Working Out With Weights: How the Glory of God Shapes Us (Exodus 33:12-34:9)

Occoquan Bible Church | Sermons

Dear OBC Family,

There's an old adage that goes something like this: "In order to get strong, you have to pick up something heavy." Lifting weights builds muscle, and resistance shapes our bodies and makes us stronger. The weight of God's glory likewise shapes us and strengthens us in ways that we can't do ourselves.

This Sunday, we'll take a brief detour from our series on Genesis to ponder how the glory of God affects us and shapes us. We'll look at Exodus 33:12-34:9, and see how Moses encountered God's glory (or some of it) in the wake of his people seeking glory elsewhere. God's glory is foundational for any covenant relationship with him, and it's also foundational in shaping us from the image of ourselves into the image of Christ.

This week we will be having a time of corporate confession. To help you prepare, we are sharing this Sunday's corporate confession in advance.

For His Glory and your joy in Jesus,

Pastor Jared

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Discussion & Response Questions (Exodus 33:12 – 34:9)

What have been your previous perceptions about glory?

In Exodus 33, Moses asks the Lord to show him his glory? Why was this an impossible question?

The Lord answers the Moses's plea, but not in the way that Moses expected. How did Yahweh's answer (Ex. 33:19) suit Moses better than what he asked for?

What are some ways that the weight of sin and the weight of the world compete with God's glory?

What are some things that cause us to be short sighted in recognizing God's glory?

What are some ways that we often push against the "resistance training effect" that God's glory has upon us?

What are a few tangible ways that the glory of God can shape how we live?

Because of sin, we're ultimately incapable of truly seeing God's glory on our own. How does the grace of God in the person of Christ help us in this respect?