Sermon Tone Analysis

Glad that you’re here this morning!

We’ll be finishing up our series through the book of Exodus today… and I don’t know about you… but I have just enjoyed being immersed with Exodus over the past few months.

I love to think about how God rescued Israel from their bondage simply out of His grace… because it causes me to think about how God has rescued me from the bondage of sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ… again… simply out of His grace.

But I also love how God then teaches the people how to live in their freedom… how the 10 Words… or the 10 Commandments are not simply a set a rules to follow… but they are God’s character… they are how we live in and enjoy this freedom that God has given us.

That God’s law is not some set of oppressive rules… but Psalm 1:2 says that the rescued believer delights in the law of God.

It’s beautiful to live in that law.

Last week we kind of teased out how we are to view some of the 10 Words… For example, we talked about the first Word… or the first Commandment… You shall have no other gods before me… and how that doesn’t mean put God first… it means… God becomes everything to you.

Someone in our church was telling me about a conversation that they had this week…

They were talking about what they like… and this person, who claims faith in Christ, said… I like a little of this… a little of that… but I make sure and sprinkle in some Jesus with everything else.

And that’s just so typical of how the common American Christian views faith.

As long as God is a part of my life, I’m ok.

But God says in the first Word… If you want to truly live in the freedom I’ve given you… then I’m not just a part of your life… I become what your life is all about.

But the truth is… We cannot live the 10 Words… We just absolutely cannot do it… UNLESS… we live them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We absolutely, with no exceptions NEED the presence of the Holy Spirit to live in the freedom of Christ!

And so, I want to ask the question… are you inviting God’s presence in your life?

Do you welcome God’s presence and work and leadership in your life?

And, I think it’s good to also ask the opposite question… Are you somehow hindering God’s presence and work and leadership in your life?

We’ll be looking at a large chunk of Exodus this morning… and as we unfold the passage, I think we’ll understand how God was with Israel… how He gave them guidance… and He was present with them.

We’re going to begin in Exodus chapter 26, so if you have your Bible, and I hope that you do, turn with me there… Exodus chapter 26.

As you’re turning there… and before we read… I need some help from 4 strong, capable guys.

*HAVE THE GUYS ASSEMBLE THE CANOPY*

Now, let’s read and see how God is present with us and helps us live out the 10 Words.

Exodus chapter 26… Let’s begin with verse 7…

Wait… Let’s try something else.

Turn over to chapter 28.

Look at verse 9 of chapter 28…

Well… Turn back.

Turn back to chapter 26.

Verse 31.

Do you see where I’m going?

This section of Scripture doesn’t seem very helpful.

I mean… unless you’re constructing a Tabernacle… This doesn’t seem very helpful.

But here’s what you gotta know as we look at this big chunk of Exodus this morning… we’ll be covering 15 chapters… and all 15 chapters are about the tabernacle.

The first half of this section are instructions on how to build the tabernacle.

Line after line of details… gold, linen, goat hair… very detailed instructions on how to build the tabernacle.

Friday, I looked for the instructions on how to setup my canopy… I couldn’t find them.

So I went online, figured I just print them off… there are no instructions online either.

I mean, I’ve had this canopy for 15 years or so… never looked at the instructions once.

Don’t even know if they sent any.

But they didn’t need them… it’s pretty self-explanatory and easy.

This was different though.

God gave Moses very detailed instructions on building the tabernacle.

Now, for real this time, turn to chapter 25.

I want to point one thing out to you in chapter 25.

We find out what the tabernacle is.

Look at verse 8… This is God speaking to Moses on the mountain.

There’s a pattern.

Make the tabernacle just as I instruct you.

And if you were to read this section all the way through, God says multiple times… make the tabernacle just like I tell you.

There’s a pattern.

That’s very important to note.

But, with the tabernacle, there’s not only a pattern, but there’s also a promise.

Look at chapter 29.

Verse 42…

So there’s a pattern… here’s how you’re supposed to build it… and then a promise, that when you do, I will be with you.

That’s our first big chunk of Scripture this morning.

The second big chunk, turn to chapter 40 with me.

After all the instructions on how to build the tabernacle… we see Moses instructing the people to bring all the resources and supplies together.

Now in chapter 40, we see what they do with all of it.

Look at verse 22…

End of verse 27… As the Lord commanded.

End of verse 29… As the Lord commanded.

End of verse 32… As the Lord commanded.

Do you see the theme there?

God said… build the tabernacle after the pattern I give you.

They build the tabernacle… As the Lord Commanded.

So… What’s the result going to be?

What was the promise that God made?

Look at verse 34 of chapter 40…

The tabernacle was a tent of sorts.

A pack up and move dwelling place of God.

It was the place where God would come and be present with them… to give them leadership… to guide them.

So, in case you haven’t seen the point yet… Let me be very forthright with it… this is so very important.

The tabernacle was God’s dwelling place… that’s what tabernacle means.

God says… I’ve rescued you from your bondage… Here’s how you can live in the freedom I’ve given you… the 10 Words… but you can’t live them without my presence… so build me a dwelling place… a tabernacle… but build it exactly this way… don’t build it on your own terms and expect my presence… build it this way.

They built it just as the Lord had commanded… they invited the presence of God into their lives… and just as God promised… His presence was with them.

But… It almost didn’t happen.

I want you to notice what happened just before they began building the tabernacle.

Turn back to chapter 32.

At the beginning of the sermon I asked you… are you inviting the presence of God?

Or are you hindering the presence of God? Chapter 32 is given to us to show us how the presence of God is hindered in our lives.

Look at verse 1…

WHAT?!? WHAT?!?!?

The golden calf story is Genesis 3 all over again.

This is reticent of Adam and Eve saying we’re going to do things our way God… not your way.

Israel was clearly directed to have no other gods… and they agreed to that covenant… and here they are, making a golden calf.

And I don’t know about you… but not only does this story remind me of Adam and Eve… you know who else it reminds me of?

Me.

There is an order and a design in the Word of God that’s good for us… but we often choose to do what we want… we often choose our own path… and trouble comes our way as a result.

We either position ourselves in the place of blessing and safety and guidance, where we are inviting God’s presence… Or we position ourselves in the place of self-centeredness and indulgence and chaos… where we are hindering the presence of God.

Of course… God sees what the people are doing.

Just look at the conversation He has with Moses.

Verse 7…

He says… Moses, I’m going to wipe them out and start over with you.

Of course, we’re so thankful that Moses the mediator steps in and seeks the favor of the Lord.

Skip down to verse 14…

Now skip down to chapter 33.

Look at verse 1…

God says… Ok… I’m not going to destroy you… and you can go ahead and go to the promised land… but you’re on your own.

Just see if you can make this journey without me.