Desiring God's Presence Over His Gifts

Summary

In Exodus 34, God reveals Himself to Moses in a moment of profound glory, declaring His name and character: compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, yet not leaving the guilty unpunished. But this revelation comes on the heels of Israel’s greatest failure—idolatry at the foot of Sinai. While Moses is on the mountain receiving instructions for the tabernacle, the people grow impatient, fashion a golden calf, and attribute to it the very acts of deliverance God performed for them. This is not just an ancient story; it’s a mirror for our own hearts and the church today.

The question that must be asked is: How deeply do we desire to know God? Not just to know about Him, or to receive His blessings, but to truly know Him—His heart, His ways, His presence. There is a temptation in every generation, and especially in our own, to settle for a version of faith that is comfortable, controllable, and affirming of our own desires. We can build systems, traditions, and even ministries that look impressive but are empty of God’s presence. The promised land is not the promised land without the One who promised it. Christianity is not Christianity without Christ at the center.

As a church, we are in a season of crossing over—moving from building community to impacting eternity. But we cannot cross over without God Himself. The challenge is to examine whether we want God, or merely His gifts. Are we content with the trappings of religion, or are we desperate for His presence? The difference is everything. When God threatened to send Israel forward without His presence, the people mourned. Would we mourn if God’s presence was absent from our lives, our church, our plans?

To know God is to encounter His compassion, His grace, His patience, His truth, His lovingkindness, and His forgiveness. He is not a distant, angry deity, but a Father who sees our suffering and is moved to act. He is the God who became flesh, who forgives the deepest sin, and who desires to dwell with us. The invitation is to pursue Him with honesty, to make time for His Word, for prayer, for fasting, and to lay our lives down at the altar. Revival, transformation, and eternal impact begin with a people desperate for God Himself, not just what He can do for us.

Key Takeaways

- The Depth of Our Desire for God Shapes Everything
The question “How deeply do you desire to know God?” is not a surface-level inquiry but a call to examine the true hunger of our hearts. It’s easy to settle for a faith that is about comfort, tradition, or personal affirmation, but God invites us to a relationship marked by longing for His presence above all else. The depth of our desire will determine whether we settle for substitutes or press in for the real, living God. [08:23]

- Idolatry is Subtle and Often Looks Like Religion
The story of the golden calf is not just about ancient Israel; it’s a warning for us. Idolatry happens whenever we shape God into our own image or use faith to serve our own ends. Even in the church, we can build impressive ministries, pursue influence, or chase after blessings, all while missing the heart of God. True worship is about surrendering control and seeking God for who He is, not what He can give. [15:14]

- God’s Presence is Non-Negotiable for True Impact
Crossing over into new seasons, whether as individuals or as a church, is meaningless without God’s presence. The promised land loses its value if God is not with us. We must be willing to mourn the absence of His presence and refuse to move forward without Him, recognizing that all our efforts are empty apart from Him. [22:25]

- Knowing God Means Encountering His Character
God reveals Himself as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, and forgiving. These are not abstract attributes but realities to be experienced. When we know God, we encounter His mercy in our suffering, His patience in our failures, and His truth that sets us free. This knowledge transforms us from the inside out and empowers us to extend His love to others. [34:05]

- Pursuing God Requires Intentionality and Vulnerability
To truly know God, we must make time for Him—through His Word, honest prayer, fasting, and surrender. It’s not about perfection but about authenticity and commitment. The altar is not a place of shame but of encounter, where we lay down our pride, our plans, and our pain to receive more of Him. Revival and eternal impact begin with a people willing to abandon themselves to God’s presence. [43:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:41] - Honoring Leaders and Bethesda Youth
[04:58] - Reading Exodus 34:6-7
[06:57] - The First Question: How Deeply Do You Want to Know God?
[09:42] - The Promise to Preach the Word
[10:22] - Israel’s Idolatry and Impatience
[12:08] - Aaron’s Compromise and the Golden Calf
[14:26] - Attributing God’s Glory to Idols
[15:14] - Modern Idolatry in the Church
[20:31] - Building Community and Crossing Over
[22:25] - The Necessity of God’s Presence
[24:33] - Do We Want God or Just His Blessings?
[29:15] - Desperation for God’s Presence
[32:51] - Who is the God We Seek?
[34:05] - God’s Compassion, Grace, and Truth
[38:06] - God’s Forgiveness and the Call to Respond
[43:16] - Practical Steps to Pursue God
[46:07] - The Altar Call and Invitation to Prayer
[47:20] - Laying It All Down for God
[48:22] - Closing and Final Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Crossing Over with the God You Know

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### Bible Reading

- Exodus 34:6-7
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

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### Observation Questions

1. In Exodus 34:6-7, what specific qualities does God use to describe Himself? Why do you think He repeats His name twice at the start? [32:51]
2. According to the sermon, what was happening among the Israelites while Moses was on the mountain with God? What did Aaron do, and why was it significant? [12:08]
3. When God told Israel He would not go with them into the promised land, how did the people respond? What does this reveal about their understanding of God’s presence? [23:49]
4. The sermon mentions that the golden calf was given the very attributes and name of God. What does this say about how idolatry can sometimes look religious or spiritual? [14:26]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The pastor said, “The promised land is not the promised land without God.” What does this mean for us today? How can we sometimes focus on God’s gifts instead of God Himself? [22:25]
2. Why do you think God chose to reveal His character (compassion, grace, patience, lovingkindness, truth, forgiveness) right after Israel’s greatest failure? What does this say about God’s heart toward us when we fail? [34:05]
3. The sermon warns that idolatry is subtle and can look like religion. In what ways might modern Christians or churches fall into this trap without realizing it? [15:14]
4. The people mourned when they heard God’s presence would not go with them. What does true mourning for God’s absence look like in a believer’s life or in a church? [23:49]

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### Application Questions

1. The pastor asked, “How deeply do you desire to know God?” Take a moment to honestly assess your own hunger for God’s presence. Are there areas where you’ve settled for comfort, tradition, or just “knowing about” God instead of truly knowing Him? What would it look like to press in deeper? [08:23]
2. Think about the story of the golden calf. Are there “golden calves” in your life—things you’ve made more important than God, even if they seem good or spiritual? How can you identify and surrender these idols? [14:26]
3. The sermon challenged us to ask: Would we mourn if God’s presence was missing from our lives, our church, or our plans? How can you become more sensitive to God’s presence (or absence) in your daily life? [23:49]
4. God describes Himself as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, and forgiving. Which of these aspects of God’s character do you most need to experience right now? How can you open yourself up to encounter Him in that way? [34:05]
5. The pastor gave practical steps: making time for God’s Word, honest prayer, fasting, and surrender. Which of these do you find most challenging? What is one specific step you can take this week to pursue God more intentionally? [43:16]
6. The altar was described as a place of encounter, not shame. Is there something you need to lay down at God’s altar—pride, plans, pain, or something else? What would it look like for you to do that, either privately or with the support of others? [46:07]
7. As a church, we are called to move from building community to impacting eternity. What is one way you can help our church keep God at the center as we “cross over” into this new season? [20:31]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for a deeper hunger for God’s presence, for courage to surrender idols, and for the grace to encounter God’s character in a fresh way this week.

Quotes