The Tabernacle Today

Greater than Adam and Sons Hebrews 2:5-13

Jesu Juva Soli Deo Gloria Johan Sebastian Bach

The way things were ___________________ to be V. 5-8

Who did the Bible explicitly say was to be over things on earth originally? ____________________ Genesis 1:27-28

Hebrews says God has now done the following for Jesus:

Set Him over the works of God’s hands

Put _________ things under His feet

What would be true if the first Adam had not sinned?

When Adam and Eve sinned, Satan moved right in and made this world _______________ to himself.

Ephesians 2:1-3

The way things _____________________ V. 8

Richard Wagner

The way things really are and ___________ be V. 9-13

The word for captain would be better translated as _______________ of their salvation.

Hebrews 12:2

Jesus was already perfect as God – now can be added perfect ___________________.

Jesus is our salvation – But He is also our _____________________.

Philippians 1:6

The first Adam and his sons have made a mess of the world, and Satan his demons have overstayed their welcome. But _________________ day is coming!

Psalm 26 Worksheet

Psalm 26 is one of the Psalms of ______________________.

David asks God to ______________________ him in this situation V. 1-2

David uses 4 imperative verbs to appeal for justice in verses 1-2.

Leaders like David have so many people talking junk about them, rumors move faster than they could ever deal with them one on one. David didn’t hire a press agent, he talked to the Lord about it.

David says, “Since I trust in you, Lord, I don’t need to be all __________________ about this!”

David makes the case for his innocence and ____________________ behavior V. 3-8

There’s our two words, Hesed and Emet, together again!

If you think David is a little ‘judgy’ here, remember that this was from David’s prayer life as kind of a journal entry before it was a song to be sung.

David isn’t so much reminding God here as he is reminding _________________________ not to look for godless alternatives to faith during a difficult time.

David says, “Instead of going to the wrong kind of places, I am going to the Tabernacle and offering a sacrifice and seeking God’s face and being with people going there instead of sinful places!”

I think many times we can say that about church – “This place will keep you from sin, but sin will also keep you from this place!”

David makes clear he is staying on God’s _______________________ V. 9-12

I love how David brings it back around to a hymn –

“I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!”

Good government consists in this – for a man to do to his country as much good as possible, or at least, to do it invariably no harm. -Nicias (414 BC) 1:54

Make sure your ___________________ is to bless the Lord even if your trials continue longer than you hoped they would!

The Now and Coming Kingdom

There is a Now and Coming Kingdom that is ruled by an Absolute Monarch who is 100% worthy to be loved and followed both now and forevermore. Those who receive Him become His eternally blessed subjects!

Read Acts 1:1-11 The Now and Coming Kingdom Let’s Pray!

Today we look at the teaching Jesus did over 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension to Heaven. 10 days after that would be the Feast of Pentecost.

Jesus’ Post-Resurrection teaching of His disciples V. 1-3

Why didn’t Jesus appear to unbelievers over those 40 days? Because God never rewards pride & unbelief with divine knowledge; He rewards humility & faith.

Now what do you need to have a Kingdom?

You need a King; you need subjects; and you need a realm being governed.

There is clearly a now and not yet feature to the Kingdom of God verses. Christ is already reigning spiritually in Heaven and on earth among those who follow Him. One day in the future He will reign physically over the world from Israel (Rev. 20). Churches today are like Kingdom embassies in the world.

Characteristics of God’s Kingdom:

The Kingdom of God is all about God’s presence (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).

You must be born again to experience the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).

You must repent to experience the Kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17).

You must humble yourself before God like a little child in childlike trust to be converted and experience the Kingdom of God (Matt. 18:3-4; Matt. 5:3).

Jesus said experiencing the Kingdom is worth giving up everything you possess for what you gain in Him (Matthew 13:44-45).

Doing and teaching God’s commands make you great in the Kingdom; not doing God’s will may mean your faith is fraudulent (Matt. 5:19; 7:21).

We are to put His Kingdom interests and doing right(eous) things ahead of our own interests and needs (Matthew 6:33).

We are to pray for Christ’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:10).

Jesus gives His believing subjects the “Keys of the Kingdom” to bind and loose things in His name (Matthew 16:19).

Jesus guaranteed this Kingdom would expand throughout the earth (Matthew 13). Jesus said the good news of this kingdom will be preached throughout the world before the end (of the present age) comes (Matthew 24:14).

Jesus said His Kingdom will involve many from “east and west” we didn’t anticipate being His (Matt. 8:12), including those who had been “tax collectors and prostitutes (Matt. 21:31).

Paul taught the Kingdom was particularly characterized by righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Paul made clear the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-11) unless they have been washed and justified by Jesus. Paul made clear that at the moment of salvation believers are transferred from Satan’s domain to the King’s Dominion (Col. 1:13). Paul and John both spoke of being fellow workers for this Kingdom (Col. 4:11; Rev. 1:9).

Jesus’ promise of Holy Spirit power to His disciples V. 4-8

As a Christian I have found waiting on God’s timing very hard. But I have also found acting in the flesh before God okays acting has cost me dearly.

Do you get what Jesus is saying?

Disciples, you are to enthusiastically expect Christ to return and rule, but not become overly focused on the timing of the details. You are instead to focus on reaching the nations for Christ, beginning with where you are!

Jesus’ ascension to Heaven V. 9-11

The Danger of Drifting:

Hebrews 2:1-4

The Book of Hebrews does 2 primary things:

1. Lifts up Jesus, who alone is worthy of our praise

2. Warns against ______________ the great salvation Jesus provides!

The danger of missing your ____________________ V. 1

_____________________ has always been dangerous V. 2

Genesis 19:13 1 Timothy 1:18-19

Disobedience is ____________ dangerous than it used to be V. 3-4

It was dangerous to reject a message from an angel in the past; but woe to the one who rejects this messenger, Jesus, and this message: ___________________in His name.

Too many of us have become drifting saints in a drifting culture, and we love to have our ears tickled by preachers who talk more about believing in ________________ and acting on your dreams instead of living by faith in Christ and following the direction He has for your life.

How does a professing Christian neglect their salvation?

By _______________________________ it.

A person who does that views their faith as only taking care of one thing: going to Heaven when they die. For everything else they just go along with what the ________________ is doing.

It is never the ________________ thing to line ourselves back up with Jesus!

Growing the Tabernacle

Read Haggai 1:1-2:9 Growing the Tabernacle Let’s Pray!

The events we read about in Haggai happened in August of 520 BC., nearly 20 years after King Cyrus had allowed Jewish exiles to return to the Holy Land.

According to Haggai, God was upset with Israel as individuals and as a community for not prioritizing the things of God. Coming out of a time of upheaval, they had put themselves before God.

Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? -Haggai 1:4

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. -Romans 15:4

According to Haggai, God is upset with Christians as individuals and as church communities who don’t prioritize the things of God over themselves.

God assured His people in Haggai 1:12 that as they worked for Him He would be with them in a special way!

The mission of the Tabernacle is to reproduce faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus Christ.

His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” -Jesus in Matthew 25:21

“And the one on whom seed was sown on good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty.” -Jesus in Matthew 13:23

Teaching of Scripture

GOAL: 10% growth each year in our Sunday School through 2031, and go from 22 to 25 classes.

GOAL: Go from 18 to 25 other small groups meeting other times beyond Sunday morning by 2031.

Adoration and Prayer

Testimony by Anna Vogltanz as we add back Children’s choir this summer.

GOAL: Have the children’s choir sing 4-6 times a year on Sunday mornings, and participate in Christmas and Easter at The Tabernacle.

Baptist Principles

GOAL: 75% of members have a ministry in the church by April 2024.

Evangelism and Missions

GOAL: Go over $200,000 in budgeted missions money for 2024.

GOAL: 75% of our members have a gospel conversation with someone before the end of 2023.

Radical Generosity

Our Budget is $1,080,000 for the year; Need $270,000 a quarter – 1st Quarter giving was over $290,000! Church growth experts recommend 3-4 months in reserves and investments; we have over 11 months in reserves and investments.

GOAL: By next April, 50% of members giving on 5th Sundays like today for building upgrades.

Nurtured Partnerships

GOAL: By end of 2025, have regular mission trips in country and overseas that involve children, youth, young adults, median adults, and senior adults as individuals and as groups (YAM, Forever Young, etc.)

Age Appropriate Ministries

GOAL: Finish preschool indoor playspace area by end of summer 2023.

GOAL: Hire a Full Time Church Children’s Ministry Leader by Fall of 2023.

Congregational Love and Encouragement

We have 290 Active Households here at The Tabernacle; there were 310 households when I came.

GOAL: 300 Active Households by April 2024. People need the Lord, and people need a church home!

Leadership Development

Current Board of Directors: Don Bingham, Richard Chivvis, Duane Adams, Tyler Haley, David Thompson.

Goal: add 2-3 Board members by end of 2023.

Excellence and Fun

GOAL: Dramatically improve WIFI coverage throughout the church in 3 phases over the next 3 years.

GOAL: By April 2024 have the foyer bathroom project completed.

GOAL: By end of 2023 address insulation and heating and cooling needs in our gym.

Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not nothing in your eyes? -Haggai 2:3

God does not want His people living in the past but serving in the present and looking forward to their glorious future with Him – the best is yet to come!

Greater than the Angels

Hebrews 1:1-14

“Now we run!”

Angels are pretty _______________

The Bible has a lot to say about angels – they are mentioned 273 times in ____________ of the Bible’s 66 books.

Job 38:1, 4, 7

Angels report directly to God and ______________ His authority.

Job 2:1 Mark 1:25-27 Matthew 26:53

The chief purpose of angels is to ________________ God.

Revelation 5:11-12

Angels are stronger than men but not omnipotent like God.

2 Peter 2:10-11 Daniel 10:13

Angels are smarter than men but not omniscient like God.

Daniel 9:22 Matthew 24:36

Angels can cover much ground but are not omnipresent like God.

Daniel 9:21 Daniel 10:12

Hebrews 13:2 Matthew 18:10

Angels are _______________ all around us at all times.

2 Kings 6:16-17

Angels are doing spiritual __________ for us at all times. Their efforts are either enhanced by our prayers or limited by our lack thereof.

Eph. 6:12 Daniel 9:23 Daniel 10:12-13

Angels __________________ in judgment.

Genesis 19:13

Angels _________________ the unsaved for eternal hell.

Matthew 13:39-43

Angels ________________ the saved to Heaven when they die.

Luke 16:22

Jesus Christ is ___________________ than the angels!

Phil. 2:9-11

Acts 4:12

Jesus is the _________________ Son of God.

Proverbs 30:4

The angels ________________ Jesus.

Jesus is God, the eternal Creator and ______________ of all!

You can help angels get their job done!

The angels job is to minister to those who will ______________ salvation.

Luke 12:8-9

Psalm 25 Worksheet

Psalm 25 features 3 different types of literary devices:

First, Psalm 25 is an ____________________: nearly every verse in the Hebrew begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet!

Second, Psalm 25 is also in _____________________ structure (take out verse 22). The thoughts of verse 1 and 21, 2, and 20, and so on, all complement each other with a big point in the middle!

Third, many of the verses are _____________________ by key words or thoughts.

A simple outline:

David petitions the Lord V. 1-7

Notice after David states that his __________________ in the Lord, he launches into 8 petitions of the Lord, four positive ones followed by four negative ones.

What does David want God to remember in verse 6?

His _____________________ and Hesed (Steadfast love)

What does David want God not to remember in verse 7?

The ____________________ of his youth

David states the Lord’s character and deeds V. 8-10

Proverbs 3:3

The middle: David asks God to forgive V. 11

David states more about God’s deeds V. 12-15

David states more petitions to the Lord V. 16-21

In verse 21 David has a specific enemy in mind that he is blameless against, and so he again prays that his own integrity and uprightness in the ____________________ matter with that enemy will be vindicated by God, who David waits on!

David asks God to redeem Israel as a people! V. 22

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Pray for the redemption of Israel!

Living for the Truth

Those who live in truth love in truth V. 1

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. -John 4:24

Those who live in truth pray in truth V. 2

We are called to pray for the whole person, that as they follow Jesus they will flourish. Having gained eternal life through faith in Jesus, we want them to have abundant life by following Jesus’ commands. That’s praying in truth.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. -Luke 10:27

“For real change to happen we must choose what we want most over what we want now.” -Abraham Lincoln???

Those who live in truth walk in truth V. 3-4

Levels of Motivation to serve God:

Love

Hope

Faith

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Gratitude

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Guilt

Obligation

Fear

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This was recorded during our April 18, 2023 "Forever Young" meeting. We pray that you enjoy this interview with the sons of our founding pastor - Dr. RJ Barber Sr.