The Tabernacle Today

God of our salvation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. -Genesis 1:1-2

“And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever…”  -Genesis 6:3a

He (the Holy Spirit) will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. -John 16:8

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely!” -Revelation 22:17

Being religious won’t get you to Heaven! V. 1-3

Jesus hadn’t come to make bad people good through religion, but to make dead people live through salvation. 

Being born of the Spirit will get you to Heaven V. 3-8

It may help us understand these two concepts if we lay them on top of each other:

Physical birth   = Born of water   = Dead in sin    = Hell-bound

Spiritual birth   = Born of Spirit   = Alive in Christ    = Heaven-bound

“The Holy Spirit’s basic job is to make God’s truth come alive inside of us!” -Tony Evans, One Church Under God, page 90

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” -John 6:44

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” -John 12:32

Being born of the Spirit happens when we believe in Jesus V. 9-21

What the Spirit does for the believer at the moment of salvation – Regeneration by the Spirit; Baptism (immersion) of the Spirit; Indwelling of the Spirit, making us a temple of God; Sealing by the Spirit, guaranteeing our future inheritance.

Not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. -Titus 3:5 

The word for regeneration is palingenesia. It means new genesis, or new beginning. It is exactly what Jesus meant by the need to be born again!  

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…and all have been made to drink into one Spirit. -1 Cor. 12:13

You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of God.  -1 Cor. 6:11

The love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. -Romans 5:5

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? -1 Corinthians 3:16

…Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.     -Ephesians 1:13-14 (see also 2 Cor. 1:22)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. -2 Cor. 4:7

Pass Me Not O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry.

While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry.

While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by.

Let me at Thy throne of mercy, find a sweet relief.

Kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief.

Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry.

While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. 

If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! -Luke 11:13

I do believe in you, Lord Jesus – If I have never truly been born again, born of Your Spirit, Lord, please give me the birth of the Spirit right now. I trust you alone for salvation, Jesus, and I entrust my life to you from this day forward.

Let’s Pray! 

This sermon was preached by guest speaker Scott Spalding on July 4, 2021 during our 10:15 a.m. Sunday morning worship service.

Reject Counterfeit Ministries 2 Peter 2:17-22

False Teachers are often _________________ speakers who deceive new Christians

Do not join false teachers in their apostasy V. 20-22

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.  -Philippians 1:6

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. -1 John 2:19

But beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. -Hebrews 6:9

God of our Conscience

All people have been given a conscience that God uses to keep them lined up with natural truth and revealed truth. Said another way, the Holy Spirit is the God of our conscience.

Read John 16:5-11 God of our Conscience Let’s Pray!

“My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” -Genesis 6:3

God doesn’t spell out the Moral law and give the Ten Commandments until 70 chapters into the Bible (64 chapters after Genesis 6).

From Genesis 1 to Exodus 19 we see people break most of the 10 commands that hadn’t been given yet, and KNOW they had done wrong.

God has wired into people the basics of what we would call the natural law, and we come out of the womb with a conscience geared toward knowing it.

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.   -Romans 2:14-15

The compound word Conscience means “with science,” or “with knowledge.” Our God-given consciences are tuned to give us basic knowledge of right and wrong, and to impress on us our need to re-connect with our Creator.

God’s Spirit strives with all men based on the natural law written on their conscience.

God’s Spirit strived with the children of Israel based on the Law.

In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.  -Isaiah 63:9-10

God’s Spirit strives with men now based on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. -2 Corinthians 5:21

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell. -Matthew 10:28

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. -1 Timothy 1:5

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. -2 Tim. 4:1-2

Characteristics of False Teachers 2 Peter 2:9-17

“Men, there are three things you must never touch…”

“Don’t touch the g______________________!”

“Don’t touch the g______________________!”

“Don’t touch the g______________________!”

Characteristics of False Teachers:

1. They often practice and ___________________ sexual sin

2. They are filled with ________ and revile God-given authority

3. They love _________________ and covet what others have

The Tabernacle Today - Special Edition: An Interview with Dr. Danny Campbell.

The Spirit-Filled Life 2/8: God of our Abilities

Read Exodus 35:29-36:7 The God of our Abilities

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into Heaven, You are there; If I make by bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me.”  -Psalm 139:7-10

The first reference in the Bible to people being filled by the Spirit is of craftsmen who worked with their hands!

God gave you your (non-sinful) abilities, interests, and loves for a reason- to glorify Him in every area of existence!

God gives us the natural abilities we possess. We have the responsibility to develop those talents for God’s glory, and to say “yes” when He calls us to use them for Him.

Let me ask you 2 questions:

First, what do you love to do?

Second, have you given it back to God as an act of worship and service to bring him glory, and to bring others to Christ?

The thing you love to do, even though it’s a great blessing from God, if its not done for God’s glory, can turn into a curse. If you take your eyes off God and start worshipping yourself or the thing you’re good at, God may take it away!

Where did Bezalel and Oholiab develop these abilities that enabled them to build the Temple?

In slavery in Egypt.

God the Holy Spirit was hovering there while they were engaged in that mind-wearying, backbreaking labor. God the Holy Spirit was now filling them to get The Tabernacle built.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves our comforted by God. -2 Corinthians 1:3-4

This sermon was preached on June 13, 2021 by Student Pastor Allen Payne during our Sunday AM service.

The Lord to the Rescue! 2 Peter 2:1-10

There _____________ be false teachers who many will follow   2:1-2

Acts 20:25-31

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.  -Matthew 7:15-16a

James 3:1 2 Timothy 4:1-5 Isaiah 66:2

Their _______________ is gain now but later they will be big losers   2:3

Matthew 5:29

God will ____________________ the unrepentant for engaging in what He calls sin   2:4-10a

Peter gives 3 examples from the early parts of Genesis:

The _______________________ who sinned (Genesis 6:1-4)

Luke 8:31 Revelation 9, 20

The ancients who sinned _______________ the flood (Genesis 6:5-8)

The ancients who sinned in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 13:13; 18-19)

Amos 4:12

God will ______________________ the godly who repent of their sin   2:4-10a

Ezekiel 3:16-21

Like a lot of God’s children who get into messes, Lot did turn to his faith in the midst of his mess. That should give us all _____________; the Lord knows how to rescue not just the nearly perfect Noah, but also the nowhere near perfect Lot.

The Tabernacle Today - Special Edition.