Good Friday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Did you know one of the Psalms in the Bible is attributed to Moses as the author? It is Psalm #90 and if you look closely at the heading of that Psalm you may see these words in italics: “A prayer of Moses, the man of God.“ What do you suppose it means? Of all the kind things that could be said of you, how would you feel if people refer to you as ‘a man or a woman of God’? When you look at the news headlines, no matter where you live, local, domestic and international, on any given day, would you agree that the use of that phrase: “the man of God” would be in stark contrast to the descriptions of almost everyone who makes news headlines? As our world approaches another Christmas, do you perceive our global humanity is drawing closer to being ‘people of God’ or running further away from that description?
Over the past several days you and I have been looking at the life of Moses and seeing many ways that some events in his life pointed forward to Christmas and Jesus. Today let’s look at another one. In Exodus 19 Moses and the 1 million Hebrew slaves he has been leading out of Egypt finally arrive at Mount Sinai, the very mountain where this adventure began for Moses when he unexpectedly encountered God speaking to him from a burning bush! (Exodus 3) The record tells us “…the Israelites camped in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up the mountain to God and the LORD called to him…” (Ex. 19:2,3) From the days of the Garden of Eden ’till today, this concept of human beings having conversations with God has fascinated every generation and almost every person in every place. Travel the world and almost everywhere you’ll see people going to extremes to make contact with God. I was in Senegal, West Africa last week and 5 times each day Muslims roll out their prayer mat, get down on their knees with their face to the ground and call out to God. I’ve been in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan, and I’ve witnessed people in all those places light incense before various man made and decorated statues in their desperate belief that somehow ‘god’ welcomes their devotion and prayer. I’ve visited Cathedrals in Europe, a wide range of churches in America and Canada, and I’ve even stood at the ‘wailing wall’ and sat in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. In all these places I’ve watched all types of people do all kinds of things as they call out to who they think ‘god’ is.
But in all those places, as I’ve talked with hundreds of people over the years, I’ve asked them three simple questions…
1. To whom are you praying?
2. Do you believe they heard your prayer?
3. Are you expecting them to do something in regard to what you prayed about?
Oh, how I wish I could ask EVERY one of you, my “Walking with Jesus” friends, the very same three questions right now! I wonder what your answer is.
Moses went up that mountain with a strong expectation that he would again have an encounter with God. He had done what God had instructed him to do the last time he was on this mountain several months before. God had promised that if Moses obeyed and went back to Egypt bringing God’s message of intended deliverance then: “I will be with you. And this will be a sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt you will worship God on THIS mountain.” (Ex. 3:12) I have no doubt as Moses hiked up that mountain, he occasionally paused to catch his breath but also to look down on 1 million people setting up camp at the base of this mountain. God had been true and faithful to His promise. Through mighty, miraculous acts of supreme power, God had delivered 1 million slaves from inescapable bondage and brought them through the Red Sea, through many miles of scorching hot desert, and here they are ready to meet God at this mountain!
As Moses paused and reflected on that hillside, he heard the voice of God again. This time no burning bush, simply God’s voice: “This is what you are to tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and I brought you to Myself. Now, if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (Ex. 19:3-6)
Now don’t rush past this my friends. Imagine yourself in that crowd of freed slaves. Slavery is all anyone in your family had known for 5 or six generations! And now Almighty God has delivered you from slavery, brought you here miraculously through the desert providing you food and water and now as you listen, Moses proclaims these remarkable words to you and the huge throng of people around you. How do you feel when you hear these words? How do you respond? Rather than the slave master’s whip and being told your only value is your work, Almighty God says you are His ‘treasured possession‘, and He views you as a ‘kingdom of priests and a holy nation’! Why would God use such outrageous words when talking about slaves?
Do you see how this points forward to Christmas my friends? Do you see Moses himself was a remarkable ‘man of God’ whose life pointed forward to Jesus? By my count Moses climbed Mount Sinai 8 times to meet with God! (Ex. 3; 19:3; 19:8; 19:20; 20:21; 24:9; 32:31; 34:4) There Moses received from God the messages God wanted Moses to deliver to the people. Moses was God’s spokesman to the people for more than 40 years instructing them about God and how-to live-in relationship with God. Moses wrote down those things God spoke to him, and they became ‘the Law’ of God for the people. For centuries, Moses, ‘the man of God’, was viewed as the premier voice for God on earth for the Jews.
Then came Christmas and God came Himself, taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus. Jesus was God’s spokesman to all humanity of our world. Jesus said: “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, God sent me.” (John 8:42) “My teaching is not My own. It comes from the One who sent Me…” (John 7:16) “If you hold to My teachings, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31,32)
So, I have an important question or two for all of us…1. What value do you place on the teachings of Jesus, as compared to any other information from any source through all of history? How have the teachings of Jesus impacted your life? What authority do the words of Jesus have in your attitudes, your choices, your relationships, your behavior?
2. Moses lived to be 120 years old and died while still a strong leader according to Deuteronomy 34. Moses left an unparalleled legacy as a ‘man of God’ profoundly influencing our world! Jesus lived only a little over 30 years here on earth. Jesus died a very public death (Matt. 27) and was raised from the dead by God three days later. (Matt. 28) and showed Himself publicly to many people for 40 days. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Then the risen Jesus ascended back to heaven, (Acts 1:9,10) from which He had come, and is alive reigning supremely there over all things, saving those who turn to Him in repentance, (Heb. 7:25) receiving into heaven those who die having trusted in Him for their salvation; (2 Tim. 4:7,8) and preparing to return to gather up all His followers. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Now, which man, Moses or Jesus, has earned your allegiance and is able to be your Savior?
Jesus said: “I have not come down from heaven to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me: that I shall lose none of all those He has given Me, but I will raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38-40) Moses never made such statements. He couldn’t. While a great ‘man of God’ Moses was only a man, but Jesus IS God the Son and Jesus invites you and me and every person to look at this declaration of His and make a decision. Is Jesus your Savior, are you confident He will raise you up at your last day? And is Jesus your Lord, and are you living each day in full, joyful submission to HIM?
And what about the children and grandchildren all around us? Are they growing up under the JOYFUL influence of people who celebrate CHRISTMAS because of WHO Jesus is and HOW Jesus brings HOPE to any and every person?
What would your town and mine be like if many “men or women of God” lived there who like Moses loved meeting with God and bringing God’s hope and truth to the people all around them? Is that you? Is it me? Here’s a great, joyful song for this day, my friends:
Today’s Scripture is Exodus 19.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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