Download Lesson: 12.28.14 Class Notes – Ex 34

LOOK:

I hope you saw a beautiful picture of God’s grace today. Here is a summary of the process God used to restore His children:

•The trigger event for God to restore us is our REPENTANCE.

•Once He sees our broken and contrite heart, God desires to RESTORE the relationship.

•Once He decides to restore us, He’s ALL IN. He renews His covenant of love with us by:

REVEALING His compassion, grace, and abounding love by forgiving us

RENEWING His covenant with His people
 His part is to do wonders and drive out the enemies
 Our part is to obey what the Lord commands us.

•Don’t make a treaty with those who are idolaters

•Smash their sacred stones and Asherah poles

•Don’t worship any other god

•If you intermarry, don’t prostitute yourselves to their gods

•Don’t make cast idols.

REPEATS the requirements of worship
 Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread
 Don’t come to Him empty-handed. Give Him the firstfruits
 Rest on the seventh day, even during plowing season

•God REINFORCES the “why” behind His requirements – He is a HOLY God and wants us to have an unadulterated relationship with Him by maintaining purity in our own relationships with others.

In case you think God is still displeased with you and that you could never be forgiven or be back in His good graces, I hope that this passage reveals that God’s grace is alive and well and for us. His standards won’t change. He won’t lower the bar for us because He expects us to have respect for Him by obeying what He tells us to do. And there is nothing that He’s asked of us that He hasn’t empowered us to do!

A healthy theology says let go of your past sins. That means come to God with your broken heart because you know you grieved Him – not because you have to face the consequences. When God restores favor, that does not equate to “no consequences” for bad behavior! He is a just God, so He will not leave the guilty unpunished. If we will simply admit that we rebelled and sinned against Him, then watch God’s compassion, grace, and abounding love for us just wash over us. Watch Him cleanse you. Rest in His unconditional love for you. Enjoy finding favor with Him, but with a commitment to obey Him.