Evening Sermon, Dr. Rayburn

• text: Ex 32
• Israel's great sin was impatience.
• "Stiff-necked" is a farming metaphor for a stubborn ox or horse who resists the pull of the rope.
• Moses does not try to excuse the behavior of Israel.
• God's threats and warnings are always conditional on the response of the people (Eze 33).
• Israel's sin was based on unbelief.
• Unbelief is often very irrational. Unbelievers often deny God while they complain of His injustice.
• Unbelief is essentially the denial of the obvious; yet, no one can deny its power.
• Most people think of religion as man's quest for God; but all man-made religions are actually attempts to escape from God.
• Israel proves that seeing is not believing.
• The great difference in men is faith and not conduct. Faith is the master wheel, which sets all the other graces turning. No amount of good behavior can make up for the lack of faith.