Drawn To The Smoke
Pastor Erickson preaches from Exodus 19 and 20, where Israel stood afar off from the smoke on Mount Sinai while Moses drew near, and from Peter, who followed Jesus afar off and denied Him. He calls people to stop watching from a distance, answer Jesus who calls them by name, and draw close to the presence of God as Isaiah did when he said here am I, send me.
The message in 6 points
Drawn to the smoke
He reads Exodus 19 and 20, where the people saw the mountain smoking and stood afar off while Moses drew near, and Isaiah 6, where the house was filled with smoke. He prays for a hunger to be closer to God than ever before.
57:07Smoke in the old tabernacle
Pastor Erickson remembers a Pentecostal campground from his boyhood, where he thought the dust rising from the worn carpet as people shouted was the glory of the Lord. He says it was dust, but there truly was a presence in that place.
1:00:30God wanted a nation of priests
God meant the generation that left Egypt to enter the promised land, and He wanted a whole kingdom of priests who each knew Him personally. But the people feared the thunder and smoke and asked Moses and the Levites to go near for them. He says it is easy to be a bystander, but he wants to be involved.
1:04:39The Simon Peter syndrome
Peter promised he would never deny Jesus, yet he followed afar off and denied Him three times by the fire. He honors Peter for stepping out and talking the talk, and warns that the enemy wants to water down or pollute our faith when we sit too close to the world.
1:13:30Jesus calls you by name
Jesus looked at Peter, and at Pentecost Peter preached repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus to people pricked in their hearts. After the resurrection the angel said to tell the disciples and Peter. He says Jesus still calls each person by name, no matter what they have done.
1:27:29Here am I, send me
Israel stood afar off because they did not feel holy enough. Isaiah felt unworthy in the temple filled with smoke, but after the live coal touched his lips he said here am I, send me. He calls people to the altar to draw near to God, pray, fast and read the Word.
1:34:19
In his words
“It's so much easier just to be an observer, it's so much easier just to be a bystander, somebody that just comes to church and just kind of comes to see what's going to happen.”
“I don't want to arrive late and leave early, I want to arrive early and leave late. I just want to be in the presence of Jesus, I just want to be as close to him as I can be.”
“The Lord wants you, the Lord is calling you by name. If this is your first time in First Apostolic or you've been attending here for 40 years, Jesus is calling you by name. It doesn't matter what you've done.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Exodus 19:3-5
3And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
King James Version.
Exodus 20:18
18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
King James Version.
Exodus 20:21
21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
King James Version.
Isaiah 6:1-8
1In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
King James Version.
Mark 14:26-31
26And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 27And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
King James Version.
Luke 22:54-62
54Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off. 55And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. 60And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
King James Version.
Mark 16:5-6
5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
King James Version.
Psalms 51:10-13
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
King James Version.
He also points to
Related messages
Also about holiness, repentance, restoration
Also about God's presence, holiness
Also about God's presence, holiness, repentance