GOD’S PRESENCE IS OUR PURPOSE

 

TEXT: Exodus 33:12-16 “Then Moses said to the Lord, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people." 14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So, we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." 

 

INTRODUCTION: 

 

Over the last three weeks, we have hopefully begun to receive the revelation of scripture that the Presence of God is the meaning and purpose of life, both in this world and in the world to come. The Presence of God is not a means to an end but rather is the end itself. From the beginning of creation, it is clear that God’s purpose for man was that he know God. Man is the only creature that God created in His own image. 

 

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” 

 

We were created to know God. God did not create man in His image for the purpose of religion. Rather, He created man for the purpose of relationship. We were created to know and enjoy the Presence of God. This is so important to God that He sent His only begotten Son to the earth to become a man and die on the cross to take away our sins. Why? So that we could be forgiven of our sins and so be reconciled to God. Let me say it again: the purpose of life is that we might know the Presence of God. To know God is life, both now and forever!

 

All that God did in the Old Testament was to prepare the way for the coming of His Son in the New Testament. Today is what is known as Palm Sunday. It is when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey to the waving of palm branches and to the shouts of “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” He was on His way to fulfill the Feast of Passover by dying on the cross to take away our sins. He was on His way to redeem man back to God. His mission was to repair the broken relationship between a holy God and sinful man. Jesus Himself said, “the Son of man did not come into the world to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

 

Let me say it plainly: Jesus died on the cross so that we can have a relationship with God; so that we can know and enjoy the Presence of God both now and forever! 

 

So, whether we are in the Old Testament as far back as God’s first chapter in His story in the Book of Genesis, or in the New Testament all the way to the last chapter of God’s story in the Book of the Revelation, the message is the same: 

 

GOD’S PRESENCE IS OUR PURPOSE. LET’S PRAY. 

 

I. Our purpose is found in the prayer of Moses.

 

Verses 12-13 “Then Moses said to the Lord, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.

 

Moses was a true man of God and an intercessor. When he prayed to God he said, “Lord you have said that I have found grace in Your sight.” So, my prayer is that if I have found grace or favor in Your sight, then show me your ways that I may knowYou. Give me the next step to take in this journey to the Promised Land. Lead me God. I cannot know the next step unless You reveal it to me. 

 

Let me paraphrase. Lord, we can’t find the Promised Land without You. I don’t know the way, Lord. So please Lord, show me the way. Lead our steps to what You have promised us. We are lost without You!

 

Dear Church, this is how we should pray for revival! We should follow the example of Moses who was called the meekest man on the earth! Revival does not come without the leadership of the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can lead our steps to a true heaven-sent revival. Only God knows how to bring a true outpouring from heaven. That is why we must humble ourselves and ask for His grace and favor each step of the way. 

 

We must make ourselves dependent upon the grace and favor of God, as did Moses, if we are to be truly prepared for the coming move of God in the earth. 

 

I want to pray right here and right now; Lord I don’t know the way to revival. Please show us the way, Your way. Lord we are sinners and have fallen short time and time again, but please consider us as Your people. Show us the way to Your Presence. In Jesus Name. 

 

II. Our purpose is found God’s response to Moses’sprayer. 

 

Verse 14. And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

 

God answers Moses’s prayer by telling him that He would go with him and give him rest. 

 

Notice that God says I will go with YOU, and give YOU rest. What is going on here?

 

In the previous chapter, Exodus 32, the people had sinned against God by making and worshipping a golden calf. God was very angry with the people and threatened to destroy them! But Moses interceded for them, and God relented. However, some of them did lose their lives because of their blatant rebellion. But God spared the nation as a whole because of the intercession of Moses. I believe that God knew and wanted Moses to intercede for the nation. God wanted to spare them and show them grace. And God knew that Moses would intercede for them, and He did. And through that intercession God’s will was done!

 

Here me now friend. Many in the church today are in rebellion against God. They are worshipping the golden calves of material things! They are blind to His purposes for this day and hour that we are living in. They do not know how deeply God wants to bring a great revival so that He can bring in a great harvest of lost souls into His Kingdom! 

 

And it is God’s heart and God’s will that we, like Moses, intercede for them. There are some who will not respond, but there are many who will!  So, join me even now in praying for the wayward and sleeping church. Lord, we take this moment to pray for Your Church. Show them Your grace Lord by opening their eyes to Your purpose for their lives. Let them see Your heart and Your will to send a great revival in these last days to bring in a great harvest into the Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. 

 

III. Our purpose is found in the Presence of God.

 

15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So, we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." 

 

What is it that makes the Church of Jesus Christ different than anything or anyone else on the earth? 

 

It’s simple: The Presence of God! 

 

The Church is not special because of her gifts or talents. She is not special because she has great preachers, great singers, or great buildings. She is special only because she has the Presence of God! 

 

That is what Moses was saying in verses 15-16. He is saying that God’s Presence is what sets the people of God apart as Special. 

 

Illustration: During the Brownsville revival, Pastor John Kilpatrick was the absolute most incredible pastor. Lindell Cooley was the greatest worship leader around, and Steve Hill was the greatest evangelist in the Church. And granted, these were special men who were greatly used by God. However, after the revival ended, they were just ordinary men like everyone else. 

 

What was the difference during the revival? The difference was the manifest Presence of God. I used to say that during the revival Steve Hill could have said “boo,” and people would have gotten saved! 

 

The reason why people came to Brownsville Florida for five years, from all over the world, had nothing to do with who was leading the revival. The reason why people would get in line at 6 in the morning and stand in line all day until the Church opened at 6 that evening was not because of Pastor’s leadership, Lindell’s singing, or Steve’s preaching! They came because the Presence of God was in that place! They came because there is nothing on this earth that compares to being in the Presence of the Living God! 

 

CONCLUSION/ALTAR

 

Moses got it. Do we? He said, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” 

 

Church may God give us a heart like Moses. May we live a life of intercession like Moses did with a single vision that guided him. 

 

1. Lord, by your grace, show us the way to revival because we don’t know the way.

2. Lord, open the eyes of those in your Church that they may see Your purpose and turn their hearts to you in intercession and prayer.

3. Lord, if Your Presence doesn’t go with us, then we’re not going! Let’s pray.