4-26-26 // A Dangerous Proposal // Exodus 19 // How Can We Draw Near to a Holy God?

In Exodus 19, Pastor Jared Richard unpacks what he calls the "proposal of God" — a breathtaking invitation for God's rescued people to enter into covenant relationship with Him and become His treasured possession. Just as God reminded Israel in Exodus 19:4, "You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself," the foundation of this relationship is not human effort but divine grace. Salvation came before the law, and obedience was never meant to earn God's favor — it was meant to express love in response to the love already freely given.

Yet the second half of the chapter reveals a sobering problem. Even after consecrating themselves and washing their garments, the people still could not draw near to the mountain of God's glory without risking death. The holiness gap between God and His people was real, and no amount of preparation could fully close it. This tension, Pastor Jared argues, is not just Israel's problem — it is ours as well.

The answer to that problem is not found at Sinai but at Calvary. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law, perfectly revealed the Father's glory, and perfectly covers the holiness gap through His grace. As John 1:16-17 declares, "From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Because of Christ, there are no longer any limits to the intimacy we can have with the Father. The invitation to draw near still stands — and in Jesus, we finally can.

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