Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
At some point in our lives we’ve all been in those conversations when the subject of religion comes up. Eventually the talk turns to address the nature and character of God. Someone in the conversation will typically begin a sentence this way: ‘I believe that God is __________.’ Or, ‘I just know in my heart that God would never ___________.’ Those blanks are filled in with all kinds of things, normally expressing our own expectations and preconceived notions about the divine.
However, the veiled question on the table in such discussions is ‘What is God really like?’ And that’s obviously a huge thing to consider. But who among us has the definitive answer? Who is authorized to say what God is like, and to speak authoritatively about what He would or would not do?
As Christians who affirm the full inspiration and sufficiency of the Scriptures, we open up our Bibles in order to discover the true nature and character of the awesome God who has saved us (not to mention beholding His handiwork in creation–Psalm 19). Rather than appealing to our own needs, subjective expectations, and preconceived ideas about God, we seek the truth He has revealed concerning Himself in His Word and, ultimately, in His Incarnate Son.
Exodus 19:9-25 is one of those critical places in the Scripture where God has made Himself known to us in a most spectacular way. This divine self-disclosure occurs on Mount Sinai just before the Covenant people are given the Ten Commandments. What we read about Him here is breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and frankly disturbing. It shatters all of our ideas about Him, rewrites our theology, and leaves us in the dust calling for divine mercy!
This coming Lord’s Day morning we will meet the God who is Holy. We will behold Him as He has seen fit to reveal Himself, not as we might want Him to be. And, quite strangely, by means of His grace we will be drawn in closer despite our appropriate apprehension.
As you pray for the preaching of the Word and prepare your heart for worship, prayerfully read over our sermon text several times (as well as Hebrews 12:18-29 for the ‘New Covenant connection’).
Pastor to Disappear
Beginning this coming Monday (June 15 until June 29) I am going to ‘disappear’ for a little while. As many of you may know, ministers in the PCA are encouraged to take off four weeks per year, as this is greatly beneficial for them and for the congregations they serve. This year I’m going to take two of these weeks together here in June. Preaching in my place on June 21 will be Colonel Bob Owen (a PCA Teaching Elder and Chaplain with the US Army), and on June 28 will be Rev. Jeff Hamm (also a Teaching Elder in the PCA). Please pray for these dear brothers as they prepare to lead our worship and deliver God’s Word in my absence. And should a need arise while I’m away please contact one of our Ruling Elders or Mr. Jack Cooper our Administrator.
I pray that you will all have a restful weekend, and I can’t wait to worship our Great God with you this Lord’s Day!
I love you all so dearly,
Mike