Saturday, 15 February 2014

God's Presence!

Today our reading in our Bible Plan is:  Ex 24:12-25:40.  What exciting themes!

 1)   GOD WANTS TO DWELL WITH HIS PEOPLE!
God could live amongst the galaxies but He chooses to live with His people in a tent - the best tent on the campsite.  

Here is God’s good news to us:   God wants to draw near to us and live amongst us. 
  • Exodus 25: 8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 
  • Exodus 29:44 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar …..45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 
  • Exodus 29:46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

2) WHERE DO I GO NOW FOR GOD’S PRESENCE?
  1. We go to Christ and where His people gather.
  2. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “16 Don’t you (plural) know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
3) GOD’S PRESENCE AND THE CHURCH:
  1. Do we think of our church as a place where we all are the dwelling place of God?  
  2. When we go to church do we expect to find God present among us all in a way we cannot experience by ourselves?  
  3. Where two or three gather together in Christ’s Name there is God with them!  
  4. Do I long  to experience God’s presence with His people?  
4) SOMETHING ABOUT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT:
  1. The Ark of the covenant - beautiful wooden chest, overlaid with gold.
  2. It is the most important a large treasure box - most holy and made of solid gold.
  3.  Inside the box is the greatest treasure:  God’s laws, God’s Word 
  4. On top of the box of is a golden lid, called the mercy seat - Exodus 25:17

5) SOMETHING ABOUT THE MERCY SEAT
  1. The  mercy seat is of pure gold. 
  2. Mercy Seat - a place of atonement. 
  3. Inside the box:  God’s Ten Commandments.  On top of the Box, His mercy.
6) SOMETHING ABOUT GOD’S GLORY
        Verse 15, 17  And the glory of the Lord settled on Mont Sinai - it looked like a consuming fire.  

7) SOMETHING ABOUT GIVING        Verse 25: “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.
  • To bring God an offering. An offering from everyone whose hearts moves and prompts them.
  •  To give willingly and ungrudgingly.
  • To give from the heart.
Please see the link to our pastor at Charlotte Chapel Edinburgh, Paul Rees' Sermon right here.