A Sanctuary Separated
Notes
Transcript
Prayer of Thanks:
Prayer of Illumination:
Before I read the text this morning I’d like to give you my outline in the form of three questions. My hope is that with an outline in mind, we can know what we’re looking for as we read through all the details in our passage today.
What do you see on the outside?
What do you see on the inside?
How do you get in?
If you can just begin to answer those three questions as we read, you’ll have a big head start in the trajectory of the sermon this morning.
What do you see on the outside?
What do you see on the inside?
How do you get in?
1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 2 “The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3 “Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4 “You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 5 “You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6 “You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit. 7 “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8 “The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements. 9 “You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10 “You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be a unit. 12 “The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. 13 “The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. 14 “You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above. 15 “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 “Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 “There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 “You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19 “You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22 “For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 “You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24 “They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25 “There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 26 “Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 28 “The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 “You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain. 31 “You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32 “You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33 “You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34 “You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35 “You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side. 36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 “You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.
Introduction
There’s a saying that goes something like, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” There’s some truth to that isn’t there? Sometimes you only get one chance to make an impression. No one is guaranteed a second interview. Sometimes the first date doesn’t turn into a second date. Sometimes a handshake remains an introduction and never turns into a friendship. We get that, and sometimes that reality can be painful. We all have a desire to be accepted, yet how often does that turn into a hyper focus on our first impression, our appearance, the surface level things? Over time we start to realize, what we see on the outside doesn’t always match what’s on the inside. Sometimes you get to know someone who’s very plain on the outside, and over time you come to realize the extraordinary friend they are. Other times you walk into a restaurant that looks nice only to realize the food is pretty mediocre. As many of you know, very often the best food is found in really ordinary places. You’ll never really know how good it is until you actually walk in, sit down and have a meal. I might argue that if you give an ordinary first impression a second chance you might find something extraordinary.
As we read through the text this morning, most of the details and the description begin on the inside, but have you ever thought what that first impression might have been like? What would the tabernacle look like to the ordinary Israelite who never got to see the inside. He may have only ever caught glimpses as it was disassembled and moved from one place to another. What might the tabernacle look like to the stranger who came to visit? What might it look like to a child who came wandering by? From the outside you would have seen quite a bit of bronze, linen barriers outlining the courtyard, and the tabernacle itself covered in porpoise skins with five golden pillars marking the entrance. For many they would have only ever looked upon that golden, glorious entrance and never seen what was on the inside. In truth there’s very little glory on the outside. In fact there’s a lot of blood and sacrifice on the outside, but for the few priests given the honor to enter through the veil, they would have looked upon the gold laden glory of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. That place where God Himself would fellowship with His priesthood.
The glory of the God is rarely found on the outside or seen in a first impression. His glory is found by entering through the veil of Christ Jesus and coming to fellowship with God Himself among His church.
The glory of the God is rarely found on the outside or seen in a first impression. His glory is found by entering through the veil of Christ Jesus and coming to fellowship with God Himself among His church.
An Ordinary Covering
The Word takes on Flesh
A Holy Dwelling
A Sanctuary of Gold for Holy Fellowship
A Veiled Entrance
We enter through Christ the veil
If you weren’t here last week we took just a moment to realize just how much detail is in these few chapters of Exodus, and this chapter is even more so. There’s a lot of detail here, but again our goal is not to come away with a blueprint. Let’s look at the details, but we’ll take a similar approach this morning as we did last week. Last week we looked at the features in order to see the function and ultimately the facts about God’s relationship with us. This morning I’d like us to look at the details so we can see what’s on display and ultimately arrive at some directions. What do we do with what we see here in the tabernacle? Details, displays, and directions.
An Ordinary Covering (vs. 1-14)
An Ordinary Covering (vs. 1-14)
So... what do we do with 14 verses of curtains, loops, clasps, and coverings? Let me try to summarize what’s going on here so we can get to the display from the inside and the outside. The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies is going to be a big rectangle with wooden walls covered in gold about 15ft by 45ft. There’s no roof however. All the curtains and coverings layered on top of each other are going to function as the tent-like roof that will drape over the sides of the 15ft walls of the tabernacle. The golden walls will barely be visible from the outside if at all as the curtains drape over the side of the tabernacle.
Here’s the important detail though. This isn’t just one curtain. There are actually four layers to this covering.
When you close the curtains in your house very often your neighbors see the same curtain you do. That’s not the case here.
The first layer of curtains visible from the inside is made of a fine linen with angels worked into the fabric. These are some ornate curtains!
If your a priest coming into the holy place to trim the candles and offer incense every time you walk into the holy place you would have been able to look up in the light of the lampstand and see angels all over the roof of the tabernacle. The light would have reflected back and forth off the gold walls only bringing greater light to the angelic curtains covering the tabernacle.
God’s seen fit to fill his throne room with a beautiful display of His angelic host.
If we turn to Isaiah we get a pretty clear picture of the throne room this tabernacle imitates.
1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”
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The presence of God emanates His glory and everything around Him only magnifies that glory. It’s only fitting that His throne room in the tabernacle display that glory even if it’s only an image of the greater heavenly glory.
The noteworthy thing here is how separate this throne room is from the outside. If we follow the description, there are four layers of curtains and coverings over the tabernacle. On top of this first linen curtain filled with angels is goat hair followed by rams’ skins dyed red that ultimately covered by porpoise skins. There’s no view through the window from the outside of these angelic curtains. On the outside is a very utilitarian waterproof covering that’s going to hold up to the sun and the rain. The display here to any onlookers is quite plain. Maybe even ordinary.
Knowing what’s on the inside, we all recognize the foolishness in judging what’s on the inside by what is seen on the outside. In the wisdom of the world, a king would come to dwell amongst his people in glory and splendor and majesty building Himself a glorious palace for every ordinary citizen and stranger to see from a mile away. What kind of king would come to His own concealing his glory and presenting Himself as plain and ordinary?
In God’s gracious sovereignty, He would. In truth the fullness of the glory of God amongst a sinful people only brings death. The Holy must be separate. The glory must be concealed for the good of the sinner and those who fall short of His glory.
Even here in Exodus we catch a glimpse of the lengths to which God will go to dwell among His people again - to redeem humanity from sin. He’s willing to tabernacle among His people as holy God covered in the plain and the ordinary.
If we turn to John chapter 1 we see more clearly this plan of redemption.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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That word ‘dwelt’ literally means tabernacled. “The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.” God Himself, Christ Jesus has come to tabernacle with us, putting on flesh - the plain, and the ordinary of humanity that we might see His glory!
There is nothing lacking in Christ. He is perfectly holy, perfectly glorious, the exact representation of the Father.
There are those throughout Jesus’ ministry who would judge Jesus based on their first impression.
“Isn’t he from Nazareth? What good can come from Nazareth”
“He sits with tax collectors and sinners...”
“Is this not the carpenter’s son?”
Even his disciples asked of him, “Show us the Father, and that will be enough.”
Here’s the heart of the matter:
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
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We need the humble Savior walking among us, dying for us, bleeding for us in the flesh. There is nothing lacking in Him!
As an Israelite looking at the tabernacle, humble ordinary coverings and all - they can say without a doubt: there is nothing lacking in God who dwells in that humble tent.
We’ve looked at the details, the display, what kind of direction do we get from this?
If God was willing to humble Himself to reside among a sinful people in a skin covered tent, If Christ was willing to humble Himself to the point of taking on flesh that He might die for us, let’s take comfort in the fact that God is very willing to dwell among us even though we might not be glorious or magnificent on the outside. Scripture tells us that we are His temple. We are the dwelling place of God, might we take on the same humility that Christ did. Our worth isn’t found in our appearances or our first impressions with those around us. Paul comes to the church at Corinth with a less than impressive first impression.
He says, “I did not come with superiority of speech, or of wisdom… I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling...”
Why? Surely Paul would want to put on a praiseworthy display? But no, Christ was glory enough for Paul, and the proclamation of Christ was enough for the church at Corinth.
John goes on to say in John 1
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
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The glory of God comes to us in a humble package and a humble message. A dying carpenter on a cross and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s not waver from delivering that humble message of Christ and Him crucified. Let’s not waver from taking on that humble disposition of a dying Savior coming to the tax collectors and sinners. When we embrace the humility of Christ in receiving Him and proclaiming Him we get to experience together the fullness of Christ: grace upon grace.
Let’s look at the inside of the tabernacle and see the fullness of this holy dwelling.
A Holy Dwelling (vs. 15-30)
A Holy Dwelling (vs. 15-30)
I’ll do my best to summarize the details here: The tabernacle has three walls. Two run the length of the tabernacle 45 feet long and there’s one at the back behind the ark of the covenant, about 15 feet long. These walls are 15 high and made up of individual boards 15 feet long. So how do these boards standing up on end stay up?
God has Israel make these sockets of silver. They’re 75 pounds of solid silver and each board (about 2 feet wide) is set into two of these sockets. There’s a 150 pounds of silver anchoring every board that makes up the walls of the tabernacle. And yes I did the math: There’s roughly 7500 pounds of solid silver holding up the walls of the tabernacle.
When you walk into your house you probably have a bit of baseboard running around the perimeter of your flooring. Maybe 4” tall? When the priests walk into the holy place they would have seen at least a foot of solid silver running the perimeter of the floor. From there it only gets better: Every square inch of the walls set in these sockets are covered in gold. Even the bars running across the walls on the outside are covered in gold. I don’t know that we can properly imagine what that would like. Even a single candle would have lit the room. One can only imagine what the flaming glory of God bouncing off the walls of Holy of Holies would have looked like.
This is a sacred place, set apart for God Himself and His priesthood. A holy place. You don’t need to be a Christian or even religious to recognize that gold is set apart for special purposes because of it’s worth and its value. It’s something set apart and holy even in an ordinary understanding. We use it for wedding rings and wedding bands, jewelry reserved for special occasions, and perhaps in another time, table settings for the most distinguished of guests. Throughout Scripture, gold appears in the context of the holy. Those places where perfection and glory is present.
Perhaps most noticeably is the description of heaven in Revelation:
18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
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Once again the tabernacle is conveying to Israel God’s ultimate intention for His people. To dwell with them, to fellowship with them for all eternity in the perfection of glory and holiness. Remember we can’t remove the tabernacle from that simple purpose statement in chapter 25
8 “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.
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The gold by itself is just a precious metal. A city of gold by itself is just that a city of gold. But God in His wisdom gives us ways of growing our understanding Him. God’s using this earthly material to convey to us His holiness, His glory, His magnificence as it literally reflects the light of His glory. Recall there is no sun in heaven. There will be no need of street lights. There is only the glory of God illuminating the whole heaven and the whole city of gold will reflect His glory.
In our minds eye we can imagine the display that that would have been before the priests as they entered the tabernacle, but what kind of directions does this display give us?
If we were to step all the back and look at the entire story arc of Scripture: The story begins with God among His people Israel. The story ends with God’s people with Him in glory. But right in the middle is God with us and in us His redeemed people.
Paul makes it very clear to the church:
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
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God’s ambition to dwell among His people in Exodus is fulfilled in Christ! We don’t need to go looking around for a temple for God to make his dwelling place. There is no gold laden temple yet to be built, because it’s already been established in the holy people of God, bought by the blood of Christ.
What’s the direction Paul gives here?
“Therefore glorify God in your body.” “Do not touch what is unclean”. We have no business dabbling with idolatry as the holy dwelling place of God.
If we’ve received that simple gospel, received the humility of Christ’s death for us through faith, come to experience the fullness of Christ in grace upon grace, we may look ordinary on the outside, but we are no longer meant for ordinary use. We’ve been set apart for a holy task. We are the dwelling place of God! We are to reflect and advance the glory of God in this dark world until that day when we will be welcomed into His presence.
Let’s get real practical for a moment. Let’s move beyond first impressions. As people get to know us, we move beyond the first encounter and there’s a second time, a third time, a fourth time, what do you think they see in us? If you were to ask someone who knows you well, “What am I devoted to?” What would they say?
There’s no question what the tabernacle is devoted to once you get to know what it is and what it looks like on the inside. When people get to know us and get a look on the inside, the real us, what do they see we’re devoted to? That’s what holiness is after all. Being set apart and devoted to one thing, that is God.
Let’s look at our time commitments for a moment. We all devote time to things, that’s just reality, but as you look at those commitments let’s ask ourselves: Is this a commitment appropriate for the house of God? Would you put in a picture frame and put it on display in God’s house? If you wouldn’t put it on display in the house of God there’s a chance it doesn’t belong. Pray about that. Ask someone you trust about it!
Secondly, let’s look at those commitments that are left. Those that we’d gladly put on display before God and His church. There’s one more question we need ask, “Does this have a more prominent place in the house than Christ Himself? What may be a good and praiseworthy act of devotion can itself become an idol if it replaces the one it’s meant to be devoted to. Even a temple can become an idol if we forget what its for.
Working in construction for a little bit there’s a period of time where acquiring new tools is pretty cool. If I’m honest it’s still pretty cool. You get to show up at the jobsite and show off the new tools a little bit. Before it’s actually done any work, before it’s actually done what it’s intended for it’s found a different purpose. It becomes something to show off. It’s not until you meet someone who’s an expert in his craft and there isn’t a shiny tool on him. Everything he has is at least 10 years old, and he does his job better than all the young guys with new tools in their belts. You learn pretty quick that there’ no praise in owning new tools. A lot of people own new tools and a lot of people show them off. The praise is due the one who uses his tools well year after year.
What’s our time devoted to? What are our resources and gifts devoted to? Are they being used as God always intended them to be used, that is for His glory. At the end of the day it’s the worn and weary who’ve devoted themselves to the Lord for decades upon decades who will receive the praise for being the holy temple they were meant to be.
Once again we need be reminded that holy doesn’t mean glamorous. Whether we like it or not there’s a period in many of our lives we devote to things like changing diapers or just working the 9 to 5. That’s not glamorous, but when we serve our children with that heart of Christ, that is holy. When we serve our employers as unto the Lord, that is holy. That is something that belongs on the wall as an example in the house of God. When we serve our church and our community with humble hearts, that brings glory to God! When we welcome the least of these as Christ did in hospitality, that’s what it means to be the temple of God - devoted to Him!
Three simple steps here.
Make sure our time and our gifts are used for the right things, holy things you would put on the wall of God’s house.
Make sure our time used for the right things is for the right purpose - that is for God’s glory and not our own. We’re not here to show off our tools and our gifts. We’re here for God’s glory.
Finally, How can we use our time and our gifts for those who need it most. Christ says, as you’ve done it to the least of these, you’ve done it unto me. If we strive to be devoted to God, let’s begin with the least. That’s what it means to be the household of God.
We’ve taken a look at the outside and the inside, but how did we get here on the inside? Maybe you’re still looking at this whole Christianity and church idea from a distance wondering, how do I get there?
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Let’s look at how Exodus describes this entrance.
A Veiled Entrance (vs. 31-37)
A Veiled Entrance (vs. 31-37)
There are actually three doorways of a kind in the tabernacle. You may see two different words used, in the NASB we have ‘veil’ in verse 31, and ‘screen’ in verse 37. This word for veil in verse 31 is only ever used with reference to the entrance into the Holy of Holies. This word screen in verse 37 is used for all three however. There’s one screen to enter the outer court. There’s another to enter the Holy Place by the priesthood, and the veil itself is only ever used by the High Priest to atone for the sins of the people.
This morning I’d like to focus on the veil, the entrance into the Holy of Holies because it’s different from the others for (1) and for two and (2) the tabernacle isn’t the only place we see this veil.
Let’s look at some of the detail:
It’s a veil made of blue and purple and scarlet material, but somewhat like the linen covering of the tabernacle, angles are to be worked into the veil. If the veil wasn’t enough of a barrier, the warriors of heaven are now guarding the entrance to the place where God has chosen to dwell.
That may sound a little familiar if you think about it. Throughout Exodus we’ve been building on a lot of what has happened in Genesis and the garden of Eden and I believe we have another reminder to Israel of what happened in the garden.
What happened to Adam and Eve after they sinned?
23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, they were cast out of the presence of God. They were cast out of that holy place where they enjoyed His perfect fellowship. And should they try to return they would die at the hands of an angel, a cherubim.
Every time a priest entered into the holy place straight before him would have been those cherubim standing before the presence of God. That holy place where only the High priest actually speaks with God. This veil is a constant reminder of sin! We cannot simply enter into the presence of God without facing death. God in His holiness has separated us from Himself because of our sin.
How then can God really accomplish what he intends in Exodus 25:8
8 “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.
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Will God always be among His people yet hidden behind the veil? Will that fellowship of the garden ever truly be restored? The simple answer is, “Yes!” That has been God’s ambition from the beginning, and even here in Exodus he’s telling His people how he will do it. A High Priest will come who will enter the veil and make a way for sinners to once again enter the garden.
Hebrews puts it this way,
19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,
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When Jesus died on the cross at calvary the veil in the temple was torn in two. In a way that no earthly high priest ever could Jesus, took his own blood before His Father to atone for the sins of His people, the church. Christ atoned for sin that He would be the veil, the door to the glory of God in heaven. He put it pretty plainly before his disciple, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
The good news is He invites us to come! He doesn’t stand as an angel with a flaming sword threatening death to those who may approach. Quite the opposite, the angelic hosts declare His coming telling the lowly and the outcast, go and see Him! He came humbly as a man and with gracious invitation:
He offers the woman at the well living water and eternal life.
He invites the hungry to eat.
He invites the weary to rest.
He invites the sinner to repentance:
If you’re here this morning aware of your sin knowing you don’t belong in the presence of God, there is a way for you to enjoy that fellowship with God which we were always intended to enjoy. The veil is Christ and Christ alone, and any who are humble may come. He died that he might pay for your sin. Should you put your faith in Him this morning and confess your sins, then He will forgive you of your sins. He’s gone before the Father with His own blood to pay for your sin should you repent, turn from your sin and believe that His death has paid the price. It’s in His death that our debts are paid and in His resurrection that our lives are made new. When we repent and believe in Christ we have the assurance that we will be welcomed into that eternal fellowship with God one day.
For my fellow believers here this morning, let’s hold fast to the narrow way that is Christ. For many of us we know the door as Pilgrim did. We do well to point people to it, yet we have a narrow way ahead of us. Clinging to Christ as the way is still essential to our walk. There are many trials and temptations on our way to the celestial city, yet if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith we will finish the race well. He endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. He’s our forerunner. Let’s follow Him as humble servants devoting ourselves to Him and His church coming alongside each other as Faithful did to Pilgrim. Perhaps you’ve been on that narrow way for sometime. There are some of us who haven’t been on that path nearly as long. Maybe check in on us every once in a while. Maybe you’ve only just begun that long journey and the Celestial City is a long ways down the road. Find someone around you who is faithful and knows that narrow way well. Find a time to share your testimony with them. Tell them about your work, tell them what’s hard in this season; Tell them what you enjoy. We’re all pilgrims on our way to the Celestial City and we need each other to persevere on that narrow way that is Christ.
If I may sum it all up with this.
As the church of Christ, His temple,
(1) let’s be content with a humble first impression
(2) be devoted to the glory of God alone as a holy people
(3) Let’s be diligent to point people to the door that is Christ and encouraging one another on the way that is Christ.
Let’s Pray.
Devotion:
Mac and Robin Williams:
Fred Clement - One Family Church
Bless His Family
Bless His Church - pray that leaders would be raised up.
Bless Their Witness.
