After the encoun\u00adter at the thorn bush, Moses lived with a lon\u00adging desi\u00adre to see the glo\u00adry of God again and again. The\u00adre were extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces in his life, such as at Mount Sinai. More important\u00adly for Moses, howe\u00adver, he orga\u00adnis\u00aded his dai\u00adly life in such a way that shared times with God beca\u00adme a regu\u00adlar habit. The\u00adse encoun\u00adters with the very Other chan\u00adged Moses in his being and doing. A holy life ari\u00adses from inti\u00adma\u00adcy with God, which we must, howe\u00adver, choo\u00adse and seek.<\/p>\n
Moses was mes\u00adme\u00adri\u00adsed by God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss at the thorn bush. From then on, he wan\u00adted not\u00adhing more than to see God\u2019s glo\u00adry. He rea\u00adli\u00adsed that his enti\u00adre being and actions were exis\u00adten\u00adti\u00adal\u00adly depen\u00addent on God. Today we take a look at Moses\u00bb ever\u00ady\u00adday life and dis\u00adco\u00adver how he refuel\u00adled on God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss on a dai\u00adly basis until it rub\u00adbed off on his life. \tHave you had any extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces with the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God? What was your per\u00adso\u00adnal Pen\u00adte\u00adcost expe\u00adri\u00adence like? After the encoun\u00adter at the thorn bush, Moses lived with a lon\u00adging desi\u00adre to see the glo\u00adry of God again and again. The\u00adre were extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces in his life, such as at Mount Sinai. What was more important for Moses, howe\u00adver, was that he orga\u00adnis\u00aded his ever\u00ady\u00adday life in such a way that times tog\u00ade\u00adther with God beca\u00adme a regu\u00adlar habit. The\u00adse encoun\u00adters with the com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly different\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[90],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-heilig-heilig-heilig","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-7200","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nExcep\u00adtio\u00adnal experiences
\nAbout 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes rea\u00adched the foot of Mount Sinai. On Mount Sinai, Moses had seve\u00adral impres\u00adsi\u00adve expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces with God. On the\u00adse occa\u00adsi\u00adons, Moses was gifted by God with a coven\u00adant con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adon and ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions for all situa\u00adtions in life. The accom\u00adpany\u00ading phe\u00adno\u00adme\u00adna on Mount Sinai empha\u00adsise God\u2019s majes\u00adty, His unavai\u00adla\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty and majes\u00adty: thun\u00adder, light\u00adning, fla\u00admes of fire, smo\u00adke and the sound of trumpets (Exodus 19:16ff). The God of Isra\u00adel is any\u00adthing but harm\u00adless, name\u00adly holy, exal\u00adted and mysterious.
\nMoses had to draw a line around the moun\u00adtain so that the peo\u00adp\u00adle would main\u00adtain a life-sus\u00adtai\u00adning distance from God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss (Exodus 19:12). In addi\u00adti\u00adon, the who\u00adle peo\u00adp\u00adle had to prepa\u00adre for their encoun\u00adter with God with puri\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon ritu\u00adals. Once again, Yah\u00adweh expres\u00adses that his holi\u00adne\u00adss is not com\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adble with human ina\u00adde\u00adquacy. Moses then heard the voice of Yah\u00adweh, but he was not allo\u00adwed to see Him. At Moses\u00bb request, the LORD<\/span> made an excep\u00adti\u00adon and gave the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing ins\u00adtruc\u00adtion: \u00abStand here on this rock bes\u00adi\u00adde me. When I pass by in my glo\u00adry, I will place you in the cleft of the rock and hold my hand over you pro\u00adtec\u00adtively until I have pas\u00adsed by. Then I will take my hand away and you will look after me. But no one can see my face\u00bb (Exodus 33:21\u201323 NLB<\/span>).
\nIt is important for me to point out at this point that Moses expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced an impres\u00adsi\u00adve, inspi\u00adring encoun\u00adter with God that almost kno\u00adcked his socks off. Such expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces that almost blow us away occur occa\u00adsio\u00adnal\u00adly, but are not part of ever\u00ady\u00adday life. The Jews cele\u00adbra\u00adte the events of Sinai with the Shavuot fes\u00adti\u00adval. Pen\u00adte\u00adcost hap\u00adpen\u00aded during the orga\u00adni\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon of such a fes\u00adti\u00adval. Phe\u00adno\u00adme\u00adna invol\u00adving fire and wind also occur\u00adred the\u00adre. Pen\u00adte\u00adcost is an encoun\u00adter with the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God. The Holy Spi\u00adrit takes up resi\u00addence in a per\u00adson. A per\u00adson beco\u00admes the temp\u00adle of God\u2019s spi\u00adrit. A per\u00adson can have pre\u00adcis\u00ade\u00adly this expe\u00adri\u00adence the moment they ent\u00adrust their life to Jesus Christ.
\nIt is signi\u00adfi\u00adcant that the deli\u00advery of God\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions to the peo\u00adp\u00adle was accom\u00adpa\u00adnied by this impres\u00adsi\u00adve reve\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon of His holi\u00adne\u00adss. In fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus, the\u00adse two things abso\u00adlut\u00ade\u00adly belong tog\u00ade\u00adther: mar\u00advel\u00adling at God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss and taking God\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions serious\u00adly. If our hearts and our thought pat\u00adterns are not cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adsed by the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God, God\u2019s word loses its aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty and is sub\u00adject to arbi\u00adtrar\u00adi\u00adne\u00adss. The human being then always trims it so that it is right for him and favours his idea of happiness.
\nThe ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions that Moses recei\u00adved from God on Mount Sinai con\u00adcer\u00adned not only ritu\u00adal, but also poli\u00adti\u00adcal, eco\u00adno\u00admic and fami\u00adly life. A nati\u00adon was born at Sinai. The holi\u00adne\u00adss of God should also radia\u00adte into all are\u00adas of our lives and cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adse them. Tho\u00adse who have been given the Spi\u00adrit of God can no lon\u00adger distin\u00adgu\u00adish bet\u00adween spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal and world\u00adly are\u00adas. Ever\u00ady\u00adthing we do and are should be cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adsed by His holiness.
\nWhen Moses retur\u00adned from Sinai to his peo\u00adp\u00adle, they had cast a gol\u00adden calf from their jewel\u00adlery, which they wor\u00adship\u00adped. The con\u00adse\u00adquen\u00adces of this ido\u00adla\u00adtry and tram\u00adpling on God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss were fatal: the enti\u00adre nati\u00adon was threa\u00adten\u00aded with des\u00adtruc\u00adtion. In the end, 3000 men lost their lives. It was only thanks to Moses\u00bb sup\u00adpli\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon and plea for for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness that the holy God relen\u00adted and deci\u00added to con\u00adti\u00adnue tra\u00advel\u00adling with Moses and the peo\u00adp\u00adle (Exodus 33:14). The holi\u00adne\u00adss of God demands respect. Tur\u00adning away from God\u2019s ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions has dis\u00adas\u00adtrous consequences.
\nEver\u00ady\u00adday encounters
\nIn addi\u00adti\u00adon to the extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry, it is abo\u00adve all the ever\u00ady\u00adday encoun\u00adters that are decisi\u00adve in fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus. For this pur\u00adpo\u00adse, the\u00adre was the insti\u00adtu\u00adti\u00adon of the tent of mee\u00adting. \u00abEvery time the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes set up camp, Moses erec\u00adted a tent some distance out\u00adside the camp, which he cal\u00adled the \u00abtent of mee\u00adting\u00bb. [\u2026] When\u00adever Moses went out to the Tent of Mee\u00adting, all the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes rose and stood at the ent\u00adrance to their tents. They loo\u00adked after Moses until he had ente\u00adred the tent. As soon as Moses had ente\u00adred the tent, the pil\u00adlar of cloud des\u00adcen\u00added and cam\u00adped in front of the ent\u00adrance while the Lord spo\u00adke to Moses. [\u2026] The Lord spo\u00adke to Moses face to face, as one who speaks to his fri\u00adend. Then Moses retur\u00adned to the camp [\u2026]\u00bb (Exodus 33:7\u201311 NLB<\/span>).
\nMoses encoun\u00adte\u00adred the com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent again and again. His stay in the tent of mee\u00adting made all the dif\u00adfe\u00adrence! It was the\u00adre that Moses recei\u00adved his strength, his endu\u00adrance, his pati\u00adence, the will to per\u00adse\u00adve\u00adre and the much-nee\u00added encou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adment for his chal\u00adlen\u00adging ever\u00ady\u00adday life. We can draw important con\u00adclu\u00adsi\u00adons for our per\u00adso\u00adnal rela\u00adti\u00adonships with the Other from Moses\u00bb expe\u00adri\u00adence in the Tent of Meeting.
\nMoses pit\u00adched a tent out\u00adside the camp \u00abevery time\u00bb, it says here. I ima\u00adgi\u00adne how set\u00adting up his tent of mee\u00adting beca\u00adme a good ritu\u00adal for Moses at each new camp site. So if I don\u2019t want the\u00adse encoun\u00adters to be negle\u00adc\u00adted, it\u2019s best to make them a fixed part of my ever\u00ady\u00adday life, a ritu\u00adal that is a mat\u00adter of cour\u00adse. Why did Moses regu\u00adlar\u00adly find the time for such encoun\u00adters? Becau\u00adse he expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced \u2013 simi\u00adlar to us today \u2013 that the demands of the peo\u00adp\u00adle and the huge task almost con\u00adsu\u00admed him. Moses coun\u00adte\u00adred this exces\u00adsi\u00adve demand and busyn\u00adess by see\u00adking out a coach with a good out\u00adside per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve. It was his father-in-law Jet\u00adh\u00adro who hel\u00adped him to achie\u00adve a great\u00adly impro\u00adved work-life balan\u00adce (Exodus 18:13ff). The advice of a coach can also be important for us in sha\u00adping our spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal lives. It helps us to reflect and deve\u00adlop new habits.
\nIt is also hel\u00adpful to have a fixed time and a fixed place. A pro\u00adverb says: \u00abHe who does not pray at fixed times does not pray at unspe\u00adci\u00adfied times.\u00bb Long after Moses, when the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes had long been living in the land of Cana\u00adan, lived King David. His day was fil\u00adled to the brim with govern\u00adment busi\u00adness. In seve\u00adral places in his poems, we read that he ente\u00adred his tent of mee\u00adting ear\u00adly in the mor\u00adning. \u00abHear my voice in the mor\u00adning, O LORD<\/span>\u00bb (Psalm 5:4 NLB<\/span>). In the still\u00adness of the mor\u00adning, it is easier to syn\u00adchro\u00adni\u00adse with God than once we have rev\u00adved up our \u00abengi\u00adne\u00bb.
\nUnfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, the Bible text does not tell us how Moses orga\u00adnis\u00aded the times in the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God. Nevert\u00adhel\u00adess, it is expli\u00adcit\u00adly descri\u00adbed that Moses pit\u00adched a tent out\u00adside the camp every time. Cle\u00adar\u00adly, this ensu\u00adred that Moses took a break from the dai\u00adly rou\u00adti\u00adne of the camp when he met with God. Get\u00adting away from the dai\u00adly rou\u00adti\u00adne helps to break the dai\u00adly grind. The gre\u00adat oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adty of my time\u00adout next sum\u00admer in Cana\u00adda is that I will set up my tent of encoun\u00adter out\u00adside the camp and will be accom\u00adpa\u00adnied by a coach.
\nGra\u00addu\u00adal change
\n\u00abWhen Aaron and the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes saw the glow on Moses\u00bb face, they were afraid to approach him\u00bb (Exodus 34:30 NLB<\/span>). After the encoun\u00adters with the glo\u00adry of Yah\u00adweh, Moses\u00bb face sho\u00adne wit\u00adhout him rea\u00adli\u00adsing it. The reflec\u00adtion of the LORD<\/span> was so strong that Moses cover\u00aded his face with a cloth to pro\u00adtect the peo\u00adp\u00adle. This reminds me of fluo\u00adre\u00ads\u00adcent stars in the nur\u00adsery, which shi\u00adne brigh\u00adtest in the dark after being illu\u00admi\u00adna\u00adted by a lamp.
\nAgain and again, God calls us to beco\u00adme holy and to lead a holy life. We find the\u00adse words as a direct call eight times in the Holy Scrip\u00adtures, five times in the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment and three times in the New Tes\u00adta\u00adment. The pic\u00adtu\u00adre for our the\u00adme of the year reads: \u00abYou shall be holy becau\u00adse I, the LORD<\/span> your God, am holy\u00bb (Exodus 19:2 NLB<\/span>). But how is that sup\u00adpo\u00adsed to work? Do I have to make an effort to beco\u00adme like God? No, becau\u00adse God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss rubs off. Beco\u00adming holy means first of all reco\u00adg\u00adnis\u00ading and app\u00adre\u00adcia\u00adting God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss. In order to then be able to lead the holiest \u2013 i.e. \u00abwho\u00adle\u00adso\u00adme\u00bb \u2013 life pos\u00adsi\u00adble, I should spend as much time as pos\u00adsi\u00adble in his pre\u00adsence. I can choo\u00adse what should cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adse me: TV<\/span> series, a book, Insta\u00adgram \u2013 or HE<\/span>. Nobo\u00addy can do this for me. If I con\u00adscious\u00adly choo\u00adse to spend time in His pre\u00adsence, His holi\u00adne\u00adss and His light shi\u00adne into me. We can\u00adnot be holy on our own, we need the touch of the Holy One. All self-attempts to lead a holy life will fail, only tur\u00adning to the Holy One of God Hims\u00adelf can help us. Tho\u00adse who want to beco\u00adme holy by their own efforts will only make it as far as hypo\u00adcri\u00adsy. It is not worth the effort, becau\u00adse hypo\u00adcri\u00adsy is repul\u00adsi\u00adve. Being holy, on the other hand, means being who\u00adle, pure, com\u00adple\u00adte and who\u00adle. If you are a Chris\u00adti\u00adan in search of a ful\u00adfil\u00adled life, you can\u00adnot avo\u00adid the holi\u00adne\u00adss of God, becau\u00adse this is whe\u00adre the hig\u00adhest qua\u00adli\u00adty of life is hidden.
\nPaul picks up on Moses\u00bb expe\u00adri\u00adence when he says: \u00abThe veil has been lifted from all of us so that we can see the glo\u00adry of the Lord as in a mir\u00adror. And the Spi\u00adrit of the Lord works in us so that we beco\u00adme more and more like him and incre\u00adasing\u00adly reflect his glo\u00adry\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:18 NLB<\/span>). The path to Christ\u00adli\u00adken\u00adess \u2013 the goal of a life as a fol\u00adlower of Christ \u2013 leads through an encoun\u00adter with the Lord. His holi\u00adne\u00adss may frigh\u00adten us at first, but it is what makes us whole.
\n
\nThe bles\u00adsing that the LORD<\/span> taught Aaron, the first priest, vivid\u00adly expres\u00adses the idea of God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss rub\u00adbing off on us: \u00abMay the LORD<\/span> bless you and keep you; may the LORD<\/span> make his face shi\u00adne upon you and be gra\u00adcious to you; may the LORD<\/span> lift up his coun\u00adten\u00adan\u00adce upon you and give you peace\u00bb (Num\u00adbers 6:24\u201326 NLB<\/span>). In behol\u00adding his glo\u00adry, we beco\u00adme holy, that is, who\u00adle and com\u00adple\u00adte. The call to holi\u00adne\u00adss is the call to fullness.
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRea\u00adding the Bible text: Exodus 33\u201334<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat does it mean that God\u2019s holi\u00adne\u00adss wants to shi\u00adne into all are\u00adas of life?
\n\tHow do you deal with the Tent of Mee\u00adting? When do you go the\u00adre? Whe\u00adre is it in your life?
\n\tIs the\u00adre a per\u00adson who coa\u00adches you or to whom you are accountable?
\n\tHow do you get distance from your dai\u00adly busi\u00adness? What has beco\u00adme important to you? What decis\u00adi\u00adon do you want to make today?
\n\tWhat does it mean to be holy? What is the way to get there?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"