Clouds Light The Way - Winona 7-6-08 PM

Looking For Cloud Cover

2 Chronicles 5:11-14 - Sunday, July 6, PM – FBC Winona

Talking about worship this evening

            Not about style of worship or about music

            Talking about attitudes and action in regard to worship

            Specifically how we should be seeking clouds in worship

Can remember a time when rain was an issue in places I’ve lived

            Time of drought at Piers on Lake Tawakoni during seminary days

            March 5, 1999

Sometimes we think that cloudy weather is depressing or makes it hard to do things

BUT - Today we’ll see how cloud cover is the best weather conditions we could ever experience

in the Christian life.

In 2 Chronicles 5 – leading up to . . .

·      King David had a heart’s desire to build a temple for the Lord

·      God revealed to David that he would not be the one to do it but his son Solomon would

·      When Solomon became king, he began the building

·      Care was made that it was not only highly functional but also aesthetically beautiful

·      His SINGLE FOCUS was to make sure that this building glorified God

·      Now we are concerned with the actual worship – the most important part

·      This is immediately following the delivery of Ark of the Covenant to the most holy place

·      Ark of the Covenant contained the two tablets which Moses placed there at Horeb –

·      This is where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel

2 Chronicles 5:11-14

11When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions), 12and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets 13in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

Why was the use of a cloud significant?

·      Cloud was often used as a symbol of God’s leading or God’s presence

·      In Genesis 9 – God told Noah that the rainbow symbolizing the end of the destruction would come in a cloud

·      In Exodus 13 – after Pharaoh let the people go, God led them in a pillar of cloud

·      In Exodus 24 – the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai in a cloud

·      This history and many other instances lets us know that this was something that the people had some understanding of – that this was a way in which God manifested his presence

Here we see four elements of worship that will teach us today to be better worshippers

1) Preparation by Purification – the priests sanctified themselves

• Purified themselves with no regard to divisions
• Levites and musicians were dressed well and had their instruments ready
• They were skillful in their ability and presentation
• DISCUSS how purification is important for the Christian – BEFORE worship can occur

2) Presentation in Unity – Several indications of unity in this passage indicating a singular focus:

·      Priests sanctified themselves regardless of divisions

·      Blowing trumpets in unison

·      Made themselves heard with one voice

·      Glorify THE Lord

·      Lifted up their VOICE

·      He indeed is good

·      His loving-kindness is everlasting

·      The cloud

3) Praise Without Reservation –

·      focused on Him – singing as with one voice,

·      playing as with one instrument

·      The focus was on Him and not what they were expecting to get out of it

·      Praise is contagious

4) Presented With the Presence

·      they experienced the manifested presence of the Lord

·      It was so strong that they could not perform their duties

·      Cloud gave protection, direction

Appeal

·      Are we coming into His presence with purified hearts?

·      Are we united in our focus without regard to personal agendas?

·      Praising Him without reservation?

·      Experiencing the cloud of presence and protection?

·      When we come to worship – do we experience REAL worship?

·      Whose responsibility is that?