Tabernacle 3

Exodus 29:43–44 KJV 1900

43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.

Introduction

We don’t need this building...

1 Corinthians 6:19 “19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

We do not have to go to a geographical location in order to meet with or experience the presence of God.

We can commune with Him, worship Him, and learn from Him anywhere.

2x in 1 Peter 2, Peter calls believers holy priests

1 Peter 2:5 “5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Not needing this building is not the same as not needing this church.

We need the church body.

We just don’t need all the trappings that come from the comfort of the building where we gather.

So…why do we have it?

Why are we talking about investing more into it?

How should a local church relate to the building that it has the privilege of using?

Since we have it, how do we relate to it?

Remember Jesus and the early church frequently utilized buildings, religious buildings, for their gatherings.

They did utilize the personal houses of the believers.

But they also met daily in the Temple.

Paul preached in synagogues and even used the School of Tyrannus as a semi permanent meeting place for the local church in Corinth.

Though as believers our relationship with God is not bound to a location, as a church we do need a location to assemble.

We can learn from the Jews relationship with the Tabernacle in these verses.

We treat it as a place where we come to meet with God.

The tabernacle was the place where God’s presence dwelt among the Israelites.

He was not accessible to the average person.

Only the priests could enter into His presence.

The tabernacle was the closest that they could get to God.

You see someone like Hannah coming to the tabernacle and praying that God would give her a child.

There are many places that you may frequent throughout the week for a variety of purposes.

Why do you go to GameStop?

Why do you go to Taco Bell?

Why do you go to the doctor’s office?

Why do you go to the car wash?

When you come to church it ought to be for a purpose.

One of those purposes is to fellowship with other believers.

Encourage them.

Bear their burdens.

Another reason is to meet with God.

Through worship.

Through His word.

Though we are not bound to a location for our meetings with God, there are some locations that lend themselves to that purpose.

We want this church to be that for as many people as possible.

We maintain it as a place where God’s glory is the focus.

This was what was to happen to the tabernacle.

Why would people come there?

What was the proof that this was the place where God met with people?

It was the presence of His glory.

The presence of God’s glory set the tabernacle apart from any other location in the camp.

When we enter into this place, we have to set some things aside.

Our drive to obtain glory for ourselves.

You may struggle at work to gain recognition and promotion.

You may feel like you never get the notice that you are due.

But, when we come here, we are freed from that pressure and expectation.

This place is all about Him getting the glory.

This frees me up from worrying about whether or not anyone notices my service.

This frees me up to love and serve you no matter what.

This place becomes special and unique because it’s not about us; it’s all about Him.

We sanctify it for the purpose it fulfills in our lives.

The tabernacle was a special place to the Israelites because of what happened there.

The met with God there.

They witnessed the glory of God.

This made the Tabernacle special.

To sanctify something means to set it apart for a purpose.

This building, this place needs to be sanctified in our minds for the purpose for which it is intended.

This will affect our decisions in a host of areas.

How we prepare to come here.

How we act while we are here.

How we treat the building.

What we say while we are here.

What the future of this building looks like.

Do we want a building that confuses people as to it’s purpose?

Do we want a building that itself communicates the purpose for its existence?

This property was given to our church by God.

It is where He has met with us on countless occasions.

It is a place where His glory is the primary focus of all that we do.

It is a place that is set apart in this community for Him.