Exodus II Sermon Week 10

Intro/Welcome

I love to worship with you guys

It is so good to worship through song to the Lord

the coming Lord on this psalm Sunday!

We are going to in Exodus 25:1-9

My name is Justin, one of the Pastors here

Good to be with you,

Welcome Online

Person of Interest

how do you respond when you parents are coming to town?

You get excited (may some don’t)

You get ready, you set aside time, you go out to eat (good Americans)

What if it was Kanye West, or Coldplay, Or Hillsong, whoever you favorite artist is?

how would you respond?

Would you invest in tickets?

Would you invest your time in the concert?

In the experience?

What if someone really important came give a speech?

Maybe that’s your favorite author?

Maybe the president?

Would you go?

Would you invest?

Why?

Is it hearing from so important a person?

just being in his/her presence?

You see in these examples we invest in these becuase we are hoping for a blessing.

maybe that is the blessing of an awesome concert

or just great relational time with family

or gleaming wisdom from a renown leader?

We are seeking a blessing.

Now what if God were coming?

Would you invest?

True blessing comes from investing in God’s Kingdom.

True blessing doesn’t come by blessing ourselves

but by blessing others through investing in God’s kingdom.

Text Intro

This is what was before the Israelites in our text today.

They are given precise plans to build the tabernacle SO THAT God could dwell among them.

they were preparing the way for the Lord

They too would answer the question: Would they invest in this endeavor?

We are going to be in Exodus Chapters 25-31 today.

Yep 6 chapters.

33% of Book

In fact many of these ideas are repeated almost verbatim in Exod 35-40

That’s 13 chapters of the 40 chapters in the book of Exodus

33% of the book is devoted to the details of the Tabernacles and system of worship.

This should stick out to us.

This means it was very important to the author.

Today we will explore why this was so important to the Israelites and what their response was.

We’ll also see the purpose for all of this and what it was pointing towards and means for us.

Let’s Pray

Pray

3 days of Prayer left 150 days

The Command

Exodus 25:1–9 CSB 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me. You are to take my offering from everyone who is willing to give.

3 This is the offering you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood; 6 oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx along with other gemstones for mounting on the ephod and breastpiece.

8 “They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I may dwell among them. 9 You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.

Three things we see right off the bat:

Moses is to take an offering FOR God

They are to make a sanctuary

They are to make it according to the pattern

pattern b/c it’s all going to be pointing to someone.

there is a call to investment, but more than that is the what are we invested in?

The Sanctuary

The central purpose here is to make a sanctuary.

The word there is “meek-dash”

It means ‘holy place’ or ‘the place set apart’

It is ‘hallowed ground’

Why?

God tells us.

So often the questions we have are answered right there in the text

Exodus 25:8 CSB “8 “They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I may dwell among them.”

This Holy Place, this Tabernacle is to be constructed so that the LORD might dwell among his people.

Don’t miss this: God, the Creator, the Magnificent, Totally Awesome and Holy — wants to dwell amongst his people.

You are desired. You are meant to belong.

This Tabernacle is a Holy Place of God’s Dwelling

This is Heaven breaking through on Earth.

The Tabernacle — An Act of Recreation

Some commentators believe that this Tabernacle is literally a Holy Place of Heaven on Earth — of God’s dwelling

Some note that there are 7 times it says “The Lord spoke to Moses” and it ends on instructions end on the sabbath

thus it mirrors the very acts of creation in Genesis 1

Thus this is a great act of Re-Creation so that

Just as God dwelt with Adam and Eve in the garden

So to, now he might dwell with his people again.

It is where History will culminate

What we need to realize here is that this is God’s End Goal for History.

It was the reality in the beginning

Genesis 3:8 CSB 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

It is where History will culminate

Revelation 21:22 CSB 22 I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Revelation 22:3–4 CSB 3...The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

This is why 33% of Exodus is about the Temple

This IS GOD’s Plan and Purpose

to dwell amongst his people.

How Will God Dwell?

But how can God dwell amongst a sinful people?

The Mercy Seat

When we look through the details of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings it tells us how God will dwell

It starts by describing the Holy of Holies

The inner sanctuary

Where later the High Priest would only enter once a year.

In it was the ark of the covenant (God’s Law)

Over that was the Cover with the Mercy Seat and Cherubim, these angelic figures

Some believe this is representative of God’s throne in heaven

Seated upon a Mercy Seat surrounded by angelic beings

In fact God specifically says about this

Exodus 25:22 CSB 22 I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

This is the very place where God would instruct Moses

Why is that important?

To appear before God, we need Mercy.

Moses did, the Israelites did, you and I do

Why?

because of Sin.

Sin separates us from God

just as sin separates you from anyone you are in relationship with.

You see in our relationships, when a sin occurs, when a hurt is experienced the answer isn’t to severe the relationship,

but rather to work towards reconciliation through confession and repentance that leads to healing.

We spent all last fall unpacking these truths.

Reconciliation is possible because God has made a way for sin to be atoned for

so that both Mercy & Justice can stand together.

Sacrifice brings mercy

Where did they get mercy?

through atonement.

Atonement comes through sacrifice — Tanner spoke on this last week.

That’s why we have an description of the the Altar of burn offering (Exod 27:1-8) and

the Consecration Ceremony of Aaron and his sons (Exod 29) involving the sacrifice of a bull and two rams.

Jesus the Tabernacle

This was all pointing to something.

This tabernacle and system of worship so that God could dwell amongst us, was pointing to someone.

Look at John 1:14

John 1:14 CSB 14 The Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us.

Jesus was the embodiment of the Tabernacle

He was God’s tabernacle on earth — God’s dwelling on earth.

Jesus the Mercy Seat

Furthermore Jesus was the Mercy of God to us.

Romans 3:23–25 CSB 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat (propitiation) by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.

Jesus was the mercy seat for us

Jesus was the propitiation for us by faith.

God loved you through Christ.

God’s love is demonstrated

1 John 4:9–10 CSB 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:11 CSB 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.

God’s Purpose is Christ

Don’t you see: God’s intended purpose for humanity is fulfilled in Christ.

When we believe in his death for our sins

his resurrection for our new life

We get to dwell with God forever, because God begins to dwell in us.

It was all pointing to the person and work of Jesus.

Magnificent!

The Church is the Tabernacle of God

Jesus was God’s presence on Earth, his tabernacle

But now, becuase Jesus ascended and is on the Throne

He sent his Spirit to dwell within His people,

those who by faith would believe and thus be united to him

So that now, do you know what is God’s presence on earth?

God’s tabernacle?

God’s dwelling place?

When Jesus came it shifted from a Place to a Person and now to a people.

The Church is now the tabernacle of God

Ephesians 2:21–22 CSB 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Do you realize what this means?

The Church, the Bride of God

You and I

Are God’s plan for the World

We are God’s plan to dwell with his people

We’ve been given a mission to proclaim his gospel to the end of the earth.

ILL: Normandy

The soldiers who landed at Normandy on D-Day understood that they were the United States plan to win the war — to liberate Europe.

They gave their lives

Through their sacrifice others were blessed

They invested in something bigger than themselves

We are God’s Plan to liberate the world from Satan, Sin and suffering.

We have to begin to grasp this truth

To marvel at it.

The Priestly Garments

This why Romans 13:14 calls us to “put on Christ” becuase we are to literally represent Christ to the World

In Exodus 28 there is all these descriptions of the Priestly Garments.

Do you know that their garments were made out of the exact same material as the tabernacle?

Exodus 28:5 CSB

5 They should use gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

Why?

Because the Priest were to be an extension of the temple, representative of it.

By being decked out as the tabernacle itself, the high priest in his service becomes the focus of God’s presence for the people of God—a mini-tabernacle, as it were.

So that we fulfill Exod 19:5-6, we are the kingdom of Priests

mini tabernacles

God’s plan to reveal himself to the world

God’s plan was always that God’s people would reveal God’s glory to the world.

Deuteronomy 4:6–8 CSB 6 Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? 8 And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?

Isaiah 49:6 CSB 6...I will also make you a light for the nations, to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

The Church is now God’s dwelling on earth to bring salvation to the ends of the earth

every tongue, tribe, people and nation.

God has loved you.

He has loved you to show his love to others.

Application

So let me ask you, if God were coming to earth, would you invest?

This is what Moses is to put before the people.

Exodus 25:1–2 CSB 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me. You are to take my offering from everyone who is willing to give.

Exodus 25:2 ESV 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me.

The people are called to Give

but from the heart

From those who are captured and captivated by the Vision of God’s presence (kingdom) on earth.

Ill: My call to support raise

Not even their money:

What’s crazy is it wasn’t even their money (possessions)

They were slaves in Egypt

Where did they get the “gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood; 6 oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx along with other gemstones for mounting on the ephod and breastpiece.” (Exod 25:3-7)

It was God’s give to them for when they left Egypt they plundered the Egyptians.

Exodus 12:35–36 CSB 35 The Israelites acted on Moses’s word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold items and for clothing. 36 And the Lord gave the people such favor with the Egyptians that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

God was always going to call them to give what he gave them for his glory, for his kingdom, for his plan to dwell with his people.

They are being asked to give what God already gave to them.

For us

It is the same for us.

What do we have that God has not given us

Or given us the ability to get?

We are so consumed with blessing ourselves that we miss the blessing of investing in the Kingdom of God

Ill: My call to support raise

elders investing in ine hope, last 4 weeks meeting three hours a night every week

asking God in prayer

where we are at? - Post covid

where God wants to take us.

What does this mean for us?

We have got to see and be captured by this Vision of God’s dwelling on earth.

That our hearts might be stirred to invest

That we would actually invest our treasure.

Invest in God’s purposes.

In fact, many of us have just recieved a massive stimulus check that we didn’t work for, that we may not even need.

What has God called you to do with what he has given you?

How is he calling you to invest?

The challenge before us is the same before them.

Will we take what God has give us and will we invest it in the Kingdom of God?

In God’s plan to dwell on earth and save a people for himself?

Now hear me,

God doesn't need your generosity.

But he does invite you to it.

He invites you to experience the blessing of investing in God’s Kingdom.

At One Hope, we believe in the mission of God

to make disciples of the city, nations and generations.

To bring hope to the hopeless

to be a light in the darkness

Will you invest today in the Kingdom of God?

Will you ponder the greatness, the vastness, magnificence of God’s plan for all peoples and invest?

Will you experience the blessing of investing in God’s kingdom?

Let’s Pray