God’s Presence – Sermon 19 October, 2014

God’s Presence
Exodus 33:12-23

C.S. Lewis, in his book “Miracles” writes, “The presence of God is the most real thing we ever encounter.” This morning in our passage we read Moses prayed, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here”. Exodus 33:15
I want to encourage you this morning by speaking about the power of God’s loving presence. Bible provides endless examples of how the presence of the Lord empowers His people to live for him, to overcome all hurdles and deception of the enemy. One of the most powerful of these is found in the life of Moses. Moses was convinced that without God’s presence in his life, it was useless for him to attempt anything.
When he spoke face to face with the Lord, he said, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?”
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.”
Moses knew it was God’s presence in Israel that set the people apart from all other nations. And the same is true of the church of Christ today. The only thing that sets us apart from nonbelievers is God’s being “with us” – leading us, guiding us, working His will in and through us. When the Lord’s presence is in our midst, no one can harm us. But without him, we’re helpless, reduced to nothing. If we have God’s presence in our lives, we will experience God’s divine order. We will have a peace and harmony, with no danger or anxiety; we will live at rest, knowing God has everything under control. As Moses spent time in the presence of the Lord, the glory that covered him became so glorious that the people would not look upon him, and he had to cover his face. Yet the Word tells us that the glory which we have is even more glorious. The only way for them to be led and to win their battles over their enemies and survive was to have God’s presence among them.
God created us to have relationships. Unfortunately people go to church to worship but have little relationship with God through the week. They go through difficulties day after day and only when they come to the end of their strength do they ask for God’s help.
We have the power of God at our disposal all of the time but yet we attempt to get by on our own strength every day.
I. Living in the Presence of God (12-14)
God created all of humanity to have a deep personal relationship with Him. God literally walked with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. They were able to completely enjoy His divine presence. God’s desire for our life is to have that same kind of relationship with Him. He wants us to be able to walk in His presence.
Moses speaks with God here and simply reminds God of His promises. Moses has a genuine concern here. God had removed His presence from the Israelite camp! There was no longer a sense of the divine within the nation of Israel.
How often do we feel the same way about church but are too afraid to say it? How many come into this sanctuary week after week having no experience with God? What is the problem?
We are not seeking more of God. We settle for the status quo and leave our lives there. If we settle with what we have already experienced with God we cannot grow. When we settle for where we are with God, we will never go forward in our walk with Him.
When Moses sought God, he did so through fervent prayer. He sought God by going to his knees. One of the biggest problems in the church today is that people want a deep relationship with God but don’t want to pay the price for it. Developing a relationship with God takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Notice what Moses says to God in verse 13. He wants three things from God if his life is pleasing to God.
1) Teach me your ways – Moses wants to know God’s ways so he can keep following. It is only when we know the ways of God that we can truly follow Him
2) Let me know you – There is direct connection between knowing the ways of God and knowing God Himself. We cannot say that we know God if we do not know His Word. It is only when we know God personally that we can be called His people.
3) Let me live in your favour – Once we know God’s ways and know God personally, than the favour of God can rest on our lives. It is impossible for us to have the divine favour of God in our life if we don’t know God.
When we do these things it opens our lives to the presence of God.
II. Living in the Pleasure of Grace (15-17)
Moses again speaks with God here and asks God to prove His faithfulness. God’s presence is connected to the reality of His pleasure. If God is not pleased by our actions, He will not be present in our lives. God makes a distinction between His people and the rest of the world by showing His pleasure through His divine presence.
If a church is void of the presence of God, they are not pleasing Him. God proves His faithfulness through extending His divine presence. If God is not present in our lives, we are not pleasing Him. How do we live to please God?
1) We please God by loving Him (Matthew 22:37-38)
2) We please God by believing in Him (Hebrews 11:6)
3) We please God by obeying Him (John 15:14)
4) We please God by praising Him (Psalm 150:1-2)
5) We please God by serving Him
God wants us to live out our lives serving Him. This means more than just showing up on Sunday. True service is lived out each and every day.

III. Living in the Pre-eminence of God (18-23)
Pre-eminence reveals the fact that God has an all surpassing and never ending glory. The glory of God is far beyond anything that we will ever be able to comprehend.
Moses is literally asking to see God in all of His splendour, all of His majesty, all of His power and all of His being. Moses wanted to see God without any of the barriers. He wanted to see for all that He was and is.
Today, do we want to see the whole majesty of God? Do we want to see God without the barriers? Do we want to see God in all of His glory?
The only part that Moses is not allowed to see is His face. God did not allow His face to be seen because there was still a need for separation between God and humanity. Even the most intimate relationship with God could not bridge the gap. This is why God sent Jesus, so He could be our Immanuel, God with us. The presence of God is with us here today because Jesus lives!
When Jesus died on the cross, remember the temple veil was torn in two. The veil was to separate humanity from the direct presence of God. Jesus torn that separation away and now we can fully experience the divine presence of God.
There are two things that we must do to see the glory of God displayed in our lives.
1) We need to live in His presence daily. We must seek His presence in our lives and we need to desire to be with God. Are we seeking more of God each day or are we trying to hide like Adam?
2) We need to live to please God daily. We need to give our every effort to bringing pleasure to God. Are we pleasing God through the way we are living?
Conclusion
1) Are we living in the presence of God?
2) Are we living to please God?
3) Are we living in the glory of God?

Krikor Youmshajekian