Ron and Kim were doing some shopping. Having purchased everything they needed, they returned to the parking lot to drive home. "Where's the car? Good golly, someone has stolen it!" They notified the police from a phone booth inside the mall and made a report at the Police station. A young detective drove them back to see if any evidence remained from the scene of the crime. But, what do you know, there is the stolen car, back in the exact spot! A note is on the windshield with two tickets to a concert attached. The note thanks the young couple for the use of their car, but the culprit's wife was about to give birth and had to be rushed to the hospital. The young couple's faith in humanity is restored and they go to the concert and have a wonderful time. They arrive home late that night to find their entire house robbed, with a note on the door reading, "Well, I gotta put the kid through college, don't I?"
Ex 33:12-23 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." 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."
I. Who Will Go with Me?
a. Ex. 33:12 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.
b. God does not have any Secret Agents!
A European explorer in Africa, anxious to press ahead on his journey, paid his porters extra for a series of forced marches. Almost within reach of their destination, they stopped and refused to go forward. No amount of extra money would persuade them. They said they had to wait for their souls to catch up.
…
A. W. Tozer - The average Christian these days is a harmless enough thing. …. He is a child wearing with considerable self-consciousness the harness of the warrior; … he is a sick eaglet that can never mount up with wings; …. he is a spent pilgrim who has given up the journey and sits with a waxy smile trying to get what pleasure he can from sniffing the wilted flowers he has plucked by the way.
c. Judg 1:1 …"Who will be the first to go up and fight for us ..?"
d. 1 Sam 2:35 … who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.
e. 2 Sam 7:13 … who will build a house for my Name
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our hope today. It is our assurance that we have a living Savior to help us live as we should now, and that when, in the end, we set forth on that last great journey, we shall not travel an uncharted course, but rather we shall go on a planned voyage-life to death to eternal living.
II. Who Else is Going With Us?
a. Ex 33:13 …Remember that this nation is your people."
b. Ex 33:17 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."
c. John 10:3-6 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
d. Conversion may occur in an instant, but the process of coming from sinfulness into a new life can be a long and arduous journey.
Have you ever watched a trapeze act at the circus? Breathtaking isn’t it? We are amazed at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses. In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, they jump up and bounce back to the trapeze. In Christ, we live on the trapeze. The whole world should be able to watch and say, "Look how they live, how they love one another. Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren't they the best workers in the factories and offices, the best neighbors, the best students?" That is to live on the trapeze, being an example to the world. But what happens when we slip? The net is surely there. The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has provided forgiveness for "all" our trespasses. Both the net and the trapeze are works of God's grace. When we slip and fall into the net … We Must Not Stay There! We must climb from the net back to the trapeze!
One step at a time … we continue the journey!
III. Where Are We Going?
a. Dr. Charles L. Allen wrote - The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ. None of us has. The Christian is one who has found the right road.
b. Ex 33:14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
In 1938, Douglas Corrigan left New York to fly to Los Angeles. It was foggy when he took off, and he turned east. Twenty-eight hours later he landed in Dublin, Ireland. Corrigan had made the journey alone with only a pressure gauge, a compass, and a map of the United States. Ever afterward he was known as Wrong Way Corrigan.
When we think of the moral direction of life, is it possible you or I should be called Wrong Way Smith, or Jones, or whatever our family name might be?
c. Ex 13:21-22 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
d. Remember the Israelites being led through the wilderness by God?
e. In front of them was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
f. It was constantly in front of them leading them. When it stopped … they stopped … when it went ahead they went ahead.
g. They didn’t have a map. They had never been there before … they just trusted God to see them through!
WE ARE GOING WHEREVER GOD LEADS US … THE QUESTION IS … ARE YOU COMING WITH US?
IV. What Will We Do When We Get There?
a. Ex 33:18-19 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 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.
b. We will expect to see the Glory of God!
c. His promise to us is that if we remain faithful and obedient to Him, He will reveal His Glory to us!
d. Jonathan Edwards - Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: That whether others do or not, I will.
e. The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life. -- C.S. Lewis,
Mercy Me –
I can only imagine, What it will be like, When I walk By your side.
I can only imagine, What my eyes will see, When your face Is before me, I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel … Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still …
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall … Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all … I can only imagine … I can only imagine!
I can only imagine, What my eyes will see, When your face Is before me, I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel … Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still …
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall … Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all … I can only imagine … I can only imagine!
V. What Will God Do?
a. Ex 33:20-23 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."
b. He will give us a place chosen by Him!
c. 22 … When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock.
House For Sale!
the six acre McCune mansion in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It was built in the 1960's by Walker McCune for his young bride. The house contains fifty-three thousand square feet and includes an ice skating rink, an Olympic swimming pool, a fourteen car garage, its own beauty salon, guest house, and a ballroom with an $80,000 chandelier. Oddly enough, Mrs. McCune didn't like it and refused to move in. She never lived in it.
No one will be dissatisfied with the mansion Christ has prepared for his bride.
d. He will protect us
e. 22 (I will) cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
During an earthquake, the inhabitants of a small village were very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old lady whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old lady, said, "Ma'am, are you not afraid?" "No," said the woman, "I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world."
f. He will give us all of Him that we can stand!
g. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."
In the mountains I found a stone--a small one, about the size of a half-dollar, with smooth rounded edges. This stone instantly caught my eye. It was special. Glinting in the sunlight, it seemed to reflect all the surrounding colors. Into my pocket went the stone. All the way home I thought about where I should display it so its beauty could be most enjoyed. I finally placed it on a book shelf in my office. I forgot it for a while. Then one day, while looking for a book, I was surprised to see that the stone had completely lost its luster. It sat on the shelf a hard, gray chunk of nothing, downright ugly. What had happened to my prize? Where was the sparkle and the colors that had attracted me so much? Disgusted, I snatched it up threw it into the trash can. I headed out to dump the trash, a beam of light struck the stone. As though by magic, it began to shimmer, to glow again. In an instant the beautiful jewel tones shone brilliantly. They had always been there, dormant, waiting to be released, I glanced up at the sky. Sunlight? That was the answer. The rays from the sun were all my stone needed to come alive. How much like each of us!
