Close Proximity
The sermon “Close Proximity” draws heavily from the biblical narrative of Moses’ deep encounter with God, focusing on the essential spiritual desire for God’s presence and glory rather than merely His blessings or material gifts.
The Priority of Presence and Glory
The core message stresses the importance of moving beyond a distant relationship with God to one of close proximity. This pursuit is exemplified by Moses’ conversation with God, recorded in Exodus 33:18–23, where Moses famously petitioned, “I beseech thee, show me thy glory“.
A sign of a true believer is the longing not for blessings, promises, or even angels, but for God Himself. Once a person has encountered God’s presence, they are forever changed and will not settle for less. Bishop Jakes shares a personal commitment to sew a seed whenever God speaks deeply, creating a practical manifestation of response to God’s word. Similarly, the ultimate sacrifice is moving away from prioritizing the things of God toward valuing the presence of God.
Distinguishing Manifest Presence from Omnipresence
God is omnipresent—He is everywhere all the time, regardless of whether we are aware of Him. He was present during times of sin, trouble, car wrecks, and crisis. However, manifest presence is when God shows up in life, and the individual knows it is Him and is aware of His presence. This manifest presence is transformative; those who experience it will never be the same again, finding themselves “hooked on him”.
God’s Sovereignty and Grace
In response to Moses’ request, God proclaimed that He would make all His goodness pass before Moses and would proclaim the name of the Lord. God further asserted His absolute sovereignty, declaring, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy“. God makes up His own mind regarding who He chooses to bless, deciding and making the rules, acting as the potter over the clay.
God’s grace enables individuals to achieve things they could not do on their own. This grace is essential because humanity has already broken the law before even receiving it (“guilty of the whole”). The only chance for an encounter with God is through the grace of God and falling on the mercy of the court.
Moses: The Leader Forged in the Wilderness
Moses’ ability to seek this deep intimacy was rooted in his life experience. Moses spent 40 years raised in Pharaoh’s house and another 40 years in exile in the wilderness. God exposes individuals to areas they will later work in.
Crucially, Moses learned more about God in the wilderness (a dry place of discomfort and trouble) than he ever did in the palace. Everything valuable and sustainable that defined him came during hard times and in the valley, not on the mountaintop. His survival through trials became his sign, his pulpit, and his testimony. God used Moses’ pain for power and his problems for providence.
Moses was later sent back to Egypt—the place he had been running from—to confront Pharaoh. He was equipped with the power learned while first leading sheep, preparing him to lead people. A leader cannot lead people where they have not been, making Moses’ initial journey through the desert crucial to leading the Hebrew children through the same terrain.
Close Proximity vs. Idolatry
Despite God’s mighty deliverance, the Hebrew children proved “hardheaded” and “stiff necked,” resorting to idolatry by dancing naked around a golden calf. This sin and idolatry caused a “crisis of distance” and threatened the closeness they once had with God.
In frustration, God told Moses He would send an angel to deliver them into the Promised Land, but He would not go personally, lest He consume the people. Moses, however, was not satisfied with the promise of “milk and honey” or an angel; he litigated with God, arguing that he would not go unless God went with them. Moses had been “hooked on the crack of God’s presence,” valuing the intimacy he first experienced at the burning bush over any gift or blessing. Angels are no substitute for God; angelic presence cannot compare with intimate fellowship.
The Secret Place and The Rock
In response to Moses’ persistent hunger for closeness, God revealed a secret: “There is a place beside me“. This place is an opening, a vacancy, and an opportunity prepared for those who desire it.
God instructs Moses to go and stand upon a rock, in a cliff of the rock (the broken place in the rock).
The Rock is understood to be Jesus Christ. The Rock is the safe ground, allowing a broken person to see God without being consumed by His glory. While Moses stands on the Rock, God covers him with His hand to protect him from the sheer magnitude of His presence and goodness. This is the secret place where those who dwell under the shadow of the Almighty abide.
By hiding in the cliff of the rock, God promised, “I will cause all my goodness to pass before thee“. This goodness, which includes everything an individual has been trying to make happen on their own, will pass over those who are covered in the Rock.