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Maundy Thursday A, April 6, 2023

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Maundy Thursday A, April 6, 2023

Moses is a realist.  He had just heard the Lord announce his very own name (vs. 6-7).  The Lord forgives sin and iniquity, but the Lord also holds the guilty accountable, even for the sins of their ancestors (vs. 7).  Moses knows his people well enough and, out of that knowledge, names them “stiff-necked” (vs. 9).  He also knows they’re sinful and in need of pardon.  So, Moses says, “Please.”  He begs the Lord’s presence among the people and pleads for their pardon.  In answer to Moses’ plea, the Lord announces a promise… a formal promise known as a covenant… with Moses and the people, a covenant of the Lord’s presence, his power, and his pardon (vs. 10).  Furthermore, the Lord will push out every enemy of the people (vs 11).

This has ever been the way of the Lord with his people.  This has ever been the way of the Lord with you.  You are of that stiff-necked people for whom Moses interceded.  You are of that sinful and iniquitous people needful of the Lord’s pardon.  You are of that people taken by the Lord for his inheritance.  You are of that people who have better than Moses as an intercessor.  You have a savior, Jesus Christ.  He is the presence of the Lord among you.  He is the power of the Lord made perfect in weakness.  Not only is he the forgiveness of your sins but he also takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29).  Jesus is the one who has the victory over all your enemies.  He has his victory in the full sight of every people.

Yes, Jesus, has already had his victory over all your enemies; they are defeated.  Jesus has set you free from the triad of bondage:  sin, death, and the power of the devil.  Jesus has delivered you out of your captivity to the devil, the world, and your sinful self.  Jesus has removed your idolatry to the unholy trinity:  me, myself, and I.  Jesus has defeated them all, but they are not yet ended.  You live in these days of Jesus’ victory, yet those enemies have yet to end.

Table Talk:  Discuss the way of the Lord with his people and its constancy through the generations.
Pray:  Heavenly Father, your faithfulness endures from generation to generation; keep me in that faithfulness as I hear your Word of presence, power, and pardon.  Amen

Exodus 34:3-11 English Standard Version

No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,  forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.