GOD is WITH US … ALWAYS – Sermon for 18 October 2026

SERMON   

God is With Us … Always     

INTRODUCTION   

A.  In Matthew 28:16-20, we read of what is called the Great Commission.

B.  That commission was, in one sense, a reminder to the disciples of the mission that they would be sent on. 

C.  What is interesting about that commission is that the mission would be accomplished by the disciples … and their disciples … working as a church … BUT, as we read the Gospels, we don’t see Jesus giving them much instructions on how to function as the Church.  That would be something, apparently, that they would have to learn on the job.

D.  We do note, however, that Jesus promised to be with them … as they were making disciples … when He told them that He would be with them always.  (See Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5)  

E.  In our text for today, we will see that Moses had a similar need … and received a similar promise. 

F.  And, in our message for today, we will see that, like Moses … and like the disciples, we have a similar need … and we have received a similar promise. 

Let’s begin with our text …  

Exodus 33:12–17, 18-23 ESV  

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’  ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.  Remember that this nation is your people.”  

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”  

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence.  I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”  Exodus 33:12–23 NIV    

WHAT CAN WE GLEAN?  

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.  You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’  ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.  Remember that this nation is your people.”  

• Moses understands he is on a mission  
  • • Exodus 33:12 …  “You have been telling me, “Lead these people” … 
• Moses also understands that he’s in a relationship … and the importance of that relationship 
  • • Exodus 33:13 … so I may know you 
    • Exodus 33:17 … I am pleased with you and I know you by name
• Because He understands the importance of the mission … and the importance of his relationship with the Commander-in-chief … Moses asks for God to accompany him …
• And God promises to send His Presence with Moses …
  • • 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  

Moses appreciates the Presence of God … 

• • • Exodus 33:15-16,17 …  ¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”       ¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 

BUT it seems Moses is NOT satisfied the promise of God’s presence alone … 

• • • In Exodus 33:17 … the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked ….” 
    • BUT …
    • Exodus 33:18  Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Moses wants to see God’s glory.   

Why?   

• Moses wants EVIDENCE of the PRESENCE of God  
  • • NOTE:  The Presence of God … is usually invisible (b/c God is spirit) 
    • … but … the Glory of God … is visible (the visible presence of God)  
• The “glory” of God would provide the “evidence” of the “presence” that God promised.

God agrees to show Moses His glory … but what He says about His glory is VERY interesting …

• • • Exodus 33:19-23   ¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence.  I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”      ²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”   

Notice … 

• God doesn’t say He will cause His “glory” to pass in front of Moses … 
• He says He will cause His “goodness” to pass in front of Moses.  
• However, when you compare v.19 with v.22 … you see that when God refers to His goodness, He is referring to His glory.  
• Exodus 33:19a …  And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence ….”
• Exodus 33:22 …  “When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” 

Hold that thought … and turn to … 

• • • John 1:1-2,14 … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ² He was with God in the beginning . . . ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  
      • When John refers to the “glory” of the Word in the flesh, he is probably referring to the transfiguration of Jesus
      • But he doesn’t have to be … He could be referring to the many other things that Jesus did that provided EVIDENCE that he was God (see John 20:30-31).
      • John could have been referring to the GOODNESS of Jesus Christ (which is what The Lord told Moses he would see when the Lord passed by.

• • • John 14:7-9   If you really know me, you will know ^{[would know]} my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”    ⁸ Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”     ⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”   
      • In Exodus 33:20, the Lord said that no one could see Him and live … but, here in John 14:9, Jesus is saying that in seeing Him, they had seen God.
      • Jesus, here, is just reminding them that He is the revelation of the Father.

CONCLUSION   

Moses was on a mission … and in a relationship … and wanted reassurance of support … so he asked God for evidence of that support … and God gave him, by showing Moses His glory. 

Moses was a type of us (the Church) … SO, we are in a relationship … we, too, are on mission … we, too, need reassurance … and God has given us that support in the Person of Jesus Christ.  

In Christ, we have evidence of the Presence of God … which is not only with us, but is also IN us (Galatians 2:20) … and which gives us the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).  

• Moses relationship with God was with an external presence; 
• Our relationship with God is as with an internal Presence …
• God is not only WITH us, but He is also IN us …
• We don’t have to be fearful … We don’t even have to be worried. 
• We just need to remember that God is always with us … and He is just a prayer away. 

From Home Office …   

In Jesus, every broken and desperate situation is brought into the presence of God.  Because of Jesus … no doubt, no rejection, no misunderstanding, no mistake, no sin can separate us from the presence of God.  This invites us into a worldview and a way of relating to people that is filled with the dynamic life and hope of Jesus.  

When we enter times of trial,  when we are overwhelmed by the state of the world,  when we are experiencing our worst days,  and when we are unsure whether God is there, God gives us a strong answer in Jesus Christ.  Yes, God is with us.  He will always be.  And not only is he with us, but he also wants to be with us, and he wants to be known by us.  He shares himself with us, revealing his nature as merciful, compassionate, full of grace and truth.  And the Holy Spirit is given to us to continue drawing us into this reality, forming us in the presence of God, and sustaining us until the day God’s kingdom is fully established on this earth.  

In that time, all humanity will be able to experience the fullness of God’s presence and character.  Until that time, may it be enough to trust that God is with us every step of the way.  

(Closing Prayer)

From Home Office …

Today is our last Sunday in the book of Exodus.  Over these past nine weeks, we’ve walked with Israel from the oppression of Egypt to Mt. Sinai and beyond.  We’ve watched God quietly at work before anyone could see it.  We’ve seen him come down to rescue his people, reveal his name, make himself known, provide daily bread, shape a people for himself, patiently bear with their failures, and promise his own presence to accompany them every step of the journey.  Again and again, Exodus has reminded us that the story is never ultimately about Israel’s strength, Moses’ leadership, or even Pharaoh’s opposition.  It is about the faithfulness of God. 

• • When his people were trapped, He made a way. 
  • When they forgot, He remembered.
  • When they grumbled, He remained gracious.
  • When they disobeyed, He forgave them.
  • When they failed, He did not abandon them.

Throughout every chapter, we’ve discovered the same God — a God who keeps his promises because that is who he is.  

And as we’ve said throughout this series, Exodus is ultimately our story because it points us to Jesus.  Jesus is our greater Exodus.  He is the One who came down to rescue us from a slavery deeper than Egypt, passed through death on our behalf, brought us into a new covenant, formed us into his kingdom community, and now goes with us by his Spirit.  The journey of Israel reminds us that following God is often a wilderness journey where faith is formed one day at a time.  Yet the same God who led Israel has not changed.  He is still rescuing.  He is still revealing himself.  He is still patiently forming a people who reflect his life to the world. 

As we leave Exodus behind and continue our own journey,  may we do so with confidence — not because we always know where we’re going, but because we know the One who goes with us.  Thanks be to God.  God is with us.