The "Second" Creation Story | A Sermon on Genesis 2:4-8

Genesis 2:4-8
⁴ This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth.  When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil. ⁶ Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

⁸ Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.

The “Second” Creation Story
It is great to be back with you after a wonderful trip with my wife to celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary!  We explored some of the most beautiful parts of God’s creation, traveling from the Great Salt Lake in Utah to Yellowstone National Park, down through the Grand Tetons, and over the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  Not only was it a wonderful way to celebrate our love and commitment to each other, it was also inspiring as I contemplated a new sermon series I want to share with you on the Garden of Eden story in Genesis.

This message series began as a Bible on Thursday mornings.  We first studied the seven days of creation from Genesis 1.  Then we followed up with the “2^nd” creation story found in Genesis 2.  (We have some wonderful/insightful discussions on Thursday morning.  If you are looking for a great Bible study, come join us on Thursdays at 10:30 AM in the fellowship hall.  We’re starting a new study this Thursday on Spiritual Beings.)

But today, we begin a new sermon series on Sunday mornings that takes a deep dive into the second creation story in Genesis.  We’ll explore the foundational truths about who God is and what is His purpose for humanity.  Before we look at the intimate details of the second story, we need to address an important question: Are there really two different creation stories in the Bible?

The 2 Creation Stories in the Bible
There are, indeed, two creation stories in the Bible.  Genesis 1:1-2:3 is considered the first creation story because it presents a structured, day-by-day account of God's creation of the universe in six days, followed by His rest on the seventh.

Genesis 2:4-25 is considered a second story because it shifts focus from the cosmic scale to the intimate creation of humanity.  It presents a more personal account, where God forms Adam from the dust of the ground, plants the Garden of Eden, and creates Eve from Adam’s rib.

The two accounts also have slightly different orders. In Genesis 1, humans are created last, with man and woman made simultaneously in God's image after plants and animals.  

In Genesis 2, man is created first, followed by plants, animals, and then woman, formed from Adam’s rib. In the first story, God makes humans by speaking, whereas in the second story God makes Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from Adams rib.  So, there are differences and we should acknowledge this. 

This brings up the first important point I want to express. God never intended the Genesis to be a scientific account of how everything began.  It doesn’t matter that the details about the order and methods of creation in Genesis 1 and 2 are different because the Bible’s account of creation isn’t a science book.  It’s a story that explains human nature and our relationship with God, our creator.  The Bible conveys Truth that goes way beyond scientific information.  We sell ourselves short when we try to reduce Scripture to science.

The modern argument about whether a scientific or biblical explanation of our origins is true misses the whole point.  Genesis is not science; it’s the Word of God.  And the Bible and science aren’t in conflict because they address different issues.  Genesis provides a spiritual explanation of the meaning and purpose behind creation, focusing on God’s relationship with the world and humanity.  Science, on the other hand, seeks to understand the mechanisms of how the physical universe works, without addressing the deeper spiritual truths conveyed in Genesis.  It is more fruitful for us to stop fighting about whether science or religion is more important.  They each address important, but different, issues.

Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 present two different accounts of creation, but today, we’re going to see how they are actually two complementary perspectives on our origins.  Think about it this way: Have you ever heard two people tell the same story but from completely different points of view?  If you ask both me and my wife about our recent trip to Yellowstone, you will likely get two similar but different accounts.  We both went on the same trip and spent all our time together.  However, Kelly will highlight different aspects of the journey than me.  We may focus on different details, but both our perspectives give a fuller understanding of what really happened.  Furthermore, when we tell about our experience, we’re not just giving you facts about where we went and what we did.  We’re sharing what the experience meant to us.

That’s exactly what we see in Genesis.  The two stories convey what it means to be human and what the God who create everything is like and what it means to for mortals to be in relationship with an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator God.  Genesis 1 shows us the grand, cosmic view of creation, while Genesis 2 zooms in on God’s personal relationship with humanity.  Both share God’s Truth, and both reveal something important about God and His creation.

The First Creation Story – God’s Power and Order
Let’s begin with Genesis 1. This passage starts with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Right away, we are introduced to God as the all-powerful Creator who speaks everything into existence. With just His words, He creates light, separates the waters, forms dry land, and fills the earth with plants, animals, and humans.  It’s an orderly, structured account where each day brings something new. God creates in six days, and on the seventh, He rests.

What does this tell us about God? First, it shows us His sovereignty and control.  He is directly involved in every step of creation. He speaks, and it happens. His word alone is enough to bring life into existence. This is a picture of a God who is majestic, powerful, and authoritative.

God's order in creation is significant too. Genesis 1 shows us that there is purpose in everything He does. Light and darkness, day and night, land and sea—it’s all part of His divine plan. And at the end of each day, God looks at what He’s made and declares”  “It is good!”  By the end of the sixth day, He declares it "very good" because human beings have been made in His image.

So, what does this mean for us today? It means that we serve a God who is not only in control of creation but also in control of our lives. Just as God brought order out of chaos in Genesis, He can bring order into the chaos of our lives. When we face challenges, uncertainties, or difficulties, we can trust that God is powerful enough to take care of us. His word still has the power to create and restore today.

The Second Creation Story - God's Intimacy with Humanity
Now, let’s turn to Genesis 2. This second creation story gives us a different perspective. While Genesis 1 showed us the big picture of creation, Genesis 2 zooms in on God’s relationship with humanity. Instead of speaking everything into existence, we see God forming Adam from the dust of the ground with His own hands. Then, God breathes life into Adam’s nostrils, and Adam becomes a living being.

This imagery is deeply intimate. It’s personal. It shows us that God is not just a distant Creator; He is also a loving Father who is intimately involved in His creation. God didn’t just create us and leave us to fend for ourselves. He cares for us. He is with us.

After creating Adam, God places him in the Garden of Eden and gives him responsibility over the garden. He tells Adam to work it and take care of it. Then, in an even more personal act, God creates Eve from Adam’s rib, establishing the first human relationship. This act of creation shows us that humanity is not just another part of creation. We are made in God’s image, and we are made to be in relationship with Him and with each other.

God’s closeness in this account reveals His desire for a deep, personal relationship with us. He didn’t just create us for tasks or for work; He created us to know Him, walk with Him, and experience His love.

The two creation stories of Genesis are two perspectives about the origins of human nature, our purpose, and our relationship with God.  Each highlights different aspects of God’s character and creation. Genesis 1 focuses on the grandeur of God’s power and authority.
Genesis 2 focuses on God’s personal relationship with humanity.

Complementary, Not Contradictory
The two stories together show us a more complete picture God. 
He is both transcendent and imminent.
He is both far above us and also very close to us.
He is both powerful and personal.
He is a God who can create the entire universe with His words, and He is also a God who forms each of us individually, breathes life into us, and desires a relationship with us.

As we reflect on these two creation stories, let’s remember they reveal the fullness of God—
His majesty and His intimacy, His power and His love.  

So, what does this mean for us?  It means we can trust God with both the big and small things in our lives. We can trust Him to bring order out of chaos because He has the power to do so. But we can also trust Him with the details of our hearts because He cares about us personally.  So, I want to encourage you to open your hearts to the God who not only created the universe but also created you and me with love and purpose.

Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to us through creation. Thank You for showing us Your power and Your love. Help us to trust You more, knowing that You are in control of all things and that You care deeply about each of us. May we draw closer to You each day, experiencing Your majesty and Your intimacy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Membership Matters | A Sermon on Luke 9:23

Introduction
Today, I want to talk about the significance of membership in the Church.  I want to examine three important questions.  What does it mean to be a member of the church?  Why become a member of the church?  And how do we become members of the church?

Church membership is something that goes all the way back to Biblical times.  The Old Testament took great care to list members of God’s Kingdom. 
It was important to know who was a member of God’s people.  Scribes kept meticulous records.  The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles is just a list of God’s people.  9 chapters!  In the New Testament Church, care was taken to list the names of people who followed Jesus.  In Matthew 10:2-4, we are told the names of the 12 disciples.  And Scripture also tracks the number of believers as the movement grew from 12 disciples to 120 believers in Acts 1 to 3,000 in Acts 2 and 5,000 in Acts chapter 5.  Even Revelation mentions a heavenly membership book called “The Lamb’s Book of Life,” which lists all the members of God’s Church who will inherit eternal life in God’s Kingdom.

The Bible also informs us about Jesus’ expectations of his followers.  In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

This is what it means to be a Christian.  It means to deny yourself and follow Jesus.  It’s nothing less than a willingness to do what our Master did for us.  Jesus left the glory of Heaven to come to our dark, broken world, to show us the way and to die for us so we can be reconciled to God.  He laid down His life for us, not because we deserved it, but because we are sinner and desperately needed His atonement.

In response, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.  Deny ourselves.  What does that mean?  It means to turn away from your selfish desires, deny yourself, and choose to do what Jesus wants for you instead.   

What does it mean when Jesus says: “Take up your cross”?  It means to willingly embrace sacrifice, the hardships of discipleship, and commit to follow Jesus regardless of the cost—even if it costs you your life.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?  To follow Jesus means to live according to His teachings, emulate His character, and commit to a relationship with Him within a group of other believers.

And that’s where church membership comes in.  If you look, you will see that Christians in the New Testament never followed Jesus by themselves.  They were always part of a group.  Acts 2: 42-47 says Christians were members of a local group of believers who learned together, fellowshipped together, ate together, and prayed together.  And throughout the New Testament, we see believers meeting together in local churches to worship, learn, and serve.  Christians today should also seek to be members of a faithful local church.

What does it mean to be a member of a church?  Being a member of a church means being part of a group of people who believe in God, want to learn more about Jesus, and help each other out.  It involves going to church regularly, learning from the Bible, and taking part in the church's sacraments, activities, and missions.  When you become a member, you promise to follow the church's teachings and support its work, and the church promises to help you grow in your faith and be there for you.  This helps everyone stay connected, serve others, and share the love of Jesus—both inside the church and with people in the community.

Why Become An Official “Member” of the Church?
The second question I want to examine is why do we become members of the church?  Why can’t we just come to church and not make all these promises and commitments?  Well, anyone is welcome to attend this church.  You don’t have to be a member to attend and participate in church activities.  Anyone who is curious about what Jesus is doing in our church can come and check it out.  Membership is only for those who are die hard faithful and completely sold out for Jesus and who decide the people of this church are their Christian family.

In some ways, Church membership is similar to marriage.  Kelly and I dated each other for 2½ years before we got married.  But when we were ready, we stood up before God and the church and vowed to love, honor, and cherish each other for the rest of our lives.  But why get married?  Why not just keep dating and avoid all the commitment?  Many people think that way these days.  But marriage is important because commitment is important.  We need to know that our spouse is going to be faithful to us and forsake all others.  We need to know they will be there for us in sickness and in health.  And they need to know we are committed to them.  Somehow, the promise of commitment enables the relationship to grow to a whole new level.

The same is true of our relationship with God and the people of His Church.  God gave us the Church to help us live as He intends for us to live.  Those who choose to follow God should find a church family where they live out their faith.  And membership in a church is vital step to spiritual growth.  It enables the deep relationships needed among God’s people similar to how marriage enables deeper bonding between a husband and a wife.

How do we become members of the church?
To become a member, you start by letting us know you are interested.  You can tell me or contact the church office.  I will then follow up with you to talk about your background.  We’ll discuss your faith in Jesus, what you think that means, if you've been baptized, and if you are a member of another church.  We’ll discuss what it means to be a member of Pleasant Grove.  Then, if you want to join as a member, we can schedule a Sunday for you to take the membership vows of the church. It's a simple but important process, but it starts with you deciding to become a member.

The Church | A Sermon on Ephesians 2:19-22

Introduction
This is the last message in our series on Holy Ground.  We have studied the historical contexts of God making space to meet with people on Holy Ground.  We’ve learned about the Tabernacle where God chose to live in a tent while the Israelites wandered through the desert.  We learned about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem Solomon built to reflect the glory of God.  Today, we will consider the Church, the new living Temple where people meet with God on Holy Ground.

This is also a significant day in the life of our congregation.  For today we will rededicate
Pleasant Grove Methodist Church to the glory of God and the mission of His Church.
In January of this year, Pleasant Grove official moved our membership from the United MC to the Global Methodist Church.  It was not an easy process.  It took a great deal of work, a great deal of patience, and a great deal of money to fulfill our obligations to the United Methodist Church and to cover disaffiliation fees.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone for your support and dedication through this transition.  I greatly appreciated your care and concern for me and my family…

More importantly, I am grateful to the Lord that He has blessed me to serve a congregation that places allegiance t the Word of God above all else and was committed to do whatever necessary to remain faithful to God by practicing biblical Christianity in ways we felt led.

This has been a long process that has been bathed in prayer from the start.  We began discussions about our relationship with the UMC in early 2020.  It was at that time we changed our name from Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church to Pleasant Grove Methodist Church in anticipation of expected changes in the direction of our church.  We expected a change might happen at the scheduled 2020 General Conference that May, but then COVID delayed General Conference and any changes it might bring.  In July of 2022, we had a town hall meeting and polled members about their preference for PG’s future.  They indicated their desire to seek disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church.  Illegal and unfair stalling by the North Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC in early 2023 delayed Pleasant Grove’s exit from the UMC until the Superior Court of Cobb County ruled the NGUMC must honor their offer to allow churches to disaffiliate for reasons of conscience.  

Within 6 months, Pleasant Grove raised over $50K to cover disaffiliation fees.  I’m so proud of the church's commitment God’s Word.  It is one thing to say you believe the Bible with your lips.  It is another thing to put your money where our mouth is.  Pleasant Grove proved their true allegiance is to the Holy Bible.

I want to specifically name those who served on Pleasant Grove's disaffiliation team:  Marcus Blalock, Maribeth Reno, and Rita Wagers.  And also those who were part of the affiliation team:  Debra Sloan, Elaine McDonald, Harold Brooker, Kevin Roberts, Kyle Marlow, Mike Wilson, Salena Weed, and Tom Dickson.

On July 25^th of 2023, Pleasant Grove officially voted to disaffiliate from the UMC.  On November 19^th of 2023, PG officially voted to join the new Global Methodist Church; our church was the very first in our community to choose to join and be approved as a GMC church.  Since that time, our church has been working through the transition.  And today, we officially rededicate our church as Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, a Global Methodist Church.   

I want to emphasize that this is not just a change of denominational affiliation but a recommitment to our shared faith and mission.  At PGMC, we believe the Bible is the foundation of all we believe and practice.  And we believe we live out our Christian beliefs in connection with other believers.  Our congregation does not stand alone.  We live out our faith connected with other Christians from around the entire globe.  We are part of a global movement, with churches all across the US, in the Phillipines, Europe, Africa, and South America.

And so today, it is very significant that we hold this service to rededicate ourselves as a symbolic act to embrace our identity and mission in the Global Methodist Church.  And today, I want to share 3 Scriptures from God’s Holy Word to help chart our future as God’s people at PG.

Joshua 24:15
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

These were Joshua's words to the Israelites as they took possession of the Promised Land.  He challenged them to make reaffirm their covenant to serve their Lord, Yahweh, alone.  

It is fitting that we should remember these words today as we rededicate our church to the Lord, Yahweh.  I challenge you to make a personal and collective commitment to put God first, above everything else in your life.  This is the sacred covenant we make on this holy ground.

2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

This Scripture was spoken by God to Solomon during the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem nearly 4,000 years ago.  It reminds us of God’s promise of renewal and healing when His people turn to Him wholeheartedly.  As we rededicate our church and seek renewal (both personally and as a congregation), we must commit to humbling ourselves, seeking God’s face, and being true to His word.

Our Core Values
Our decision to join the Global Methodist Church is an outward expression of our core values to
hold to scriptural authority in connection with other believers who live holy lives and seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  Prayer must be at the center of everything we do.  

As an outward expression of the centrality of prayer to our church, we are renovating our prayer room to make it a beautiful place of peace, inviting to all to come and lift up prayers to our God.  This is a fresh start for our church and a new chapter in the life of the church.  Let prayer always be at the center of everything we do.

Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

Last week, we learned about the glory of the Temple in Jerusalem where God dwelled.  But this Scripture in the New Testament teaches that, because of Jesus Christ, Christians have become the new Temple where God’s Holy Spirit dwells.  The Church—which is not a building but every person who follows Jesus—is the new Temple.  Jesus is the cornerstone, and the teachings of the Apostles about Jesus in the New Testament are the foundation of everything we believe and do.

But everyone of you (if you believe in Jesus) is a living stone in this spiritual Temple.  And together, we reflect God’s presence in the world.  Just as this building, located here on Cleveland Highway, stands as a physical symbol of God's presence to the thousands of people who drive past it every day, you who are part of this church are a living reminder to everyone you encounter, everyday, that God is presence in our world.  What you say and how you live are testaments to Jesus Christ every moment of your life.  Therefore, I encourage you live out your faith, carefully and prayerfully, for you are the Church.

Conclusion
We are physical people who live in a physical world.  Therefore, it is helpful for us to have physical things to remind us of our spiritual covenants.  We have been focusing all year long on renovating and renewing both the physical aspects of our worship as well as reviving the spiritual practices of our  lives.  Many things have already been done:
We installed a new LED sign in 2020 showing our new name - Pleasant Grove Methodist Church.
We stalled new floors in our Sunday school wing in 2021.
We purchased new hymnals and new pew Bibles for our sanctuary this year.

There are other things still in progress:
We will soon publish a new pictorial directory for our church.
We will repair our flag poll and install new flags.
We have several clean up projects to accomplish around our campus.
We will renovated prayer room.

How could you live out the commitments we make today with a renewed commitment to clean up and maintain our physical environment as we also renew our spiritual lives? 

Ceremony of Rededication
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Place Rock on the altar – 

This rock was picked up from the ground in the Holy Land during a trip in 2008.  We place it on the altar as a call to remember our church is holy ground.  Let us remember and treat these grounds as sacred.

Place Bible on the altar
We place this Pew Bible on the altar as a reminder that we stand firmly on God’s Holy Word.  I call upon you to study the Bible, to know it's precepts, and to live them out everyday.

Place Hymnal on the altar

We place this hymnal on the altar as a reminder that we must worship Jesus passionately.  I call upon you to worship Jesus passionately in Spirit & Truth.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Place Prayer Book on the altar
We place this book of prayers on the altar to remind us of the centrality of pray in Christian living.  I call upon you to pray fervently.

Place Candles on the altar
We place these candles on the altar to remind us that we are to be the light of the world.  Jesus said, you are to be like a city on the hill whose light shines for all to see.  I call upon you to be the light to the world, shining forth good deeds that point people to Jesus our Lord.

Rededicating Ourselves as Members
Do you believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit? I do.

Do you confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put your whole trust in His grace, and promise to serve Him as your Lord? I do.

Do you receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures? I do.

Do you promise, according to the grace given you, to keep God’s holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as a faithful member of Christ’s holy church? I do.

Will you be loyal to Christ through the Global Methodist Church and joining with your brothers and sisters around the world do all in your power to fulfill its mission? I will.

Will you be a faithful member of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, a Global Methodist local church, doing all in your power to strengthen its ministries through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness as Christ’s representative in this world? I will.

Place a Bottle of Oil on the Altar

We place this bottle of oil on the altar to remind us that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and annointed to share the Good News about Christ.  I call on you to be filled with the Holy Spirit ad to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.

[Invite the congregation to come forward and be anointed with oil.]

Prayer of Dedication

The Glory of the Temple | A Sermon on 1 Kings 6

Introduction
Last week, we learned about the Tabernacle—the place the ancient Hebrews worshiped God.  Since the Hebrew slaves who left Egypt lived in tents as they wandered through the wilderness, God chose to live in a tent too.  He Instructed the Israelites to build the Tabernacle Tent.  The Israelites worshipped God in the Tabernacle for 480 years.

However, after the Israelites established their kingdom in Israel and were all living in homes, God instructed King Solomon to build a house of worship, the Temple, in Jerusalem.  Today, I hope to express to you the glory of Solomon’s Temple, not to exalt the Temple, but to show how the glory of the Temple exalts the glory and holiness of God.  I want us to remember that the God we worship is the same holy and glorious God.  And I want us to reflect on how we honor God in our own worship space here at Pleasant Grove.

Have you ever had construction work done in your home or where you work?  A few years ago, we had a waterline break in our kitchen while we were out of town for Thanksgiving weekend.  We returned to a home in need of serious repair.  Our homeowner's insurance covered most of the cost.  However, it took several months to renovate all the damage.  In the meantime, our normally quite home was inundated with the sounds of dehumidifiers, hammers, drills, and all kinds of construction.  It was a very noisy affair.

You might imagine the construction of God’s Temple in Jerusalem was a noisy affair too.  But the Israelites revered God so much they even took care to build His Temple in a holy manner.  1 Kings 6:7 says, “The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.”  This gives us a sense of how sacred the ancient Israelites treated the building of God’s Temple.

The Temple
Based on 1 Kings 6:1-10. it took 7 years for Solomon to build the Temple for the Lord.  The inner proportions were 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high—about the size of a modern basketball court and as tall as a 9 story building.  It featured an entry room across the front, narrow recessed windows, and a three-story complex of rooms along the sides and rear.  The structure was built with finished stones and cedar beams and planks were used for the ceiling.

1 Kings 6:11-13
¹¹ Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: ¹² “Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David.  ¹³ I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel.”

The Interior
Based on 1 Kings 6:14-38, the interior of Solomon's Temple was a magnificent testament to divine glory and unparalleled expense, akin to a multi-billion-dollar construction today.  23 tons of gold were used in the Temple, (a cube of solid gold 4.5’x4.5’x4.5’), worth about $63 million.  The Temple was entirely paneled with the finest cedar wood, symbolizing life and vitality, while the floors were made of high-quality cypress, equivalent to using premium hardwood flooring throughout.  The Most Holy Place, a perfect cube 30 feet in each dimension, was overlaid with solid gold—comparable to millions of dollars in gold leaf—emphasizing the pure holiness of God’s presence.  The walls were adorned with intricate carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, all gilded with gold, evoking the lush imagery of the Garden of Eden, where God’s presence first dwelled in harmony with creation.  Inside the sanctuary, massive cherubim, each 15 feet tall with wings spanning 15 feet across, were covered in gold, reminiscent of the cherubim guarding Eden.  The lavish use of gold and symbols from the Garden of Eden underscored not only the Temple’s sacredness but also its role as a new Eden, a place where heaven and earth converged in divine splendor.  And of course, the Ark of the Covenant, gilded in gold and symbolizing the throne of God on earth, now resided in the Holy of Holies in the inner Temple.

The Holiness of God
The extravagance and detailed craftsmanship of the Temple furnishings reflect the holiness and majesty of God, who is worthy of the highest honor and reverence.  This is beautifully echoed in 1 Chronicles 29:11, where King David declares, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours."  The gold, precious stones, and intricate designs of the Temple were not merely for show; they were physical expressions of worship, meant to honor a God who is infinitely glorious.  Just as the Temple was adorned with the finest materials, so too are we called to offer our best—whether in our actions, our worship, or our devotion—recognizing that God is deserving of all we can give and more.  Is the way you worship God really your best? 

Dedication and Worship
The effort and resources dedicated to building and adorning the Temple demonstrate the importance of worshiping God with our best, symbolizing our deep respect and adoration for Him.  This principle is reflected in Malachi 1:8, where God reproves the Israelites for offering blemished sacrifices, asking, "When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?  When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong?  Try offering them to your governor!  Would he be pleased with you?  Would he accept you?"  Just as the Israelites were called to offer their best to God in their sacrifices, the lavish care and resources poured into the Temple’s construction highlight that worship should be marked by excellence and reverence.  Our offerings to God—whether in time, resources, or devotion—should reflect the highest honor, as they symbolize our profound respect and love for Him.  Are you really giving God your best?

Christian Believers Are Now God's Temple
Transitioning to the New Testament, passages like 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Peter 2:4-5 emphasize that believers are now the temple of God, housing His Spirit and called to live holy lives.  In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul writes, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple."  Similarly, 1 Peter 2:4-5 calls believers "living stones" being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  These passages reveal the profound truth that, as the New Testament Temple, our lives must reflect the holiness and purity worthy of God's indwelling presence, with our actions and character being offerings of worship to Him.  Is the way you live for God really your best?

Worshipping God with a Shoestring Budget
The extravagant way the ancient Israelites built their Temple and then worshipped God convicts me, because I don’t feel like we honor God that way today.  We don’t really give God our best.
This is something that’s really convicted me lately. 
Today, we worship God on shoestring budget.

Let me tell you something about the way I grew up and how it molded my personality.  I grew up poor.  We didn’t have much and had to make do with what we had.  After my father left my mom alone to raise 4 kids on her own, things got even tighter.  There was a time my mom sent me into our backyard with an ax to chop up old furniture to use for firewood to heat our home, because that’s all the heat we had that winter.  And if something broke—like my bicycle—I would scrabble together parts from other old bikes that were laying around just to fix mine.  I knew my mom couldn’t but me a new bike or even buy parts to fix my broken bike.  So, all my upbringing, I learned to make do with what I had.  I learned to do things as cheap as possible and operate on a shoestring budget and to do all the work myself.

And that has served me well as a pastor in our world, because churches in our modern world always struggle to be fully and properly funded.  Churches don’t have what they really need.  So, for example, when the TV display unit hanging high up on our sanctuary wall stopped working back in 2017, we didn’t pay someone to come install a new one.  No, instead, I rented a scissor lift, and I borrowed a trailer from Tom Sosebee to go pick it up.  Then I enlisted my 18-year-old son, Gavin, to help me install a new TV.  By doing it all ourselves, we probably saved a few hundred bucks.  But I’ll be honest, it scared the crap out of me.  After finishing the job, TW said, “Chris, why didn’t you just pay someone to do it?”  To be honest, the thought never even crossed my mind.  This is the church.  We don’t have money to just “pay someone” to do stuff.  We always have to figure out what’s the absolute cheapest way we can do something.  At least that’s the way I’ve always thought about it.  And I suspect that’s the way most people in the church think about it.  And it effects everything about the way we do ministry.

When it comes to the staff of our church, we always say, “We can’t pay our staff what they’re worth, only what we can afford.”  That's just the reality of our situation with the budget we have.  And so we ask our staff to work for less than what they deserve to be paid.  And I’ve come to believe it’s a sin what we are doing.  Because it’s a lie.  We can afford to pay our staff a proper wage, but it would require everyone in our church to change and be fully committed to worship God with our very best, give God our very best, and live for God with our very best.

A Call to Honor God with Our Very Best
Brothers and sisters, we've walked through the history of the Temple, understanding the immense effort, resources, and reverence that went into its construction.  The ancient Israelites spared no expense, offering their very best to God because they understood that God is worthy of nothing less.  The Temple wasn't just a building; it was a symbol of their deep devotion, a reflection of their understanding that worshiping God required the utmost excellence and reverence.

But here’s the question we need to ask ourselves: Are we offering our very best to God today?

It’s easy to fall into the mindset that we must operate on a shoestring budget, that we must scrimp and save and do things as cheaply as possible.  But when we do that, we risk losing sight of something crucial: that our God is not a God of the leftovers.  He is a God of glory, majesty, and holiness, deserving of the highest honor.

In Malachi 1:8, God challenges the Israelites, saying, "When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?  When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong?”  This scripture hits home for us today.  Are we giving God the blind and the lame of our resources, our time, and our talents, or are we giving Him our very best?

Our church, this house of worship, is not just a building.  It’s the place where we come together as a community to honor God, to worship Him, to be in His presence.  It’s a reflection of our devotion, our love, and our respect for Him.  And if we truly believe that God is as holy and glorious as we say He is, then our actions, our service, and our giving should reflect that belief.

So, I challenge you to change today:  Let’s change our attitude about how we support the work of the church.  Let’s stop thinking of it in terms of what we can afford or what’s the cheapest way to get by.  Instead, let’s start thinking about what honors God the most.  Let’s commit to offering our very best in every aspect of our lives—our time, our talents, our resources.

Imagine what could happen if each of us gave God our best.  Imagine how our church could thrive, how our ministry could expand, how we could reach more people for Christ if we all committed to worshiping God with excellence.  It’s not just about money; it’s about the attitude of our hearts.  It’s about recognizing that everything we have comes from God and that He is worthy of our best.  Let’s honor God the way the ancient Israelites did—with reverence, with excellence, and with our very best.

Invitation
As we move toward rededicating our church as Holy Ground on August 25th, let this be a time of personal rededication as well.  Reflect on how you can give God your best—whether it's through your service, your giving, or your devotion.  If you’ve been holding back, now is the time to fully commit.  If you’ve been giving out of convenience rather than sacrifice, now is the time to change that.  Let’s pray together, asking God to help us honor Him with all that we are and all that we have.  And if you feel led to take a step of faith—whether it’s committing your life to Christ, dedicating your talents to His service, or simply choosing to live more fully for Him, I invite you to pray to God about it today and then talk to someone:  a pastor, a spiritual advisor, or a trust Christian friend.

The Tabernacle | A Sermon on Hebrews 9:1-14

Introduction
The blog is the second in a series about Holy Ground, to better appreciate dwelling in the holy presence of God leading up to a rededicate our church as Holy Ground on August 25^th.  Today, one word is the focus of everything we will talk about:  Tabernacle.  

In Exodus, God told Moses to go to Pharoah and tell him to let God's people go.  The Israelites were slaves in Egypt.  However, God delivered them through a series of ten plagues that brought Pharaoh to his knees.  So God led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness toward the Promised Land.  God appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  And God instructed Moses to build a Tabernacle--a big tent complex, worship center--to serve as God's dwelling on earth.  Whenever the pillar of smoke/fire moved, the Israelites moved.  Whenever the pillar stopped, the Israelites erected the Tabernacle and God's presence would enter and rest inside it.

A passage from the New Testament describes the ancient Tabernacle, connects it to Christ, and explains it's significance for us today.

Hebrews 9:1-14
¹ That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. ² There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. ³ Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. ⁴ In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.

⁶ When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. ⁷ But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ⁸ By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

⁹ This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. ¹⁰ For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.

¹¹ So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. ¹² With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

¹³ Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. ¹⁴ Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Symbols of the Tabernacle
Hebrews describes how the Tabernacle looked (see also the image to the left).  It was a tent designed to be put up, used, taken back down, and moved to a new locations where God led the Israelites.  Whenever the pillar of smoke/fire representing the presence of God stopped, the Israelites stopped.  They erected the Tabernacle and God's glory enter it and made it Holy Ground.  The tent was just physical material, however beautiful and elaborate.  It was God's presence that made it holy.

The Tabernacle had an outer courtyard where priests and Levites would receive ritually pure worshippers who were making a sacrifice.  No one else could enter.  Sacrifices were placed on the Brazen Altar in the courtyard.  There was also a laver for washing.  (With all the sloughtered sacrifices, they certainly needed a large pool for washing.)  Inside the tabernacle were two room--the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place--where only priests could enter.  

The Holy Place was where the priests would perform the daily rituals of lighting the Golden Lampstand, which represented the Tree of Life from the Garden of Eden.  They would also make a daily bread offering on the Table of Showbread.  

The second room, the Most Holy Place, was off limits to everyone.  It house the Ark of the Covenant.  The only person who could enter the ost Holy Place (also called the Holy of Holies), was the High Priest.  And he could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement.  On that day, the High Priest would enter to sprinkle blood on the Ark, first to atone for his own sins, the again to atone for the community's sins.  

The High Priest enter the Most Holy Place with fear and trembling.  It was highly dangerous to be in the holy presence of God.  He wore a robe with bells on the fringe and a rope tied around his ankle.  As long as the other priests could hear the bells jingling while he was in the Most Holy Place, they knew he was still alive and moving.  But if the bells stopped, they could pull the priest out by the rope tied around his ankle.  Now how would you feel going into such a dangerous situation?

The Ark of the Covenant was thought to be God's Throne (or footstool) on earth.  It was where the presence of God rested when the pillar of smoke/fire came entered the Tabernacle.  Two golden cherubim--spiritual beings (like angels)-- sat atop the Ark, symbolically guarding God’s throne.  The first time we see cherubim in the Bible is when God stationed two cherubim at the gate of the Garden of Eden after God exiled Adam and Eve for their sin.  Again, we see the echo's of the Garden of Eden story.

A curtain (or veil) separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.  It was a barrier to keep people from stumbling into God’s presence. Why? It's not to protect God and it's not because God is angry and wants to hurt people.  It's because sinful people cannot survive the holy presence of a perfect God.  Our God is an all consuming fire; His glory would consume our sin and us with it.

“Why Does This Matter?”
Hebrews 9:9 tells us what all this has to do with Christians today.  It says, “This is an illustration pointing to the present time…”  The Old Testament system illustrates how God ultimately saves us through Jesus Christ.

In fact, we see the word ""Tabernacle" in a very familiar verse we often read at Christmastime.  John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  The word translated as Dwelling is the Greek word Skenoo, which means to Tabernacle.  Jesus, the Son of God, "tabernacled" among us.  Just as God’s glory dwelled in the Tabernacle in the OT, God’s glory dwelled in Jesus among us on Earth—God in the flesh.  But there’s more.

A Perfect Tabernacle in Heaven
Hebrews 9:11 – “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.”

This  description of the Old Testament Tabernacle is a picture of a glorious, heavenly dwelling of God.  And Jesus entered that Tabernacle as our High Priest and offered His own life to atone for us.  Hebrews 9:12, “With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.”

How did Jesus do this?  Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  He shed His blood for us.  The physical things we see on earth are a reflection of the spiritual things happening in the Heavenly realm.  Always remember, we only see things from a earthly perspective.  But, what we see is quite often an echo of the spiritual work of God in the spiritual realm.

Your Sin & God’s Forgiveness
Your sin – your mistakes and your disobedience – separates you from God.  It corrupts your life, messes everything up, and even distorts the world around us.  It is why world is out of whack.  It is why there is disease, disorder, hate, suffering, and death.  Not just your sin, but the sin of the whole world.  But your sin is a big part of the problem.
The world we live in is broke.  We are broke.  I’m broke.  Your broke.  But Jesus came to fix it.  

The Old Testament Tabernacle illustrates how Jesus fixies it all.  He serves as our High Priest to intercede for us to God.  Jesus lays down His own life as the sacrifice for our sins.  He is the Lamb of God.  His blood washes away our sins forever.  When we decide to turn away from our sin, we accept the free gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.  God saves us! 

What Happens When God Saves Us?
When God saves us, first of all, our sins are completely washed away. We become holy as God is holy.

Second, there is no longer anything to separate us from God.  We don't have to be like the High Priest in the Old Testament who feared they would dies in God's presence.  No, Hebrews 4:16 says we can "boldly to the throne of grace" because there is no longer any in us.  Christ already atoned for it.

Third, God sends His Holy Spirit to “Tabernacle” inside us.  Just as God's Holy Spirit enterend the Old Testament Tabernacle, and just as God' Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when He was baptized in the Jordan River, God's Holy Spirit comes to reside inside us as His New Testament Tabernacle.  Do you remember the story of Pentecost from Acts chapter 2?  Jesus told His followers to wait in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit.  So they were all meeting in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came during the Feast of Pentecost.  There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind.  And then what appeared as tongues (or pillars) of fire rested atop each believers head!  Do you see the Old Testament image of the Tabernacle being fulfilled?  We are the New Tabernacle!

Fourth, God sees Jesus in us.  We don't have to be afraid.  God no longer sees our sins and mistakes.  He see Jesus in us.  And God says to us what He said to His son at Jesus' baptism:  "Behold, this is my beloved Son!"  If you repent of your sin and follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord, God sees Jesus in you.  That is why when Jesus was crucified, it specifically says the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51)--from the top, meaning it was torn by God and not by human hands.

Fifth, God sends us on a mission.  Tabernacles are meant to be on the move!  They were portable houses of God.  We too are meant to be active and mobile.  Jesus said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey all my commands."  (See Mathew 28:19-20)

Finally, God begins to actually heal us.  It's not just a visual trick that God sees no sin in us.  When His Holy Spirit comes to live in you, the Spirit gets to work cleaning you up from the inside out.  God's holiness starts to take over your life.  His glory starts to shine forth in you.  How glorius!

Invitation
I want to invite you to respond to what God has said to you in this message today.  If you've never done so, why don't you choose to follow Jesus today.  He will save you.  He will liberate you from sin and death and grant you eternal life.  Humble yourself and come to Him today through Jesus Christ.  Pray and ask God to forgive your sins.  Commit to follow Jesus as Lord.  Then you will receive the Holy Spirit and start to serve as God's Tabernacle on earth.

Have you been baptized?  Perhaps God is calling you to be baptized.  Talk to me or to your pastor, and we can perform this powerful and important sacrament for you to be baptized, in obedience to Jesus command and as a way to receive the grace of God in your life.

There may be some reading this who feel God is calling you to ministry.  Right now, the harvest is plentiful.  There are many churches who need pastors, children's ministers, music leaders, youth leaders, volunteers of all sorts.  God is calling many to serve, but they are afraid.  Is God calling you?  Why don't you answer?  Answer the call today.  Talk to your pastor about it; or talk to me.

Perhaps there are some among you who need to join a church.  Christians need to be part of a faith community.  If you are not already a member of a church, find one to join today.  If you are in my area and looking, I invite you to join my church.  You will be loved and you will find a place to serve.  Talk to me.