The New Temple (Part II)

Introduction

With the disciples being Jews they would have ben a time of the year where they spent a lot of time reflecting on the events of Exodus

Several weeks prior to these events they had just experienced the most important passover they had ever exprienced

What is the passover?

a time of remembering the Exodus, more importantly the tenth plague and how the Lord spared the isarelites covered in the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12:43-51)

Now where we are at they are celebrating Pentecost

What is Pentecost?

The Festival of weeks which comes 50 days after the festival of first fruits, all festivals started in Exodus

As you read Exodus what is a common representation of God?

Fire

So in Acts 2:3 when tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them to what events would their minds have went to?

The events of Exodus

To the “Bible” days of how God “use” to move

This morning we are going to do an overview of Exodus and the lessons they would have learned from as they were getting ready to start this new age of God’s kingdom

The Burning Bush

Firs time we see God’s presence represented by fire in Exodus is Exodus 3.

Exodus 3:1–6 ESV

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

The fire showed the moment was a holy moment

they were all standing on holy ground

Which was a good dose of humility

They were about to be a part of seeing thousands be saved in a day, and this allowed them to go into the moment with the humility, grace, and passion needed

The fire was foreshadowing what was about to occur

The people encountering the burning bushes were going to hear the Word of God in their own tongues

When Moses encountered the bush who heard the words of God in a language he could understand

Being able to connect with people the excuse of language and culture can be a quick one we give

If God has called he is capable of removing barriers and still does

Bro chris Baker was on a mission trip where he did not now the language and had a translator halfway through the conversation stop translating because the words coming from Bakers mouth were in the native tongue and he did not now it was occuring or did not know the language

The Pillar of Fire

Exodus 13:17–21 ESV

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

The second time we see God’s presence represented by fire is when he would light the way by night by appearing before them in a pillar of fire

So when the disciples saw the fire they knew God was going to lead them into this new wildernesses and not abandon them

Exodus the fire was to lead the Israelites into Israel, now this fire was about to lead them out of Israel to take the gospel forward

What a picture of salvation, God rescues us from our Egypt (place of bondage), brings us into a place of rest, discipleship, and discipline (Israel’s history); He then sends us beyond the borders of our Israel to share with the lost

What did God lead them all through in Exodus and how does that apply to the NT church?

The Red Sea

God will lead you into impossible situations

God led them down a path that strategically made no sense and trapped them

They were in a situation where not for divine intervention the enemy would have butchered them

What a reminder that is for the church that seeks to become what God will have it to be

We don’t go down the path that makes the most business sense or is the best strategy

Now this does not give us an excuse to be poor stewards, we see where we should be good stewards

It means though listen and be mold-able

It means do not let earthly limitations stop you from doing what you know God has called you to

it is also a reminder the enemy does not get the final word, even when all earthly hope is gone, their is hope found in the power of God

As the early church was starting they had their fair share of red sea moments

As we seek to become more and more of the church God has called us to be we will find ourselves at a Red sea before long

Manna from heaven

God will provide for the path he has called us down

Peter and the gang had no clue how to start the church, or what would even be needed

But I guaranteed God provided the means to meet those needs time and time again

As we seek God, i truly believe we will have our manna moments of where we know God provided

Whether it is for a ministry need or a call to tithe

Mount Sinai

Exodus 19:16–18 ESV

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.

Which is a moment we see God appear by fire again

Moses got to spend time with God and was able to grown in his spiritual stature

The disciples were just coming off their own mount Sinai of spending three years with Jesus

People we have a Mount Sinai, if you want to grow in spiritual stature, go to the mountain

When Moses went he got the standard to live by: the ten commandments

Exodus 20:3–17 ESV

“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

The Golden calf (Exodus 32)

just because we are God’s people, their is consequences when we rebel against God

And as you get to the book of Joshua we see that we have a decision to be faithful or rebellious in following the fire of God.

Outro

Exodus 40:34–38 ESV

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

What is guiding you on your journey?

Is your ministry marked by the fire of God or by your own passions?