2003.02.16. Rev. Young Jin Cho

"One Who Saves History"

Exodus 32:1-14

Once a visitor took a taxi in Israel. The driver of the taxi had this complaint. "Our people are now suffering because of Moses." He was complaining about the situation in which they are threatened and surrounded by the Arabs on all four sides. The surprised visitor asked him again. "What do you mean? Isn't Moses your hero who saved your people from Egypt?" Then the driver replied: After delivering Israelites from Egypt, God asked Moses, Moses, where do you want to lead the Israelites? At that time Moses was thinking of the vast land free of any threats from neighbors - Canada. But Moses stutters saying "Ka, ka, ka…" And God said, "Aha! Canaan" and he led the Israelites to Palestine. If it were Canada as Moses intended, we would not have these problems, but because of Moses' stutter, we are going through this hardship of being surrounded by the Arabs.

It is the story of Moses. It was when Israelites left Egypt and stayed on Sinai Mountain. After making the promise with God, Moses was called by God and went up to Sinai Mountain to receive the tablet of Ten Commandments. According to Exodus 24, Moses went up to Sinai Mountain, cloud covered the mountain and God's glory stayed on the top of the mountain. Moses stayed 40 days and asked Him about building the temple, a place of worship.

While Moses was staying on the mountains for 40 days, as Israelites felt anxious about Moses' delay in returning to them, they threatened Moses' brother Aaron to build a god who could lead them. Aaron made the golden calf out of the gold that the Israelites donated, and Israelites declared that the golden calf is their god that delivered them from Egypt, offered sacrifice to the golden calf, ate, drank and got up to indulge in revelry.

I.

The story of Israelites' worshipping the golden calf as god, which was not the God of Jehovah, was not merely an old story. It is our story of today. It is my and your story. There is a lesson for us this morning from this story of Israelites worshipping golden calf as god.

(1) Above all, the Israelites wanted to serve a visible god rather than an invisible God. They were very uneasy about Moses, who was mediating between God and them, was away for 40 days. They felt the need for a god who could provide them the feeling of security.

Brother and Sisters! What is the idol of our time? It is to rely on the visible things rather than invisible God. My congregation! If you believe that your security lies in cash and accumulated savings rather than God, you also believe in the golden calf. There is nothing wrong with your savings account. The problem lies in trusting the savings account more than God. If Christians believe that happiness comes solely from bigger house, better car and a more comfortable life rather than from God, then we also believe in the golden calf. If a church devotes only to a grander building, bigger budget and bigger congregation rather than to change of life within Christ's gospel and salvation, it also worships the golden calf. We have to remember that the magnificent temples were destroyed many times in the history of Israelites. Also, if you believe that the visible pastor brings the revival rather than the invisible God, you also believe in the golden calf. Of course the pastor is important, but the one who truly brings revival is God. If you believe that the nation's security depends on weapons, military might or individual leaders rather than God, you also believe in the golden calf. Of course, the military preparation is important, but, the security of America, the ultimate security lies with God. God is our shield and our fortress. Nevertheless, if you only believe and trust the visible weapons and leaders rather than God, you are worshipping an idol.

One summer night four years ago I experienced a major auto accident when a drunk driver hit my car. When my car was totaled, some member of congregation advised me to buy a bigger and heavier car. So I bought a used Volvo. I remember the conversation I had on the subject. Even though it is important to have a bigger and heavier car, the security of one's life lies with God. Even though the car was totaled, my daughter and I came out with light injury from God's protection.

(2) Second, there is another aspect of the story of Israelites' worshipping the golden calf. That is, they wanted a god that they themselves could control. Israelites preferred a god that they could control rather than God that they had to respect and obey. It is the same today. We want a god who responds to 'yes,' 'yes' to my wish rather than God who breaks my wish. We wish for a god who merely puts a stamp of approval to my plan rather than God's, according to whose will I have to live.

Brothers and Sisters! Do you really believe in God? Aren't we serving the golden calf, a god whom I can control and solely to comfort me? Aren't we trying to avoid God who is shaking up our lives and putting burdens on us? Don't we want only a nice God who would accept gladly everything we ask for? Aren't we worshipping the golden calf?

In many cases we don't want God who is asking us to repent. We tried to serve only a god, who would give us blessings, and especially the material and practical blessings. Even in our prayers, we say 'let our will be done' rather than 'thy will be done'. Aren't we serving today a god whom we can control, an idol of golden calf? The story of Israelites serving the golden calf is not an old story. This story is the story for you and me today.

(3) Third, there is another aspect of the story of Israelites serving the golden calf that Aaron made. It is practical atheism.

Brothers and Sisters! I would like to ask you to reflect today's words very carefully. They collected gold and made the golden calf. They did not want to worship the god of abundance, god of Canaan. They made the golden calf and said it was the god that delivered them from Egypt. And at the festival of Jehovah they sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.

My congregation! What does this tell us? They did not abandon God of Jehovah. They said only in words that they were worshipping God. They kept ceremonies of Jehovah. They made offering to Jehovah. But the god they worshipped was not the God of Jehovah. It was the golden calf. It was a god they created.

Today we also say in words that we worship God. We worship God on Sundays. We give offerings. But aren't we worshipping a god really different from God of Jehovah? Aren't we serving a god who is different from the God who saved us through Jesus Christ? Aren't we merely calling the name of God? Aren't we merely following the formalities of the worship service? Aren't we living the life of practical atheism? In word we may say 'Lord, Lord,' but aren't we seeking in our real life 'Me, Me'? On the surface we may seem to serve God, but don't our words of serving God only stay on our lips? While we call for God and serve Him on Sundays, but aren't we living the life of practical atheism without any relationship with God during weekdays? While we say in words 'Hallelujah', but aren't we saying 'No Hallelujah, or Nollelujah' through our real life?

Today we are serving the golden calf. Worshipping the golden calf is not an old story. It is the story for us today.

(4) Fourth, there is an inevitable result of worshipping the golden calf. Let's read today's scripture. It says that Israelites sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

When people and a nation cannot serve the true God and serve the golden calf, they fall into hedonism. It is swept by a wave of pleasure. If we live on a healthy faith, we can enjoy a healthy happiness, and we can stay within the boundary of healthy faith. But if you only worship the god of visible material, the god whom you can control, and worship God only in words, then we cannot stop the waves of hedonism and pleasures coming to your life. It is because there seems to be no other things that are sweeter. No other things seem to be more exciting.

I visited Korea last year. To meet a former congregation member, I had to go to Ilsan. The person who gave me a ride told me that the hotels we were looking at were called 'love hotels.' My congregation! Why are there so many of that kind of hotels? Why do Koreans have to consume such expensive drinks? Why are there so many pornography Internet websites? Isn't it because we don't serve the true God but the golden calf? Isn't it because our era serves the idol of golden calf and not the true God?

The story of Israelites serving the golden calf is not an old story. This story is the story for you and me today.

II.

There is no hope for this kind of history. It is obvious where the life of worshipping the golden calf and the people with such life will lead. God sets his will to judge this kind of people. He was to destroy these people. But Israelite escaped this crisis. A door opened for renewing from such situation of God's judgment and overcoming from sins. Congregation! How can this be done?

Of course, it is through God's mercifulness. It is because of His love to forgive one more time. But there was one who made it possible to receive God's mercy; that person was Moses. He prayed to God by putting his life on the line. He cried out by trusting God's sincerity. Exodus 32:11 records Moses' prayer. Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. "O Lord," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that He brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever."

Moses was the one who saved the history of Israelites. He was the one who started anew from the enormous crime of idol worship. We also need Moses in our time. Now the Christians are called as Moses of today. In this era of idol worship of golden calf, the era that God must judge, we have the mission to seek God's mercy to save history. Let's listen to the message from the Moses' mission this morning.

(1) First, Moses said 'No' to this worship of golden calf.

The multitude made the golden calf, ate, drank and indulged in revelry. Even Aaron succumbed to the pressure and played a leading role in making the golden calf. But Moses was different. He said 'No' to the idol worship. If we read Exodus 32:19, when Moses saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets from his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of mountain. He could not follow the multitude's idol worship. He showed us from his righteous anger that it was wrong to worship an idol. We need Moses now if our time of golden calf worship is to have any kind of hope. We need Moses of our time who can say 'No'. If you think that since everyone lives like that, and let's compromise and just blend in. then there is no hope in this history. Why are the contemporary Christians and especially the Protestants losing their power of influence? Isn't it because we all serve the idol of golden calf? Isn't it because we are engulfed by today's wave of serving the golden calf? Isn't it because we forgot the holy anger and to say 'No' to the idol worship?

Although the multitude choose a wider road, but if there are people who choose the lonely and narrow road, and say 'No!' to the golden calf, then we have hope in our history. Our contemporary time will find the way. My congregation! Why did God create the Washington Korean Church? Why did He call you to the valley of McLean? Isn't it because He wants you to say 'No' to today's golden calf? Isn't it because He called us to serve God and not the idol? Isn't it because He called us to say 'No!' when the contemporary churches are serving golden calf?

(2) Second, Moses' example gives another message. That is, he called out in the midst of his people's crisis. He prayed with his life on the line. He went to God with his people's ignorance and sin, and asked for his mercy.

When there are people who pray, the church and history can have hope. When there are people who kneel down and pray after looking at our contemporary life, the people and the nation can have hope. Congregation! Moses truly prayed with his life on the line. Let's read Exodus 32:13. Moses prayed to God like this. "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin - but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."

Congregation! What does this mean? Moses put his own eternal life on the line. What does it mean to blot his name out of Lord's book? It means an eternal damnation. Moses put his own eternal life on the line to save the people of Israel. He resolved to give up the days of glory, if he could save his people from the quagmire of destruction. He cried out to God with this resolution.

Today also calls for those who pray. Today's church calls people who would kneel. The upper room of prayer is indeed the cause for the hope for history and for revival of church. Crying 'No!' alone cannot do it. Along with 'No' there must be the prayer's knee with his life on the line.

Once a brother who visited a church on the revival, asked for the secret of the church's revival. The pastor led him to the prayer room in the basement. There many congregation members were praying before the Sunday worship service. The pastor told the visitor: "this is the source of our church's revival."

We must have the knees of prayer to become Moses of today in order to save our families, churches and history. We must have the knees of prayer to cry out 'No!' and put our life on the line. God is looking today for the people with this knees.

(3) There is a third message from Moses' example. Congregation! What was the reason that Moses cried out to God with his life on the line? What made Moses to pray like this? It was his love. He loved God. And he loved his people. First, he worried about God's honor. If we read the Exodus 32:11, Moses could not stand that Egyptians were laughing at God's name. And he could not stand that God was about to wipe Moses' people off the face of earth out of His anger. Moses sincerely prayed for Gods' glory and his people's restoration.

As I gather more experience in ministry, there is one thing I realize deeply. What is God's ministry? What is the really important thing in ministry? I am learning every day that in the end what matters above all is love. Love begat history. The same sermon with the heart of love will be different from the one without.

A minister who was serving an American church gave the same message in all his sermons. It was always the same message that one would go to hell if he does not change his life of faith. The congregation was tired of hearing the same message and asked for a new minister. The new minister came and realized that their life of faith needs change as the previous minister. The new minister also gave the same sermon. The message was that if they believed as they did, they would go to hell. But then, even though the congregation heard the same sermon, they did not complain this time. When asked for the reason, the congregation replied: "the previous minister gave sermon with anger and scolding, but the new minister gives sermon with full of anxiety and love, and we feel grace every Sunday".

Although today's church and nation worship the golden calf, if there are people who cry out 'No!' with love and pray to God, then there is hope for our history, world, church and families. It will not do by just saying 'No!' loudly. It is only when there are people who pray with true love and anxious heart, and then God will forgive, and gives one more chance to this land and churches.

Without love, nothing matters. Even thought one may say the words of God and the word of angel, without love they amount to empty words. Even though one may have the prophetic ability, all the secrets and knowledge and the faith to move mountains, but without love they amount to nothing. Even though one offers his body for a sacrifice, and cries out 'No!' to today's golden calf, without love, they amount to nothing. Even though one points out corruptions of church and cries out justice, without the love of church and history, he cannot be the instrument to save. Only love will bear fruits. Only love will bring bountiful results.

My congregation! Do you worry about our church? I wish you love our church. Do you worry about America? I wish you love the country. Do you worry about Korea? I wish you love Korea. Please say 'No!" with love and cry out with love. When God hears this prayer, He will respond.

III.

The worship of golden calf is not merely an old story, which happened at Sinai Valley. It is our story of today. It is the story of America. Today we also try to worship a visible idol as God. We want to worship God whom we can control. Although we call His name, we serve god we manufacture, and not the God of Bible. The strong wave of the culture of pleasure is engulfing our era.

God is seeking Moses of today. He is looking for the ones who can say 'No!' to today's wind of golden calf worship, and 'No' to the church being besieged by the wave of the golden calf worship. And He is looking for those who cry out and pray to God with love for today's church and history. For this task, our Lord created our church. The saving of history was not accomplished by big slogans. The world will change little by little from smallest change of the refusal to the golden calf worship. We can start here in this land of America, a corner of Washington D.C. Yes, it should start from me. Because of Moses the history of the people of Israel was saved one more time. I sincerely pray. And I sincerely hope. Because of you and the Washington Korean Church, I wish today's history of America is renewed. Because our church is here, I wish that our contemporary church experiences the grace of God and start a new life. I sincerely wish that we would all be used to save history as today's Moses and God's instrument.