Topical - The Face of Love

The Face of Love

February 13, 2005

Big Question: What does God look like?

Scripture: Exodus 32-34

Introduction:

Connect to Valentine’s Day:

Exod. 20:1                     God spoke (words and laws)

Exod. 24:3a                             Moses spoke (told the people)

Exod. 24:3b                             People agreed

Exod. 24:4                     Moses wrote

Exod. 24:7a                             Moses read

Exod. 24:7b                             People agreed

Exod. 24:9-11                Agreement sealed by fellowship meal between God and elders

Exod. 24:12, 31:18                  God wrote (inscribed on stone)

Exod. 32:1                     People rebelled

Exod. 32-24                            Cycles of rebellion / mediation / anger / mediation /                                             punishment / repentance / mediation / renewal /                                                   restoration / revelation

Intercessor / Mediator

“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isa 53:12 NivUS)

 “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died— more than that, who was raised to life— is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Ro 8:34 NivUS)

 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Heb 7:25 NivUS)

 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1Ti 2:5 NivUS)

Rock

“What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—” (Ro 9:23 NivUS)

 “and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” (1Co 10:4 NivUS)

 “For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message— which is also what they were destined for.” (1Pe 2:6-8 NivUS)

NT Conclusion:

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.” (2Co 4:7-11 NivUS)

 “So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2Co 4:12-18 NivUS)

 “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” (2Co 4:1 NivUS)

 “For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2Co 4:6 NivUS)

Application:

“No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (Joh 1:18 NivUS)

 “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1Jo 4:12 NivUS)

The Law of Love:

“"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."” (Joh 13:34-35 NivUS)

 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1Jo 3:18 NivUS)