PASTOR’S NOTES
For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”
Up to this point in the story, God’s word to the people has come directly from Moses. Chapter 19 is a life changing moment in the lives of God’s people as they were going to encounter God for themselves! Question is, were they ready?
What we read in this week’s text is that the closer the people came to encountering God, the further they realized they were from Him.
The One who saved them, showed them mercy, delivered their sons, and who brought the plagues was coming! What the Israelites experienced was that the closer the moment came to reality, the more they realized they were not ready.
The Psalmist says that God came down from Heaven to speak to these people. Heaven! The Bible shows us that there are no words to described God’s perfection that man could understand!
How could anyone be ready to encounter God?
Today we need to ask ourselves the same question of, “Am I ready to encounter the Lord?” Like the Israelites, how could we be? How could broken sinners be ready for a perfect God?
What I hope you see in this week’s text is that we need exactly what the people of God needed, a mediator. We need someone to stand before God on our behalf.
The Gospel in chapter 19 is obvious in that we have been given just that, an all perfect mediator that stands before God for those He died for. His name is Jesus!
Therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”
Hebrews 9:15
The “Good News” is that Jesus came to live, die, and stand as our mediator. That God sees His son, not ill-prepared sinners who would never be able to encounter Him.
SCRIPTURE TO GO ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE
Read John 14:6 and connect this verse to what you see in Exodus 19.
HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR BIBLES
Highlight 10-12 in Exodus 19 as this is where we will spend most of our time Sunday morning.
