A Dwelling Place for God
(Exodus 25:8)
If you were invited to house-sit you could not make any substantial changes in the house while you were there because the house would not belong to you. Even if you found the color of the paint highly objectionable and didn’t like the floor plan or the way the furniture was arranged you could do nothing about it because the house would not be yours.
The Holy Spirit is in the same position. He might not like a thousand different things you do, but there is nothing he will do about them until you give your life to Jesus Christ. When you "sell out to Jesus." by turning your life completely over to Him and give Him total ownership of your house , He will make the necessary changes in you life. You house will be God’s design.
- Zig Ziglar
God desires a Dwelling place among us.
We can follow God even see and perform miracles in His name and still not have Him dwell with us.
The Children had followed the pillar by night and the cloud by day.
Jesus said depart from me I never knew you.
Heb 3:6
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
(NKJ)
Three Truths about our Dwelling Place.
I A dwelling place must be prepared.
1 The Israelites had to prepare a tabernacle in the wilderness.
.
2 We must prepare Our Hearts
Blue Prints(like building a house)
• Plans on how to build.
• Calculated steps for your life.
Without calculated plans your house will be out of square.
II A Dwelling place must be preserved.
1 A house that is not maintained will soon be condemned.
1 Sam 16:13-14 We See That Saul did not maintain His dwelling Place.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.
(NKJ)
Titus 3:8-11
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,
11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
(NKJ)
The temple demanded a sacrifice
A sacrifice for Sin
We have Jesus Christ
A sacrifice for Sins
We have Repentance
I Jn 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(NKJ)
A Sacrifice of praise
We have praise and worship.
A sacrifice of first fruits
We have tithing.
All of the sacrifices had to be made for God to continue dwelling in the tabernacle.
III A dwelling Place must be Protected.
1 Not just anything or anyone could go into the dwelling place. (Only High Priest could go into the Holy Place.)
[Describe moving the Tabernacle.]
1 Tim 6:20-21
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge--
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
(NKJ)
II Th 3:3
3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
(NKJ)
Phil 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(NKJ)
Ps 127:1
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
(NKJ)
Don’t allow just anything into your Dwelling Place, (Your Heart.)
IV CONCLUSION
1 The Living God desires to dwell with you and I.
ILLUSTRATION:
An elderly couple who had been married for sixty years were rocking on their porch. The husband looked over at his wife and thought of all the happy days they had together and said, "Honey, I’m proud of you." His wife who was hard of hearing said, "What did you say?" He said a little louder, "Honey, I said I’m proud of you." Again his wife could not hear what he was saying so she
replied, "What did you say?" So this time the husband in a rather loud voice said, "HONEY, I SAID I WAS PROUD OF YOU!" His wife looked at him and said, "Well I’m tired of you too!"
- Mike Minnix
Aren’t you glad Jesus never gets tired of us!
He has always wanted to dwell with man.
He walked with Adam & Eve
Gen 3:8
8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
(NKJ)
He walked with Enoch
Gen 5:22
22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
(NKJ)
He walked with Noah
Gen 6:9
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
(NKJ)
He walked with on the Earth for 33 years.
Matt 1:21-23
21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
(NKJ)
2 He has greatly desired to dwell with us since creation.
He desired to dwell with us so much that He sent his son Jesus to die on a cross so that Sin would not separate us.
3 We have to create a dwelling place for God in our lives.
It’s his will
4 Many say that God doesn’t want anything to do with me. I’m a sinner.
Nothing you can do will ever stop His desire to dwell with you, but you can prevent Him from dwelling with you by deciding to reject Him.
• Not Just In Salvation, but believers also.
5 Have you prepared a Dwelling Place for God?
6 Are you maintaining a dwelling place for God?
