Corporate worship, eyes off self, genuine worship involves sacrifice.
Last week Elana spoke on the ten commandments. The majority six of ten commandments relate to living well together as family and community.
Today I’m going to talk about the tabernacle, Holy place and the Holy of Holies were made to become a meeting place where the people could worship God. A tent of meeting, a precursor to the temple in Jerusalem. Then gatherings like this where people meet corporately, worshipping our God.
Moses addressed the people, this was just after the Sabbath Regulations were given in Exodus chapter 35. So, from verse 4 to 29 we read......! Bible Reading
They came with all that was required to build the tent of meeting, this was not a small thing. 50 cubits is around 23 metres. So, the tent was about 23 by 46 metres. So roughly twice the width and length of this hall, that would be about 4 times as bigger area.
As we read through Exodus 35, we saw that the people contributed to the LORD. Moses speech started with the words; “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution etc” Then the skilled craftsmen were asked to make all that was required for the tent of meeting. This was eyes of self and making sacrifices so that the nation could worship corporately as a group.
If we look at verse 20 we see that everyone left Mose’s presence; “and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him” These people contributed to the things needed to build the Tabernacle. Skilled craftsmen and skillful women spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen. Willing people brought brooches and ear-rings all sorts of gold objects. Leaders brought precious stones, spices and oils for lighting, anointing oil and fragrant incense. Whoever's heart was moved brought what they had to do the work Moses commanded them to do and it was brought as a free will offering to the LORD. This contribution was a gift of material wealth to God from and for the whole community.
Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? Yes, it came together.
Do you remember in your reading through Exodus that God had sort of made provision for this way back in Egypt? If we look at Chapter 12 in verse 35, we read; “The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewellery and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus, they plundered the Egyptians.” However, it was some time after the initial leaving of Egypt that Moses asked for those whose hearts were moved to contribute to the making of the Tabernacle.
Chapter 35 concludes with a short description of two men.
Bezalel from the tribe of Judah, who God fills with his Spirit, with skill, intelligence, knowledge and all craftsmanship. This man was a hyper-gifted site manager This is a Biblical interaction where God abides with a person for a specific reason, and
Oholiab from the tribe of Dan. Site supervisor, skills director and trainer. Again, massively gifted by The Holy Spirit, these men could engrave, design, embroider, weave, do whatever it took to get the job done.
Then all those whose hearts were moved got stuck into getting the build done, my Bible says, “whose heart stirred him up to come and do the work.” This was eyes of self and making sacrifices so that the nation could worship corporately as a group.
They had more than enough material, they got the tabernacle built.
Reading the account of the build is a description of the growth of an amazing thing, a spectacle of finery that would delight the senses of those present. Gold, silver, polished bronze, brightly coloured cloth, leathers and skins fine needlework, high grade woods with an overlay of gold. Spices, jewels, water and fire with burnt offerings. This was a thing of splendour. A sight to behold a witness to all who would see it.
The materials gifted by the people, to build a place to honour God, a place of value and the presence of God’s Shekina glory that would hover between two golden cherubim on The Ark of the Covenant.
After this two things were built in the courtyard, reading from?Exodus 38: 1-9.
So what were these things for?
Before the priests could go past the courtyard into the holy place, they had to do two things they had to make a sacrifice for sins committed, this had to be made on the Alter of Burnt Offering. They didn’t just sacrifice any old dog tucker ewe or ram this had to be an animal in perfect condition.
Sacrifice means just that; back in the day to approach God cost something. Sin is abhorrent to God, and sin had to be dealt with. Sin had to be stripped of its power to condemn.
If, however, you were a lamb or a dove the whole process could be extremely costly.
That aside though the people still had to pay for these sacrifices, the cost was out of pocket. People other than priests could also offer a sacrifice on the alter for personal sins.
In regard to the priests once they had made the sacrifice for their sins and the sins of the people, they could then approach God; their Holy God, our Holy God. To enter into God’s presence required sacrifice.
There was however another thing that the priest had to do, he had to have a wash!
The second condition of fellowship with God is a cleansed lifestyle, a regenerated life.
A large brass washing bowl was made to be in the courtyard, this was called a laver.
An interesting thing about the washing place was that it was made of the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
The mirrors used by ladies back in those days were made of burnished metals, these were about the size of a modern hand mirror they were highly polished so that the lady using it could see her beauty reflected in the metal.
How much would it take for a lady to give up her mirror? This was a genuine case of eyes of self and making sacrifices so that the nation could worship corporately as a group.
There was certainly a huge amount of sacrifice made on behalf of those women in the construction of the laver.
This was giving in an uncommon way.
The washing the cleansing then allowed the priest to go into the Holy place to make further sacrifices on behalf of the nation.
Eyes of self and making sacrifices so that the nation could worship corporately as a group. (SBI).
The sacrifice for our sins is something that has been paid, John the Baptist said these words about Jesus as he saw him coming towards him as recorded in John’s gospel 1:29; “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
In?Hebrews 10:10?we read, “And by that we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The possibility to enter into God’s presence is there, Jesus has paid the price, this is the truth! This is awesome.
No more sacrifice is required what is required is a cleansed lifestyle, some see this as a sacrifice interestingly this is not a sacrifice it is a release. It is a release as the Holy Spirit enters into our lives and we become the tent of God’s presence, his Temple. The power of the Holy Spirit resides with us.
God is Holy, how do we now approach a Holy God? These people, Israel had taken eyes of self and made sacrifices so that the nation could worship corporately as a group and be cleansed of their sins.
God created us he knows what we require, what is best for us, individually and collectively.(space)
Cleansing in that laver for the priests would have required looking at their reflection. It is been said to have balance in life reflection is required, not so much of our image but on our character, to assess this before God and make changes. Internally we should always be aware of our standing before God. As temples of God we require his continuous infilling.
We know what is wrong when we are out of sorts with God. If you have any wonders what it might be that has you out of sorts with Him ask! As the scripture says, my favourite book outside the gospels James, James says this in chapter 1:5-8; this from the Living Bible. “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.”
God wants us to be in relationship with him, to walk in his presence, this requires sacrifice and regeneration. The sacrifice is paid, Jesus took care of that.
Our part in this is to accept Jesus died for us and to speak this out and to live a regenerated life, to be filled with His Holy Spirit and live a life of witness of his goodness. An interesting prophetic thing here is that Willaim Booth mentioned that one of the chief dangers of our time would be “Salvation without regeneration.”
Without regeneration by The Holy Spirit behaviours eventually destroy individuals and communities, that is out of sorts with God’s plan for mankind, his plan where live in relationship with him and with one another, not being consumed by self, our wants, desires and lusts.
To walk in God’s presence requires sacrifice and cleansing regeneration!
This regeneration process can take some time, it may be that much time needs to be spent before God on knees in prayer or it may be that past experiences have to addressed, perhaps counselling undertaken, truths faced up to.
We do not have to do this on our own, we belong to a body of believers that is part of the worldwide body of Christ. When we are open to the Holy Spirit we become His Temple.
God knows our every step the number hairs of our heads, he knows our hearts and honours those who honour him.
God knows those who are stepping in his direction, those seeking change and regeneration, even those who find it a real battle, he honours it.
As I have said the Christian Walk is not one, we undertake alone, we are here to support one another, the Christian life is a corporate life, and God gives us his Holy Spirit as our Helper and our comforter. We are on this regeneration journey individually and collectively we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
So what is the application of all this? As the church, well even as the Tawa Corps of The Salvation Army, God is calling us, Jesus is commanding us to “love one another” to “do unto each other as we would do to ourselves. This is about living in community about meeting together, about contributing to one another's lives, lifting each other when we fall and caring for one another in times of need. You might think, we have officers for that, not so, in part but not fully, we are a body of believers. Older people in a community bring wisdom into younger lives, the young are full of enthusiasm and a desire to contribute to the Church and society. We all have gifts and a part to play that supports the larger body. We are here to encourage, strengthen and grow the body of Christ as we witness and contribute together, our skills and our possessions not to build the tent of meeting/the temple but to be the temple of the Holy Spirit and witness so that others may be the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews put it this way. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25.
I believe the Day is certainly approaching...so spur and encourage. Your life is not meant to be a walk in the park; but worshipping God as you battle for souls, the booming sound of a rallying cry of praises to Christ, and inspiration of one another to empower you to defeat darkness in all its forms. Glory to God!
There is a place of prayer here that is called the mercy seat. We serve a Holy God, he is also a merciful God, in his presence we are set free. Here you can encounter his glory, his forgiveness and salvation.
If you are wanting a regenerated life, a life of connection with God this place of prayer is now open.
If you have read this sermon please rate it. Thanks Andrew.
