"On The Rock"
F.R.O.G. = Fully Relianton Grace

Exodus 33.13-23  "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace (chen, grace, unmerited favor, the Old Testament equivalent to the New Testament Charis) in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. [14]  And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.(nuwach, a place to lay down) [15]  And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. [16]  For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.  [17]  And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. [18] And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. (kabowd, glorious, splendor, splendid) [19] And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.  [20] And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.  [21] And the LORD said, Behold, [there is] a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:(tsuwr, a cliff)  [22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift(neqarah, a fissure) of the rock, (tsuwr) and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:  [23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen."

For the past couple of days we have been seeking (and I hope finding) the presence of God. Today we want to talk about our foundation as believers, our basis of life. For some, their life is founded on power and pride. Just the other day I read with interest a letter written by the CEO of a company to a miffed customer. The CEO repeatedly referred to himself as "Chief Programmer", and repeatedly used that nagging little "I" word. As I read this letter, it became evident that this person had founded his life on a somewhat inflated ego - and when this ego was threatened, his life was threatened.

That's the problem with founding your life on the wrong things. If you found your life on power and pride, if someone threatens that foundation by proving themselves better then your reason for being is gone. If you found it on money, then when the money runs out life is very bleak indeed. If you found it on sex, well,  sooner or later you're going to learn that we all gain weight, sag, wrinkle, and lose our beauty. Yes, sex is only a fleeting basis, and drugs are self destructive. So we need to carefully, VERY carefully, decide what the foundation of our life is going to be.

Moses was far from perfect, as we saw last night. Yet Moses was, truly, trying his best to follow after God and lead this hardheaded people into the Promised Land of Canaan. Since we left Egypt with Moses the children of Israel have passed a number of "water tests", each designed to strengthen their faith, each designed to help them build their trust in God. First they were confronted with too much water at the Red Sea, but God parted the water and allowed them to pass over on dry land (Exodus 14). Next Israel was confronted with the wrong kind of water (it was bitter) at Marah (Exodus 15), and God cleaned up and sweetened this water. The Israelites then confronted Meribah, where no water was available (Exodus 17), and God in His Grace provided water out of the Rock. In each instance Israel was given an opportunity to trust God, to believe that He would provide, to build a relationship with their Creator that would see them through the hard times. And, in each instance, Israel failed to do this. Israel murmured, Israel complained, Israel sinned. Moses went up into the Mount of Law, Mount Sinai, and brought back God's Law to a people who were busily worshipping a Golden Calf.

God was all around them, but Israel refused to see God. Moses' world was falling apart. The nation he was called to lead was not being led, but were fickle, foolish. All that Moses treasured was falling under sin. Moses could have thrown up his hands in disgust. He could have walked away from everything, with a "good riddance" on his lips. Or Moses could have done what he did - he could have looked for God in the moment, and found his center of balance was truly on the Rock that is Christ.

SLIDE ONE

Exodus 33.13-14  "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace (chen, grace, unmerited favor, the Old Testament equivalent to the New Testament Charis) in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. [14]  And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.(nuwach, a place to lay down)"

When life hurts - or even when it doesn't - God's presence is so essential. I watched with sadness a "60 Minutes" documentary the other day about "road rage". It seems that a well respected Deacon from a large Christian Church was serving out a prison sentence for killing another man with an arrow. The Deacon allowed his emotions to get the best of him and, pulling the other driver off to the side of the road, went back into the trunk of his car and got out his crossbow. He then fired that crossbow bolt into the other driver, hit a main artery, and killed him. What a terrible situation! But even more terrible is the fact that this Deacon, when interviewed, refused to repent of killing the other man! He defended, even to the end, the killing of another human being over ineffective driving practices. Yet, when you found your life on the wrong thing - even if its just in driving - then this becomes a slippery slope that can destroy the rest of your life.

I am sure that there were several times when Moses would have liked to strangle, one by one, each and every one of the whiny children of Israel. They harassed Moses, harangued Moses, laughed at his choice of wife, made fun of him to his face, belittled his leadership abilities - in short, they made his life a living hell. I am sure that Moses would have loved to retaliate - I know I would have - yet instead he recognizedhis initial desires were improper. Moses said:

Exodus 33.13 "... if I have found grace (chen, grace, unmerited favor, the Old Testament equivalent to the New Testament Charis) in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight .."

Moses had his life founded on the Rock that is God, the Rock that is Christ. Rather than give in to his base emotions he said, "Lord, show me your way". Moses recognized that these people, no matter how arrogant and whiny, were God's chosen people. God could have chosen any people to be part of His Plan, but He chose the children of Abraham, Israel. When we choose God's way, when we choose Christ's way, then we truly choose the path of least resistance. How often have you decided that you'd follow your own way, enter into this path, then start struggling like a fly in a spider's web? God's path is the path of least resistance, because it is the path already paved by God. When we acknowledge our inabilities and ask for God to show us His path so we can get on it, then our lives are founded on Him Who cannot be cast off!

Moses said, "Show me your way". How often have we went to God and said, "Lord, you get on my path. Jesus, let me show you my way. and you get on it - OK?" Do you realize if you take this position you are asking the Creator of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, to submit Himself to your mortal manner? Do you realize how degrading it is to God to hear youtell Him to get on your path? How foolish! We are not to invite God to our path, but we are to ask God where His path is. When we do that, look what happens:

Exodus 33.14  " ... And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. (nuwach, a place to lay down)"

When we ask God, in the name of Jesus, to show us His path, His foundation for our lives, then He promises to walk beside us on that path. Not only that, but He promises to carry us when we get tired on that walk. One of my favorite verses of Scripture is:

Isaiah 40:31  "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Did you get that? If you wait on God, not try to get ahead of God, then He will renew our strength. Whether running or walking, if we are running or walking in the presence of God on the Path that He has ordered we will not get tired. God's presence is essential when life hurts. No, even more than that, God's presence is always essential no matter what. Amen? Amen!

Exodus 33.17-19 " .. the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. [18] And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. (kabowd, glorious, splendor, splendid) [19] And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

SLIDE TWO

You cannot help but be exalted or lifted up if you are in the presence of God. The things of this world do not exalt! One of the biggest horrors on television is the negativity that I see. Satan is negative, and this negativity is reflected on everything you see on television. Political candidates come on television and advertise themselves by cutting down their opponents. This is evil, and if we stopped voting for the people who did this the Satanic practice would stop. The "Psychic Friends" come on television and advertise their services by telling people that their spouse is cheating on them, or that they are cheating on their spouse. Television and media glamorize murder, mayhem, and negativity - and these things are slowly poisoning the American public. Compare this with the presence of God.

When you enter the presence of God, you enter into the presence of Someone Who teaches:

Matthew 5:43-47  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. [44]  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  [45]  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  [46]  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  [47]  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"

No, God doesn't look for the bad in others, but seeing the bad offers a solution through the Cross of Christ. God doesn't tear down, but seeks to build up through His Grace. If you walk where God says walk then you walk in exaltation, you walk in encouragement, you walk in a state of blessing. God never says "No, you can't", but "Yes, you can through Christ Jesus". The devil says "Look for the bad", but Jesus says "Let Me show you My Glory, the Grace of the Cross". Lucifer and the world say, "Give him what he deserves", but Christ, twisted and bleeding, looks down from the Cross and says:

Luke 23:34-37  "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. [35]  And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. [36]  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, [37]  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself."

Get back on the path of God, get away from the negativity of this world. Get to know God by name, and become so familiar with Him that He knows you by name. This is exhilarating, exalting, the presence of God.
 

Fred Craddock, while lecturing at Yale University, told of going back home one summer to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to take a short vacation with his wife. One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they looked forward to a private meal-just the two of them. While they were waiting for their meal they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting guests. Craddock whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over here." He didn't want the man to intrude on their privacy. But the man did come by his table. "Where you folks from?" he asked amicably. "Oklahoma." "Splendid state, I hear, although I've never been there. What do you do for a Jiving? "I teach homiletics at the graduate seminary of Phillips University." "Oh, so you teach preachers, do you. Well, I've got a story I want to tell you." And with that he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with Craddock and his wife. The man stuck out his hand. "I'm Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn't married when I was born so I had a hard time. When I started to school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn't a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunch-time because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply. "When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our church. I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me. "Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?' I felt the old weight come on me. It was like a big black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down. But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. "Wait a minute," he said, "I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God." With that he slapped me across the rump and said, "Boy you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it." The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said, "That was the most important single sentence ever said to me." With that he smiled, shook the hands of Craddock and his wife, and moved on to another table to greet old friends. Suddenly, Fred remembered. On two occasions the people of Tennessee had elected an illegitimate to be their governor. One of them was Ben Hooper. (Jamie Buckingham, Power for Living)

Exodus 33.20-23  "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.  [21] And the LORD said, Behold, [there is] a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: (tsuwr, a cliff)  [22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift (neqarah, a fissure) of the rock, (tsuwr) and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:  [23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen."

SLIDE THREE

Finally, God's presence is encompassing, protecting. God told Moses that "Thou canst not see my face". This was not because God was unwilling to show Himself to Moses - for He was friends with Moses - but because of Moses' own limitations. You see, Moses, just like you and I, was a sinner. Though a friend of God, for him to look on God in all His holiness would have been too much of a strain. The shock would have killed him, and God loved Moses too much to kill him for no good reason.

There has always been a barrier between man and God, a barrier of our own making, a barrier called sin. At this time in history this barrier had not yet been breached. When God instructed the Levites on the Temple, He instructed that man erect a thick veil between the Holy of Holies and the common worship sanctuary. That veil separated man from God for man's own protection, for if God were just glimpsed in His glory, this in itself would bring death.

God told Moses, "If you want to see Me, you can't see Me under your own power". God told Moses, "If you want to be in my presence, step into the Rock. The Rock will protect you". After stepping in the Rock God, as He passed, covered Moses with His hand so that Moses would be protected. He covered Moses with His hand!

The Bible later tells us:

1 Corinthians 10:4  "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

The Rock which Israel drank water from, this Rock symbolized Christ. The Rock, too, that hid Moses, this Rock symbolized our Lord Jesus Christ. We are unable, of ourselves, to come into the full presence of God. Our lives are sinful, we are weak, we are prone to failure - but God has provided a solution.

Tonight God, Yeshua, our Lord Jesus calls you to commit your life to Him. Haven't you tried it your way long enough? Unless you have built your life on the Rock that is Jesus, then your life will be unstable, uncertain, unsure. Do not wander aimlessly, as Israel did, until your life and birthright is lost. Commit your life to the Rock, Jesus Christ, tonight - and that without delay!
 

In January 1985, a large suitcase, unmarked and unclaimed, was discovered at the customs office at Los Angeles International Airport. When U.S. Customs agents opened the suitcase, they found the curled-up body of an unidentified young woman. She had been dead for a few days, according to the county coroner. As the investigation continued, it was learned that the woman was the wife of a young Iranian living in the U.S. Unable to obtain a visa to enter the U.S. and join her husband, she took matters into her own hands and attempted to smuggle herself into America via an airplane's cargo bay. While her plan seemed to her simple though risky, officials were hard pressed to understand how such an attempt could ever succeed. Even if she survived the journey in the cargo bay, she would remain an illegal alien, having entered through improper channels. Some people believe they'll enter the kingdom of God on their own since they've been reasonably good citizens or church attendee's. But entry plans of our own design prove not only foolish but fatal. (Illustrations For Preaching & Teaching Editor Craig Brian Larson, Baker, p. 205)

1. Recognize that we are sinners, lost and undone. Our way is insufficient for living, much less for salvation. Come to Jesus with a broken heart:

2. Repent from following after Pharaoh, from following the Magicians:

3. Realize that you can only be saved if you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord:

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)