1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,720 You are listening to City Church Manchester. We are a church that invites 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,780 everyone to enjoy Christ for the glory of God. If we can serve you in any way 3 00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:16,400 then visit our website at citychurchmanchester.org to find out more. 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:26,060 I'm reading for today's from Exodus chapter 25 verses 1 to 9 in your 5 00:00:26,060 --> 00:00:34,000 church bibles that's page 83. Exodus chapter 25 verses 1 to 9. The Lord said 6 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,680 to Moses, tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the 7 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:43,680 offering from me, from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. These are the 8 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:49,840 offerings you are to receive from them. Gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple and 9 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:55,880 scarlet yarn and fine linen. Goat hair, ram skins dyed red and another type of 10 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:01,640 durable leather. Acacia wood, olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing 11 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,880 oil and for the fragrant incense and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted 12 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:11,740 on the ephod and breast piece. Then let them make a sanctuary for me and I will 13 00:01:11,740 --> 00:01:16,580 dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the 14 00:01:16,580 --> 00:01:21,520 pattern I will show you. This is the word of the Lord. Welcome my name is Chris. 15 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:29,680 I'm on the staff team here. Let's let's pray as we come to God's word. Heavenly 16 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:35,800 Father, awesome and mighty God, as we come to your word prepare our hearts to 17 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,320 hear you speaking. We pray that you would plant your word deep inside us. Help us 18 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:46,160 with all the distractions and worries that we come with today. To listen and 19 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:51,200 obey you, our Heavenly Father. Make Jesus known to us through the Holy Spirit 20 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:59,480 as we open your word together. In your son's precious name we pray. Amen. 21 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:06,080 Now do you sometimes look around and just think what I'm doing with life is 22 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:13,040 second best? Or you look at other people and think they've got it better than you. 23 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:21,600 You come to church here and you look around and go is this it? On this journey 24 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:27,920 in life do you sometimes think Christian journey? The world's got it 25 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:32,640 better. I'll do a bit of that and then I'll do my Christian walk as well on the 26 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:41,480 side. Well if you think like that these verses are for you. Let's have a look at 27 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:48,960 them. Coming up is one of God's biggest visual aids. A 3D immersive sermon 28 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:54,760 experience is at least going to be attempted this afternoon. Visual aids 29 00:02:54,760 --> 00:03:02,280 coming from God himself. So story so far. It's series two, episode two of Exodus 30 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:09,160 and as all good series go we need a brief recap. So God rescued the Israelites 31 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,840 from Egypt promising He'd take them to the promised land. He made it possible 32 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,600 for them to cross the Red Sea. They walked for three months to get to Mount 33 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:25,560 Sinai. They kept grumbling. God kept providing manna, quail, water from a rock. 34 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:32,440 They got to Mount Sinai and worshiped God there. Remember they worshipped Him 35 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:39,560 before they got to the promised land. Worshipping whilst waiting. www. We've had 36 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:45,480 the Ten Commandments and the Law. Now we come to today's passage. They're still 37 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:51,960 living in tents in the desert at the foot of Mount Sinai. They are not at the 38 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:58,080 promised land yet. Moses has just gone up the mountain for the fifth time to meet 39 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:04,960 with Chawai. What is he going to come back with this time? So he comes back 40 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:14,000 down the mountain and Moses has a long list of meticulous building instructions. 41 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:19,720 The detailed instructions, if you open up your, you'll do well in this sermon to 42 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:29,000 keep your Bible open. Detailed instructions start at chapter 25 verse 10. 43 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:35,080 Got the ark, Aesir wood, two and a half cubits long. You jump, you've got the table of 44 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:40,120 verse 23, Aesir wood, cubits overlaying it, cubits of this, cubits of that, gold. 45 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:45,600 Lampstand made of flower cups, buds, blossoms, various aspects, gold, various 46 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,440 dimensions, carries on. Got a tabernacle, a chapter that will come to that in time. 47 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:57,240 Then first chapter 27, burnt offering area, the courtyard, how big that is, 48 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:03,680 details of the oil on the lampstand. That's three chapters of meticulous 49 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:11,080 details. Don't worry if you think that's all over, there's more. Chapter 35, more 50 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:18,480 details about how that goes and some people to build it. 36, 37, 38, who did 51 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,440 what and what aspects were required. Then 39 and chapter 40, you've 52 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:32,120 got some more. Nine chapters of detailed building instructions and who did what. 53 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:38,520 Now I hear you ask what's all this about and is Chris going to cover nine 54 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,360 chapters of detailed building instructions. I mean we didn't bring food, 55 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,080 never mind a refreshment break, we're gonna need an interval or two if we go 56 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:54,480 that sort of side. Or did Matt and Ralph hear about my DIY skills. You know when 57 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,760 you talk about people building a shelf or a cabinet or something and it falls 58 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:04,280 over straight away, I'd see that as a good thing. It was standing for a period 59 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:12,120 of time if it fell. So were they just trying to stretch my practical skills? 60 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:18,680 Well no to all of those I think you'd be pleased to know. Before we look at the 61 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:24,200 meaning of these things we'd have really good the picture and dimensions, colour 62 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:29,960 and materials and that's why we're sat in a slightly different orientation today. 63 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:37,280 We have got ourselves into a picture of the tabernacle and thank you very much. 64 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:41,320 It's a great pleasure to be here when we've got the baptisms of Greg and 65 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:47,640 Mercy and you've also helped with the visual aids. So you notice that we don't 66 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,720 have a central aisle, we've got a central section. That is measured out so for the 67 00:06:52,720 --> 00:07:00,600 guys up there from here all the way over to here that's the width of the 68 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:05,080 tabernacle. Up here in the courtyard where I am would have been the bronze 69 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:10,320 altar. Where the baptismal pool is where you'd have to wash to get clean before 70 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:16,360 going into the tabernacle was the bronze wash basin. Then where the blue tile 71 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,120 polling starts just in front of row one here is where the tabernacle would have 72 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:25,480 started and we've gone all the way down there. Now we have had a slight 73 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,480 measurement issue. We can't go back far enough for the Holy of Holies so we sort 74 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,720 of transported the Holy of Holies upwards. It would have been flat. 75 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:37,320 So you guys up there you're actually in the Holy of Holies but only if you're 76 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:41,200 inside there. So if you're in the first four chairs on that side yeah you're 77 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,920 just outside. I know you're trying to get in but that side and then over on this 78 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:51,200 side if you're in the next four there we go you're up there six rows up. 79 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:57,360 That's the size that it would have been for you. Around about where 80 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:03,680 Chloe is wearing a nice gold top would have been the gold lampstand. Well done. 81 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:10,200 Yeah okay and around about where Donna is would have been the gold table of 82 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:16,360 bread. Lovely so it's just over there. Now where would the altar have been? 83 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:20,760 We couldn't have quite we measured it out and it's actually accurate. Back table 84 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:26,960 of tech is where the altar would have been. Then if we port ourselves up 85 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:34,200 upstairs round out the back over there if you give us a wave Remy yeah you're 86 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:39,920 about where the Ark of the Covenant would have been roughly speaking. Yeah 87 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:46,560 dimensions wise that's how big it is but it's got a height to it so if you're 88 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:53,560 downstairs if you look around at the balcony you see there's two metal rails 89 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:58,240 the middle rail is the height that the tabernacle would have been so in this 90 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,480 section up there if you're at the top we tried to measure this as well it's to 91 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,360 the top of the white post on the frontier so all the way back there if 92 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:11,320 you're actually on the first row that's the sort of size that we are talking 93 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:20,160 about. The whole structure had pillars going all around it all the way around 94 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:26,440 this section would have been 48 different pillars the height that I've 95 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:34,480 just said all covered in gold the base was silver 64 posts round the courtyard 96 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:39,720 and five pillars at the court I'll come to the court in a moment five pillars at the 97 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:45,680 front in gold all the way along where the music team are not quite three 98 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:51,920 meters tall are you but that sort of size of things visually this is a 99 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,440 representation quite accurate representation of what it would have 100 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:59,960 looked like all of the elements inside would have been covered in gold the 101 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:05,440 total weight of gold is about 130 kilos that's about 6.5 million pounds worth of 102 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:12,520 gold in today's money there's also 400 kilograms of silver and 300 kilograms of 103 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:18,440 bronze the 65 meters of curtain going around here that are embroidered in blue 104 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:29,280 and gold it would have looked beautiful it would have been a five senses 105 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:37,440 experience for the Israelites outside there's the courtyard it's 250 meters 106 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:43,040 of blue curtains it's the actual width was 75 feet so where you're having tea 107 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:47,640 and coffee that end is would be one side and sort of through the next door and 108 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,240 through the wall would be the other and then it's double the length we couldn't 109 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:57,920 possibly quite get the measuring tape out that far I remember there's no 110 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:04,200 Amazon delivery service for all of this to come through where would the 111 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:13,840 materials have come from well Exodus chapter 25 35 to 36 tells us Moses is 112 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,760 instructed these lights to ask the Egyptians for gold silver and clothing 113 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:23,640 and the Lord made the Egyptians favorable to the request so they plundered 114 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:30,600 them they had them this material with them but also remember there's no dialer 115 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:37,560 trade available all the work needs to be done by them so this is what's produced 116 00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:43,840 from the nine chapters of detail God's people doing God's work as a community 117 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:50,960 together following his plan following him as they journey to the promised land 118 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:57,160 and as we're sat here in the sort of picture of the tabernacle we should 119 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:05,200 remember the tabernacle like the Garden of Eden is where God dwells and various 120 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:10,600 details of the tabernacle suggest it's a mini Eden these parallels include the 121 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:17,520 east-facing entrance with the cherubim on the curtains into the Holy of Holies 122 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:24,840 but these cherubim can now be passed the gold the onyx the tree of life as 123 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:30,240 depicted by the gold lampstand or the tree of knowledge as the law in the Ark 124 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:36,200 of the Covenant this God dwelling in the tabernacle was a step towards the 125 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:42,840 restoration of paradise which is completed in the new heaven and new earth 126 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:50,800 access to God dwelling with his people has been resumed by God looking at the 127 00:12:50,800 --> 00:13:00,800 tabernacle it was beautiful imagine it around you it would have been amazing 128 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:10,360 God's creation plan and design is amazing just use your imagination for a 129 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:16,160 moment and sit yourself in it if you're on the sides imagine looking at it what 130 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,960 would it have been like 131 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:36,460 now look around us here and I ask you is this second best I don't mean the 132 00:13:36,460 --> 00:13:43,960 building I mean God's people God is building his church God's plan and 133 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:51,920 design for his church is that we God's people grow in grace together it's a 134 00:13:51,920 --> 00:14:00,160 community project and it is beautiful not to just look at and observe but to 135 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:08,200 experience and enjoy if you look around today on this Sunday and any given Sunday 136 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:16,720 you will see service for God happening around you people putting themselves out 137 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,720 welcome team coming early they perhaps that person wanted to be doing 138 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,960 something different today but they joyfully welcoming people the sound desk 139 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,600 at the back here really early to get everything done so you can hear the 140 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:33,760 songs and the sermon willingly serving the hospitality team the kids team the 141 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:40,720 top steam many other team coming together the person sat quietly on their own 142 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:45,280 wasn't sure whether they could be able to cope with coming in today but they 143 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:51,480 did the person who notices this and later speaks to them and comforts them 144 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:58,680 all the godly encourager this is all God's grace at work it is beautiful it 145 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:06,240 is to be experienced and enjoyed it is even more beautiful than gold and blue 146 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:12,280 curtains it's more valuable than six and a half million pounds of gold this is 147 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:22,840 because this beauty lasts it is eternal kingdom building beauty looking with 148 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:30,680 eternal gospel eyes listening with gospel ears you will notice God building 149 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:38,240 his church here in Central Hall it is truly beautiful because it is God's 150 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:48,120 creation and God's plan God dwells in us so come back to the Israelites in the 151 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:57,240 desert why why would God come up with a tabernacle chapter 25 verse 8 tells us 152 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:04,040 why make a sanctuary for me and I will dwell among you notice that is God's 153 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:12,200 idea he came up with it he even gave Moses a visual plan I know if that's the 154 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:16,800 first ever PowerPoint or something that was up on the screen but Moses saw what 155 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:23,520 it was supposed to look like let's just pause for a moment and take it in God 156 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:34,680 says make a sanctuary for me and I will dwell among you God the holy all-powerful 157 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:39,040 God God who said to the Israelites if you touch this mountain you will die 158 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:46,480 because you are not holy and I am holy this same God says to the people I will 159 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:53,480 dwell with you God chooses the grumbling forgetful unclean sinful dust-covered 160 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:57,480 tired nothing particularly special about them Israelites call those with his 161 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:02,160 people and wants to live amongst them the God who made the whole earth who 162 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:09,800 mankind rejected this God wants to live with his people in a tent I mean it took 163 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:15,480 nine chapters to describe the tent but it's still a tent he's got a whole of 164 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:21,240 heaven and earth to reside in and he chooses to be in a tent in a desert with 165 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:28,280 the people who keep forgetting him remember this is true for us today God's 166 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:34,680 people are now those who are Christians who trust that Jesus died on the cross 167 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:40,960 and rose again to rescue us from our sins God chooses the grumbling forgetful 168 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,920 unclean sin dust-covered nothing particularly special about us 169 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:52,040 Christians calls them his people and wants to live amongst us this same is 170 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:58,920 true of God this side of the cross God moves towards us God chooses he wants to 171 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:05,200 be with us like in Exodus chapter 6 verse 7 where he promises Israelites I 172 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:12,360 will take you to be my people and I will be your God they did nothing to make it 173 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:22,120 happen God did it all we do nothing to save us Jesus does it all all you need 174 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:28,960 be saved is to trust in your heart and say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord 175 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:37,000 and you will be saved we heard those testimonies from Greg and Mercy earlier 176 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:45,960 God came from heaven to earth in a tent the Israelites God came in heaven to 177 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:52,080 earth in a baby in a manger for anyone who will hear his call to come and 178 00:18:52,080 --> 00:19:05,760 follow him this amazing just pause drink that in God wants to be with you live 179 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:14,040 with you dwell with you he is coming towards you with open arms saying come 180 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:21,480 to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you true eternal 181 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:33,160 rest you may feel or be ignored isolated or alone or even shunned by people or 182 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:39,160 maybe you're new here new to church or just looking in a city can be a lonely 183 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:45,720 place lots of people but no meaningful relationships maybe you feel that you're 184 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:50,840 too bad and the things you've done I mean you could never be loved by God this 185 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:57,680 passage turns all that on its head and tells us that God God the maker of all 186 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:04,640 things God gods of love who knows all things sees all things he knows what you 187 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:15,000 have or have not done this God wants to dwell with you let me say that again God 188 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:24,800 wants to dwell with you that's amazing that's something to rejoice in we had 189 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:30,320 the moment didn't we when Greg and mercy were baptized we're like yeah that's 190 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:38,640 the feeling we should be having here he stands at your door and knocks all you 191 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:50,680 need do is open the door and welcome him in the picture of the tabernacle is God's 192 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:57,440 plan to dwell with his people this dwelling plan was already mind-blowing 193 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:03,040 is taken further through Jesus Jesus referred to the new temple or tabernacle 194 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:08,640 John chapter 2 verse 19 when talking about himself he said destroy this 195 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,320 temple and I will raise it again in three days he's referring to himself 196 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:19,880 dying and being raised in three days days John chapter 1 verse 14 says the 197 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:25,520 word became flesh and made his dwelling among us in the original it's the word 198 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:31,760 became flesh and tabernacled amongst his people the picture of the tabernacle is 199 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:37,800 God dwelling with his people in the Gospels the tabernacles moved from a 200 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:45,840 tent to Jesus as that is where God was dwelling amongst his people the dwelling 201 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:50,960 plan is taken even further through Jesus death on the cross resurrection and 202 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:58,640 ascension into heaven now we have no Jesus tabernacles gone tent and temple 203 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:04,720 long gone where's God gonna be dwelling with his people is he still interested 204 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:12,280 well 1 Corinthians 3 16 to 17 do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple 205 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:19,560 and that God's spirit lives in you by the Holy Spirit residing in God's people 206 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:26,600 God dwells in Christians through his Holy Spirit so we are where God dwells 207 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:34,240 with his people we are now the tabernacle God's people are God's holy 208 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:41,200 dwelling place we Christians are now where God dwells there's both singular 209 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:47,880 and plural in this the you in 1 Corinthians is plural God's people are 210 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:55,280 God's dwelling place this means that church is more than special to God not 211 00:22:55,280 --> 00:23:00,740 only is church the body of Christ on earth it is the dwelling place of God on 212 00:23:00,740 --> 00:23:09,400 earth the tabernacle was and is a place of worship a place of giving God praise 213 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:15,720 and acknowledging that he alone is worthy this is why we go to church on a 214 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:23,000 Sunday and as Guthrie said when the saints of God meet on Sundays they like 215 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:29,760 the Israelites before them are worshiping God in holy time and space it 216 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:34,440 is holy time because it's a day set apart from the rest of the week it is 217 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:39,560 holy space as we gather together in a geographical space dedicated to the 218 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:45,520 worship of God the building itself does not matter it is the gathered people of 219 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:51,480 God that does there is something holy about Christians physically meeting 220 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:59,260 together at an appointed time and place each week I ask you is your view of 221 00:23:59,260 --> 00:24:06,520 church too low do you sometimes think church is second-best if at times you 222 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:10,280 personally don't feel like coming here on a Sunday perhaps you're choosing 223 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:17,440 between an offer of a weekend trip or a great day trip somewhere are you feeling 224 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:22,480 really tired and need to save yourself for the week ahead I know there are 225 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:27,960 times when it's impossible to come but there are other times when it's a choice 226 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:35,880 remember this when you choose coming to church is not about programs meeting 227 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:45,320 people singing or even hearing a sermon it's where heaven and earth meet God's 228 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:51,520 people meeting together to worship God in time and place Sunday is a divinely 229 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:56,640 appointed foretaste of eternity where all time and space will be completely 230 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,920 and tangibly under God's rule we go to church not to look good or to be noticed 231 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:09,920 but because it shapes us into the people of God for that we need everyone present 232 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:17,960 non left behind you may not feel like coming but as a body of Christ we need 233 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:26,360 you here and you need God's people to help shape you going to church is also 234 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:32,440 a testimony to the chaotic world around us worshiping together collectively one 235 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:40,080 day in seven is a sign to the world a sign that there is something other 236 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:44,760 something higher than the private universe as people create for themselves 237 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:52,800 we bear visible tangible witness that God's order is not the order of the 238 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:59,400 world we demonstrate that we follow different rules God's rules and in doing 239 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:06,000 so God is glorified just as the tabernacle was a real 3d we've seen the 240 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,520 dimensions of visible picture of God's dwelling with his people both visible 241 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:17,260 and shaping his people it was also visible to the whole world meeting 242 00:26:17,260 --> 00:26:27,880 together in time and place does the same now we are like a tent in the desert but 243 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:33,960 a tent that people can see and touch and come into a tent where God's people meet 244 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:39,840 with God that is open and accessible to those that don't yet know God to not 245 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:44,720 come and join with God's people on Sunday should be a little moment of pain 246 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:51,720 you're missing out on God's plan we're missing out on part of his body God is 247 00:26:51,720 --> 00:27:01,880 building his church his people joining together is both claiming and proclaiming 248 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:07,320 his kingdom on earth God has designed that the full experience of him and the 249 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:12,440 Christian life is doesn't by his people meeting together there's something 250 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:18,880 divinely special about God's people gathering on Sunday so come be here 251 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:26,880 experience God through his people now to the singular and a bit shorter the Holy 252 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,800 Spirit dwells in each individual believer having seen the beauty of a 253 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:37,040 tabernacle where God chooses to dwell with his people where God dwells is a 254 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:42,560 holy place when we remember that our bodies are God's temple it puts sinning 255 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:48,640 into a different perspective Paul effectively 1 Corinthians 6 says why do 256 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:55,040 you keep on sinning how can you possibly think of doing this don't you know that 257 00:27:55,040 --> 00:28:04,040 God himself resides in you some things are unthinkable in God's house well we 258 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:11,080 are God's house so some things should be unthinkable for us knowing that God 259 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:17,400 dwells in you in the singular and that God dwells in us the gathered people 260 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:23,320 that changes things early we looked at the dimensions of the tabernacle didn't 261 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:34,960 we but here we see that we are the tabernacle so I have the nine chapters 262 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:41,800 of all the building instructions why not just say God wants to dwell with these 263 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:49,240 people it built him a tent they obeyed him and there it was is the meticulous 264 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:56,120 detail second-best well we see the ideas gods as God's creation design but the 265 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:04,520 meticulous detail tells us about God's character God is meticulous he has 266 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:09,920 attention to detail his creation is beautiful he brings order out of chaos 267 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:14,080 now I think that's really really comforting I think it's a really good 268 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:21,040 job that God is meticulous and detailed I'm one person in 7.9 billion people on 269 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:25,800 the world and I want God to guide and transform me into more into Christ good 270 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:32,400 job he can do detail otherwise we would all be lost in the crowd good job he 271 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,200 brings order out of chaos as he's making his people who are all sinners and 272 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:41,840 chaotic into something beautiful and ordered as we become more like Christ 273 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:48,520 the picture of Eden is back in view a beautiful dwelling place where God and 274 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:53,840 mankind dwell together the picture is of a new creation here we have a foretaste 275 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:59,720 of the forever new creation that God has in store the new heaven and the new earth 276 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:05,520 where we dwell with him forever all because Jesus has done everything for us 277 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:11,520 all because God wants to dwell with us his people there's another important 278 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:16,640 detail to notice if you look down chapter 25 verse 2 tell the Israelites to 279 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:23,000 bring me an offering you are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose 280 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:28,920 heart prompts them to give God wants a heart response from his people willingly 281 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:34,640 his people follow him willingly it cost them if you look at the next verses it 282 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:40,200 cost them gold silver bronze blue purple scarlet yarn fine linen the list goes on 283 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:46,240 it's real cost to real people it's personal security that they are giving 284 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:51,200 up the values that they had are their financial security their rainy day money 285 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:56,040 or pension pot remember they're in the desert there's no income from outside of 286 00:30:56,040 --> 00:31:02,000 themselves following God's commands cost them their financial security and they 287 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:07,520 willingly gave it to him are you willing to do the same I'm not saying give 288 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:12,400 everything you have away what we should have is the attitude of everything is 289 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:18,480 the Lord's he gives it to us and we should see it as his our security should 290 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,560 be in him not our stuff we've just had three sermons on money so listen to 291 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:28,960 those if you want more on this yet there is something more personal than the 292 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:35,840 financial security that they gave up they gave their identity to God these 293 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:43,840 valuables show that they are free and not slaves in Europe in Egypt free God 294 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:48,680 who freed them the gold necklace on them on the neck the silver candlestick the 295 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:57,120 bronze bowl all depicting their freedom now God is calling these freed people to 296 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:04,760 be his people to belong to him in their security and their identity Christian 297 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:13,160 you your identity and personality belong to God just think carefully we weren't 298 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:18,560 created individually we're all different this is where we have the Bible teaching 299 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:25,120 of one body and many parts but how often do you hear I am a extrovert 300 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:30,640 introvert or my personality is and then insert something which then ends up 301 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:37,400 explaining why the person must do X Y or Z to fulfill their identity coming back 302 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,880 to the Bible each different part is playing its part for a whole the 303 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:47,140 difference is good it is however for a common God ordained purpose building 304 00:32:47,140 --> 00:32:52,200 his kingdom however dentists often given an excuse for doing something that's 305 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:59,920 actually selfish rather than building God's kingdom maybe it's best to do an 306 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:03,680 explanation maybe you see your identity as a fun person always going off and do 307 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:09,280 something spontaneous maybe it's an exciting trip to the lakes on a glorious 308 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:14,120 sunny Sunday do you follow your self-defined identity and jump at the 309 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:18,040 exciting chance would you follow God's ordained plan of meeting with other 310 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:23,280 Christians on a Sunday remembering that God wants you to willingly come to 311 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:29,400 church you're God's child that is now your identity God wants your heart he 312 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:34,920 wants you to be building his kingdom together with in community with his 313 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:40,280 people back to the Israelites they also worked hard and used their individual 314 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,360 and remember God given skills gifts talents for the Lord's work as a 315 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,680 community we have seen how big and complicated some of the aspects of the 316 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:52,680 tabernacle were this was a massive community project shoulder-to-shoulder 317 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:58,840 they willingly gave their money their time their skills their identities to 318 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:04,840 God and to each other we like the Israelites know that God is after our 319 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:10,960 hearts so we willingly give to him what he's already given to us all that we 320 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:18,040 have skills money talent finance are all from God that is use them for his 321 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:24,640 kingdom is living your life for Jesus costly what do you think that living 322 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:31,920 for Jesus is second best living for Jesus may cost you your secure job your 323 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:40,880 family home your church of many years your network of people that know you you 324 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:47,960 may have to work hard to get to know a new place and a new culture to live in 325 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:55,520 you may get lost around the new city you may play football and rupture your 326 00:34:55,520 --> 00:35:02,000 Achilles tendon you may be further from your in-laws who are getting older and 327 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:07,840 one of them have a cardiac arrest on your first day as pastor it may cost you 328 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:15,640 your identity as the decision-maker the expert the problem solver the influence 329 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:24,560 in worldly terms may go all this is costly in your security and identity I 330 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:30,600 know this well because all the things I've just described are from my last 331 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:39,120 year since joining this church however I testify to you today that God dwelling 332 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:44,360 with me and me being willing to obey God is worth far more than what I've given 333 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:50,000 up first remember eternal kingdom building choices are treasures in heaven 334 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:55,520 forever and that can never be second best in the last year God has worked on 335 00:35:55,520 --> 00:36:02,480 my heart the Lord has removed the idol of our old family home even though I 336 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:08,840 didn't realize it was an idol before he removed it the Lord has shown me more 337 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:14,800 what he means in my identity of being in Christ by taking away secondary 338 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:18,480 identities like being consultant psychiatrist and the salary that goes 339 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:27,000 with that he is humbling me helping me to be more servant-hearted because I'm a 340 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:32,520 pastor in training I have the privilege of digging deeper into God's Word during 341 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:37,800 my work hours to prepare for sermons Bible studies and equip chaps which is 342 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:45,360 a privilege and a joy remember anything we give up is far less than we have 343 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:53,220 received continue to receive and will receive in Jesus he drew close to us he 344 00:36:53,220 --> 00:36:58,480 gave up all of heaven he came to earth he died on the cross he rose again 345 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:05,640 because he wanted to dwell in us his church and in us individually through 346 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:12,760 his Holy Spirit God the maker of all things the Almighty wants to draw near 347 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:23,840 to you he wants to dwell in us his church here that's not second best we may 348 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:28,600 still be worshipping whilst waiting as we're not in the promised land yet but 349 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:36,040 to gather together here as City Church in person each Sunday to claim and 350 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:43,320 proclaim his rule on our lives and like a tent in the Manchester desert visibly 351 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:49,560 proclaim God's kingdom to the world to those do not yet know him whatever God 352 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:56,000 has gifted you whatever talents he has given you do them for him do them here 353 00:37:56,000 --> 00:38:01,040 in the place he has called you to do them with his people here at City Church 354 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:06,720 now that is the best thing that you can be doing doing what God has called you 355 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:11,320 to do in the place he's called you to do it with his people placed he has placed 356 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,640 around you whether that's looking after children trying to find a job going to 357 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:20,640 school working for a company trying to recover from illness being a student 358 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:29,440 retired whatever it is there is nothing second best about this in fact there is 359 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:36,240 nothing at all better that you could be doing with your life now let us together 360 00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:47,600 and willingly serve and worship the God who wants to dwell with us I was going 361 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:56,160 to pray father we are amazed that you would want to dwell with us but we thank 362 00:38:56,160 --> 00:39:02,680 you that you want to dwell with us we marvel at that and Lord help us as you 363 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:18,360 transform us into your body to bring you the glory in Jesus name amen