{"id":879,"date":"2017-07-23T14:54:22","date_gmt":"2017-07-23T21:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=879"},"modified":"2017-07-23T14:55:29","modified_gmt":"2017-07-23T21:55:29","slug":"you-are-gods-treasured-possession","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/23\/you-are-gods-treasured-possession\/","title":{"rendered":"You Are God’s Treasured Possession!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost<\/font><\/p>\n

July 23, 2017<\/font><\/p>\n

Exodus 19:2-8a<\/font><\/p>\n

You Are God\u2019s Treasured Possession!<\/font><\/p>\n

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After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.  <\/span>Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, \u201cThis is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:  <\/span>\u2018You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles\u2019 wings and brought you to myself.  <\/span>Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.  <\/span>Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u2019  <\/span>These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.\u201d  <\/span>So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.  <\/span>The people all responded together, \u201cWe will do everything the LORD has said.\u201d  <\/span>So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD. (NIV1984)<\/o:p><\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/font><\/p>\n

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It probably won\u2019t surprise you to hear that Isaac has accumulated quite a few possessions over the course of the last six (and \u00bd!) years.  <\/span>Some people say it\u2019s because he has trained me on how to order things from amazon.com.  <\/span>Personally, I think it\u2019s because he has his grandma wrapped around his little finger.  <\/span>Either way, the result is the same:  <\/span>over the course of the last six (and \u00bd!) years Isaac has accumulated quite a few possessions!  <\/span>And, as some of you have already experienced, there are times when Isaac will show you one of his possessions and make this statement, \u201cThis is very special to me.\u201d  <\/span>Why <\/b>it is special to him is immaterial.  <\/span>As far as he <\/b>is concerned it is \u201cvery special\u201d to him, it is one of his \u201ctreasured possessions\u201d!<\/font><\/p>\n

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Do you have anything that is \u201cvery special\u201d to you, my friends?  <\/span>Do you have anything that you would consider to be a \u201ctreasured possession\u201d?  <\/span>I think all of us have something that fits into that category.  <\/span>It doesn\u2019t have to be something so expensive that it\u2019s insured.  <\/span>It doesn\u2019t have to be something that\u2019s been handed down for generations in your family.  <\/span>It doesn\u2019t even have to be something that other people would automatically recognize as being a \u201ctreasured possession.\u201d  <\/span>It could be something your spouse gave to you\u2014 back when you were first dating.  <\/span>It could be one of those plaster handprints that your child or your grandchild made in school.  <\/span>The important thing is that it is \u201cvery special\u201d to you!  <\/span>The important thing is that you consider it to be your \u201ctreasured possession\u201d!<\/font><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s certainly not difficult to see where I am going with this, is it!  <\/span>Here in our text we are reminded that the Lord our God, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, considers us, His children, to be \u201cvery special\u201d to Him!  <\/span>With that truth in mind let\u2019s rejoice as we study this portion of Scripture under the theme:  <\/span>You Are God\u2019s Treasured Possession!<\/i><\/b>  <\/span>There are two things we want to see today.  <\/span>First, let\u2019s see how someone becomes God\u2019s Treasured Possession.  <\/span>Then let\u2019s see what God expects of us, His Treasured Possessions.<\/font><\/p>\n

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How did the children of Israel become God\u2019s Treasured Possession?  <\/span>It was 100% the result of what God had done for <\/b>them!  <\/span>And what had God graciously done for <\/b>them? Look at what we are told in the opening portion of our text, \u201cThen Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, \u2018This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:  <\/span>\u201cYou yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles\u2019 wings and brought you to myself.\u201d\u2019\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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Not only had the Lord God just rescued His children from the land of slavery and death, but the Lord God was about to do something for His children that would change their lives forever\u2014 literally!  <\/span>The Lord was about to enter into a special covenant relationship with them!  <\/span>As we will see in just a moment, a key part of that covenant relationship would center on God\u2019s children being faithful to Him by obeying His covenant.  <\/span>But, before the Lord explains to His children what He expects from<\/b> them, He reminds His children of what He has already done for <\/b>them!  <\/span>What God had already done for <\/b>His children is summed up in the words, \u201cYou yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles\u2019 wings and brought you to myself.\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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Since this was the beginning of their third month of freedom from slavery in Egypt, God\u2019s children knew exactly what the Lord had done for <\/b>them:  <\/span>They watched as the Lord God Almighty used a series of ten powerful plagues to bring the mighty nation of Egypt to her knees thereby setting God\u2019s people free.  <\/span>He rescued them from a revenge-filled Egyptian army by parting the waters of the Red Sea so that God\u2019s people could cross on dry ground and then He used those same two walls of water to destroy the Egyptian army.  <\/span>He led His children with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  <\/span>He gave them water from rocks and provided them with quail and manna. When the Amalekites suddenly attacked them, God had Moses go to the top of a hill and raise his hands to heaven.  <\/span>As long as Moses\u2019 hands were raised\u2014 even when they had to be held up by Aaron and Hur\u2014 God\u2019s people were victorious over their enemies.  <\/span>While it may have seemed as though the fledgling Nation of Israel was like a young bird learning how to fly on her own, the Lord their God was always right there\u2014 ready to rescue them, like an eagle which swoops down to carry their eaglet on their wings.<\/font><\/p>\n

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Once Moses had reminded God\u2019s children of all the wonderful things the Lord had graciously done for <\/b>them, then Moses was told to reveal to God\u2019s children exactly what their Lord expected from <\/b>them.  <\/span>The Lord says, \u201cNow if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my treasured possession.  <\/span>Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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What God expected from His children was clear and concise.  <\/span>God expected that when His children looked at all of the wonderful amazing things He had so freely done for <\/b>them that they would respond to His grace in loving thankful obedience.  <\/span>God expected His people to hear and obey His voice.  <\/span>God expected His people to let His holy revealed Word guide and direct their sanctified lives.  <\/span>God expected His people to guard and protect the covenant He was about to establish with them.  <\/span>God expected His people to openly demonstrate that they were indeed His very own special people by keeping the laws He was about to give to them, the laws that were designed to keep God\u2019s people, God\u2019s Treasured Possession, separate and distinct from the unbelieving nations around them.<\/font><\/p>\n

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Why?  <\/span>Why did God need to make it so very clear that He expected His people to listen to His voice and obey the Laws that He was giving to them?  <\/span>Because God knew!  <\/span>God knew that His children were inclined to wander away from Him so His laws were designed to keep them close to Him.  <\/span>God knew that He had an eternally important mission for His people to carry out here on this earth.  <\/span>They were to be an entire \u201cnation of priests,\u201d<\/i> people who would not only demonstrate to everyone around them what it meant to love and serve, worship and obey the one and only true God, but they would also be people who proclaimed to everyone around them that the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob promised <\/b>to send a Savior, the Messiah into this world.  <\/span>Faithfulness to the Lord and obedience to His covenant would result in the Children of Israel being God\u2019s \u201ctreasured possession.\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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Now look at the closing verses of our text.  <\/span>We are told, \u201cSo Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.  <\/span>The people all responded together, \u2018We will do everything the LORD has said.\u2019\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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In love and in thankfulness for everything the Lord had done for them, God\u2019s people promised that they would be faithful to the Lord and to the covenant He was establishing with them.  <\/span>Sadly, we know that not all of God\u2019s people always kept this promise.  <\/span>In fact, we know that not long after making this promise God\u2019s people rebelled against the Lord by having Aaron make a golden calf which they then bowed down to and worshiped.  <\/span>We know that when God\u2019s people got to the border of the Promised Land they didn\u2019t trust that God would or could keep His promise to them and give them this land that was overflowing with milk and honey.  <\/span>We know that as a result of their rebellion, as a result of their unfaithfulness, God\u2019s people wandered in the wilderness for forty years.  <\/span>We know that as the Old Testament era unfolded God\u2019s people were unfaithful to Him and to His covenant over and over again.  <\/span>And we know that even when the Lord fulfilled His ultimate promise\u2014 the promise to send the Savior into this world\u2014 many of God\u2019s people rejected Him and ultimately executed Him on the cross of Calvary\u2019s hill.  <\/span>But we also know that even in the midst of all that unfaithfulness, the Lord was faithful, wasn\u2019t He!  <\/span>The apostle Paul summarizes some of the unparalleled blessings the Lord bestowed upon His people, His Treasured Possession, when he says in Romans 9:4 & 5, \u201cTheirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  <\/span>Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!  <\/span>Amen.\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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As we fast-forward some 3,500 years, as the setting changes from God\u2019s people camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai to us, God\u2019s people living here in northern California, we would do well to ask ourselves, \u201cHow do these ancient words apply to us?\u201d  <\/span>Even more importantly, \u201cHow do these ancient words apply to me<\/b>?\u201d  <\/span>The answer to that question begins in 1 Peter 2:9.  <\/span>Through His servant Peter God says to us, God says to you<\/b>, \u201cBut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.\u201d<\/i><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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While Peter (who was very familiar with the words of our sermon text for today) did not actually use the term \u201ctreasured possession\u201d<\/i> he definitely painted the very same picture and emphasized the very same truth when speaking to us, God\u2019s New Testament children.  <\/span>You<\/b>, my friends, are God\u2019s Treasured Possession!  <\/span>Since you are <\/b>God\u2019s Treasured Possession let\u2019s ask the same two questions we used when we looked at God\u2019s people camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai.<\/font><\/p>\n

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First, how <\/b>did you become God\u2019s Treasured Possession?  <\/span>Was it because you were so \u201cgood\u201d and so \u201cnice\u201d and so \u201chelpful\u201d?  <\/span>Was it because God saw something in you that He didn\u2019t see in Joe or Sally?  <\/span>Was it because God heard that you \u201cdecided\u201d to \u201caccept\u201d Him as your personal Lord and Savior?  <\/span>Not at all!  <\/span>Just as with God\u2019s people of old, you became God\u2019s Treasured Possession as a result of what God did for <\/b>you!  <\/span>And what did God do for <\/b>you?  <\/span>He set you free from your slavery to sin!  <\/span>He rescued you from the \u201csting of death\u201d<\/i> (See 1 Corinthians 15:50-57).  <\/span>He died to pay the penalty for your <\/b>sins!  <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)  <\/span>He adopted you to be His own dearly beloved child!  <\/span>(Pointing to the Baptismal font)  <\/span>Yes, my friends, every time you see this cross and every time you see this Baptismal font you are reminded of the fact that purely because of what God has done for <\/b>you, purely because of His power and His grace you are <\/b>God\u2019s Treasured Possession!<\/font><\/p>\n

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Think about what this means for you and for your everyday life!  <\/span>Think of the comfort, the strength and the security you have because you are <\/b>God\u2019s Treasured Possession!  <\/span>When you are injured or ill that does not change the fact that you are God\u2019s Treasured Possession.  <\/span>When you are sad or confused that does not negate the reality that you are God\u2019s Treasured Possession.  <\/span>When you are rejected or ridiculed because of your trust in Him (Pointing to the cross) you are still God\u2019s Treasured Possession.  <\/span>When you are feeling alone or unwanted the God of heaven comes to you in His holy Word and His holy Sacrament to guarantee to you that you are His Treasured Possession.  <\/span>When you are dying, you can rest your head on Jesus and hear Him assure you that you are God\u2019s Treasured Possession.  <\/span>When you are content and joyful and happy, knowing that you are God\u2019s Treasured Possession only adds to your happiness and to your joy and to your contentment!<\/font><\/p>\n

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Second, what does the Lord your God now expect from you?  <\/span>Just as with God\u2019s people of old God expects you to show your love and your thankfulness to Him by being faithful to Him, by obeying His Word and by living up to what He called you to be:  <\/span>\u201ca chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.\u201d<\/i>  <\/span>And how can you do that?  <\/span>It\u2019s quite simple:  <\/span>\u201cDeclare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light\u201d<\/i>!  <\/span>As God\u2019s Treasured Possession we will strive to live a sanctified Christian life.  <\/span>As God\u2019s Treasured Possession we will strive to share our dear Lord and Savior with as many people as we possibly can.  <\/span>As God\u2019s Treasured Possession we will love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.  <\/span>As God\u2019s Treasured Possession we will strive to love our neighbor as ourselves.  <\/span>(See Matthew 22:34-40)<\/font><\/p>\n

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Just as Isaac has certain things that he considers to be \u201cvery special\u201d to him, so also we all have something that we consider to be a \u201ctreasured possession.\u201d  <\/span>My prayer this morning is that whenever someone shows us something that is \u201cvery special\u201d to them and every time we see something that we consider to be a \u201ctreasured possession,\u201d that we will rejoice in knowing that purely by grace through faith in Jesus and what Jesus has done for <\/b>us (Pointing to the cross) we are <\/b>God\u2019s \u201ctreasured possession\u201d<\/i>!<\/font><\/p>\n

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To God be the glory!<\/font><\/p>\n

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Amen<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/font><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost July 23, 2017 Exodus 19:2-8a You Are God\u2019s Treasured Possession!   After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.  Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, \u201cThis is what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}