Tabernacle Travel

Introduction

Tonight is definitely in the top 5 of the most different services I have ever been in. I received the question from many of you or I could see the question on your face, why is it setup this way?

Tonight is Tabernacle Worship. We are going to look at how the Israelites traveled through the wilderness. You will see how serious and specific God was with worship. You will see tonight that God was trying to help Israel keep the main thing - the main thing.

A few weeks back, we studied the children of Israel leaving Egypt. God called His people out of bondage and they responded. Now that they are traveling through the wilderness. Christ begins to setup His people. He setups His people by taking a census.

The census allows Israel to build God’s design for their desert travel.

Before we travel any further, lets read Numbers 2:1-2 “The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.”

Numbers 2:34 “Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his fathers’ house.”

If you were to read the verse 3-33, you would find the parts that many people say is the boring part of Numbers.

East Side - 186,400

South Side - 151,450

West Side - 108,100

North Side - 157,600

Do you know what these numbers tell us? Every tribe, every family, every person, MATTERS to Jesus. They all mattered to Jesus. He knew everyone that was traveling in the wilderness, but God wanted to show His leaders that they all matter - we will see soon that they all had a purpose.

Before seeing their purpose, we must first see God’s layout. The main section of the layout is the center ---

God’s Place

How many people in here have ever played chess? If you have played or maybe have seen a chess board, only the king is indispensable. If one’s king is lost—or, more precisely, is trapped in such a way that after the next move it would be lost—the game is over: checkmate. For that reason, chess players must make every effort to protect their kings. It is clear from the deployment of the camp of Israel that the indispensable piece in this “game” is the tabernacle, where God is.

What purpose did the Tabernacle serve? The purpose of the tabernacle of Moses was to provide a place where the people could properly worship God. This was temporary place.

God placed worship in the center of the camp. Everyone in the camp had a clear sight to where God was and opportunity to worship God. The central location of the tabernacle is a reminder of the central role that God plays in their lives.

There are two parts of application for us tonight. Is Jesus at the center of your life and is Jesus at the center of the group?

Notice the question I asked first - is Jesus at the center of YOUR life? The work Christ wants to do starts personally/individually.

When Jesus is at the center of your life, you can reach out to him for every area of your life. REPEAT slowly. If Jesus is placed to the side of your life or on the outside, you cannot see him when life brings you to other side. When we place Jesus to the side, it exposes other sides of our life to sin.

When we place Christ at the center, we desire to please Him and grow to be more like Him. Our lives echo Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Christ must first at the center personally. Next, He must be at the center for the group. Northside Student Ministry is here to place Christ at the center.

We have this setup tonight to visually show that Jesus is at the center.

In this ministry...

We want Jesus to be the center of our worship

We want Jesus to be the center in our Wednesday services

We want Jesus to be the center in our Life Groups

We want Jesus to be the center at our Special Events

We want Jesus to be the center of this ministry. When Jesus is at the center, we can find our place around the camp.

That brings us to the second point — the People’s Place

People’s Place

The Bible says that the people camped by His own standard or tribe and they each had a banner. They camped facing toward the Tabernacle. (Very similar to yall are setup now.

North Side (DAN) - 157,600

- Dan

-Asher

-Naphtali

East Side (JUDAH) - 186,400

-Judah

-Issachar

-Zebulun

South Side(REUBEN) - 151,450

-Gad

-Simeon

-Reuben

West Side (EPHRAIM) - 108,100

-Benjamin

-Manasseh

-Ephraim

ILLUSTRATION:

Grab one volunteer (ML) from each side to be leader and hold the flag

Full flag

Toilet Paper Flag

Baby Flag

Food Flag

The 4 main leaders of these tribes were to help guide their group according to what they received from Moses and Aaron. What Moses and Aaron received, were from the center, Christ.

The twelve groups, four sides received equal instruction from the center - FOLLOW CHRIST!

The arrangement of the twelve tribes in symmetrical fashion around the central sanctuary reflects the orderliness of a unified community that is faithfully following the commands of the Lord.

When the entire camp is following Christ; When the entire camp is worshipping Jesus from the heart; When the entire camp is engaging in studying the the Bible; When the entire camp is intentionally training to be the next generation of leader;

--- when its the entire camp, the impact Christ will make endless.

Closing

Students on your individual sides, it starts personally with you. Is Jesus at the center of your life? We are sinful people with no help. If you have never asked Christ to forgive you of those sins, make the decision today and let Christ be the center of your life. You may be saved, but sin has pushed Christ from the center if your life, to the outside. Please hear this, Christ wants to forgive you. What He asks is that you repent and turn to Him.

Next it starts with the students on each side. Is your side facing toward the Tabernacles? Is your side facing toward Christ? What I am asking is are you and your friends facing toward Jesus? When you and your friends start facing toward Jesus, Christ begins to use your camp.

Now we are looking at the WHOLE CAMP. Is everyone facing toward the Tabernacle? Maybe you know someone in the camp that needs some prayer and encouragement. It is vital for the camp support each other.