God's Glory In The Church

“The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. All the Levites who were musicians Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever. Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

Introduction:

It’s an awesome thing to experience the shekanah Glory of God. I don’t know if any of you have ever been there, but there are places like that.

-It’s a place where you can smell God.

-It’s a place where you can feel God moving in the midst.

-It’s a place where you can see God and hear His voice.

-In such places you experience the Supernatural (Miracles, signs and wonders)

I remember the day my father passed away. There were many testimonies from people.

- Everyone that was there felt the presence of God in the house.

- Some said they saw brightness around the outside of the house as they approached.

? What was it that conditioned our house to have such a mighty visitation from God almighty that day?

1. There was a spirit of unity.

2. There was lots of prayer and intercession and praise taking place.

3. We were expecting something supernatural to happen.

4. God’s people were assembled there giving testimony of God’s greatness. And there was a spirit of unity.

I can see some of the same elements here, Many of the same conditions.

It was not the first time that God had revealed Himself to His people in this fashion.

Exodus 13:14 as they left Egypt the Lord guided them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

In Ex 19:16, just about three months after they left Egypt. The Lord also appeared to Moses there as a cloud of smoke to speak to them and make them a kingdom of priests and a Holy nation.

Then in Ex 29:43 As a cloud of smoke to consecrate the tent of meeting (where God meets with the Israelites to consecrate the altar and the priests that would make the offerings to God.

The conditions were right for God to fill the temple. If we want this in our church…this would be a great place to start.

#1. (Verse 12) "All the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions" God fills the church when there is unity.

- God fills the church when the church acts as the body of Christ. (Verse 13) "The trumpeters and singers were as one".

Unity is what activated the presence of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

#2. God fills the church when He is given 1st place. The Ark of the Covenant (The presence of God Himself) was placed in the most Holy place.

-The same way the Ark was placed in the most holy place.(5:7). Jesus must be given a place of honor in our hearts.

*Jesus commands us to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind

#3. God fills the church when we praise Him.

-They shouted:"For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,"

What should the church praise God for?

*2 Chron. 5:13, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever”.

#4. God fills the church when everyone is present. Everyone has a part in the body.

-Everyone was present. Body, mind and spirit.

-There was an atmosphere of expectancy in the air.

1. The Leaders were present.( 5:2)”The priests consecrated themselves”

How are people going to follow if we are bad examples as leaders.

2. All of God’s people were present (5:6)”King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel gathered there”.

-If we are the body of Christ then we all have a function.

#5. God fills the church when His people sacrificial offerings.

*2 Chronicles 5:6 “and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted”.

*Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual or reasonable act of worship”.