Reference

Exodus 23:20-33; 24:1-18

Sermon Outline:

  1. God's guiding and protecting presence
  2. God's jealous presence
  3. The covenant of God's presence written in stone and sealed in blood
  4. God's awesome presence 

Family Discussion Questions:

  • How were God's people to be sure that they would get to the promised land and that it would become theirs?
  • How does Christ ultimately fulfill what this "angel" would do by sending the Holy Spirit to the church?
  • How do some of the promises given to the Old Covenant people in this passage differ from the promises given to the New Covenant people (the Church)?
  • What does Matthew 28:16-20 tell us about the borders of the New Covenant sealed in Jesus' blood?
  • Only Moses, the mediator of the Old Covenant, was permitted to be in God's presence on behalf of the people.  How does Hebrews 12:18-24 tell us that is the New Covenant better?
  • When Moses and the witnesses beheld God's presence we are told that they were not killed.  Why was that surprising?
  • What did the sprinkling of the blood tell Israel about how serious it would be to break the covenant?
  • The kingdom of the Old Covenant was to be a kingdom without idols.  What does that tell us about how the people of the New Covenant ought to view sin?
  • In Revelation 12:11 we are told that the New Covenant people will overcome or conquer by the "blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony".  It reminds us of the Words written by God in stone and the blood sprinkled on the people.  How is this both a promise and an instruction about what the Church should rely on for success?