Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.
As runners in life's race, we press toward a goal, a finish line and a prize not made of gold or silver. Believers race toward God Himself who fulfills all our dreams and bestows on us every good gift. Moses knew this when he prayed, I beseech thee, O Lord, show me thy glory. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, have you ever wished you could see the glory of God the way Moses saw it?
Dave, yes, of course I've wished that. I've read that passage of scripture many times, I've preached on it. When you stop to think of it how Moses was willing to say, if you don't go with us into the land, we aren't going. Show me your glory.
And here's the exciting thing, Dave. When you get to the New Testament, you discover that Moses is on the Mount of Transfiguration and what is he doing? He's seeing more of the glory of God. And one of the things that we must constantly emphasize is that we have the same privilege as Moses. We can also behold God, we don't see his glory like Moses did, but most assuredly, we know that God is with us and we can take his promises all the way into his presence. And speaking of the presence of God, I've written a devotional entitled For Us. It's actually 30 devotionals and it's intended to help us to better understand the cross of Jesus Christ, all that he endured because remember, it is through that cross and the death of Jesus that we also have access into the presence of God, even as Moses did. For a gift of any amount, we're making this devotional available for you. It will help you to reflect on all that Jesus has done for us.
At the end of this message, I'm going to be giving you some contact info. For now, you just listen. Let me ask you today, why is it that we don't pray more? Well, one reason I think is we think prayer isn't really necessary. Can't God do what he wants to do, whether we pray or not? Can't he take care of those missionaries? Can't he guide Earl Bowers to the Ukraine and back safely without us praying about it? Can't he supply money?
Can't he heal people? Why in the world does God need our prayers? That's one reason I think that we don't pray as often as we should. There's maybe a second reason that's related and that is to say, I'm not sure we say to ourselves, I'm not sure that prayer is going to change anything because I suspect God basically has his mind made up.
And so he's going to do whatever he wants to do. Both of these objections actually surface in on a basic misunderstanding of prayer. And we forget that the purpose of prayer really is to get us beyond our need, get us beyond the desire to be healed and the desire to have money and all these other things, to get us beyond that and to commune with God. You see, God knows that only desperate people pray and that's why he brings so many things into our life to get our attention. So we begin prayer occupied with our need, but we end the prayer hopefully occupied with our God. And that's what prayer is all about. It's a stepping stone to something better and something higher than most of the requests we bring into God's presence. George McDonald, who greatly influenced CS Lewis said, what if the main object in God's idea of prayer is the supply of our great, our endless need of himself.
Hunger may drive a runaway child home, but he needs his mother more than he needs his dinner. Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other needs. And notice now prayer is the beginning, not the end, but the beginning of that communion. Yennie Moses, who got to talk to God face to face. What Moses does in the 32nd chapter of the book of Exodus that you can turn to now, what he does is he, he gives us some understanding regarding prayer and we'd like to be able to end up where Moses ended up in the presence of God, seeing his glory. Exodus chapter 32, the golden calf is built and I'm going to be covering basically two chapters. So we're going to have to do this very hurriedly and I hope you take time to read the details on your own.
What an amazing story. Moses stays on the mountain and so they decide to build this golden calf and God is not amused. The Lord said to Moses in verse seven of chapter 32, go down for your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them elsewhere. God says, these are my people. Well today they're acting like the people that belong to Moses because they have made an idol. And the Lord says to Moses, he says in verse 10, now therefore let me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them. I may consume them in order that I might make a great nation of you.
What a test. If Moses had been a prideful man, he'd have thought, you know, that's maybe not a bad idea. Let me be the head of the nation regarding Abraham. So God was testing Moses and in this story I want you to notice three different levels of prayer that Moses experienced. And remember the purpose is that our prayer life might be changed at the end of this message that we might view prayer differently for as long as we live.
That's the agenda. First level of praying. First level of praying is a prayer for pardon. Moses begins in verse 11 and he says, oh, he implored the Lord is God. Why does your wrath burn? What he's saying is don't destroy these people. And Moses appeals to the reputation of God. He says, for example, verse 12, why should the Egyptians say with evil intent he did bring them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth.
Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants to whom you swore by yourself. But Moses is doing is say, God, there are two reasons why you shouldn't destroy these people.
First of all, you shouldn't because it'll make you look bad in the eyes of the Egyptians, the pagans. The pagans are going to say God took them into the wilderness, but he couldn't sustain them there and they died there under the hand of God. What kind of a God can lead people out but can't lead them in?
It makes you look bad. Folks, I want you to know it is true that the reputation of God in the world in some sense is bound up by our testimony, the way in which we live. When David committed murder and adultery, God says, David, because of you, the nations, the nations are spurning me and you have been a bad witness, David, to the nations that have heard about your sin.
You see, see the reputation of God is bound up with the way in which we live. When I was in seminary, there was a fellow student in the seminary at the time. He told this interesting story. He had a part-time job as many seminary students do and he worked in this office and he says that there was a young woman who was there with a very foul mouth. He said that she could swear, these are his words like a, like a someone who I guess is in the military.
I'm being very coy here, not wanting to identify any particular branch. And he says, not only that, but she'd tell off color jokes, make all these innuendos, she smoked and she drank and she did the whole bit. Now, when this seminary student came, she said, oh, you're from the seminary.
Then I guess you're a born again Christian. And he said, yes, I am. She said, this is going to shock you, but I am too. And she said, but nobody in this office is ever going to find out because she said, I don't want to be a bad witness. So she said, you have to keep this quiet. In fact, she said, one of the reasons that I talk the way they do is that nobody would even suspect that I'm a Christian so that I don't give a bad witness to Jesus. Now that lady had some problems we would say, wouldn't we?
But you know, she did have a point. And my point is this, that if you are a Christian, but you're not living like one in that office, keep your mouth shut about your Christianity because it will reflect unfavorably on the gospel and on the people of God. So Moses is praying here and he's saying, Lord, Lord, what are the Egyptians going to think? The heathen are going to disrespect you. And then he says, your own people.
Remember, you made a promise. They're going to say that they were betrayed because you spoke to Abraham Isaac and to Jacob and you made this promise. And furthermore, Moses goes on later on in the next chapter and he says, if anything, he says, destroy me, blot me out of the book that you've written. This isn't the eternal book of life that Moses is talking about in chapter 32. Actually, it is still the same chapter, chapter 32 verse 32. But now if you will forgive their sin, but if not, please blot me out of your book that you've written. This isn't the eternal book of life.
It probably has to do with the register of those who are living. What Moses is saying is kill me, but don't destroy this nation. So you'll notice we read that the Lord relented verse 10 of chapter 32 where the Lord finally said, actually it's verse 14 of chapter 32, the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing upon his people. Now to be clear, to be clear, there was still a judgment.
Some people died. Those who were rebellious and wouldn't repent, they died, but God did not destroy the nation and he forgave the sin of the people. That's one level of praying is the confession of sin, isn't it? It's the level of praying that you and I do regularly.
Not a day goes by then I don't have to confess some sin either in word of thought or deed. It's the prayer of John one nine. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Aren't you glad that God forgives those who call upon him? But Moses isn't happy with that because God, God is talking to Moses and God brings up a subject that really, that really triggers the life and the motivation of Moses. God says in chapter 32, I will send my angel to go before you. And he says in chapter 33, even more clearly, depart and go from here and I'll give you the land. Verse two, I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites and the megabytes. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up among you lest I consume you on the way for you are a stiff neck people. God says, he says, I'm a, I'm not going to go. The cloud of presence is not going to accompany you. It's not going to be there for you, but I'll send an angel.
Most of us at that point would have said, well, it's better than nothing. I guess we can get along without the presence of God as long as an angel is going to guide us. But Moses now introduces us to another level of praying. If the first prayer was for the pardon of God, the second prayer is for the presence of God. Moses is going to say, God, this is not good enough.
You must accompany us. That's actually what Moses prays in chapter 33. And then you'll notice in verse 14, God responds and says, my presence will go with you and I will give you rest. And now Moses is speaking in verse 15.
Isn't this beautiful? He said to him, if your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. God, if your presence is not going to accompany us, then just let us stay here in the desert. It is better to be in the desert with the presence of God than on your way to Canaan and prosperity without the presence of God. He's saying, we're not going to go.
An angel isn't good enough. And then he says in verse 16, for how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people. Is it not in your going with us so that we are distinct, I and your people from every other people on the face of the earth?
It's gorgeous. Moses is God. He's explaining something which of course God understands, but God loves to hear it from the lips of his servant. He's saying, Lord, don't you understand that what distinguishes us from all the other nations is the presence of God.
It's that that makes a distinction. Yes, it was localized in the cloud in the Old Testament, but it is also applicable to us today. You've frequently heard me quote 1 Corinthians where the apostle Paul says that when someone comes into your midst, maybe today there's somebody in the balcony who just kind of snuck in and wondered what in the world the Moody church is all about. But through the singing, through the reading, through the praying, what they should say when they leave here is surely God is among them.
That's what distinguishes us from all the other people in the world. And Moses is saying there is no place that can satisfy without God's presence. There is no wealth that can satisfy without God's presence. There's no pleasure that can satisfy without God's presence.
There's no marriage partner that will satisfy you without the presence of God. Moses is saying, we can't go unless your presence accompanies us. Well, God says, okay.
He says, my presence will go with you and I'll give you rest. Now folks, put yourself in the sandals of Moses at this point. How many of us would have said, well, this is wonderful.
The nation was not blotted out. God answered the prayer for pardon. Now his presence is with us. Now let's get everybody together and let's go. That's where I would have been.
It's probably where you would have been too. Moses isn't satisfied. You'll notice now he prays for the very person of God. He says in verse 18, he says, show me thy glory. In verse 18, please show me your glory. Wait a moment.
Who's making this request? Moses, who is up in the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights talking to God like a man speaks to his friend. The Bible says he's been up on the mountain and he and God have been communing and they've been having fellowship.
And nobody had more of God in the old Testament than Moses. Moses is saying, I'm not satisfied. Show me your glory. You know what he's praying? God show me as much of yourself as I can take.
Show me your glory. Now can we see God? Well, you'll notice that the text says that God is gracious to those he wishes to be gracious to. He shows mercy on those that he shows mercy to verse 20, but God says, you cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live. Nobody can ever see God as God.
You'd be consumed. It would be like standing 100 yards from the sun to be able to see God. You say, well, how then do we see him? We see manifestations of God.
We sing. We have seen God's glory. John 1 18, no man have seen God at any time. The only begotten son. You could translate it. The only begotten God who is in the bosom of the father.
He has declared him. You see, that's why we sing at Christmas time, veiled in a flesh, the Godhead see, because if Jesus, if Jesus were not veiled in flesh, if, if the divine nature had not been hidden, you and I could not have seen Jesus. And a little bit of that was seen on the Mount of transfiguration. As it broke out, nobody can see God.
And live. But God says, Moses, I will show you a little part of myself. You'll notice he says, behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock. And while my glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand until I passed by. Then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back. But my face shall not be seen. You'll see a glimpse, a glimpse of veiled glory. And your prayer will be answered.
Wow. Think of Moses up on that mountain. Now, remember that Moses didn't make it into the promised land because of disobedience. And because he smoked the rock when he was supposed to speak to it the second time, God says, you know, you crossed a line because of your anger. Your temper got you into trouble and therefore you disobeyed me.
I know that there are excuses that you could make, but I told you what to do and you didn't do it. And Moses complained to God a couple of times and says, now, Lord, are you sure that you can't work this out? I mean, is this, is this maybe just a little bit too harsh until God finally said, Moses, I don't want to hear about it anymore.
You're not going in. So he dies on the other side of the land. Now let's fast forward 14 centuries, 14 centuries later, Moses makes it into the land.
Isn't that wonderful? He had been forgiven by God and now who is there on the Mount of Transfiguration within the land but Moses and Elijah. He's finally there. It's the grace of God, isn't it? Just like you and I, we fail, we sin and yet someday we'll be in that land. But what is Moses doing 14 centuries later? On the Mount of Transfiguration in a blaze of glory, white, white glory. Moses is absorbing the glory of God when it broke out of the body of Jesus.
What is he doing? He's getting more of God. And you think of him praying this prayer, show me your glory. And at the Mount of Transfiguration, and I'm sure in between times that prayer as Moses is in God's presence is continually being answered and it's answered there on the Mount of Transfiguration and it is being even answered today and it will be answered in the future.
And what will Moses be doing forever? What you and I will be doing forever, we will be beholding the wondrous glory of God and worshiping with unrestricted, unrestricted hindrances. And you know, my friend, meanwhile, how do we see the glory of God? Well, the fact is that when we look at the cross of Jesus Christ, remember what Jesus said, if I be lifted up, all men shall be drawn to me. And then he talked about the fact that his death was his glory. You and I will never get enough of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. That is to say, we will never understand enough as to what our savior did. That's why I've written a book entitled For Us. It's actually a 30-day devotional.
It's intended to direct our attention to Christ, to reflect upon him, to remind ourselves of what it was like for him to go through the agony of Gethsemane, and then of course the agony of the cross, who for the joy that was set before him, he endured all that because he saw himself eventually on the right hand of God the Father. I hope that you have a pen or pencil handy because I'm going to be giving you some contact info by which this devotional can be yours. Here's what you do. Go to RTWOffer.com. That's RTWOffer.com or pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-218-9337. You and I can never get enough of all that Jesus has done for us and over and over again we must contemplate Calvary. I like to think of it as lingering at Calvary. Go to RTWOffer.com.
You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60614. Today Erwin Lutzer brought part one of Show Me Thy Glory, the 11th in a series of 12 messages about the life and times of Moses, a man getting closer to God. And so Moses clings to his God as we all must do. Next time, more about Moses' search to know more of God. Thanks for listening. For Pastor Erwin Lutzer, this is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
