See God’s Love for His People!

4th Sunday after Pentecost, 6/28/20
Exodus 19:2-8a


See God’s Love for His People!
I. As he shares his words of promise
II. As he keeps his words of promise


Large gatherings of people. It’s probably been a while since you’ve been a part of one or planned one. We hope that we’ll be able to do one or both soon, but we just don’t know.

But if such a large gathering were on your calendar for this week—say, for a celebration of July 4—what would your hopes be?

Well, first, you’d probably want everyone to be safe and you’d want everyone to do their part to make it that way. You’d want people to have a good time and enjoy themselves. You’d want people to be on their best behavior. You would expect that there would be no arguments and that your guests wouldn’t say things that hurt other people. You’d expect them to be courteous and kind. And you would hope that would be the case, but you can never be absolutely certain. Because you know how quickly things can go from good to bad, especially in a crowd of people. Somebody can say something or do something and ruin the entire party.

Today’s sermon text from Exodus 19 is the opening description of an enormous gathering of people—God’s people, the Children of Israel. They’ve just arrived at a place I’m guessing is familiar to you—the foot of Mt. Sinai. God planned this gathering and he had huge expectations for it. And, as we ponder these words, it’s apparent that all went well. Everyone behaved as expected. God spoke to his people and his people responded in a way that pleased him. From a human standpoint, this party was a huge success.

But this gathering of God’s people with their God doesn’t merely describe a social interaction on this particular day in God’s history with his people. It’s actually a description of God’s love for his people. Now, you might not be all that surprised to hear that. This event sounds like an enjoyable, loving experience. What’s so unusual about that?

God’s love is unusual—astounding, even—when you understand the entire situation. But that’s the way God’s love for sinful people always is. So, let’s take another look at it. See God’s love for his people. May our God send us his Holy Spirit so that we can see his love for us in these words!

Part I.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Promises are meant to be broken”? I won’t speak for you, but I couldn’t disagree more. We realize that no one is perfect and that no one always keeps their promises, but we despise people who make promises and never intend to keep them. We’re filled with disgust with people who make promises to us and then excuse their unfaithfulness with a flippant, “Promises are made to be broken.” If you aren’t going to keep your promise, then don’t make it.

This event before us this morning was all about promises, none of which were meant to be broken. In fact, Bible scholars describe this entire event as God establishing a covenant with his people at Mt. Sinai. Today we would call it a contract. On the one hand, God promised to be the God of the Children of Israel and, on the other hand, the Children of Israel promised to be God’s people. And unlike today’s contractual meetings, there were no negotiations, arbitration, or threats of a walk-out. It was fairly cut and dry. And all parties involved seemed to be very pleased. It was a joyful meeting of a huge number of people.

And the love of God is seen in the promises that he made. He told Moses to tell the people, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

To understand what the Lord is saying here, you need to know where the Israelites had come from—slavery in Egypt, a slavery so bitter that they cried out to the Lord for help. And he delivered them. He sent them Moses who appeared before Pharaoh and performed 10 miracles—10 plagues—demanding that Pharaoh let God’s people go. And when Pharaoh finally did let them go, God’s mighty acts continued as he parted the waters of the Red Sea for his people to pass through safely and then sent those walls of water crashing down on Pharaoh and his army.

God called that miraculous activity “carrying them on eagles’ wings.” The Lord’s power and protection were on daily display as he cared for his people, just as he had promised. And now he had brought them safely to himself here at Mt. Sinai, just as he promised.

What’s so amazing is that he had the pick of any nation of people on the face of the earth. Humanly speaking, there were far better options than the Children of Israel for the choice of a nation to be his own. But recall God’s promises. More than 500 years earlier, he had promised this very thing to Abraham and then to Isaac and Jacob. And now, at the foot of Mt. Sinai, he was binding himself to the Children of Israel. He did that in spite of the events of the past three months.

You see, the trip from Egypt to Mt. Sinai had been rocky, and I mean that in a relationship kind of way. You can read it for yourself. Time and again during those twelve weeks, the people grumbled and complained against the Lord, even though he used miracles to provide for them and protect them. Now, why would he desire to continue that relationship with them and to seal it with promises here at Mt. Sinai, if that’s the way the Children of Israel had acted towards him? In a word—love. It’s God’s astounding love for sinners that causes him to make and keep his promises toward sinners.

See God’s love for his people as he shares his words of promise.

So, this enormous gathering of perhaps 2,000,000 people shows up at the foot of Mt. Sinai and the Lord spoke with them! Now, that might not amaze you at first. But this is the almighty, eternal God! He had never done this with any other nation of people, and he would never do it again. And, even more amazing, is that when he does speak with them, he gives them his promises about what he will do for them.

In a similar way, God speaks to us, not from the top of a mountain, but from the pages of his holy word. And the most important thing he shares with us is his promises. He promises to be our God. He made us his people. He promises us forgiveness and eternal life. He also promises to protect us, provide for us, make all things turn out for our good. I could go on and on about God’s speaking his promises to us. But what I want to know is this: how impressed are you? Do you take the fact that God is speaking with you for granted? Or, do you hear his promises and think to yourself, “Well, that’s all well and good, but I really need him to promise me something different”? That response sounds shamefully similar to the response of the Children of Israel just before and right after this event.

God’s love for you is found in the truth that he sacrificed his Son for you. God’s love for you is evident that, by faith in Jesus, you live every day of your life in the forgiveness of all your sins. That love is seen in the truth that, even though we often long for him to promise us an easier life here and now, he has promised us life with him in heaven. There’s God’s love for his people. See it as he shares his words of promise.

Part II.

When the Lord made his promises to his people, he received the response he was looking for. “So, Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said.’” Promises are made to be kept. I’m sure the Children of Israel made this promise with every intention of firmly keeping it…to the letter.

God the Lord knew better. They had shown their inability to truly trust him as they trudged on their way to Mt. Sinai over the past three months. It would be difficult for 2,000,000 people to become loving, faithful people all at once.

And the Lord also knew what was about to happen right there at the foot of Mt. Sinai as the people gathered in his presence. While Moses spent 40 days and nights at the top of the mountain with the Lord, the people, under the leadership of Aaron, would donate their gold so that Aaron could melt it down and fashion an idol in the form of a calf. And a wild party of idol worship resulted. The Children of Israel were unable to keep the very first stipulation of their side of the covenant—to have no other gods.

Yet God fulfilled his promises. Not just for a few months or years, but for centuries. It happened more than a 1,000 years later when the angel Gabriel announced to one of the descendants of these very Jews that she will be with Child by the Holy Spirit. It happened as Jesus, a descendant of these Jews, was born, lived, suffered and died. It happened when he rose again to assure them of their forgiveness and eternal life. He did that in spite of the fact that his own people rejected him. Through all that, God remained faithful to his promises.

See the Love of God for his people as he keeps his words of promise.

I’m guessing you wonder today more than ever if what you’re hearing or reading is the truth. I know I do. How refreshing to hear not just any words this morning, but the words of our God. And they are filled with love for sinners. In those words, he makes his promises to us, promises which will never fail. In a fallen, uncertain, distressing world, here’s something to place all your trust in—your God, his promises to you, and his love for you. See God’s love for you every day in those promises! Amen.