Exodus 25;1 22 build on the rock 5 benson vail docx

Exodus 25:1-22 [Build on the Rock Summer Series 5]

Pastor Ron Koehler

Grace-Benson/Vail

July 1, 2018

25 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; 6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. 10 “Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. 16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you. 17 “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

My Friends in Christ, Last week we heard about the Buildings of Bitterness that the Israelites built in the cities of Pithom and Rameses while slaves in Egypt. That caused us to think about times when we suffer, especially at the hands of others, and how that can cause us to ask why God would allow those difficult things and wonder where God is at those times. That historical account drove home the point that God is always with his people and that he blesses us even during hard times, using those occasions for our spiritual good. Again this morning, we consider God’s presence in our lives, but from a different perspective. There were ways that the LORD engaged his people so that they would know that he was really with them, so that they did not have to wonder. After freeing them from Egypt, he involved them in the process of building tangible reminders of his presence. But again, this is not just a history lesson! There are things to consider today that apply to you and can make a difference in your life. Just like the LORD’s people long ago, you and I have BUILDINGS OF THE LORD’S PRESENCE 1. THE LORD ENGAGES HIS PEOPLE IN PROVIDING THESE BUILDINGS 2. THE LORD TRULY COMES TO HIS PEOPLE IN THESE BUILDINGS The words of our lesson from Exodus 25 were spoken to Moses at Mt. Sinai while the Israelites were traveling in the wilderness, prior to receiving the Promised Land as their own country. This is just a portion of many things the Lord commanded them; things that would set them apart from all others as people who held the promise of a Savior and the family line of the Savior. An important part of what he told them through Moses had to do with their worship of him. God wanted a building for their worship and specific items were to be built for use in that structure.

But remember, God would have his people live a nomadic life for 40 years before they were able to go into and possess the land he promised them. That meant that this “building” would not be a permanent structure, but a movable one. He instructed them to build a tabernacle. When you read the description of what that was like (in chapter 26 of Exodus), you realize that tabernacle is just a fancy name for a tent. The tabernacle itself was 15 feet wide by 45 feet long with a fenced courtyard that was almost exactly ¼ the size of an NFL football field. Although it was beautiful and ornate, all of it was portable. It was the original “Church in a Box” with a much more involved setup and tear down than what we do at Grace-Vail! Did you notice how the LORD engaged his people in providing this building for their worship? The LORD had each of his people search their hearts to see whether they would take part in the offering that would be gathered. As you continue reading after our lesson you see how God insisted that they give only if their hearts prompted them to give, only if they wanted to. This was a freewill offering in the same sense that we use that term. If you keep reading after our lesson, the freewill nature of this giving is repeated many times by God. Those who gave would have thought of how God had made them into a great nation of people while living in Egypt and how he had freed them from slavery in Egypt. They would have thought about the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and God’s power that crushed the army of Pharaoh so that his people could live and so that God could lead them to the land he had promised them. The love of God for them and his blessings to them would move their hearts to give in support of this first building project for God and his people. You may have also noticed that God was not looking for Wal-Mart quality items. He commanded high-end, beautiful things that would reflect his glory, things that were colorful and valuable—because God was worth it: gold, silver, bronze…yarns and fine linens, reds and blues and purples, precious gems, and incense so that it would even smell good in there! This would be the nicest tent you’ve ever seen—a testimony to the greatness of the LORD! You might wonder where they would have gotten all of these nice things since they had just come out of slavery and were traveling through the desert. If you go back and read how they left Egypt, the LORD had enabled them to take silver, gold, and clothing—it says that “they plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36).” Those who felt that God was worth it would provide the necessary items for this tabernacle out of the wealth they accumulated as they left Egypt. The LORD had blessed them tremendously and because they loved and respected God, they would show that by following the pattern he set for this place of worship and all the items in it. The God who engaged his people in providing for this first worship building is the same God who engages you and me, his people today, in providing buildings for worship and items for inside those buildings.

Now, to be fair, we do not have specific instructions from the LORD to build a particular kind of structure. But he does have an expressed expectation that his people meet together for worship, just as he always has. We just have tremendous freedom in how we approach that. As an example, I’d like you to think about our congregation for a moment. Some of you have been to each of Grace’s four locations—Benson, Sahuarita, Tucson, and Vail. If you’ve done that, you’ll be able to appreciate this the best. For those who haven’t, let me explain. In Benson we have a small, simple church building. In Sahuarita, we have a converted ranch home for a church. In Tucson, we have a big church building with beautiful stained glass windows and a wonderful courtyard. There is a nice fellowship hall and Sunday School rooms and meeting rooms and Grace’s central office. In Vail, we—like the Israelites—make use of Church in a Box to turn an elementary school multipurpose room into a place of worship each week. The LORD engages us in providing these buildings and the things needed for ministry. The God who has blessed us in so many ways also commands us to give offerings to him. The offerings you and I give are smiled upon by God when they come from thankful hearts, hearts that appreciate what he has done for us and that respect God. God has given us freedom in Christ to give whatever we want as our offerings. He only asks that they be given joyfully, that they be generous, that they be in proportion to the way he has blessed us, and that they be given regularly—just as regularly as he blesses you and me. So really, all of our offerings are freewill responses of our hearts. This is a way that we also show what God is worth to us. Sometimes another opportunity to give to God is offered, we even call them freewill offerings and they are completely separate from our routine offerings. Lots of us give this way also. Each month a particular ministry at Grace is highlighted and we might be moved to give to Outreach or to Christian Education or to the Youth Group. A musician may come a play for our worship and we might show our thanks by giving something to them. Right now, we have a huge need for these special gifts and it happens to be for the building of God’s house at Grace-Sahuarita! It can happen that we get a little uptight when the subject of money and offerings is brought up. Some people think that’s all the church talks about. Typically, those things happen because of our sin. We are uncomfortable because our giving is not joyful…or generous…or regular…or proportionate to the way God has blessed us. Or we feel guilty because can’t give like someone else can give because we just don’t have that much. But we’re wrong there too because it’s not the amount that is important. God doesn’t ask you to give what he hasn’t given you! On the other hand, we might also not be giving properly because we’re not being good managers of what the LORD has blessed us with. There’s all sorts of ways we sin in regard to our offerings!

What a nice thing for us to see the example of the Israelites as they gave for this building project! If you jump down to Exodus chapter 35 and 36, this is what you hear about their giving: it says that they all left Moses and got all of the things God commanded for the building and the articles to furnish it. And then it says this: And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. (36:3-7) They actually had to be told to stop giving! We ask the LORD—for the sake of Jesus, our Savior—to forgive our sinful thoughts, attitudes, and actions involving our offerings to him. And we ask the Holy Spirit to work on us, to help us see the blessings of forgiveness in Christ and the promise of salvation and the material blessings he has lavished on us so that we may give willingly to him to provide for his house and ministry today! Why was it important to have this tabernacle? You find that in the second half of the lesson. There the LORD explains that they were to build an ornate and expensive ark. He tells them to overlay it with gold and craft a cover for it. It was to be the size of a large hope chest or one of those old-time trunks that people would travel on ships with but people put in their homes now as part of the décor. (45” L x 27” W x 27” H or 52” L x 31” W x 31” H, depending on the “cubit” measure used) There was something special about the Ark of the Covenant—besides the gold and the awesome gold angels on the cover. And this was the important thing about the tabernacle as the building which held the Ark. God said, There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. This Ark, above which the LORD would dwell, would be located in the tabernacle. This portable building would be the constant reminder that God was with his people. The LORD met with Moses there and gave him his commands. The stone tablets from Mt. Sinai—the very words of God—were stored in that golden chest. Offerings and sacrifices to the LORD would be brought in worship to the tabernacle. And there, God’s servants, the priests and Levites would serve. THE LORD TRULY CAME TO HIS PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING! This expensive, high-quality, ornate, portable building represented the glorious LORD, it was the place where his glory dwelled, and the place the people came to connect with their God. Though God is everywhere, it is also true that the LORD comes to his people in our buildings today. Whether a simple, little church or a converted ranch home or a big, beautiful church, or the multi-purpose room of a school—these are the buildings where the LORD truly comes to his people!

The tabernacle had not just the Ark containing the LORD’s words on stone, but a lampstand, a table for bread, an altar for sacrifice, an altar of incense, a basin for washing, priests in particular dress who served the LORD and his people. Now consider the things our worship buildings contain today. A pulpit is the “ark” from which we hear God’s rock-solid Word. We often have candles, reminding us that God is light and that Jesus is the Light of the World. We too have altars where offerings of prayers and praise and gifts are given. We have a basin too—the baptismal font where sinners are washed clean. We have bread along with wine on our table, where Christ comes to us with forgiveness. We have pastors in particular dress who serve the LORD and his people. Oh, if you think about it, there are many similarities between their building for worship and ours! And do you see how the LORD truly comes to us through these things?! He was present with his people in the tabernacle and he is present with us when we gather at church. He is here when the pastor speaks by God’s command! He is here when the Word is read! He is here when the Holy Spirit gives forgiveness and faith in baptism! He is here when Jesus gives you forgiveness and strength along with his body and blood! He is here to receive our offerings and our prayers and our songs of praise and our service to him! Oh, we might sometimes wonder where God is when we’re going through difficulties and have to be reminded to look for the blessings and to trust the promises of his presence at all times, but there is no mistaking his presence when you are in his house! Be encouraged today, knowing that your sins—including those related to your giving to God and not recognizing and trusting his presence—are all forgiven in Christ. And because of that, you will one day be in the unmistakable and glorious presence of God eternally. It’s an interesting picture of heaven in Revelation 21:3. It says, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. It’s interesting because the Greek word for “dwelling place” there is “tent” or “tabernacle” and the word for “he will dwell” is literally, “he will tent” with them or “live with them.” That picture dives back deep into the history of God’s people and the first worship building they had, the place where God was truly present with his people. May God use this lesson today to lead us to appreciate the fact that God is present with us today like he was back then and to look forward to an eternity of living in the heavenly tabernacle of heaven with our God. Amen. Now the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.