2. Big Idea We will find joy in the Lord as we intentionally lose our lives in Christ and live to give our lives away together for Christ. This is the life we were meant to live in the crucible of ministry.

3. MOSES FIGHT FOR JOY IN THE CRUCIBLE OF MINISTRY DISCOVERING A GOD LIKE NO OTHER Exodus 32 & 33

4. Exodus 24 12 The Lord said to Moses, Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction. 13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua and went up the mountain of God. 14 He told the elders, Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them. 15 When Moses went up the mountain, the

5. Exodus 24 cloud covered it. 16 The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud. 17 The appearance of the Lords glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. 18 Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.

6. Exodus 32 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egyptwe dont know what has happened to him!

7. Waiting on God is very revealing… Bottom line – Can I really trust God? How long will I have to wait? Why should I wait? Have I really heard God? Can I trust this leader(s)? Good waiting engages God with these questions… Bad waiting takes matters into our hands functional atheism and/or idolatry

8. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!

9. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!

10. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt! Ex. 12:35-36 -- 35 The Israelites acted on Moses word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord gave the people such favor in the Egyptians sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

11. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt! Ex. 33:3-6 -- 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way. 4 When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didnt put on their jewelry. 5 For the Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you. 6 So the Israelites remained stripped of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

12. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!

13. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt! Ex. 32:1 – Come, make us gods who will go before us…

14. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!

15. Exodus 32 2 Then Aaron replied to them… Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt! Ex. 20:4,7 -- Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth... Do not misuse the name of the L ORD your God, because the L ORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.

16. Romans 1:18-25 Romans 1:18-25 -- 18 For Gods wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became

17. Romans 1:18-25 nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. 24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever.

18. Romans 1:18-25 nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. 24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. So, what golden calf are you making & worshipping?

19. Exodus 32 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow. Affirming the peoples stupidity, rather than standing against them Trying to call them back to the Lord through compromise??? Where is Hur?

20. Exodus 32 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow. 6 Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to play.

21. Exodus 32 7 The Lord spoke to Moses: Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 9 The Lord also said to Moses: I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.

22. Exodus 32 7 The Lord spoke to Moses: Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 9 The Lord also said to Moses: I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation. God is a jealous God

23. Exodus 32 11 But Moses interceded with the Lord his God: Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth? Turn from Your great anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for Your people. 13 Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and IsraelYou swore to them by Your very self and declared, I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.

24. Exodus 32 14 So the Lord relented concerning the disaster He said He would bring on His people.

25. Exodus 33 7 Now Moses took a tent and set it up outside the camp, far away from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand up, each one at the door of his tent, and they would watch Moses until he entered the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the

26. Exodus 33 tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 As all the people saw the pillar of cloud remaining at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up, then bow in worship, each one at the door of his tent. 11 The Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.

27. You can get to know God like this! John 15:9-15 -- 9 As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Fathers commands and remain in His love. 11 I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My

28. You can get to know God like this! friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesnt know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father.

29. You can help others get to know God like this! The Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.

30. Big Idea We will find joy in the Lord as we intentionally lose our lives in Christ and live to give our lives away together for Christ. This is the life we were meant to live in the crucible of ministry.