Sunday of Moses (Sermon)

Moses for Jesus

Exodus 32:21-35

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I want to tell you the story about a very unique man. He was destined from before he was born to lead, and deliver his people from their bondage to slavery. He was born to a family, with an immediate threat of death. His family found a way to deliver him from certain death so that he may grow in knowledge.

When he was grown, God directed him to begin his ministry by going down to his people and face their leaders. He spent most of his ministry performing great wonders. These wonders help to deliver his people.

But his people were stiff necked and wicked people. They turned from the truth, and followed after false idols. These people had sinned greatly, so the man calls judgment upon these people. He institutes a small group of people to proclaim this message of judgment, as they travel through the lost people of the house of Israel.

Because the people's great sin, he desires to make atonement for their sins. He is willing to lay down his own life for the people. His people even assume him to be dead, yet he comes to them on a mountaintop. He comes to talk about how God is with you. 

He will further instruct the people about the celebration of the Passover, and what many celebrated yesterday, the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. This man is considered by outsiders the founder of a new religion.

Who is this man? There may have been certain times in the story you thought it was Jesus. There may have been other times you recognized this character as Moses. Some may have even thought of David, or Samuel. Honestly, I was trying to show the parallel between Moses and Jesus.

Today, we celebrate the Sunday of Moses, and we hear about what immediately followed the sin of making a golden calf. Many of us know the main story very well. But we forget how this event is what led to tribe of Levi being the tribe of priests, since it was the Levites who gathered to Moses' side. These Levites proclaim judgement through the swing of the sword.

The part I left out of the connected story, is that God would send his angel before you. He will then visit his people, and visit their sins upon them. You will recall any one of the many disasters that befell the people while wondering in the wilderness for forty years.

This similarly connects to Jesus sending his Holy Spirit to be with us this morning and whenever we gather around the word and sacraments. Jesus has also promised to return to visit judgement upon the world, as he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Just as these stories parallel each other. Our story parallels that of the house of Israel. They built a golden calf, and sinned a great sin. We have sought after other reasons for our success. We blame the weather for our disasters, and blessings. We turn to our technology and neighbor for help, security, and love. Aaron was asked to give the people a statue that did the marvelous wonders in Egypt.

These plagues came from the hand of God. Just as Jesus healed the lame and sick, he made the deaf to hear and the blind to see. He has made atonement for your great sin that you have sinned. Search your own story, and take note of your disobedience. Remember what the Lord says to Moses, Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.

The Lord is ready to visit our sins upon us. We deserve the judgement of the sword. We should walk through our own camp, understand that as your own life, and kill with the sword all that is evil and stands against God. Therefore, you have been buried with Christ Jesus in Baptism. You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. You have been raised to new life, through Christ's resurrection. 

Similarly, we do not have Moses who tries to make atonement for our sins. Nor do we try to make atonement for our sins ourselves. We have Jesus Christ who has made atonement for our sins, even our great sins. He has died in your place. His name was removed from the book and your name written in its place.

God offers the atonement sacrifice which he provided in his Son Jesus Christ. God sent his son to die for your sins, and for his sake has forgiven you all your sins. Go in Peace in the name of the Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.