In Great Britain it is illegal to die inside the Houses of Parliament, and in Hawaii you must not put coins in your ears. From these bizarre laws the sermon leads us to the foot of Mount Sinai, where the holy God makes a covenant with His people and translates His holiness into the language of everyday relationships, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20). It turns out that God is not a buddy from the neighborhood, but the One whose holiness is unbearable for human beings, and that is exactly why He sent His Son. Listen and discover what the invitation to holiness really means.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Exodus 19 God reminds Israel that he carried them "on eagles' wings" and invites them into a covenant to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." What do you think this invitation meant to people who had only just left slavery?
- Why does God tell the people to wash their clothes and set a boundary around Mount Sinai that must not be crossed? What do these instructions reveal about holiness?
- The sermon warns against treating God like a buddy who turns a blind eye to everything. Where do you notice that kind of overfamiliarity with God in yourself, and how does it shape your everyday choices?
- The speaker compared the Israelites to footballers whose lives embody their club's values, and described the Ten Commandments as God translating his holiness into the language of relationships with him and with people. Which of these relationships is the bigger challenge for you right now, and why?
- Jesus shows that the law also reaches the heart: anger and lustful looks. How does your understanding of holiness change when it is not about ticking off a list of rules but about inner transformation by the Holy Spirit?
- The speaker honestly admitted struggling with sins he cannot overcome on his own and getting up each day only by God's grace. What one concrete step of gratitude for what God has done in Christ do you want to take this week, such as stopping for Sabbath rest?
