense of how God interacts with us and how the New Testament writers responded to God's work through Moses.

Sermon Outline

I. Moses' Legacy
A. Stories like Burning Bush, Red Sea, Plagues are popularly portrayed in media and culture.
B. In Scripture, Moses' legacy is primarily Mt. Sinai - the Law.

II. Biblical Law
A. Negative Views
1. Commonly taught that Law means "If you break this rule, you've sinned and will experience eternal punishment, unless atoned for."
2. This common view doesn't really reflect truth of the Law in scripture.
B. Reasons the Common view doesn't hold up.
1. "Law" is translation choice of "Torah." Can also be "instruction."
2. The Law comes after the fall, after sin has entered the world. The law is a response to sin, not a cause of sin.
3. The OT isn't really concerned with "eternal punishment."
4. Law takes place within the context of Covenant.

III. Covenant
A. What is Covenant?
1. Deep promise.
2. Agreement that binds two parties together.
B. Law is how Israel honored the covenant.
C. At its core, the Law is about God's desire for relationship with humanity.
D. Law helps Israel be "holy."
1. Holy means "set apart," not morally perfect.
2. The Law allowed ancient Israel to survive so that world could be blessed by Jesus.

IV. What's the whole point?
A. The Law reveals to us God's character and will. (John Calvin)
B. The Law reveals to us just how deep God's desire for relationship with us is. (Details)
C. God's desire for relationship isn't just about individuals, though. God cares about how we interact with others, because the law addresses that behavior.
D. The Law reflects for us how much God was willing to do to restore right relationships throughout creation.
E. When viewed appropriately, the law is a revelation of God's grace, not the antithesis of it.

Gospel of Matthew

Jesus clearly didn't view the law as negative or something to be discarded. in fact, he states the complete opposite in the Gospel of Matthew! Read Matthew 5:17 below. These are not the words of someone devaluing God's law.

GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What is your view of Biblical law? What have you been taught about it?

2. Have you ever read the law in the Bible? What sections of it have you read? What was your impression?

3. Biblical law should be viewed as an expression of God's grace and God's character. In what ways is viewing Biblical law in this way a challenge to you?

4. Biblical law teaches us that God cares not just about our individual relationship with God, but also about our relationships with others. Are there relationships in your life that need to be made right? How can you invite God into those relationships?

5. God wants to be in a deep, meaningful relationship with you, so much so that God was willing to put together all these arcane, intricate laws so that Israel could exist. In what ways can this understanding of the law deepen your relationship with God?

NEXT STEPS

1. Flip through the pages of the book of Leviticus and read some random sections.

2. Remind yourself that the level of monotonous detail isn't just boring, but reflects the care and concern God has taken to have a relationship with you.

3. Remind yourself that God also desires for you to be in right relationship with others.

4. Read Matthew 5-7. Remind yourself that this is a restatement of Moses' law.

5. Invite God to deepen your relationship with God and make right your relationships with others.

6. Lift those relationships up to God in prayer.

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